Page 41 - Green Builder Jan-Feb 2022 Issue

! Factoid POOL

When he was in eighth grade, Peter Pfeiffer
OUTDOOR KITCHEN
launched a newspaper recycling program, and
began studying passive solar design.
PORCH
PORCH

KITCHEN
BEDROOM BATH LIVING ENTRY BATH
DINING BEDROOM
MAIN FLOOR
PLAN

GARAGE

What is ‘Green by Design’?

A key part of the success of the Skyview Independent project came
from “Green by Design,” something environmentally concerned archi-
tects subscribe to very much—but rarely hear or see addressed in the
media.
According to Peter Pfeiffer, president of Barley/Pfeiffer Architecture,
the premise is that before one resorts to buying energy-saving “gizmos”
(such as tankless water heaters, energy efficient appliances and light
bulbs, or solar panels) for their new home or remodel, there are much
more effective steps to take. They include advising the client to make
informed choices through the process of comprehensive “Project Pro-
gramming.” Pfeiffer notes that this is critical, because often, “clients
have no idea of the negative consequences of their desires.”
For example, a dark-colored (black) exterior color scheme may be
all the rage these days, but choosing it, it will also greatly add to the
air conditioning load, discomfort and electricity consumption of the
home, according to Pfeiffer. “Programming also makes the client really
consider if they indeed need all the spaces and features they list on their
wish-list—because building bigger makes for more consumption during
The green life. Dining and kitchen areas include numerous sustainable elements, construction, and for the rest of the life of the home,” he notes. “It’s
such as solar-powered LED lighting, low U-Factor windows, and naturally sourced professional guidance counseling for the single-biggest investment
wood for cabinets. CREDIT: MARK ADAMS/MARK ADAMS MEDIA in most people’s lives. [And] it has to be done before the process of
drawing up the plans.”
The next step is organizing the spaces in the preliminary floorplan
What’s next? design to respond to the home’s setting and its micro climate (such as
PETER PFEIFFER, PRESIDENT, BARLEY/PFEIFFER ARCHITECTURE: solar orientation, prevailing breezes, or ambient noise). “We call this
the ‘climate-responsive organizational diagram,’” Pfeiffer notes. “These
“We are presently working on a number of Zero Energy commercial buildings and
early design decisions can affect far greater energy savings than any
homes like Skyview Independent. They are located throughout Texas, including far
of the ‘gizmos’ mentioned earlier. And, unlike the gizmos, once these
west Texas’ Big Bend area. Zero energy homes and buildings have been our
design features are baked into the design, they last the lifetime of the
specialty for more than 30 years.”
home, and do not require constant upkeep and maintenance.”
www.greenbuildermedia.com January/February 2022 GREEN BUILDER 39