Local and Green: The New Brinkmann Hardware Store

Many years ago, BPA started its practice in Sayville, NY, so we were quite familiar with Brinkmann's local hardware and paint store. In fact, we still own and use the barbecue grill they recommended to us twenty years ago.  Helpful service and high-quality products make it quite easy to support this family-owned business. Combatting an era of impersonal corporate big-box stores, Brinkmann's Hardware Store has grown and is currently working with BPA to create a store that will reflect its values: tradition, community, and environmental responsibility.  The 18,000 square foot space will now house hardware, paint, and office space under one solar roof.  Yes, 120 KW of photovoltaic panels combined with a geo-thermal system will set this building on the path to net-zero energy, creating an efficient building which will serve as a model for both its consumers and other commercial buildings.  With one foot planted in the family tradition and the other in the alternative energy future, it is very exciting for us to chronicle this project from start to finish.  Stay tuned!

Lido Beach

The Lido Beach project is now complete and epitomizes Bouler Pfluger Architects' aesthetic goals.  Buildings should express themselves in a way that connects materials, setting, and structure in a warm and inviting way.  Elements such as light, air, and flow not only serve to make an attractive and comfortable home, but also an efficient one.  This waterfront house, fueled by solar power, incorporates several passive energy features to reduce its carbon footprint without sacrificing beauty or comfort.

Angry Landscape: Reality

The Angry Landscape Series Spring 2012

Long Island 1938

As you know, many past entries on this blog have chronicled our relationship to the environment, either through energy efficient and sustainably sourced architectural design by James and Nick, native plantings by Jackson, saving the gulf by Olivia, and angry landscape paintings by Nadine. It's been a passion of ours to explore ways to save the planet's resources.

The blog had taken a respite, not from the work we were doing, but the chronicling of it.  But in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, I feel compelled to hit the keyboard again to dash off an entry.  I am astonished to see the battle in the news as to whether or not climate change is real.  Despite scientific and anecdotal evidence otherwise, far too many reject the responsibility we humans have to the environment.  The argument is like trying to convince a brick wall it needs mortar.  It's only realized when the mortar fails and the wall crumbles.  As the Northeast watched our homes succumb to the powerful storm at our shores, climate change is finally on the lips of some powerful politicians.  Unfortunately it takes a tragedy to remind us the precarious relationship we have with nature.  And the more you learn about our changing earth, the more you know has to be done.  When I meet people who have dedicated their lives to saving the environment, whether it be birds, trees, or oceans, I ask them, how do you keep up the fight?  How do you persevere when everyone else turns a blind eye?  Their answers remind me of Anne Lamott's inspirational text Bird by Bird, where she recommends tackling big tasks step-by-step, or bird by bird.

So that's what I'm going to continue to do.  I am going to try not to become overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task at hand.  After all, saving the planet isn't the work of one person, or one community, or even one country.  It's a movement that's going to require each one of us to work bird by bird until we hold off the momentum we've already set in motion.

Lido Beach: Under Construction

Oceanfront Boardwalk Elevation

 3D Model

 3D Model Street Elevation

 Overhead Rendering Kitchen

 Great Room with Ocean Views

 Kitchen Rendering

Master Bathroom Rendering

The Lido Beach project is fully underway with the framing almost completed.  Bouler Pfluger Architects is working on the interiors utilizing these cool 3D models. For energy efficiency and long term performance, the radiant flooring and the countertops will be poured concrete.  This solar powered house should be fully complete in 2013. Please follow the project on Facebook by 'liking' our page.

White House Champion of Change Environmental Panel

West Islip Waterfront: A Work in Progress

This West Islip project is another one of Bouler Architecture's waterfront homes which mixes energy efficient systems with athletic modern design. Working within a symmetrical framework, the dynamic angles of the house's exterior create unusual interior spaces which capitalize on the panoramic views. Even in their unfinished state, the effect is spacious and elegant.

