Ferrier Custom Homes in Sustainability with Both New and Old

Ferrier Builders / Custom Homes

~

Ferrier Home – Lovell Avenue – Retro-fit Home

~

~

Ferrier Builders is a local commercial and residential builder here in the DFW area.  They were established in 1984 but Don Ferrier, who came from a long line of general contractors/stonemasons, and construction specialists who originated from Scotland in 1881.  In 2004, Ferrier Builders established Ferrier Custom Homes.  As a part of that change, Ferrier Builders, “now specializes in Structural Insulated Panel construction and has deliberately woven energy efficiency and sustainability into the fabric of every project he partners in.”  As the generations shifted, Don Ferrier’s daughter, Heather, began working as part of the team at Ferrier Custom Homes.  Heather serves as the General Manager of Ferrier Builder utilizing a “passion for sustainable building practices and her natural administrative skills”.  She is best known for her project called “Heather’s Home” which is a retro-fit project of a quaint little home built in 1938.  

Heather’s Home began with a complete analysis of the area surrounding the home, a structural analysis and then onto an energy efficiency analysis as well.  Some of the main features they included in the home on Lovell Avenue, which is a 1686 sq ft home, includes spray foam insulation, mini slit heating and air units which have been installed into each room, 100% new plumbing, and reclaimed wood for their hardwood floors and new double paned gas windows throughout the home to help reduce the infiltration of outside air into the home.  Heather stated that while they did their best to salvage as much of the original house as possible, some instances required them to completely start fresh.  However, the materials that weren’t used were donated to Habitat for Humanity, for use on other projects.  A full list of sustainable features includes:

• Tankless Seisco water heater
• Icynene spray foam insulation in attic & wall cavities
• Replace 100% windows with Maritech triple Low-E coating, Energy Star windows
• Energy Star doors
• Energy Star appliances
• Restoring original hardwoods & door hardware
• Removing & reusing lumbers, siding, etc
• All low or no VOC content paints, stains & adhesives
• Open front porch back up to assist with ventilation & delay the use of AC
• Daikin mini split AC system downstairs; Mitsubishi unit & blowers for upstairs
• Programmable thermostats
• PEX plumbing
• Low flow showers, faucets & toilets
• Energy Star lighting
• Native landscaping
• Donating unused items to Habit to Humanity (doors, plumbing & electrical fixtures)

For more on the project, visit www.HeathersRemodel.com.

            Heather stated that the reconstruction cost was only raised by 10% to include sustainable features, which equated to roughly $12,000 of the $80,000 reconstruction costs.  And the majority of that cost went to the spray foam insulation which provided the largest amount of return of all the improvements made.  She explained that their electricity bill runs roughly $60 a month which is in tribute to the mini split AC systems, the foam insulation, and gas double paned windows which allows the interior circulation to remain inside and prevents any leaks from home itself. 

            This gorgeous little house has so much more character than most homes built within the last 20 years.  Though some may be concerned about the advanced age of the home, its energy efficiency is far more superior to most brand new homes.  Not to mention, after the construction phase was complete, the house was lead free, and brought up to current codes just as any new home construction today, at a far less cost than any new home of its size and sustainable advancements.  On an additional note, homes with these sustainable investments can not only earn a tax credit but can receive an average of 40% on their home owners insurance.  Therefore, new or old, sustainable advancements may be more costly to install and include into a construction project, but the returns on investments is far worth it and can save thousands, even hundreds of thousands down the road.

