CONTENTS
Sections 24 Food: Farm Roof Community Supported Agriculture goes to new heights 26 Outdoor: Backyard Dozen From coops to eggs, raising layers at home 30 Science: Worm Bin Revolution Modern and advanced systems for the avid vermicomposter 46 Design: Starting With The Basics Building blocks of a sustainable dwelling
32 Home: Oh, Yes We Can
Sustainability is practical, cost-effective and doable It’s for your neighbor and it’s for you
40 Community: The New Living
With new homes in demand, one conscious builder is giving homebuyers a choice to fit their lifestyle
Sustainable Living 14 Art Essence of Shelter 15 Almanac Ubiquitous Plastic 16 Books Man-made Landscapes 17 The Know Waste Challenge 18 Film Blue Vinyl 19 Simple Choices Understanding Cleanliness 20 Outside Backyard Turf 22 Style Cookware
Departments 06 Editor’s Note 10 Contributors 12 Letters 54 Marketplace 56 Advertiser Directory 57 Distribution 58 Coming Next Issue
48 Technology: Ridgeline Retreat
Architect Gerald Choi’s home combines the core principles of sustainable design with the latest in technology
COVER PHOTO: Kevin Whitton
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Generation S My three-year-old daughter opens the fridge, grabs the green juice and asks for a pink cup. “I’m going to pour it, Dad,” she says, as I unscrew the cap. She fills the cup with minimal spillage, shaking the drops from the empty plastic jug. “All gone. I’m going to recycle,” she lets me know, and walks to the door, jug in hand. “OK, let’s go recycle the bottle,” I say, enthusiastically. We walk outside to the three waste bins on the side of the house. “Which one does it go in?” “Blue!” she yells. I open the lid and she gets on her tiptoes and drops the bottle in, trying to peer over the edge, to no avail, to see where it went. There was no lesson plan to teach her recycling, no homework or drills. And we didn’t read her any kids books about recycling, either. No need. She watches her parents do it and she naturally does it. She wants to recycle. Not because she knows why, but because it’s the only way she knows. While at an interview for one of the vignettes in the feature story, “Oh, Yes We Can,” I was invited into a friendly couple’s home to enjoy some fresh ginger and mint tea, garden ingredients, while we chatted about sustainability. Colorful kid toys dotted the living room and a vast array of classroom artwork made a quilt of color across the dining room walls. It was reminiscent of my home, but a lot tidier. Kids are sponges, we all know that, and here’s this family, they have a PV system, they grow as much of their own food as they can (and the kids have their own gardening plot), they’re running LED lights in the whole house, Energy Star appliances, low-flow faucets— you name it and these kids are growing up with principles and
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Illustration: Orthreb Arios
EDITOR’S NOTE
examples of sustainability as the norm. I call them Generation S. The more that we educate ourselves now about a sustainable lifestyle and make those conscious changes and choices, the easier it will be to achieve a higher level of sustainability as a community and throughout society at large down the road. Because as our children grow up in this environment, where sustainability and conscious living are the norm, where it’s taught in schools and practiced at home, sustainable living will just become living. And maybe green will just be a color again. “Dad, can I have some more green juice?” my daughter asks me, pulling hard on the handle to open the fridge. “Of course you can,” I respond. She can have more of anything that’s packed with fruits and vegetables and cleverly disguised as juice. She moves a few things around on the bottom shelf, a little refrigerator Rubik’s Cube, and pulls out the half gallon of green juice. “OK, I’m going to pour it myself,” she says with confidence. With two hands she carries the jug to the counter, gets up on her little wooden stool and unscrews the cap, leaving the refrigerator door ajar, dividing the narrow kitchen like a shoji screen. “Go for it,” I reply, grabbing a kitchen towel, anticipating a spill. Now, if I can only get her to remember to shut the refrigerator door. —Kevin Whitton
Published by Little Tree Publications VOLUME 3 :: NUMBER 6 :: NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 Editor Kevin Whitton Lifestyle Editor Aubrey Yee Contributing Writers Adam Ayers, Dr. Summer Baptist, Priscilla Pérez Billig, Catherine Mariko Black, Stuart Coleman, Jade Eckhardt, Margaret Haapoja, Nicole Milne, Laura Poirier, Samson Reiny, Sarah Ruppenthal, Tara Zirker Art Director Kyle Tanaka Contributing Photographers Willi Edwards, Isaac Frazer, Ian Gillespie, Margaret Haapoja, Nicole Milne, Kyle Tanaka, Kevin Whitton, Michelle Whitton, Aubrey Yee Contributing Illustrators Orthreb Arios Sales Representative Lola Cohen green@lolacohen.com Jory Atamian jory@greenmagazinehawaii.com General Inquries info@greenmagazinehawaii.com GREEN P.O. Box 894061 Mililani, Hawai‘i 96789 To receive a free subscription to the GREEN eZine, the complete online version of GREEN, please contact us at info@greenmagazinehawaii.com. Annual hard copy subscriptions are also available at $24 for six issues. Other than letters to the editor, we do not accept unsolicited editorial submissions. GREEN, Little Tree Publications and its associates are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged submissions or the return of unsolicited material. One-way correspondence can be sent to: P.O. Box 894061, Mililani, Hawai‘i 96789 Email editorial inquiries to info@greenmagazineawaii.com GREEN is trademarked and tradename registered in the state of Hawai‘i. All contents of this issue of GREEN are copyrighted by Little Tree Publications, 2011. All rights reserved. GREEN is printed in the USA on recycled paper. Please recycle this magazine. Pass it on to a friend and extend the life of this publication.
CONTRIBUTORS
Laura Poirier Laura Poirier was born and raised in New Hampshire. She studied at the University of New Hampshire and graduated with a B.A. in communications and a minor in fine arts. Following graduation, Laura started a full time position as a public affairs specialist for the Environmental Protection Agency in Boston, Massachusetts. While at the EPA, she managed an environmental education program for New England’s students until relocating to O‘ahu in 2009. Laura currently works as a marketing coordinator for a locally owned solar company. Being environmentally minded, she enjoys working in Hawai‘i’s growing renewable energy field and looks forward to helping to create a cleaner and greener future. In her spare time she enjoys being outside participating in the many activities O‘ahu has to offer: painting, taking photographs, surfing, yoga and writing.
Samson Reiny After seven years spent studying and working in the Bay Area, Wai‘anaeborn Samson Ka‘ala Reiny returned home last year, and through his reporting has since gained a greater appreciation for the singular beauty and complexity of both the islands and its people. He is particularly humbled by the knowledge and aloha given to him by the ku-puna in the Hawaiian community. In creating a more sustainable Hawai‘i, he believes native knowledge is a priceless resource that is often overlooked. Samson lives by the old Hawaiian proverb: All knowledge is not taught in one school.
Jade Eckardt Raised on the east side of the Big Island, Jade majored in anthropology at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, where she stumbled across an interest in writing. She began reflecting on her travels around the world in creative non-fiction work and soon moved to traditional newsroom journalism. Jade is now a staff writer at The Hawaii Independent where she reports exclusively on O‘ahu’s North Shore, covering community issues and events. She is also a freelance writer for regional publications and is the author of Moon Kaua‘i, her first guidebook. She lives on the North Shore with her family, dogs, backyard chickens and a goat named Ramona.