Consumption

Check out this map of the deforestation of the US. The last graphic reveals a huge decrease in the number of forests, especially in the eastern half of the country. But what's more disturbing to me is that the last graphic reads 1926. Who knows what that map looks like now.
Here's a recent graphic of global electricity consumption:

Clearly the glow of the Northeast in the US shows just how plugged in this region is as it replaced trees with industry. The worldwide disparity of access to electric has great implications for those who don't have enough juice to power lifesaving healthcare technology, and creating access through solar panels has become a mission for groups like Power Up Gambia.
Both images reveal a culture that devours everything in its path, fueled by its own consumption, until it extinguishes every last resource. No wonder Godzilla is mad as hell.

Like the Wagon Wheel

Even motorcycle magazines recognize the fact that peak oil has arrived in our world. What this means is that all of the 'easy to acquire' oil has been obtained and the only oil remaining is oil that has great environmental cost to extract from the earth. It's hard to reconcile the fact that a motorcycle magazine would know this and our government ignores this very important fact. This denial is further evidence of the influence that oil companies have on our world. Not only must we use less, there are new, potential alternatives out there. Electric, algae, even wood scraps have been enlisted to replace dirty, dangerous, polluting oil Let's make oil our generation's wagon wheel.

Photo taken at Orange Beach, Alabama the day the oil hit the beach June 2010.

Bay Shore Site Visit

Net Zero residence doesn't need to be synonymous with discomfort. This project is both efficient and comfortable. In fact, take a close look at the meter. Despite a cool interior temperature inside of 74 degrees in 95 degree weather, this meter reads 2 KW thanks to the 11KW solar array on site. The craftsmanship of construction done by Telemark is top quality, quite a feat considering the complexity of the design and decor. By using a variety of textures and design elements, this new house has a warm flow to it, feeling almost as if it's always been there.

Oak Beach Project in Green Builder Mag

On Friday, USA Today printed a front page story about the mass manufacturing of homes that, by using alternative energy, create more energy than they use. The concept is one that James has been working on for several years now. Green Builder Magazine decided to use Bouler Architecture's Oak Beach project and YouTube video to showcase how a net-zero energy home can be achieved through passive design and photovoltaic and geothermal systems. If we are going to move this country forward, sustainability will be the key to our success.

The Spill: A Year Later

There isn't enough time this morning to compose an entry which truly encapsulates the events of this past year; however I could not let the day go without commemoration.
When the Deepwater Horizon Rig exploded last year, eleven men lost their lives and the Gulf of Mexico's habitat became the casualty of lax regulation and our insatiable thirst for oil. What has changed since then? Environmental groups like Audubon and Ocean Conservancy, took on the Herculean task of trying to save as much wildlife as possible, but unfortunately many animals perished and continue to suffer. Thousands of birds died, and many more will continue to feed contaminated food to their young as oil and corexit make their way through the food chain. Attempts to change the oil industry were close to fruition this summer when the spill was finally contained, but are currently at a standstill with the new Congress elected in November. How many oil spills does it take?
On a personal note, my family decided a year ago that this manmade tragedy was unacceptable. Through Olivia's fundraiser, the entire family threw our energy into doing what we could to help the environment. It's taken many forms, but we can only hope that all of them add up to making a difference and encouraging people, including our elected leaders, to have a new way of looking at the world. Are we a country that subsidizes a polluting and dying industry, or do we look to the future by investing in alternative energy sources? Are we a country that squanders its beautiful habitat with shortsighted decisions, or do we look ahead to preserving and restoring what we have?
So I guess you can say that since the spill, I've become a 'one issue' voter. To me, to my family, and to the thousands who have heard Olivia's message, we know the environment is too precious a gamble. Please mark the anniversary of this preventable disaster by using this link and sending a letter to your representatives in Washington DC.

