GreenSage E-zine 04/2008

Environmentally Friendly Live/Work Lofts
Sustainably Designed, of Course!

Twelve exceptional live/work town homes have been built in Sebastopol, California. Just minutes walking distance from the downtown area, these bright, spacious homes offer unparalleled professional workspaces with separate living quarters. This Gold LEED project employs the largest gray water bio-remediation system ever built in Sonoma County.

The solar-powered town homes are made from materials produced using sustainable methods with limited environmental consequences. Cabinets and other woodwork in the homes come from sustainably managed forests, while other features use recycled materials wherever possible. Finished floors consist of bamboo, a rapidly renewable resource, and polished, colored concrete with integrated radiant heating. Stylish kitchen and bathroom countertops are made of PaperStone, an attractive and durable material created from recycled paper products.

The town homes are highly energy efficient, designed to reduce gas and electricity consumption through exceptional building design and energy efficient appliances. The concrete floors provide thermal mass which stores both solar gain during the winter and is cooled with night air during the summer, sustainable and efficiently moderating the indoor the temperature.

All exterior ground surfaces and pathways are made of permeable materials that absorb rainfall and return it to the local water table. Excess water not reabsorbed into the ground is cleansed through a bio-remediation site at the south end of the property. Plant roots absorb toxins from the runoff which then travels through the City storm drain system to the Laguna de Santa Rosa, then to the Russian River and on to the Pacific Ocean. Water from bathroom sinks, showers and laundry areas is distributed for plant irrigation, conserving and reusing up to 150,000 gallons of water per year.

Built by IBIS Builds, Steven Sheldon, founding partner and architect, says, “All materials are chosen from a collective consciousness perspective that balances financially sound and environmentally friendly decisions.

“We apply strict environmental standards to materials we use - it's not just its status, accessibility or price point. We integrate environmentally sound building decisions, ecological materials and renewable resources into all our living and work spaces.”

The off-gassing Volatile Organic Compounds (Vic's) commonly found in indoor environments is dramatically reduced through careful selection of non-toxic building materials chosen for their impact on human health in the live/work environment.

The town home living space features a large terrace, abundant natural light, extensive kitchen counter space and a large dining area adjacent to the living area. Lovely lightwood built-in cabinets create the master bedroom's sleek look and clean lines. A bed and night tables are all that's necessary to complement this elegant minimalist décor. The ground floor roomy professional space has a separate entrance and can function as a stand-alone living space.

IBIS stands for Intelligent Building = Integrated + Sustainable, which goes beyond a name. The company philosophy is to develop building projects that conserve and create energy, maximize the use of renewable resources and minimize the need for maintenance over the life of the project. check them out at www.ibisbuilds.com.