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INBOX
Precautionary Principle Thank you so much for the article “Precautionary Principle” [September/October 2011] with Ed Brown. I'm currently doing my thesis on advertising manipulation in health and cosmetic industries that label their products as “natural,” when it’s not even so. This article is something everyone should read, as most people tend to overlook what is actually in their daily products they use. Thank you GREEN! —Amy K Fuhrmeister via Facebook
Thinking Outside The Box The photo used for the article “Integrated Solar” [July/Aug 2011] shows a fabulous use of solar panels. Do you know what company did that work or was it just a stock photo? Thanks. I really enjoy your magazine. —Laureli Lunn via email No stock photography here. It is a real photo taken of integrated solar panels in Hawai‘i, which was installed by Sunetric. —KW
La- na‘i Resident Rejoices I just read the eZine, the online version of GREEN. Sarah Ruppenthal did a wonderful job in covering the story “Island Power Plant” [September/October 2011]. Well-written, clear and thoughtful. Well done. —Robin Kaye via email
GREEN for Education I’m from the Kamehameha Middle School seventh grade ‘Ohe team. Our team has for the past four years been teaching our students about sustainability. We really like last month’s GREEN magazine issue [September/October 2011]. We have a copy of it and want more for our class. How would we be able to have more copies? I know that you have it in Jamba Juice, but we don’t want to take it from a particular store and then they would not have any magazines. We are looking to have 30 copies of the magazine and we would just use it for all our different periods. Thank you. —Erin Samson, Educational Assistant Kamehameha Middle School via email Can do, Erin. We love to share GREEN Magazine with schools and nonprofit organizations. —KW
Disappearing Sands I was thrilled to see your cover story about disappearing sand by Adam Ayers [September/October 2011]. As a legislator, I have several
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constituents who are very concerned about the rapid loss of sand and want to see something done about it. In addition to the excellent insights Mr. Ayers brings to light about the reasons for the loss of sand, another cause we see a lot of on the Wai‘anae Coast is sand theft. We live across from a beach and it's very common to see trucks pull up, and guys get out with shovels to take sand. They leave too quickly for authorities to catch them and the law has a loophole that allows people to take a gallon of sand a day, making enforcement tricky. Since you can buy sand commercially if you really need it, I introduced a bill banning all taking of sand from public areas a few years ago. Unfortunately, the bill went nowhere because people didn't seem to see this as a problem worth addressing. I would be very interested in introducing the legislation suggested by Mr. Ayers at the end of his article. Mahalo. —Sen. Maile Shimabukuro, District 21, Hawai‘i State Senate via email
Finding Praise and Similarities Abroad I just picked up an issue of GREEN, great publication. I write for Conservation magazine in Alberta, Canada, so found lots of common ground between it and GREEN in terms of the ecological/conservation features, but especially enjoyed how GREEN manages to make that messaging relevant, digestible and frankly, really attractive. Nice work. Hope you don’t mind my coming forward with this, but your khaki weed feature outlined lots of the same noxious weed problems we’re facing on our conservation and recreation sites at home (volunteer weed pulls, inadvertent spread through human mobility, etc). I wrote
Photo: Ian Gillespie
INBOX
Say bye bye to Lanikai.
a piece on how goats are being used to control invasive weeds at a local recreation site—wondering if this approach had ever been considered for khaki weed? I know goats will work their way through prickly plants like thistle, but don’t know how this compares to the burrs found in khaki weed. I’ve also come to understand that different species of goat prefer different plants. Or maybe being so close to the beach they’d ditch their post and head for the surf. Logistical issues all, but anyway. It was a neat discovery for Alberta Conservation Association. Just thought I’d pass it on. Kind regards and best of luck with GREEN! —Nicole Nickel-Lane, Sounder Communications via email Thanks for your kind words and input. Unfortunately, Hawai‘i has had more than its fair share of environmental problems (disasters) associated with feral ungulates and grazers. So it looks like, for the time being, humans on their hands and knees are the immediate solution. —KW
Do you have insight, input, opinion, praise or criticism on the stories you’ve read in GREEN magazine? What are your feelings on issues of sustainability in general for Hawai‘i and beyond? If you want to raise your voice and possibly have it heard by others on the pages of GREEN, please send your letters to the editor to info@greenmagazinehawaii.com.
Photo: earthship.net
LIFESTYLE ART
The Essence Of Shelter Earthship Biotecture creates artful dwellings In Hawai‘i, we see shipping containers arriving and leaving our busy ports everyday, shuttling the goods that we need to survive. They pile up at the docks like building blocks and sit outside construction sites. What many people don’t realize is that used shipping containers make for great shelter. Constructed of weather tight steel, containers can be used to form the core of a dwelling. There are some architects around the world turning the concept of the container home into a high design modern marvel using a host of alternative, unconventional building materials. Artistic green building company Earthship Biotecture designs economic, versatile and 14
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radically sustainable structures. The Earthship design principles are straightforward: electricity from the sun and wind, water from rain and snow, sanitary sewage treatment, heating and cooling from the sun and the earth, growing food inside and outside, and building with natural and recycled materials. Their fanciful, imaginative designs are designed to function in any climate, in any part of the world. Built from recycled tires rammed with earth and other recycled materials they are easy to build and can be customized for any region. —Aubrey Yee earthship.net
LIFESTYLE BOOKS
Man-made Landscapes Can’t live with them, can’t live without them
Reviews by Aubrey Yee
Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America’s Man-Made Landscape by James Howard Kunstler
Driving across America, an intrepid road-tripper encounters endless streams of shopping malls, strip malls, fast food chains, sprawling suburban track home developments, truck stops and other such truly American landmarks that have come to define our country. It wasn’t always this way and this vision of the present doesn’t have to be. In his thoughtprovoking book, James Howard Kunstler dissects the history of America’s man-made landscape, pointing out such realities as the crumbling and dying city of Detroit, Michigan and the planned creation of the now ubiquitous suburban shopping mall, an invention of the massive automobile industry that replaced the corner store and forced residents to get in the car and drive to a mall to do their shopping. In a time of cheap and abundant oil, suburbs and malls made sense. Today it has become increasingly clear that these social structure no longer work. As our present energy and environmental realities become ever more sobering, we may need to rethink the entire way we have structured our living environments. By understanding how we got here, we can begin to envision how to get “there,” to a future more suited to sustainable and harmonious living on a resource limited planet.
Green Hawai‘i: A Guide to a Sustainable and Energy Efficient Home By Kevin Whitton
Did you know that GREEN Magazine’s editor, Kevin Whitton, is also author of a few great books? This user-friendly guide to creating a green home is specifically geared for residents of Hawai‘i. Beginning with an interesting overview of the history of human impact on the planet starting in pre-biblical times and continuing through to the present, Whitton then delves into diverse areas of sustainability for the home and the Hawai‘i lifestyle. He defines that so often used and often misunderstood word “sustainability” in lines with the 1987 Brundtland report as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The concept of sustainable development is so much more immediately important on an island with our limited land and resources. And in a place like Hawai‘i, where we have such a mild climate, ideal food growing conditions and year round access to various renewable energy resources like wind and solar, creating a sustainable lifestyle can be quite easy and fun. Whitton’s resource guide helps any Hawai‘i resident, homeowner or renter, address such varied concerns as energy use, our general consumption patterns, buying local products and even how your food choices affect the environment.