              Now on a more personal level, I'm simply in love with this home!  As all of my classmates know, I have a serious passion for re-adaptive architecture, and this project is the heart of that concept.  While the project may not be a "re-adaptive" project, its a retro-fit, utilizing the same purpose but with an extreme twist.  As we move towards a more sustainable world, its important to remember options like this.  Go beyond the home, the house itself, and all of the efforts that were put into rebuilding this home, and all of the sustainable features within it.  Sustainability isn't just about being green and sustaining the earth, it's about sustaining our world, every facet of it, the home, the neighborhood, the community and more.  This home is, at first glance, in an odd location for a project of its magnitude and purpose.  But after truly looking at the heart of the project, it's truly in the perfect location.  Just think of what it would be like to have projects like this springing up all over the metroplex, in lower income areas, in older neighborhoods, and areas that often forgotten.  Imagine what it would be like if new homeowners would be as brave as Heather, and take on a task such as this, and bring a new life and even a new hope to an otherwise dying neighborhood.  Bringing projects like this, to a neighborhood that is just that, a forgotten corner of the city, and showing that community that not only do we care, but that we are just every day people who not only care about the earth, but the community around us.  This house holds a special place in my heart, not only because of the amazing historic architecture, but the emotional and social effort that went into it.  And lastly, I have to applaud Heather and all of her family, for taking that step and becoming one of the pioneers of the green movement, in a whole new way!

~

Ferrier Home – Bailey Street – New Built Home

~

~

            Ferrier Builders / Customs Homes also specialize in new home construction.  Whether it’s new home construction or a retro-fit project, they constantly focus on sustainable design and ways to reduce environmental impact and energy consumption.  The De La Pena home is a 1,730 sq ft home built in 2010, just northwest of downtown Fort Worth.  This project various just a bit from the Lovell Avenue home, but the same sustainable elements were utilized throughout.  This project includes:

• Passive solar design
• Infill lot
• Designed home around existing trees
• Spray foam insulation in walls & roof
• Reflective TPO roof on house, galvalume metal roof on garage
• Low-E Hurd windows
• All low or no VOC paints, stains & adhesives
• On site recycling of construction debris (scrap lumber & sheetrock ground into landscaping mulch)
• Ductless Mitsubishi AC with mini-split LG wall units
• Programmable thermostats
• PEX plumbing
• Low flow toilets & shower heads
• ENERGY STAR appliances
• Tankless water heater
• Native landscaping
• Non-toxic pest control
• Detached garage

The distinct difference with this project vs. the Lovell Avenue home is the total cost of construction.  The retro-fit home cost far less than the new construction home.  While the costs of each sustainable feature is the same for both projects, the cost of purchasing the land and actual ground up construction costs is far more than the retro-fit project on Lovell Ave.  One wonderful feature this home has is the real time use meter.  This meter is able to tell the home owner how much electricity the home is using every minute of every day.  It’s also able to tell them how much electricity was used that day, that week, that month and even that year.  It also has the capability to tell them how much that electricity is costing them vs. how much the average electricity is costing in surrounding homes.  It’s a wonderful feature to help homeowners keep track of peak usage times and how they can cut down on their daily usage and become more efficient.  Another sustainable feature that is included is the thermal mass concrete floor that is layered from the ground up.  Their main living areas contain exposed concrete, which is clear and available for hardwood installation when needed.  The lack of carpet in the main living areas cuts down on the amount of PVC’s from the carpet being introduced into the air.  The living room also includes a direct vent fire place which stays self-contained and doesn’t pull air from neighboring rooms like conventional fireplaces; therefore, the amount of electricity used to heat or cool the home is far less than usual homes.

Whether the project is a newly built home or a retro-fit of an older existing home, it’s always possible to take that extra step and include sustainable elements to reduce the energy consumption and the environmental impact as well.  Both of these projects from Ferrier homes are great examples of what can be done to become more sustainable and live in a greener environment.

References

Ferrier Homes – History - http://www.ferriercustomhomes.com/about/history/

Ferrier Homes – Heather’s Home - http://www.ferriercustomhomes.com/services/remodeling/projects/HH2/statistics/

Heather’s Home - http://www.heathersremodel.com/Remodeling_Lovell/Welcome.html

Ferrier Homes – De La Pena Home - http://www.ferriercustomhomes.com/services/custom_homes/projects/Cowtown%20Contemporary/tour/

Ferrier Homes – De La Pena Home – Statistics - http://www.ferriercustomhomes.com/services/custom_homes/projects/Cowtown%20Contemporary/statistics/