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" I t w a s i m p o r t a n t t h a t t h e h o u s e minimized the disruption to natura l sur- roundings, which would have defeated the pu r pose," A my says. " Instead, t he home emerges from the landscape, blending with the meadow and wooded surroundings to preserve the wildlife habitat." A traditional lawn was also not an option in the quest to avoid carbon emissions and continual maintenance. A grass that grows to only 5 inches was used in combination with ornamental grasses around the patio area to minimize yard maintenance and eliminate the need for mowing. Materially Speaking M o s t b u i l d i n g m a t e r i a l s w e r e U. S .- m a de or lo c a l ly h a r ve s t e d , s uc h a s t he r ustic hickor y f loors pictured. Restroom counter tops a re cra f ted in Ipswich from recycled shower gla ss sourced from sur- rounding communities in the North Shore. S ome w a l l t reat ment s were m a de f rom re c ycle d ba r n b oa rd wh ich , t hou g h not i n herent ly Contempora r y, complement s t h e i n t e r i o r s c h e m e b y t e m p e r i n g t h e br i g ht er c olor s s u r rou nd i n g it . P i l low s a n d s e a t c u s h i o n s a r e c o v e r e d w i t h recla imed burlap cof fee bags from Zumi's Café, Ipswich. Synthetic decking contains 70 percent recycled pla stic bot t les. The of f i c e/w ork t a b l e s a r e a m o s a i c of ol d w o o d w i n e c r a t e s . Wo o d b e a m s w e r e sourced from a sa lvage ya rd in Ma ine, a s were w ide pine boa rds, used a s f loor ing i n t h e s t u d i o . C o n t e n t s o f t h e u n i q u e , Recycled, repurposed and resource-conserving materials were the choices by Don and Amy to make sure the environmental priority, health and durability were foremost in the net-zero home. BOSTON.BUILDERARCHITECT.COM Builder+Architect Greater Boston |