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Photo: bluevinyl.org/Chris Pilaro
LIFESTYLE FILM
Blue Vinyl
Setting the record straight on PVC PVC is the acronym for polyvinyl chloride. We use it in so many products every day: piping in our homes, vinyl windows, vinyl siding, medical equipment, children’s toys, shampoo bottles, the list goes on and on. What if someone told you that the chemicals released during the production and disposal of PVC are some of the most harmful toxins in the world? This is what the filmmakers of Blue Vinyl discovered during their four years of filming. The movie’s star and director is Judith Helfland, an unassuming “nice Jewish girl” from Long Island who happens to have a personal history with toxic chemicals. Her mother was prescribed a drug during pregnancy that was supposed to guard against miscarriages. Instead it gave Judith ovarian cancer early in life and a forced hysterectomy. Now she’s on a mission to discover the toxic roots of the blue vinyl siding her parents just put on the outside of their suburban home. Using money she received from a settlement related to her cancer, Judith’s journey takes her to Louisiana, where large vinyl plants have made workers and neighboring communities very sick, poisoning ground water and forcing residents to relocate. She visits Venice, Italy where a scientist by the name of Dr. Maltone discovered in 1972 that exposure to dioxins released from the production of vinyl chloride in doses of just 250 parts per million was giving lab rats rare forms of liver cancer. She later returns to Italy to follow a case where 31 individual executives from vinyl corporations were put on trial for manslaughter for failing to inform their workers of the dangers at their vinyl plants. Throughout the film, Helfland confronts the Vinyl Institute, the industry organization in charge of vinyl chloride’s image in the world. 18
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From telling her that vinyl is mostly made of sodium chloride, like table salt and is harmless, to a 30-minute on-camera interview where all her questions about the health issues around vinyl production and disposal are met with slick, prepared answers. The Vinyl Institute never breaks its assertion that PVC is a completely safe material. Try telling that to lawyer Bill Bagget, another star in the film, who has spent a large part of his career trying to fight the 30 top vinyl corporations in court. He has found extensive documented evidence that they understood the risks of exposure to their employees and did nothing about it. Meanwhile innocent workers died of virulent cancers. To date, despite an incredibly strong case, he has yet to make it all the way to trial as the vinyl corporations manage to settle out of court every time. At the end of the day, Helfland’s efforts to convince her parents that they need to get rid of their vinyl siding are heard and eventually they comply. The greater issues however, are that there are no comparable, affordable building alternatives and there is no reasonable and safe way to recycle the vinyl once it is produced. In the U.S., some 200,000 tons of PVC are incinerated every year releasing dioxins into the environment, which find their way into our food supply and then our bodies. A recent treaty signed by the U.S. and 122 other countries aims to phase the 12 most harmful chemical pollutants from world production. One-third of the chemicals on that list are byproducts of PVC production and disposal. If that’s not enough incentive to find alternatives, then what is? —Aubrey Yee bluevinyl.org
LIFESTYLE OUTSIDE
Turf Wars
Choosing the right variety of grass for your backyard locale by Aubrey Yee
Zoysia Mostly sunny to full sun Zoysia grass is the elegant, soft and fine-textured green grass that everyone loves. When healthy, it grows so thick that it naturally prevents weeds from growing. It is tolerant of high-use, so it’s great for families who are active on their lawn. The most common form of this grass in Hawai‘i is called El Toro.
St. Augustine Semi-sunny to shady areas This grass is perfect for shady areas under trees or other zones in your yard that get more shade than they do sun. It has a coarser, wider texture than other grasses and appears to grow along the ground, almost like a vine. It’s shallow rooted and not recommended for areas with high traffic.
Seashore Paspalum Mostly sunny to full sun You see this grass more and more on golf course grounds these days, especially ones close to the beautiful Hawaiian ocean. Because it is salt tolerant, it’s perfect for ocean front properties and can even be watered with reclaimed brackish water.
Photo: Kevin Whitton
LIFESTYLE OUTSIDE
Growing an Organic Lawn It is possible to have a beautiful lawn without using pesticides for maintenance. Here are some organic options to consider when creating the perfect lawn around your home. • Vinegar is a natural weed killer. The vinegar you find at the grocery store is low in acidic concentration (5%) so you will need to apply more often. An industrial strength vinegar (20%) is an excellent weed killer with no harmful added chemicals. Keep in mind the vinegar will also damage your grass, so apply directly on weeds or use before planting your grass to kill of any weed seeds left in the soil. • Mow high. When the grass is higher than the weeds it will naturally choke them out. It’s a myth that if you mow low, you will mow less often. Short grass grows faster in a race to feed its roots. • Keep your clippings where they lie. The clippings add needed organic matter and nutrients back into the soil. • The oft-maligned weed is simply a plant, that for one reason or another, we’ve decided we don’t want. A mix of some weeds in your grass can bring native birds to feed on your lawn and create a natural organic mix that still looks beauti ful and green and feels good on your feet. It’s all about perspective.
LIFESTYLE HOME
Eat The Food, Not The Cookware Safe and stylish cooking
You’ve certainly heard the phrase many times, “You are what you eat.” You might immediately think of the starch, protein or vegetables on your plate, but probably not the little blacks bits of the non-stick pan that ended up in your meal. The materials used in your cookware can leach into the food you’re cooking, so it’s important to know which pots and pans are best for you and your family. —Aubrey Yee
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Non-stick Teflon
Teflon cookware is coated with a chemical called PFOA (perfluoroalkyl acid), which has been linked to cancer, birth defects and other health concerns. If used properly, the chemical should not leach into your food, but make sure to follow these general guidelines: Toss any pan as soon as it becomes scratched; Don’t use forks, knives or metal spatulas with non-stick cookware because they may scratch the surface and allow bits of the chemical to enter your food; Never let the pan get over 450 degrees, which is the point where the chemical releases toxic fumes—it may seem like a high temperature, but this can be reached with high-heat cooking, like stir-frying.
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Stainless Steel
A lot of people have turned to stainless steel as a replacement for non-stick, but it can be a lot harder to keep clean. This cookware is actually made of a combination of metals including nickel, chromium and molybdenum, which can all leach into your food if the material is scratched, although the amounts will likely be too small to create a health concern.
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Anodized Aluminum
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In this process, anodizing locks the cookware’s aluminum base under a protective layer so that none of the metal will leach into your food, also creating an ideal non-stick and non-scratch surface. Some of the most popular brands include Calphalon and All-Clad, which you can find at Williams-Sonoma and Macy’s in Hawai‘i.
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Perhaps the healthiest and most affordable option is good old cast iron. Known for its durability and heat distribution, iron is a mineral we all need so you are actually benefiting your family’s health with the small bits of iron that leach into foods while cooking. A good cast iron pan can be found for under $20. Cast iron pans do require “seasoning,” a preparation where natural oil, like olive oil, is heated in the pan prior to first-time use to create a semi non-stick surface.
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Cast Iron
Ceramic Cookware
Le Creuset is one of the most famous brands of this type of cookware. This is a higher-end alternative that has the desired properties of cast iron, but does not require the seasoning process. Ceramic cookware is dishwasher friendly as well as somewhat non-stick. The Le Creuset pieces come in bright cheery colors that add beauty to your kitchen and will last forever.
SMART ADVERTISING MADE SIMPLE. Advertise your business with GREEN: Hawai‘i’s Sustainable Living Magazine and tap into an emerging market of eco-conscious consumers that proudly support local Hawai‘i businesses offering local sustainable products and services. For more information about advertising opportunities with GREEN, email us at: info@greenmagazinehawaii.com. Please include the word “advertising” in the subject line with your email inquiry.
greenmagazinehawaii.com/advertise
FOOD
Photo: FarmRoof
FarmRoof is redefining community supported agriculture by utilizing roof space to grow “super food” greens. right: The soil used in the rooftop gardens is a special blend infused with minerals, trace elements, macro and micronutrients and omegas.
