1925 Colonial Renovation Earns LEED Platinum Certification in Darien, Ct.

 1925 Colonial Renovation Earns LEED Platinum Certification in Darien, Ct.

Usually LEED certified homes are new built but not this 1925 Colonial home in Darien, Connecticut that sits on 1/7 in town acre property (6,222 sq. ft. lot) originally with 1476 square feet of living space. The advantage of this in town lot is that you can walk to the park, downtown and train station.

The finished renovation gives the home 2858 square feet and achieved a HERS rating of 37/100. A Home Energy Rating System, HERS is based on performance of the home compared to a new home built to the latest energy standards. A new home if built correctly will have a HERS Index score of 100 while a typical resale home averages 130, the lower the score the more efficient the home is.

 The renovation resulted in a 67% decrease oil/propane cost per square foot adjusted for Heating Degree Days from $0.86 down to $0.29 per square foot while the electrical consumption decreased by 57%.  The insulation used in this home is recycled denim, which can be reused and is completely biodegradable.

Many of the interior features are made out of recycled materials, such as the window treatments, light fixtures and the counter top in the laundry room.

Underneath the exterior siding is a rain screen system which will help the paint to last 10 or more years longer than on a standard home.

In building a LEED home one sometimes needs to think outside of the box, before construction started there was a huge Spruce tree leaning dangerously over the original home. The tree was cut down and milled for the majority of interior trim of the new home.

The LEED home is designed to:-

• Significantly reduce energy consumption
• Create a healthier indoor environment, air and water.
• Requires less maintenance compared to conventionally built homes
• Re-use materials; use recycled and sustainable materials and products
• Landscaping is designed with native and native like plants that require less to no additional watering, fertilizer and pesticides.

* Information resource:

Fine Home Building Magazine article ~ http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/22121/darien-leed-platinum-home

Trillium Architects, Norwalk, Connecticut ~ http://www.trilliumarchitects.com/darien-news-9-30-11/

For more spec's on the home ~ http://www.sustainct.com/index.html#anchor_86

David Popoff is a Connecticut license real estate agent in lower Fairfield County. He has lived and worked in the area for over 30 years and now reside in Darien since 2004.

• Green Affiliations.
• Realtor GREEN designation by the National Association of Realtors.
• David Popoff is an accredited LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) Homes and USGBC member of the Connecticut chapter (CTGBC).  
• Associate member and an accredited Certified Green Professional (CGP) of National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the local chapter HBRA-Fairfield County, Ct.
• Member of the HBA CT Green Homes Council.
• Member of the Multiple Listing Service, MLS.
• Darien
•  Greenwich
•  Greater Fairfield County
• Member of the Connecticut Association of Realtors, CAR.
• Member of the National Association of Realtors, NAR.
• Contact David Popoff at William Pitt Sotheby’s for all your real estate needs in Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Rowayton and the rest of lower Fairfield County.