What makes your home a Green or Healthy Home?
This house is built in a Federal Style which is truly an American style that is timeless. Federal Style Design is based on Functionality, and Elegance in Detail. The walls are thick, ceilings high, porches deep, with extra roof overhang. All features were chosen as providing deliberate intentionality for construction, and are effective in providing passive heating and cooling in this hot and humid climate.
What about the many elegant details and unique features of this house?
1.There is plenty of storage, with a built in china cabinet, 9 walk in closets, and unique built-in shelves and cabinetry in 2 of the rooms.
2.The stones used to construct the fireplace and front porch steps were gathered from property's creek beds
3.All wood used in the finishing of the first floor interior are of antique, repurposed wood - American Ash & Walnut.
4.The custom cabinetry throughout the house is made of solid walnut. Extra sliding drawers with metal liners make reaching for items easy.
5.The entire first floor is laid with thick, random width antique / repurposed woods – Ash and Walnut. The boards were planed, sanded, cut, glued, screwed, fitted and finished here on site.
6.All walnut moldings were custom made here on site. Doors are solid pine, stained to match the Walnut. Baseboards are of Ash.
7.The dining room ceiling is plastered.
8.The kitchen walls and ceiling are covered in color integrated, Venetian style plaster.
9.There is a refurbished, authentic antique iron bath tub in the main floor on-suite bath.
10.All Windsor windows are of the highest R-96 rated one can install. Those not under porch protection are argon filled low E and have the permatex finish.
11. Only indigenous wood was used for the secondary structural materials and for non structural trim materials.
The builder / designer used Southern Yellow Pine – native to this area. It has a natural adaptation to this climate, and is naturally insect & moisture resistant.
12. The entire length of both the front and back of the home were planned as outdoor living space. The huge, wide porches have insulated roofing / ceilings, and fans to circulate air on hot summer days. The solar orientation and extensive overhangs provide protection to the interior of the home.
13. The natural breathing properties of the exterior walls provide healthy air circulation.Property Description
An interview with the Builder / Designer of this fabulous home -
What is your background & philosophy?
For most people, your house is your biggest financial investment. It is a place where people make their home.
Building a house is an absolute trust – and it should last your lifetime and that of your heirs. My concept is that the construction of such a lifetime investment should be thoughtful – you choose the lot, where you want to live, and design the house to fit the lot. There should be an integrated synergistic relationship with the natural setting, to the maximum extent possible. The design plan needs to be dictated more by the natural resources present to the site, than by latest fashion or current personal preferences. Your development of the land using its natural capabilities makes a permanent and irreversible impact on the eco space you come to share.
Sustainability must be determined from a long view perspective, taking into account the lessons learned - both good and bad - from what has worked well over many generations. We need to avoid repeating lessons we have learned from disastrous construction decisions and actions - those that have had long-lasting adverse consequences.
When starting design work, the fundamental question is “what are the principles of design and workmanship that have been proved by the test of hundreds of years” ? At the same time, I am drawing on the research of the latest technology, to see how the best of the past and the present can be merged, in the design and construction of the structures I build today.
The intention is that of leaving a legacy. One which I hope will inspire future generations of practitioners to build their legacy upon. We share this planet earth, and there is a limit to its resources, especially in light of our continuing population growth.
Why did you build with AAC -- autoclave aerated concrete?
AAC was chosen because of its many natural innate features.
We start with AAC’s proven record of performance over the past 80+ years of history. AAC construction has demonstrated excellence in multiple environments and countries throughout the world. It is sound proof, fire proof, termite resistant, a solid construction of natural materials and has a superior insulation factor of R-32. The entire construction process allows for onsite recycling of materials, and thoughtful planning incorporates their use in the next phase of building the structure. There is no waste when using the autoclave aerated concrete building system. The block is precision cut, the byproduct is used to create the smooth coating, and the few remaining portions were crushed and used in the water shed portion of the driveway.
Describe the general construction of the home.
•The reinforced piers used for porches and for the primary house foundation, are sitting on virgin soil
•Contiguous footing used to create the foundation system
•The 6” slab was designed for heavy loads. The strength of the slab meets or exceeds standards used in commercial building practice.
•The walls of the foundation are 10” reinforced cast-in-place concrete.
• The AAC block construction, bonded together with thin-bed mortar made from the recycled AAC manufacturing process, makes for a completely Monolithic structure.
•The lightweight, color integrated stucco is made from the byproducts left from the AAC block. Again, there are no seams or lines in the structure’s exterior, as the block, mortar and stucco have become one.
•The roof is a 100-year architectural standing seam metal roof – made of 22-gage steel, strapped vertically down to the house foundation.
•Locally cut yellow pine engineered floor trusses
•The basement is designed as a natural Geo thermal closet, for natural heating and cooling through convection.
•There is no manufactured waste – all recycled by products through careful planning during design of the structure
•There is no fiberglass insulation, for a much healthier living environment.
•The AAC product provides superior insulation by natural thermal mass, rated R 32
Neighborhood Description
Quiet Cul de Sac location with minimum 5 acre lot requirement. 2 streams border this mountain-like preserved woodlands. Private, yet close to amenities. Less than 10 miles from Cherokee County Airport KNCI - formerly 47A. Easy access to Atlanta GA, Greenville SC, Chattanooga TN, Birmingham AL.Market Area
North of Metropolitan Atlanta, this southeastern edge of Cherokee County borders North Fulton, East Cobb, and South Forsyth Counties.School District
Community
Location of Home or Land
Other
Air Quality
| Agriculture in Area | yes |
| Industry in Area | yes |
| Air Pollution in Area | no |
| Pesticide Free | yes |
| Fragrance Free | yes |
| Cleaned with Green Products | yes |
Interior Environment
| Heating System | Fireplace |
| Cooling System | Conventional Forced Air - A/C |
| Ventilation System | Other |
| Whole House Filtration | Other |
| Whole House Vacuum | no |
Energy & Water
| Water System | Municipal |
| Wastewater System | Septic System |
Construction Information
| Exterior Finish | Other |
| Interior Finish | Other |
| Interior Paint | Other |
| Floor Material | Carpet |
| Roof Material | Metal |
| Window Material | Other |
| Insulation Material | Recycled Denim Batt |
Garage / Car Port
| Garage / Carport | yes |
| Garage Type | attached |
| Number of Cars | 3 |
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