Farm Roof
Community Supported Agriculture goes to new heights
Hawai‘i’s rooftops are being utilized as a platform to offer nutritious choices for O‘ahu families and individuals thanks to a local company called FarmRoof. The founder, Alan Joaquin, began the business in 2008 with goals of bringing a new type of community supported agriculture (CSA) to Hawai‘i, changing the local food system and urban landscape. As a visionary with experience in horticulture, engineering, construction and sustainability, Alan wanted to use his background to create a network of organic, sustainable, urban CSA farms on Hawai‘i’s rooftops, serving as a model for agricultural advancement worldwide. The idea behind a CSA is bringing communities, businesses and groups together to invest in local farms, while sharing the produce it cultivates. The process connects farmers directly to communities and helps to decentralize the current corporate food system. FarmRoof’s angle is to install farms on rooftops at no cost to the building owner, and then sell the produce to “share
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holders” (building owners, restaurants, individuals or community groups) who make an agreement to purchase the crops. Today, FarmRoof is in full operation and is touted as Hawai‘i’s first and only certified organic green roof system. In addition to the patented growing system, FarmRoof’s produce is nutritious on a whole new level— the greens are considered “super foods.” The company’s farmers are growing healthy produce by cultivating special soil infused with more than 70 minerals, trace elements, omegas, microorganisms, micronutrients and macronutrients to grow the most nutritious greens possible. “FarmRoof makes it easy for a community to get access to a super nutritious organic farm,” explains Alan Joaquin. With a clean shave, smart hair cut and collared company shirt, he doesn’t evocate the image of the stereotypical farmer. “Our farms are more than farms and more than food. FarmRoof represents values, food
Photo: FarmRoof
FOOD
sustainability and security.” Since each farm is community based, two important factors need to be met to get started: there has to be a business or organization willing to use their roof to grow food, and their must be a community demand for the weekly crop. FarmRoof’s first CSA in Waima- nalo, on top of Sweet Home Waimanalo market and café, was so well received that every membership available for that particular location was swept up almost immediately. Using roofs owned by Kamehmeha Schools, their next CSA location, Kaka‘ako, sprouted this fall, growing a combination of high-nutrient lettuces, kales mustards and herbs. Memberships for 2012 are still available to become part of this CSA location. From there, FarmRoof has plans to spread into Kailua and Waikı-kı-. “We made our first appearance at Ala Moana Farmers’ Market over Labor Day weekend and had over 125 people sign up for memberships, in only four hours,” says Joaquin, confident that the community is ready for a change in how they acquire their food. “All we did was let people taste what we are growing and the support was unbelievable. The fact that people were signing up on the spot for our CSA really reinforced what we are working toward.” A FarmRoof CSA membership includes 26 weekly shares of the super food greens and costs $12.65 per week. The company is encouraging communities to come together and get involved to create their own CSA locations on rooftops in their community. Those interested only need 40 to 50 people willing to be “share holders” to begin the process. A condo building, with association support, can have a rooftop farm installed, as well. And in addition to their CSAs, FarmRoof’s nonprofit wing, FarmRoof University, offers programs for youth and adults centered around rooftop agriculture with an emphasis on health and wellness, food security, energy conservation, urban planning and environmental stewardship. Alan is motivated and optimistic about food security for Hawai‘i, “Our reach will be far and wide and we have opened the possibilities for urban agriculture.” —Laura Poirier farmroof.com
OUTDOOR
Photos: Jade Eckardt
Collecting fresh eggs daily at home is as easy as raising healthy, happy hens.
Backyard Dozen From coops to eggs, raising layers at home
People love their chickens. The stories coop enthusiasts tell proves it’s no wonder why chickens have gained the reputation as man’s new best friend. An owner of 90 chickens has a brown hen named Henietta who sneaks into the bathroom daily to lay her egg. An O‘ahu family has a Porcelain D’uccle who’s been found protectively perched on their napping toddler’s chest on several occasions, while a nine-year-old girl’s “best friends” are her 12 hens. The love of keeping chickens goes beyond the daily gathering of a rainbow of light blue, mint green and even chocolate brown eggs. As backyard coops are experiencing a renaissance in Hawai‘i, island residents are turning to their own yards for free range eggs that are higher in nutrition than store bought eggs. Driving coop enthusiasm is the desire to eat local, organic and free range, but those who dive into the world of chickens
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get a pleasant surprise: hens make great pets. A proper coop is the foundation for a happy egglaying hen. The Internet is a good source for coop floor plans or pre-made hen houses and the garage is a good source for reusable materials. Plywood, fencing, even a stained glass window can live a second life as part of a coop. Hen houses can be extremely simple or elaborate— a wooden box, old truck bed, or an intricate mini-Victorian house complete with trim and paint. Small or large, modest or fancy, coops have a few basic requirements that are necessity no matter the design. Nesting boxes, where hens lay eggs, are a must. One box for every two hens is a good rule of thumb. It’s essential to keep them clean, changing the hay or wood shavings lining the boxes every few weeks. Hens instinctively sleep up high on a perch, or roost. Depending on the length of the perch, one roost will suffice, but more
OUTDOOR
top: Eggs come in a wide variety of colors and sizes, depending on the breed of the hen. bottom: The key to a prolific layer is a proper coop, with fresh water, food, plenty of nesting boxes and the all-important roost.
GREENM AGAZ INE HAWAII.COM
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OUTDOOR
Photo: Jade Eckardt
The general rule for hen husbandry is one nesting box for every two hens.
than one perch requires an 18-inch separation preventing hens from sleeping under each other. Roosts should be round or have smoothed edges to protect the hen’s feet. Bamboo from the yard, an old broomstick or ladder will do. Also, a coop must be sealed tight, with screen or wire over the spaces between the boards to keep out mongoose, dogs and feral cats. There are hundreds of different chicken breeds and choosing your hen is where the fun begins. Different breeds lay eggs of different sizes and colors and, like most domesticated animals, every breed exhibits its own personality traits. One breed commonly kept in backyard coops is the Black Australorp, known for their high production of large brown eggs and gentle personality. Barren Plymouth Rocks are known to be friendly and lay light brown, nearly pinkish large eggs. Araucanas make great pets and lay greenish blue eggs. For high egg production it’s essential to get the smaller, lighter chickens called layers. Broilers are heavier and larger and generally lay fewer eggs. It’s best to acquire hens as chicks or pullets, young hens, to see each hen’s full egg-laying potential. Raising chicks is a bit more work, as they initially require a great deal of care and attention. It’s easy to find chicks and pullets locally at farms, on the Internet and at Asagi Hatchery. Coop upkeep is very important and daily maintenance begins with water and food. Free-range chickens dig up a substantial amount of insects, slugs, seeds and snails. Yet they need a balanced diet of about 18 percent protein from chicken scratch, a mixture of grain and seeds. Many people toss feed on the ground ensuring a wide and even distribution for the hens. A water dispenser with plenty of clean water should be placed near the coop door for easy access. If a laying hen goes without water for 12 hours she can stop laying for weeks. Plant based kitchen scraps are an excellent addition to their diet and they’ll devour most fruits and vegetables. Backyard coops bring more to the table than eggs; there’s no need to buy seven-dollars-a-dozen organic eggs, carton waste is virtually eliminated and old materials get reused. Brining a chicken home may lead to a life long relationship. A Big Island woman’s foray into raising chickens began 15 years ago when a neighbor brought her a dozen eggs, “Six hours later a hen shows up at my door. It hit me that it was the mother and sure enough she took full responsibility for the eggs when I brought them to her. I still don’t know how she tracked them down from a quarter mile away. But she stayed, and now I have over a hundred.” —Jade Eckardt
SCIENCE
Photos: Mindy Jaffe
Vermicast, the final product of composting worms, is one of the best soil additives for any garden or landscape.
