More Roof, Plus Exhaust Fans, Fireplaces, and a visit from the LEED Inspector!

January 2009: Here is a picture showing the TPO completely installed on the flat roof. You can also see the railings starting to take shape. And the boxes have been set where the pergola will be attached to the rooftop. We are reclaiming the pergola from the rooftop terrace at the old University Club clubhouse at Cobblestone Park. The old clubhouse is being torn down and the pergola would have just ended up in the landfill, but not now. From left to right: Bob the architect, Claude the LEED inspector, Maggie, and Jennifer (Bob's wife and office manager). Claude is making a checklist of the "green" features of our home and will award us points based on those green items. The number of points we receive will determine our level of LEED certification. We are aiming for the second-highest which is Gold. This is the first of several inspections and tests he will be conducting.

The exhaust fans in the bathrooms have now been installed. When finished, they will have humidistats which will control when they turn on and off. This will save energy by making the HVAC system more efficient.

Here you can see where the exhaust fans' ductwork goes through the first floor and into the crawl space below where it will exit through the brick foundation wall.

The gas fireplaces arrived and are being installed. Natural gas releases much less CO2 into the atmosphere than wood-burning fireplaces. Also, these fireplaces have an extra "green" feature: when not in use the pilot light automatically turns off, saving gas.