Getting started
building or renovating your home can be a complicated process. We
want to make things easy…and fun…for our clients.
We believe a successful Green construction project needs five things
in place before the hammers start swinging.
The
five things needed for a successful Green building project
1) Idea: what is it
you are trying to obtain? Examples may be:
- A 1,600 square foot house
that has $50 monthly utility bills
- A tornado-proof house
that gets all its energy needs from the sun
- A house that fits in with
my historic neighborhood that
will not bother my children’s allergies.
2)
Site: a buildable location that allows your ideas
to be executed.
3)
Funding: The financial resources necessary to complete
the project.
4)
Plans: Formalized document with measurements and specifications
that allow permitting and construction to take place.
5)
General Contractor/Builder: A
licensed, qualified and experienced general contractor/builder to
build to plan and coordinate the construction project within the timeframe
agreed to.
What can Pragmatic Construction do for you?
| I
have |
Y/N |
What
can Pragmatic Construction do for you? |
| 1:
Idea? |
No |
We can meet with you
to discuss available Green building options- including costs,
and realistic pros and cons for each system. We can help you think
through the best possible integration of Green technologies within
your budget, and enable you to formalize the vision for your project. |
| |
Yes |
We will meet with you
to discuss the idea, answering any Green technology questions
you may have, verify that the idea is executable, clarify the
construction process for you and ensure that we are a good fit
for your vision. |
| - |
| 2:
Site? |
No |
We can assist you with
determining optimal siting requirements, and can make recommendations
regarding possible buildable sites. |
| |
Yes |
We will view your site
and coordinate a survey (if not done already) to ensure the idea
is feasible within the site constraints. |
| - |
| 3:
Funding? |
No |
We will help you determine
what your idea and site are likely to cost, and will help you track down
any federal, state or local tax breaks and/or grants that may
partially fund your project. |
| |
Yes |
We will make sure you
haven’t missed any federal, state or local tax breaks and/or
grants that may partially fund your project. |
| - |
| 4:
Plans? |
No |
We will meet with you
in a collaborative design phase, collecting and refining your
ideas and design requirements. We will offer our expertise to
make sure you are aware of ways you can save money in structure
and operating costs. When we have completed our discussions, we
will prepare preliminary building sketches and blueprints to review
with you, then forward to an architect and/or engineer certified
and experienced with the technology you have selected for your
project. |
| |
Yes |
We will review the plans,
ensuring they have been properly generated and get ready for the
build. If you have existing plans generated for traditional wood-frame
construction and desire to convert them to a Green technology
(e.g. AAC or ICFs), we can facilitate the plan conversion. |
| - |
5:
General
Contractor-
Builder? |
No |
Pragmatic Construction
is licensed by the state of WI to perform your general contracting
and building. |
| |
Yes |
We will offer our consulting
services to your project, and/or will bid any subcomponents (e.g.
roofing or window installations) requested. |
| - |
Green
design considerations
The following list is a non-exhaustive
sample of design considerations we can help you with in the initial
phase of your project. (Note: More resources located on our Links
page)
A) Siting and land
use
- Urban infill construction
- Cluster building site to maximize green space
- Brownfield remediation
B)
Landscape conservation and stormwater management
- Minimize disruption of existing vegetation and land contours
- Reduce pavement width and length, incorporate permeable materials
- Native plant landscaping
- Install green roofing
C) Energy efficiency
- Selecting appropriately glazed windows
- Selecting appropriate insulation
- Sizing energy-efficient heating/cooling system to insulation level
- Selecting energy-efficient appliances and lighting
- Properly orienting home for maximum solar access
D) Materials
- Use of reclaimed materials
- Use of sustainable or recycled-content materials
- Use of durable and maintenance-free materials (e.g. steel roofing)
E) Indoor air quality
- Ensure proper ventilation and air cleaning
- Use of non-toxic (IAQ) materials
- Use of low or non-VOC paints, finishes and adhesives
F) Plumbing and water conservation
- Installation of steel-roof and water catchment systems
- Selection of appropriate water-efficient appliances
- Use of PEX plumbing
- Use of dual flush toilets and water-efficient fixtures
G) Waste Reduction, recycling and disposal
- Recycle or reuse construction waste
- Installation of composting bins
H) Builder operations
- Utilize builder with 100% of homes built to Green
Built Home and Energy Star standards annually
I) Efficient use of space
- Doubling laundry and mechanical rooms
- Clustering plumbing and wiring runs
- Minimizing hallway space
Pragmatic Construction is
a member of
Green Built Home, and builds 100% of its new construction and
remodels for certification by GBH standards.
Next
Steps:
The above systems are a few
of the many possible Green systems that, if properly integrated, can
save you significant amounts of money in base and operating costs
while providing powerful environmental, health and societal benefits.
When you are ready to proceed to the planning phase for your project,
we would be happy to discuss your vision and partner with you for
the collaborative pragmatic design of a Green building!