Worm Bin Revolution Modern and advanced systems for the avid vermicomposter
For vermicomposting fans, folks who use worms for composting, the days of buying a plastic tub and filling it with shredded paper, kitchen scraps and composting worms have evolved. Now there are several different apparatus available, even somewhat aesthetically pleasing, adding intuitive design and ease to the age-old ecological process of natural composting. Mindy Jaffe, owner of Waikiki Worm Company and official Hawai‘i vermicomposting guru, says that for first-time vermicomposters, the first item of business is to understand and overcome any mental obstacles. “People are afraid of the time and space commitment,” she says, “and they worry about the smell, rodents, flies, or that they won’t be able to keep their worms alive.” Well, don’t. A well-managed bin should not attract rodents nor give off an odor. If you do start smelling last week's dinner, it's a sign that the worms have been
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overfed. And the time commitment is more than manageable. Worms need to be watered daily (30 seconds), fed once a week (one minute), and the vermicast—the end product of the worms’ digestion—needs to be harvested once every few months (20 minutes, including cleanup). If space is the issue, many people vermicompost in their kitchen, often putting a small system under their sink. Next step, with a variety of systems with clever design features to keep your worms happy and efficient as possible, pick a system that works well with your lifestyle. While the traditional plastic tub with pukas are still available for the budget vermicomposter (less than $70 for a starter kit including worms), those willing to spend a little more for the black gold will find modern systems that provide an added level of ease. The Worm Hangout is a continuous flow system that incorporates a canvas bag and a stand, and is especially
SCIENCE
Hanging basket worm bins and The Pipeline are two new ways to vermicompost efficiently and successfully.
handy for people who want to avoid any heavy lifting. Each week, six to eight pounds of food waste and newspaper or cardboard can be added to the top of the system (most households average four pounds of food waste each week) and 10 to 15 pounds of vermicast is removed every few months from the bottom. The system only needs to be started once, and then the cycle really is just one continuous loop. For those who are design conscious, the bag comes in several colors and is sturdy enough to last several years. A full package, which includes the bag, stand, and eight ounces of worms, runs about $215. While plastic tray systems have been marketed as the Manhattan of worm habitats, many people find the system hard to get started and difficult to maintain. The answer to the old technology of sliding trays is a Hawai‘i innovation called the Pipeline. This system allows worms to move laterally through a large bin which is designed to efficiently process six to eight pounds of food waste per day with the five-foot model (the smallest size available). Many large institutions utilize the Pipeline system including the Hawaii State Hospital, which operates a 40-foot version. Prices start at $499. When Jaffe began Waikiki Worm Company in 2004, very few people were familiar with the concept of vermicomposting. Now she says there are several thousand people, 128 schools, and a handful of larger institutions in Hawai‘i that are turning their food waste into soil gold. Jaffe is leaving a vermicomposting legacy and couldn’t be happier, “People always come back to the shop and say, ‘How could I live all those years without my colony of worms?’” —Tara Zirker
The Pipeline system at Kapi‘olani Community College.
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HOME
Sustainability is practical, cost-effective and doable. It’s for your neighbor and it’s for you. Words and photos by Kevin Whitton
Detractors of sustainable living are still out there. They say it’s expensive, a sacrifice and too little too late. But families across the state are breaking down these stereotypes and proving that sustainability is a simple, realistic choice and that there are many ways to go about living a sustainable lifestyle, all with merit. A PV system isn’t the end all, be all of sustainable living. There are so many more ways that we can all participate, like planting a garden and eating locally sourced food. How about volunteering for a nonprofit organization or education our kids about sustainable choices? Drive less, conserve water, compost, use a reusable container when you pick up take out food—they are all individual choices that build the foundation for broad-based sustainability in any community. The bottom line is that a sustainable lifestyle should add to your quality of life, so the best thing to do is to adapt the choices into your life that work the best for you and your family. And where does the identity of family and self reside and become most apparent? In the home. It’s a comfortable place to project who we are and what we stand for. So applaud your friends, family and neighbors that are living sustainably and sharing their trials and successes, because they are the drivers—you are the driver—for a better Hawai‘i and a better tomorrow.
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HOME
Greg Koob grows most of his own food in his own backyard using a mixed planting approach to gardening.
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HOME
Each plant has a purpose in Greg’s garden. If it’s not edible, then it’s perennial flowers that attract pollinators for his crops.
The Pragmatist Greg Koob
“Sustainability is having as little impact in the world as possible and putting back as much as you take out.” Greg Koob has lived a life of horticulture and environmental consciousness, going back to childhood. When he came to Hawai‘i 25 years ago, his interested was focused on protecting native plants and endangered species. Now, as state biologist for the entire Pacific region under the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Greg was finally able to purchase his first home and selected an affordable Kalihi Valley residence that was in tune with his sustainable lifestyle. The quaint, two-bedroom one-bath home had been recently remodeled, prior to his purchase, with upgrades like wood flooring and granite counter tops, but it was the expansive 5,000-square foot yard and proximity to his office that really captured his eye. Greg drives a Prius, but only on the weekends. He rides his bike to his downtown office, an eight-mile roundtrip. And being a vegetarian (for environ-
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mental reasons) his garden affords him the luxury of growing almost all the food he eats, save for a few necessities like tofu and flour. Using a simple 4' x 4' raised bed and a mixed planting approach to gardening, he produces a handful of fruits and vegetables like collards, kale, a variety of tomatoes, beans, lettuce, papaya, radishes, leeks, onions squash, bok choy and a host of herbs, just a fraction of his backyard harvest. He even plants perennial flowers to attract pollinators. For Greg, his harvesting success comes from planting the right plants that grow in the locale and replenishing the soil with compost made from his kitchen scraps, yard trimmings and junk mail and paper. With plenty of rain in the valley, he utilizes his five-barrel water catchment system only when his garden requires another drink. Greg has even done away with a gas mower and weed whacker and cuts the grass with an old-fashioned push mower. The quiet pleasure has rubbed off positively on his neighbors, who have taken up the practice as well. A soft spoken, knowledgeable and humble soul, Greg is naturally a minimal energy user and powers his house with a small, eight-panel photovoltaic system. With Energy Star certified appliance, Energy Star rated reflective shingles on the roof, CFLs throughout the house and his hot water heater operating on a timer for a mere hour a day, Greg’s lifestyle is proof that with conviction and conscious choices, anyone can live a truly healthy, sustainable lifestyle with comfort and affordability.
HOME
top: Already a thrifty energy user, Koob required just a small PV system to meet his energy needs. bottom left: Koob, at home outside in the garden. bottom right: A five-barrel water catchment system is part of his water saving techniques.
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HOME
The Newcomers Leroy and Kristie Malterre
“Having this new technology in our home, we’ll be more energy conscious and more comfortable.” The Malterre’s couldn’t be happier to lead a more sustainable lifestyle in their new home.
The headers above the doors and windows were salvaged from their old home and reused to add a bit of the original to the new.
A radiant barrier under the roof blocks the sun’s radiant heat from entering the attic, keeping the whole house cooler.