Olivia and Jackson Go To Washington

One of the most important elements of American freedom is the ability to reach out to our representatives in governement. Last week, Olivia and Jackson had a follow-up visit to Washington DC to see how things have changes since they were there in July. During both trips, they spoke to their congressman, Steve Israel (D-NY), a strong proponent of environmental stewardship and alternative energy, both essential to the economic growth and heathly habitat of Long Island. And by working the steps of the Capitol, they were also able to offer their support of the Neotropical Migratory Bird Act, a propsal to protect important habitat along the path of migration for many important birds who travel from South America through Central America to North America, and back again. Due to deforestation, pollution, and climate change, their population numbers are decreasing at an alarming rate. Birds like the wood thrush and the red knot could become extinct in our generation. As the Indian proverb goes, we do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. Wouldn't it be a crime to leave them without songbirds?

Alternative Energy: A Healthy Choice

Today's guest blog is by Krista Peterson, a recent graduate from the University of Central Florida who is an aspiring writer with a passion for the health and safety of our community and environment.

The EPA lists three goals of green building: improving efficiency in the use of energy, water, etc.; safeguarding the health and productivity of the building’s occupants; and decreasing waste and pollution generated by the structure. All three of these goals have distinct benefits to our daily lives as well as to the natural environment.

Improving Efficiency
Many of us have heard this over and over, but it is worth repeating: energy efficiency is not just good for the earth; it’s good for the wallet. The fewer resources we use, the less we have to pay for them. Despite this common-sense principle, efficiency can sometimes be difficult to implement, particularly in more extreme climates where making the indoor air a more comfortable temperature takes more energy. The EPA estimates that 43-60% of an inhabited structure’s energy expenditure goes towards heating and cooling. Renewable sources of electricity like solar cells are ideal, but not suited to every building or budget. Instead, energy use can be reduced through the use of blown-in insulation and double-paned windows with high-efficiency glass to prevent the heated or cooled air from leaking out. Even steps as simple as applying caulk or weather-stripping to cracks and gaps around windows and doors is an application of green building principles.

Safeguarding Health
Even if something is “natural,” it is not necessarily healthy or good for the environment. Asbestos, for example, is a naturally-occurring mineral found in deposits all over the world, but its use in construction materials is not considered environmentally friendly because of the danger it poses to public health. The mineral was once commonly used in nearly every structural component of an average building, since it added strength and heat-resistance, but we now know how dangerous asbestos is. When breathed into the lungs, it can cause health problems like lung scarring, asbestosis, or symptoms of mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer of the lining of the lungs. Sadly, mesothelioma life expectancy is poor, with only about 10% of patients surviving for five years after diagnosis. Asbestos has now been replaced with safer alternatives such as fiberglass, cellulose, or rock wool.

Decreasing Waste
Finally, sustainable architecture is designed to reduce waste both in the construction and occupancy of the building. This may be accomplished by using renewable materials such as sustainable lumber or other plant matter or recycling other materials like stone or metal. Some construction projects can even reuse industrial byproducts like coal combustion waste, foundry sand, or demolition debris. Additional features allow the inhabitants to do things like reuse greywater for irrigation or other non-drinkable purposes.

When green architects put these principles into effect, they improve our quality of life along with the natural environment in ways we might not necessarily expect. For example, mesothelioma symptoms have even been diagnosed in dogs and cats, and just about any creature with lungs is at risk. As we reduce our use of natural resources and use them as efficiently and safely as possible, we will be able to work toward a more sustainable way of life for ourselves and future generations.

State of the Union

Image from the NY Times
Last night James and I sat down to hear President Obama's 2011 State of the Union address. Picking up where he left off in Tucson, the President continued his push for bipartisan civility in an age where we need to move this country forward, instead of gridlocking progress in an 'us vs. them' mentality. Like any seasoned teacher with classroom management skills, I thought the seating arrangement truly influenced the tone, becoming less of a football stadium and more of a civilized chamber of governance. I even liked the reach across the abyss to John Boehner.

And boy didn't those of us who teach at Jericho High School buzz about the President's 'shout-out' to us as nation-builders, because those of us at my job, do see it that way. Not all agreed with his 'race-the-top' strategy, but we came to consensus against No Child Left Behind.

