Down to Earth

Now in its 20th year, Nohl Crest Homes has enlisted an important new partner-the environment.

The Oldsmar-based company, builder of this year's Showcase Home for the Spring Tampa Bay Parade of Homes, is committed to earth-friendly building practices. So this March, Parade-goers will encounter luxury swathed in wholesome shades of green.

Of course, the term "green" in this context refers not to a grassy hue but to a philosophy of development that calls for minimization of environmental impact.

Kenneth Emery, president of Nohl Crest Homes, says the time is right to showcase the green building concept through the Parade of Homes, the region's most high-profile new housing promotion.

The scattered-site event, which features homes in all styles and price ranges, is sponsored by the Tampa Bay Builders Association and runs March 25-April 9.

"Since our early days in the industry, we've continuously embraced new ideas and products," says Emery, whose company is one of the first to earn green building certification from the Florida Green Building Coalition, a not-for-profit consortium of environmental groups, trade associations, academic institutions and developers. "It's our intention that the 2006 Showcase Home be the best ever. And making this home green adds an important new component to the event."

The home, located in FishHawk Ranch in Lithia, is the company's Windermere model. According to Judy Preston, Nohl Crest's vice president of marketing, it will be the first Showcase Home to meet Florida Green Building Coalition standards.

Proceeds from the sale of the home, which was built on a donated site using primarily discounted or donated materials, will go to the TBBA. Nohl Crest executives say they expect the donation to top $200,000.

IT'S TRADITIONAL AND HIGH-TECH

The 5,483-square-foot Windermere is located in the Garden District of FishHawk Ranch, Newland Communities' 3,000-acre master-planned community near Lithia in southeastern Tampa" target="_blank">Hillsborough County.

In this charming neo-traditional neighborhood, homes feature front porches and alley-loaded garages.

"In the Garden District, families sit on their front porches, neighbors interact and people get out and walk," says Preston.

Although the neighborhood exudes an old-fashioned ambiance, the Showcase Home is loaded with high-tech, high-style and high-end extras.

"In addition to everything that makes the home green, there are some really nice features that people will want to see," says Preston. For example, with 3,885 square feet of air-conditioned space, the Windermere offers ample indoor and outdoor living and entertaining areas, including an outdoor kitchen.

"What we're seeing is that families are entertaining at home more often," says model home coordinator and senior decorator Lore Merida.

In the kitchen, cherry cabinets extend to the ceiling. Granite countertops, tasteful Kohler fixtures and gorgeous lighting-such as a Murano glass chandelier-add panache while the latest energy-efficient appliances by Thermador, Bosch and Jenn-Air combine beauty and efficiency.

Most of the appliances are Energy Star rated, which means they meet strict energy and water-efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy. This is crucial because green homes are expected to exceed Energy Star performance levels. And in the bathrooms, low-flow fixtures and tankless hot-water heaters will save about 50 percent on energy use.

Carpet was limited to the three upstairs bedrooms and the game room, keeping the ratio well within green-building guidelines. Carpet is notorious for holding dirt and other substances, and carpet and padding can emit harmful gasses.

The Windermere also features structured wiring to accommodate sophisticated electronic systems. To demonstrate, ONteriors, the preferred provider of new home technology for FishHawk Ranch, has installed Sony's newest high-definition plasma monitor in the family room.

"This is a small demonstration of today's home technology options in the way of home theater, security and lighting control," says Andy Crouch, ONteriors' Tampa Bay regional manager.

IT'S NOT JUST A ONE-SHOT DEAL

The Showcase Home is Nohl Crest's first to be certified green-and now, every home the company builds will adhere to the same standards.

"In order to be a green builder, all future homes must be green," notes Preston.

Consequently, the company now works with a checklist divided into categories.

Every home must notch 200 points by complying with minimum standards in each of eight categories: saving energy; saving water; protecting and enhancing the home site; improving the home's indoor health; selecting environmentally friendly materials; and incorporating features for disaster mitigation, such as barriers to termites and hurricane protection, says certifying agent Dr. Jennifer L. Languell, director of WCI Green Building at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Most points are earned for implementing energy-saving measures. So Nohl Crest worked with Bayonet Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning to make sure they achieved maximum points by using the most modern technologies to heat and cool the home while improving indoor air quality.

For example, the air-conditioning system divides the home into four individually controlled zones, so owners can avoid cooling spaces that aren't being used. An electronic air cleaner removes 98 percent of particulants.

Finally, the home is tested for leakage, part of the green building compliance process.

"We pressurize the home and make sure it doesn't leak," says Kris Blankenship, Bayonet's new home specialist. "The tighter it is, the more efficient. We test the duct system in the same way."

GREEN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE

While improved indoor air quality is a primary goal, green building also has applications outdoors. So Nohl Crest consulted with the Tampa" target="_blank">Hillsborough County Florida Yards & Neighborhoods program to design a Florida-friendly landscape.

Robin Rebeck of Sunrise Landscape was involved in the design, which called for minimum grassy areas and plants that are, for the most part, native to Florida.

"We also installed a cistern for rainwater collection and to help reduce storm water run-off," says Rebeck. "To promote energy conservation, we shaded the air conditioning unit and south side of home."

Even the home's swimming pool is healthy. It uses salt purification and ozonation systems that reduce the amount of chlorine needed. "Together, this is the ultimate water purification system," says Mark Ouverson of Freestyle Pools.

While a green-built home may cost more to construct, substantial savings are realized in the long run. And besides, say boosters, in a rapidly growing state with a fragile ecosystem, it's the right approach for the 21st century.