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Leroy and Kristie are excited, and understandably so. Eleven years after purchasing a Hawaii Kai fixer-upper, they were finally able to rebuild their dream home. Originally, their plan was to renovate the house, built in 1965, to make room for their two children. But termite and carpenter bee damage and rot was so pervasive, they soon realized that a complete rebuild was in order. Kristie dove whole-heartedly into researching and finding a contractor for the rebuild. After speaking with over a dozen contractors, Kristie found Mokulua Woodworking, who was able to keep the project within their budget and give them something no other contractors could—a sustainable home, from the ground up. Leroy will admit that his idea of sustainability went only as far as teaching his kids not to litter. Seeing the benefit of building with sustainable materials and principles invoked a complete lifestyle change, and now the family is excited to lead a more sustainable and environmentally conscious lifestyle. Their old home was deconstructed to keep as much reusable material out of the waste stream as possible. The slab was left in place and many of the 4' x 6' beams from the old house were salvaged and used as headers above the doorways in the home and trim around the windows, Kristie’s idea to bring the good mana from the old home into the new one. The new house was constructed with radiant barrier and insulation under a reflective-shingle roof, insulation in the walls, double-paned windows and window frames made from recycled content. Materials were cut offsite to reduce waste and recycled content building materials, like outside trim, were used whenever possible. Gutters were installed to collect rainwater and Leroy has plans for a catchment system to water their backyard garden, something his daughter is really excited about. Clothesline drying, no air conditioning, solar hot water, the list goes on and on. And as soon as the house is finished, a photovoltaic system will power the home with clean, renewable energy. For the Malterre’s, their new 2,800-square foot, three-bedroom two-bath home is a mansion. And for Leroy, it’s “champagne dreams on a beer budget.” We can all toast to that.
HOME Susan Chandler, self-professed sustainability proselytizer.
An under the eave clothesline saves energy and connects Susan with her neighbors as she hangs the laundry and talks story.
Sky lights and plenty of windows keep her home well lit and naturally cooled by the prominent trade winds.
The Doer Susan Chandler
“If you get personally conscious and change your own behavior, than you can cut into the problem.” Two years ago, when Susan Chandler and her husband put a PV system on their roof, it wasn’t for deep-seated moral reasons or purely for the sake of conservation. Their motivation was economic. As director of the Social Sciences Public Policy Center at Saunders Hall on the U.H. at Ma- noa campus, Susan was involved in the experimental greening of the high-rise building. Each floor kept data and monitored the trends of their energy usage and savings. It was the hands-on participation in the experiment that raised her consciousness toward sustainability. At their five-bedroom, ridgeline home in Kaimukı- , the solar hot water system on the roof seemed like a first step already taken. Susan made a Kanu Hawaii energy pledge to continue to conserve energy at
home and use less fossil fuels. A photovoltaic system was the solution. With the federal and state tax credits, the couple was surprised how relatively inexpensive their system was and Susan says they now play a household game, tracking their energy, gas and water usage to get their consumption as low as possible. With cool trade breezes that weave through the L-shaped home, the Chandler’s have never needed air conditioning, so they found other ways to lessen their footprint. They installed Energy Star certified appliances, including a front-loading washing machine and switched to line drying. Living near the top of a high-elevation rise, Susan also made a conscious choice to limit the amount the times she drives down the hill in a day in order to save gas. They even installed solar attic fans to keep the attic cool. She also contacted the Honolulu Board of Water Supply to find out about saving water at home. She received the good news that their water usage was well below normal. A couple years after that initial energy challenge, her economic decision to install PV has now taken on a deeper meaning and created a greater appreciation of her environment. Susan has become a selfprofessed sustainability proselytizer, sparking conversation with friends and neighbors. And it seems to have paid off, as her neighbor across the street installed a photovoltaic system and is now living happily at zero energy.
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HOME
Olin Lagon teaches his children sustainability with a hands-on approach by letting them plant their own vegetables in the garden while he dabbles with a small aquaponic system.
The Educator Olin Lagon
“It’s the responsibility of parents to engage with their kids in areas of sustainability because these are the values that bring families together, encourage time together and keep things real.”
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It was 1992, in a Mexican restaurant in Kalihi, when Olin Lagon’s wife suggested he read Diet for a New America. The book was a gamechanger for him, sparking a new consciousness that still continues to guide his path in life and one that is evident throughout his home. Born and raised in Hawai‘i, Olin utilized his educational background in accounting and engineering and is now the director of social ventures for Kanu Hawaii, what he calls social entrepreneurship. He has woven the thread of sustainability throughout his life, from work to home, and is happy to share his values with his two young boys. Of utmost importance is a hands-on approach to teaching them about sustainability, which starts in the garden. For Olin, it’s all about creating a connection to what his family is eating and health. So a few years ago he made a personal pact to plant only edible plants around his home. Now he has herbs, tomatoes, papaya, pomegranate, potatoes and a host of other veggies. In fact, the kids have their own small gardening plot and enjoy eating the fruits of their labor. Inside his 2,000-square foot residence, Olin has been strategically working over the years to create a zero energy home, taking small,
HOME
Lucky for Olin and his family, he was awarded a PV system and complete LED lighting retrofit through a Blue Planet home energy challenge.
Nothing but a connection fee on his electric bill.
measured steps. They use cloth napkins and have no paper products in their kitchen and utilize the consistent trade winds to cool their home, sans air conditioning. With skylights for natural light, Energy Star certified appliances and a solar hot water heating system, Olin knew that the next step was a photovoltaic system. They planned to install solar in phases to take advantage of the tax credits, but with a stroke of good fortune, were selected by the Blue Planet Foundation’s home energy challenge to receive a 24-panel photovoltaic system to power their home. Their house was also retrofitted for LED lighting throughout. For Olin, saving energy always pencils out. The upfront investment is a small price to pay for a system that at some point is basically free. He believes that for a switch to renewable energy to really take hold, people need to change their thinking to rationalize the upfront cost. Olin holds up his electric bill and it’s evident that there’s a blossom of pride to see a blank statement with a minimal $16 flat rate connection fee.
Papayas, tomatoes, peppers and sweet potato are just a few of the veggies growing around his home.
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COMMUNITY
With new homes in demand, one conscious builder is giving homebuyers a choice to fit their lifestyle Words by Samson Reiny // Photos by Kevin Whitton
When Roger Rivera entered the homebuyer’s market earlier this year, one of the requirements for his new residence was insulation—not the usual prerequisite. The home he was living in at the time lacked the technology, which utilizes any number of materials that are installed into the walls during construction in order to slow the movement of heat. In Hawai‘i, that means keeping the hot weather out. Proper insulation was a major reason why he recently settled on buying a home at La Hiki, a new sustainable subdivision located within the Mehana master planned community in Kapolei. And he has not been disappointed. After comparing electricity bills from his old and new residences, Rivera, who is the first to move in to the community, is more than pleased that his bill has been cut in half. “This purchase is a great return on my investment,” he says. La Hiki is the first of what the builder, DR Horton Schuler, is calling its Homesave Program, residential communities built with careful attention to environmentally conscious and energy saving features. The development will eventually consist of 132
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COMMUNITY
Builder DR Horton is bringing sustainable design and construction principles to production home building at La Hiki, the new development in Kapolei.
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COMMUNITY
The first wave of a larger swell, of the 57 units already built, 46 have sold.
homes—from 3-bedroom duplexes to 4-bedroom singlefamily residences—which will be built to completion over the next few years. And homebuyers are proving there is a demand for a more sustainable home; so far, of the 57 units that have been built, 46 have been sold. Kapolei especially stands to benefit from more conscious building practices, as its future is one set for great expansion. Slated to become the island’s “second city” over the next 15 years, its population is projected to increase by 57,000, with the number of home ballooning by over 20,000 units. The decision to pursue greener alternatives came a few years ago when the firm, one of Hawai‘i’s major homebuilders, recognized the growing market for new, sustainable technologies. “It’s something that’s picking up momentum,” says DR Horton spokesperson Tracy Nagata. “It’s now the wave of the future.”