There were great poetics in Obama's writing style. It was balanced. I reflected on the analogous relationship of Sputnik to our "winning the future." Upon reflection, I consider it apropos. We currently sit on the precipice of the future and cannot be bogged down wasting energy fighting each other without at least an attempt to reach consensus.

Throughout the speech, the President made statements so thoughtfully worded that James and I often wondered aloud, "How could you object to that?!" Now it's no secret that I am a hearty supporter of President Obama, but I was pleased today when a social studies teacher who plans on teaching the speech tomorrow, told me, "I'm a Republican, but I like the guy." And as he prepared his 'Project Citizen' unit, he also appreciated the support for teachers.

One part of the night was more personal. When James and I were in DC with the family this summer, we spoke with our representatives in Washington about the Gulf oil spill. It was great to see our alternative energy allies having the ear of the President. Congressman Steve Israel (D-NY), a longtime champion of environmental issues, had such forward-thinking, sensible, and money-saving ideas, that we were excited to see him walking with Obama on the way out, with Energy Chairman Waxman (D-CA) symbolically leading the way. Congressman Engle (D-NY), a bull dog in questioning BP chairman, was shaking hands along the aisle. These are the folks who can implement these goals. We also met with Climate Change Czar and former Audubon Board Chair Carol Browner. When I heard this week that Browner was stepping down, I was disappointed since she had great perspective on the whole situation: the oil industry's unpaid taxes, lax regulation, and campaign contributions, while green technologies were moving forward in China. She knew what was at stake. I hoped her departure wasn't a sign we had given up getting this country off oil.

Our gasps were audible as the President hit the oil issue squarely out of the park. By subsidizing the oil industry, we are enslaving ourselves in the past, destroying our environment, and creating a national security issue. Funnel that very same money into green technology--sensible, right? European governments have been leading the way on this for years. Let's learn from their model. Of course I'd like to see a return to the moritorium on off-shore drilling, but I guess I can't have everything. . . yet.

Ultimately we were moved by the citizens in the gallery. The heroes, the dreamers, the believers. With Egypt's streets ablaze with revolution, last night I went to bed proud we were "for the people and by the people."

Lido Beach Update

Lido Beach is moving forward. Despite the glacial pace of local building departments, Bouler Architecture is hopeful that this spring will bring groundbreaking activity for this waterfront home. The mix of design elements, photovoltaic and geothermal systems will create an energy-efficient residence that capitalizes on its oceanfront site. By using computer generated models, roof lines for the home were developed to cut down on solar gain in the summer while allowing heat gain in the winter. I'm looking forward to chronicling the progress of this project in the near future.
By the way, Bouler Architecture now has a fan page on Facebook.

Home Expo: Orlando

James just returned from a Home Expo in Orlando, Florida. According to him, the word of the day is 'green' as building materials try to offer products that emphasize efficiency. Condensing boilers, thermal barriers, windows with thermal breaks, icynene insulation filled the convention center. This 6' mini-wind turbine at 25mph generates 1,000 watts of power, but can product electricity in as little as 1 mph winds. I've been concerned about wind power and birds, but recently read a blog post on Treehugger refuting the dangers wind turbines pose to the avian population.
James said the convention gave him an opportunity to explore the new options out there for upcoming projects and I even got a treat for the yard: an earth-friendly homasote birdhouse made out of post-consumer recycled newsprint.

Bouler Architecture: New Sketches

Bouler Architecture is starting a new project in West Islip, on the Great South Bay. We had a successful meeting last night with our new client, and this is the sketch of the rear, water-facing elevation. The lower curve is a covered, exposed structure that covers the water side patio. Above the patio is the master bedroom balcony. Inside the master bedroom, we are proposing a third level mezzanine, with an interior stair that will also serve to seperate the master bedroom's sleeping area from the sitting room.
We also have wonderful south facing roof over the garage, where we will incorporate a 10KW solar panel system. We are also using a geo-thermal heat pump. Our goal, after intstalling spray in insulation, energy-efficient windows, is to be 80% more efficient... or very close to Zero Energy.

