Can This Home Be Greened?

Enlarge Image Image Gallery This graceful Massachusetts home can become more energy-efficient with some simple renovations John Fabel

When Laura and Will Wear bought their house in Granby, Massachusetts, three years ago, they were enticed by its idyllic site, peaceful neighborhood and convenient location. The home sits on three acres with sweeping views of the nearby Holyoke mountain range. In addition, it’s in the progressive “Five-College” area of western Massachusetts where they’d long dreamt of settling.

As the owners of Nest Products, a socially conscious business that makes children’s furniture from sustainable materials (www.NestPlease.com), the Wears wanted their home to reflect their green goals as well. While the home provides a delightful environment for the couple and their two young daughters—Lily, 6, and Holliday, 3—there is ample room for green improvements.

At 3,400 square feet, the 1953 home is larger than the Wears would have planned if designing new. The windows are inefficient, the bathrooms sport vinyl asbestos tiles and the existing fireplace creates an energy drain. The original homeowner spared no expense when building, but over the years he wasn’t able to keep up with home improvements. “When we moved in, we knew we would have to update throughout, but we underestimated the cost,” Laura says. “We’re now looking for the most cost-effective renovation solutions, while making our house more green in both form and function.”

The Wears have changed little besides the new kitchen and the stone patio they built when they moved in. However, the couple has discovered some unexpected green qualities—most of them specific to how they use their home. First, the location is a short commute from their business’ new warehouse, and the two work from a home office several days a week, further reducing their car use. Second, the home is situated on a small dead-end road with a cluster of homes nearby, so the children have nearby playmates and ride to school in a carpool.

P R I O R I T Y #1
Woeful Windows
PROBLEM: One main problem is that most of the home’s windows can’t be opened for natural ventilation. In the
bedrooms upstairs, only some windows are operable, and most of those are difficult to move. The second-floor windows are single glazed, so they lose excessive heat. Additionally, the home’s glazed doors are sticking and binding, making them a challenge to open.

SOLUTIONS: Replacing all windows with double-glazed, argon-filled, low-E glass will greatly improve the home’s energy performance. If operable windows are installed downstairs—especially the panoramic windows in the dining and living areas—fresh breezes can circulate throughout the house.

Installing an attic fan, which would draw cooler air in through the new windows, also would help lower summer temperatures in the upstairs rooms. In addition, the Wears should replace the glazed doors with more energy-efficient models that open easily.

COST: Windows: $700 to $1,000 per window (installed), depending on quality. Choices range from doubleglazed, low-E, argon-filled models to expensive triple-glazed, insulatedfiberglass- frame model. Whole-house fan: $2,000 (installed).