Brunswick Forest Turns Greener: The 2008 Green Home

By Brenda Key

Published Summer 2008

With the style of a high-end custom home and the features of an energy-saving, eco-friendly house, the new Green Home at Brunswick Forest represents an innovative way of residential living.

The home is the first green model to open in eastern North Carolina and incorporates some of the most advancedtechnology in today’s market, including solar panels that convert sunlight to electricity. It represents the vision of Brunswick Forest’s developers and their continuing commitment to preserve the beauty and natural resources within the 4,500-acre golf and residential community located just ten minutes south of historic Wilmington on Highway 17.

With a host of amenities and a variety of residential neighborhoods all connected through a network of more than 100 miles of bike paths and trails, Brunswick Forest has already set a high standard for thoughtful development. The plans for its first Green Home have been equally ambitious.

“The Green Home is designed to be a net zero energy cost home,” says Chris Senior, owner of AnchorageBuildingCorp.com, one of North Carolina’s leading green home builders. “During the day, the renewable energy generated by the panels will be sold to the power grid. If you’re mindful, you won’t have a power bill.”

To reduce the impact of heavy equipment on the home site, the three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath, 3,000-square-foot-home was built in sections in a climate-controlled factory by South Carolina–based Haven Custom Homes, manufacturer of the 2007 Southern Living Idea House.

“Siting the structure to take advantage of the sun’s natural path across the sky not only reduces the work load on the heat and air system, it also creates a much more comfortable living environment,”
Senior says. “And it’s free.”

To further decrease energy consumption, the house is equipped with a WaterFurnace geothermal heat pump, which uses the earth’s relatively constant temperature instead of outside air to heat feature and cool the home. Additionally, the system’s 30 SEER efficiency rating is much higher than the standard 13 SEER units.

“As much as 50 percent of your utility costs can be attributed to heating and cooling your house,” Senior says. “The high SEER geothermal heat unit we’ve used will cut that portion of the bill in half.”

Known as the Alexandria Cottage, the Green Home also features thick exterior walls and Icynene® insulation, an open-cell foam that expands 100 times its initial volume, creating a protective barrier that prevents allergens, dust and mold spores from entering the home and reduces energy costs by up to 50 percent compared to conventional insulation.

“The roof and foundation are totally sealed, keeping hot, humid air from venting into the home,” Senior says. “Coupled with an engineered heat and air system, this results in a conditioned attic and crawlspace, which creates less demand on the HVAC system and helps maintain a comfortable temperature in the house.”

Doors and low-emission, chambered vinyl windows with airtight weather stripping are foamed in as well, eliminating random air leakage and the intrusion of airborne moisture that can result in condensation and mold.

Other green features include low-maintenance Hardiplank and Hardishake siding, low-flow fixtures, indigenous landscaping (requiring virtually no irrigation), Energy Star–rated appliances and a natural gas on-demand water heater.

“Instead of keeping an 80-gallon tank hot all the time, the water is heated instantaneously when needed,” Senior says. “This can save hundreds of dollars annually.”

A pioneer in the green-building industry, Senior has been experimenting with energy-efficient technology and sustainable materials since the 1970s. He started out using recycled newspaper for insulation and hardwood flooring harvested from managed forests. Over the years, he has continued to employ the latest green technology and products, creating low-maintenance homes that offer both environmental and economic benefits, including reduced energy and water consumption and improved indoor air quality.

Located in the exclusive Walden neighborhood of custom home sites, the Green Home also includes standard high-end home features, such as eight-foot interior doors, quartz countertops, triple-crown molding throughout and oversized baseboard, door and window trim.

In keeping with the tenets of sustainability, much of the furnishings and detailing will be green. The wood flooring is Caribbean heart pine, the master bedroom walls are finished in a natural clay plaster, and all of the paints used in the home are non-toxic, low VOC (volatile organic compounds).

“Our mission is to build beautiful, cutting-edge green homes that consume a minimal amount of the Earth’s resources,” says Senior, who recently completed construction of his own net zero energy cost home for his extended family that spans three generations. “Our homes are simple to operate and provide a healthy, happy living environment.”

Indeed, Brunswick Forest’s master plan was designed with the well being of its residents in mind. A host of amenities are planned, including a 100-plus-mile network of paths and trailways linking amenities and neighborhoods; 27 holes of world- class golf at Cape Fear National; an 18,000-square-foot Fitness & Wellness Center with tennis courts and indoor and outdoor pools; a River Club on Town Creek that will serve as a center for boating and fishing activities; an Ocean Club providing access to the Atlantic; a Garden Center with a greenhouse, garden and related facilities; neighborhood and community parks; and The Villages at Brunswick Forest, a major retail center with shops, movie theater, dining, entertainment, and medical and professional offices located at the community’s entrance.

An array of individual neighborhoods offer single-family home sites, custom homes, town homes and cottages, designed to offer a wide range of architectural and lifestyle choices. Initial pricing puts home sites from the $150,000s and home packages, including home sites, from the mid-$200,000s.

Learn more about Brunswick Forest's Green Home at www.BrunswickForestGreen.com.