Losing the Green War

Crab swimming in oil tar balls in Orange Beach, Alabama: photo by James Bouler

How can this be? On the cover of this Sunday's New York Times, Abu Dhabi sets a goal of a zero-carbon footprint city in 2007 and builds it. The week before, NYT columnist Thomas Friedman describes how China has transformed its factories to manufacture clean-tech products. Meanwhile, our Senate can't pass clean energy legistation-- even with the oil spill in recent memory. Despite the $300 million invested by the oil industry in lobbying our legislators, I still had hopes that this issue wouldn't be reduced to the usual 'us vs. them' mentality and get tangled in gridlock. I hoped that with so much hanging in the balance-- manufacturing jobs, national security, and the ecology-- our representatives would see it in our nation's best interests to move the issue, but alas with midterm elections upon us, once again setting appropriate incentives to move the US off oil will have to wait again. One can only wonder if we can afford the cost of waiting while others pass us by.

Bay Shore Site Visit

The Bay Shore waterfront home is framed up and looking more like the computer-generated images Bouler Architecture's Nicholas Pfluger animated for the client. The home will use a geothermal system with an array of solar panels to offset its carbon footprint.

DC Debrief

The DC trip was an experience indeed. After sneaking in some important sightseeing at the Air and Space and the National Zoo, it was a jam-packed three days of meeting alternative energy allies. Our intention was to express our concern over the environment and to show our support for the new alternative energy bill that is making its way through the Senate.
Fortunately Newsday followed us with camera and reporter so we can begin to process exactly what happened. Here's a bit of a humble recap.
We had the great fortune to meet with Congressman Waxman, Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. His long-standing positions on sustainable energy lead him to write legistation pushing the country forward in becoming a leader in manufacturing alternative energy systems, and not in just consuming energy. He sat with Olivia and us as she presented him with a drawing and described her passion for saving the planet.
First thing the next day, we had a tour of the East Wing, followed by a meeting with Carol Browner, who serves as director of President Obama's Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, as well as heading the task force overseeing the spill. She shared Olivia's love of birds, even serving on Audubon's Board of Directors. She was an impressive person who provided great insights into both the spill and moving the country off oil. From there we met Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, a gentle man, who sat with us in his office and explained his feelings about conservation. Throughout his career, Secretary Salazar has started several programs for kids working with the environment, so he was particularly impressed with Olivia's work and her desire to preserve bird habitiat.
One of our favorite meetings was with Congressman Engel from NY. Although we aren't technically in his district, his position on the Energy Committee was on we wanted to support. Engel gave us an incredible inside look at the negotiations in trying to pass alternative energy measures, as well as his recent participation in the oli spill hearings as he pushed for answers as only a New Yorker can.
Afterwards, we had a chance to meet with both NY Senators. Once Olivia presented Senator Gillibrand with a drawing of an American Kestrel, they spoke about Olivia's artwork and her environmental advocacy. We then met with Senator Schumer, whose kind and gentle conversation with Olivia and Jackson suggested a grandfather more than statesman. I can tell you that Schumer clearly understood our mission as a family to protect the environment.
I thought nothing could top that list of meetings, but I was wrong. Yesterday on our way to meet with Congressman Steve Israel, our representative in the House, we ran into him in the hallway as he dashed off to cast his vote in the House. He invited us to join him, even taking the kids to meet fellow leaders who were casting votes themselves. Olivia and Jackson were able to shake hands with Speaker Nancy Pelosi who knew of Olivia's project and praised her for her efforts. As we posed for pics on the steps of the Capitol with Congressman Israel, Congressman Murphy of PA stopped to shake Olivia's hand, enthusing that he had just seen her on MSNBC. Back in Congressman Israel's office, we spoke about alternative energy initiatives on both the local and national levels, their connection to national security, and creative ways to move our country forward on this issue.
As we drove to the airport on our way home to Long Island, Jackson rested his head on the seat and said, "This trip is the most important trip of my life." Our entire family agreed.