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The Homesave Program strives to meet five environmentally friendly goals: reducing operating costs, providing adaptable homes for future technology, building for durability, improving indoor air quality and purchasing materials from sustainable suppliers. And the result is a cache of modern, tricked-out houses. In the hotter, drier climate on the southwestern corner of O‘ahu, most area residents consider air conditioning a must, so an efficient system that reduces electricity usage and an insulated home is a necessity. Aside from lining the walls with Icynene, an environmentally friendly soft foam insulation that helps lock in the cooler air, dual pane windows are installed to minimize the amount of incoming convection heat. With these cold-saving features in place, the Seer AC 16 air conditioner—an energy efficient model included in the home—won’t have to run as often to keep the home
COMMUNITY
at a set temperature. The Energy Star certified appliances and exhaust fans, in combination with the solar water heater, also reduce electricity consumption. What’s more, each unit is photovoltaic ready, and systems can be installed at an additional cost. As for water usage, newer technologies now allow for greater efficiency. DR Horton has installed toilets and bathroom faucets that meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense standards, which means they require less water to function than their conventional counterparts (5 cups of water are now saved per toilet flush and the faucets save 11 cups for every minute they run). And according to Nagata, just as importantly, these fixtures still get the job done. “We were careful to make sure the toilet paper still goes down with one flush and that the shampoo gets out of people’s hair just as easily,” she says with a smile. It’s important to note that although one of the key selling points is a reduction in energy costs, every household has different needs based on family size and lifestyle choices, so it isn’t
left top and bottom: A cutaway in the ceiling and wall in one of the model homes to show the heat stopping insulation built into every home. right: With the demand for large-scale sustainable home development come jobs for the building industry.
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COMMUNITY
Energy Star certified appliances save a great deal of energy in the kitchen and have a sleek, modern look.
Colorful water thrifty plants round out the landscaping.
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feasible for the company to project any hard numbers. But it is safe to say that if a family moves from an older, standard Hawai‘i home to one in La Hiki and maintains their same lifestyle habits, their utility bills will be lower. Besides energy conservation, a premium was placed on improving indoor air quality by reducing indoor air pollutants. The Icynene insulation and interior wall paint do not release any volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can pollute the air. The DuPont Corian kitchen countertops also emit less VOCs than other similar surfaces. Corian countertops also happen to be a very durable material, which hits on another important goal of the Homesave Program: homes that are built to last. It begins with the steel studs, which, in addition to being prefabricated off site to reduce waste, are naturally termite resistant. Roof overhang, gutters and downspouts help to prevent rain and moisture from hitting the sides of the home. The cement fiber exterior walls are more resistant to rot and warping and they also hold on to paint three to four times longer than traditional wooden siding. While it’s easy to get bogged down with the specs and details, the homes at La Hiki also present a visually attractive living space. Nine-foot tall ceilings and sizable windows allow for ample natural light and the open floor plans cater to what Nagata
COMMUNITY
Every home at La Hiki comes equipped with the infrastructure to install electric vehicle charging stations in the garage and a PV system on the roof.
calls the “‘ohana” living style characterized by more expansive common areas for entertaining and socializing. And many of the units are designed as alley-loaded residences, which means that streets line both ends of the homes, in effect providing two unique entrances. While each garage comes equipped with the infrastructure for installing electric car charging stations, Nagata says it is the company’s hope that residents will be able to travel by foot to satisfy most of their everyday needs. Hence, the motto for the master planned community of Mehana: “Live, Work, and Play.” “We’re envisioning a place where people can walk with their kids to the park, or school, or ride their bikes to the store to grab some milk,” she says. In addition to land set aside for a park and an elementary school, several adjoining subdivisions have been afforded mixed commercial and residential zoning so that residents can run their businesses from downstairs. There’s already a medi-spa and an eye care clinic in the adjacent Nanala townhouse community. For Roger Rivera, whose mother lives with him, having these kinds of services close by is reassuring.
“My mom is 75 years old,” he says. “I like the idea that she can just walk down the street for her optometry appointment. I don’t have to worry as much about taking off of work.” Although the company has decided for the moment against seeking certification by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or Energy Star sustainability programs (citing the need to keep prices affordable), Nagata says the venture is still a big step forward and it’s something they’re proud to promote. “We want to showcase what we’re trying to do to take a step in the right direction.” And as DR Horton plans to incorporate the Homesave Program in future residential developments throughout the islands, the company hopes to continue improving. “We want to keep educating ourselves,” she says, “and as each project goes by we’ll continue to improve, and hopefully teach others along the way.”
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DESIGN
Photovoltaic System Once a home is operating efficiently with minimal energy consumption, a PV system is the next logical step toward sustainability, with solar panels harnessing the sunlight and converting it to electricity. PV panels also reduce the heat gain in the home by absorbing harmful UV rays, which would otherwise penetrate into the attic and then into the home.
Overhangs and Gutters Roof overhangs are so important in our tropical climate and often overlooked as homes are built closer and closer together. Overhangs shade the walls during the day, cutting down on radiant heat entering the home and also protect the walls from the elements so paint and other materials can perform for a longer life. Gutters capture rainwater that would otherwise become storm water runoff, and direct it to a location of choice, even a water catchment system.
Ridge and Soffit Vents Ridge and soffit vents are strategically placed to ventilate and help cool the attic. Ridge vents are located along the ridgeline of the roof and soffit vents are found under the eaves. They create a circulation of cooler air through the attic to help cool the space. In some instances, solar attic fans or whole house fans can also be added to the equation to aid in attic air circulation.
Starting With The Basics
9 building blocks of a sustainable dwelling
A homeowner rarely sees many of the elements that qualify a home as a sustainable structure. But those important materials hiding behind the walls and on the roof— insulation, radiant barrier, reclaimed lumber, reflective shingles—and a mix of other strategies are the key to an energy efficient and sustainable home, from the ground up.
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DESIGN
Solar Light Tubes Solar light tubes are a great way to bring natural light into dark areas of a home, like a hallway, bathroom or any area that must be artificially lit. A clear dome on the roof captures light from all angles and brings it into a reflective tube that can bend through the attic. In the home, beautiful, natural light spreads seamlessly in all directions from the ceiling.
Roof Insulation To keep the inside of the home cool, the first step is to keep the attic cool. The first line of defense from the sun’s radiant heat is attic insulation. A combination of reflective shingles, TechShield radiant barrier and additional insulation is the best strategy to block out the heat before it ever enters your attic and in turn, your living space. It will also prolong the life of your attic.
Wall Insulation The sun’s radiant heat can also enter a home through the walls. Insulation mitigates the radiant heat entering the home and keeps cool air from escaping.
Windows Utilizing natural light is a big component of a sustainable home, but the windows and window frames should also be considered. Window frames are now manufactured from recycled content and window coatings are available to block out the harmful UV rays from entering a home.
Drywall Drywall has the biggest potential for on-site construction waste, and it cannot be easily recycled in Hawai‘i. But as sustainable homes have become in demand, national companies have created drywall products made from recycled content, which can be purchased in the islands. They can also dramatically improve a home’s indoor air quality.
