permeable pavement

belgard pavers

historical bricks

porous concrete pavement

One of the worst parts of having a driveway are the chemicals, oil, and grease that is washed off and then flows into our storm drains. The runoff can cause erosion, flooding and contamination of public waterways.

"Fortunately, permeable paving materials allow stormwater to soak into the earth, where naturally occurring bacteria help digest contaminants before they reach the water table. Called pervious or porous pavement, these systems keep groundwater clean, help tree roots breathe, reduce the severity of flash-flooding and reduce the urban heat-island effect because they absorb water into the ecosystem and don’t reflect heat back into the environment."


Options for allowing seepage:

Block Pavers are one of my favorite options. I saw quite a few when i was living in Italy and traveling in Europe that had openings for grass to grow through and over them. But these particular pavers aren't a great option for where we live, considering how much snow we get half of the year. (At least for the driveway). Though, they would still be great to use in pathways and patios. I sthink till the block pavers are a beautiful design option...especially if you want to create a pattern and varied colors.

Porous Concrete Pavement is another great option. Here's a helpful site: http://www.perviouspavement.org/ And from that site: "Pervious concrete pavement systems provide a valuable stormwater management tool under the requirements of the EPA Storm Water Phase II Final Rule. Phase II regulations provide programs and practices to help control the amount of contaminants in our waterways. Impervious pavements-- particularly parking lots-- collect oil, anti-freeze, and other automobile fluids that can be washed into streams, lakes, and oceans when it rains."

amd architects

First things first: the architects we are looking to use: AMD Architecture. Founded by principal, Angela Dean in '97, AMD Architects have been designing green in the residential, corporate, second home, and remodeling realms. Angela has also written Green by Design: Creating a Home for Sustainable Living, where she "shares the environmentally responsible design principles she holds dear. Her goal, in the book and professionally, is to make green building and healthy living accessible for everyone. Emphasizing the notion that green is not a menu of add-on options, but a design philosophy that integrates aesthetics, budget, function, health, and enjoyment."

I've enjoyed keeping an eye on their online portfolio. Carl and I want to design our home as much as possible on our own (preliminary drawings, concepts, etc.), and then take it to Angela and her crew to finalize it (construction documents, etc.)and make sure that it is as green and "off the grid" as much as possible.

welcome to my green dream home!

Dreaming architecture and design for as long as i can remember. Drawing, sketching, and compiling magazines, books, lists of desires. It's time to make some sense of all these ideas.

Been thinking a while about blog-organizing my ideas for our "someday" home. Thank goodness we have time and more time to think about it. Designing and building your custom home is such a brain tweezer. There are soo many decisions to make and things to consider. Might as well get as much as possible decided while i can think about it leisurely :).

Many have asked what exactly Carl and I are looking for in a green home. Well, I'm hoping to answer that question here as well as generate suggestions, comments, and curiousity. This will be a fun journey...especially if it materializes one day!