An Oakland County Green First
Local Builder Breaks Ground on Oakland County's 1st LEED Home
CLAWSON, Mich., June 17, 2008 -- Gontina Building & Design, a full scale Green residential design and building firm, today announced it has broke ground on Bloomfield Township, Michigan's first registered Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Home Project. The 3,700 square foot four bedroom, four bathroom European Estate inspired home was originally designed seeking LEED Platinum certification, the highest level of certification offered by the LEED for Homes program.
The home incorporates several environmentally friendly materials and methods such as Structural Insulated Panels (SIP), Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF), geothermal heating and cooling, and rainwater harvesting for irrigation.
Eco-friendly options abound on the interior as well: recycled glass countertops, bamboo flooring, natural wool carpeting and low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) paint.
LEED for Homes is a rating system that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes. A green home uses less energy, water and natural resources, creates less waste, and is healthier and more comfortable for the occupants.
Benefits of a LEED home include lower energy and water bills, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and less exposure to mold, mildew and other indoor toxins. The net cost of owning a LEED home is comparable to that of owning a conventional home. A LEED home uses 30 to 50 percent less energy than a conventional home.
Gontina Building & Design homes rank in the top 1 percent of homes in Southeastern Michigan for energy performance.
Woody Gontina, the firm's co-owner, recently received the Certified Green Professional (CGP) Designation from the National Association of Home Builders.
This CGP designation recognizes him as someone with the knowledge of the best strategies for incorporating Green Building principles into homes. Additionally, Co-owner Timothy Risk recently was appointed to Ferndale, Michigan's Environmental Impact Commission. This advisory commission works with the Ferndale City Council on environmental policies and strategies in its city.
About Gontina Building & Design
Gontina Building & Design was founded, in principal, to design and build environmentally sustainable projects. The company offers a full suite of construction and architectural services and with more than 20 years of combined experience in these fields possesses the knowledge to help people achieve their environmental building goals. Gontina Building & Design is Building A Greener Future.