Reclaimed Lumber When the goal is to keep usable building products out of the waste stream, then look to utilize reclaimed lumber where feasible. There are also a number of building materials available that are made from post-consumer recycled materials.
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TECHNOLOGY
Architect Gerald Choi’s home combines the core principles of sustainable design with the latest in technology by Jade Eckardt
Sustainable architecture may appear a modern concept, but home design interwoven harmoniously with a location’s climate is a cross-cultural consciousness that spans generations. Thick adobe walls control interior temperature by trapping daytime heat in the medium, transferring it indoors during cool desert nights. Snow serves as an excellent insulator for igloos where sleeping areas up high benefit from rising warm air. In tropical climates, thatched roofing keeps structures cool during the day and the correct roof pitch helps rain run off before soaking the material. And high on a hill on O‘ahu’s southeast shore, the home of sustainable architect Gerald Choi breathes an environmentally friendly existence where design and nature are fused together. It’s noon on a sunny Hawaiian day, and Choi’s home is as a cool haven from the 85-degree weather outside, not because of air conditioning, but to the design choices he’s made. Choi is known for bringing energy efficient homes and sustainable architecture design to the islands long before sustainability was a catch phrase as common as reusable shopping bags. A graduate of the University of Hawai‘i’s School of Environmen-
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Photo: Michael Torres
TECHNOLOGY
Gerald Choi has much to be happy about, like an energy neutral home and that magnificent view for starters.
tal Design, Choi’s designed a career, and a lot of homes, by going green. “Back then, the terms ‘green’ and ‘sustainable’ weren’t used,” recalls O‘ahu born Choi, exuding the confident air of a composed businessman balanced with a relaxed warmth that could only be cultivated in the islands. “The [environment design] program focused on home design that took into consideration a place’s climate and weather for the design.” Raised nearby in what Choi calls “Hawai‘i Kai before it was Hawai‘i Kai,” on a family-run carnation farm with pigs and chickens, it’s not surprising Choi successfully blended a sustainable consciousness with four degrees (one bachelor and three masters) into a career. Decades later, semi-retired Choi is founding partner in Ferraro Choi and Associates Ltd., an established Honolulu firm focused strictly on “sustainable architecture in an effort to promote energy and resource efficiency, and worker health” in their “built environments.” Making a name with interior architecture, they quickly moved to a green focus. In 2002, Choi and his business partner, Jo-
seph Ferraro, were the first two architects to gain certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program that acknowledges various degrees of sustainability for construction projects. They were soon honored with platinum status, the highest level of certification. “Today we are full-blown dedicated to sustainable architecture,” says Choi. When designing his family’s house, he brought his work home with him, and that’s a good thing. The Choi family residence is an impressive example of how far we’ve come from the days when off the grid homes translated to candlelit dinners and cold-water showers. The modern home blends an air of upscale elegance with environmentally friendly features, a realistic combination as the demand for sustainable building materials has brought cost down over the last few years. Designed and constructed in 1992 with what Choi calls “fundamental sustainable design strategies” in mind, the spacious and bright home works in unison with the natural elements. From roof and wall angles to landscaping, the Aina Haina ridgeline home is about as
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Choi’s integrated solar PV system as seen from the roof. The solar panels are actually sandwiched between glass, creating an energy producing skylight that runs along the east-west axis of his home.
green as can be, metaphorically speaking. White walls and light oak flooring enhance the bright environment while white was also chosen as the exterior color to reflect solar heat. Choi says the difference between a white and dark wall can be as much as 10 to 20 degrees. Facing directly south, Choi’s home gets an unbeatable ocean view and enough sunlight to brighten nearly every nook and cranny in the nearly 4,000-square foot house. To reduce heat intake, the architect followed the “two to one ratio rule,” a design strategy requiring an overhang twice as long as the tinted south facing glass doors are high. “Glass tinting is an effective and affordable way to cool homes, too,” Choi advises. Insulation, Choi’s version of an inexpensive option to cool homes, lines the inside of the roof and the south, east and west facing walls. Cross ventilation keeps the inside temperature down thanks to strategically placed windows and ceiling fans instead of air conditioning. Awning-style windows, which provide 100 percent ventilation when fully opened, contribute to a comfortable indoor temperature, and the refreshing breeze moving through the house proves his green-minded decisions are effective. Although these environmentally conscious aspects have existed in the home for decades, Choi is on a never-ending search for sustainable home additions. “Going green is not a one-time strategy,” he says. “I have implemented almost all of these green strategies since we built our home and I continue to this day to add new green improvements that address other issues of sustainability, such as water conservation and rainwater harvesting. It has been fun and very rewarding to make
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Photo: Michael Torres
TECHNOLOGY
our home a part of a greener community.” Some of the latest home improvements have been in the realm of energy efficiency. In 2009, Choi made a decision he calls a “no brainer” and installed a solar hot water heater. “It reduced our electric bill by about a third, but we knew we could do better,” he says. So when facing the challenge of replacing an old 45' x 5' skylight that ran along the house’s axis from east to west to maximize light entering the home, Choi arrived at his latest effort to incorporate clean energy into the home’s design, the installation of a photovoltaic system that would also function as a skylight. After an exhaustive search, Choi finally found a product that could meet both his needs for an energy-producing skylight. Unlike most photovoltaic panels mounted on racks on a rooftop, Choi’s photovoltaic system feature photovoltaic cells sandwiched between panes of glass. Now, he could seal out the elements, let natural sunlight into the home and create energy at the same time. “It’s really redundant to have the system lying on top of the roof like most homes with solar do. It’s like killing two birds with one stone, to have the system itself serve as roofing,” says Choi, pleased with the outcome and aesthetics of his custom PV system. Installed by Hoku Solar, Choi’s 3.12 kW PV system is what is also known as integrated solar, the latest in solar panel technology. Integrated solar is touted as the way architects and designers can bridge the gap between function and aesthetics. “Mr. Choi’s project is revolutionary because it demonstrates that PV can be integrated into building design in a thoughtful and tasteful
Photo: Gerald Choi
TECHNOLOGY
The skylight brings in a copious amount of natural light that is then reflected around large open spaces by the white interior paint.
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Around the home, Choi uses trees and shrubs for shading, taking care to plant the proper plants in the right locations, making sure to keep his view wide open.
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Photo: Gerald Choi
TECHNOLOGY
Photo: Michael Torres
TECHNOLOGY
manner,” says Scott Paul, CEO of Hoku Corporation. “Mr. Choi’s PV system is itself a piece of modern art and it shows how PV should be designed into a home from the beginning, not just installed as an afterthought, and that it can please the most discriminating taste.” After a nearly two-month installation process, Choi had clean energy running his three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom home for the cost of about three lattes a month, a drastic difference from his previously standard $200 monthly bill. While Choi has built a career on sustainable home design, he acknowledges there are obstacles, often financial, that stand in the way of homeowners’ efforts to go green. “There’s the upfront costs, but there’s real savings in the long term,” Choi explains. “We’re in for the long haul, but will definitely make out better in the long run.” With a $26,000 installation cost, a tax credit half that, and savings just short of $200 a month, Choi estimates he’ll break even in roughly six years, possibly faster with rising electric rates. But the savings go further. Since his PV system is a grid interface system connected to the electrical grid rather than a stand-alone system relying on batteries for storage, Choi’s PV-generated electricity goes back into the grid. “This actually turns my electrical meter backwards, thereby giving us credit for the amount of electricity we contribute to the grid,” says Choi. Adding to the functionality of Choi’s PV system is the bi-facial panel, which absorbs light on both sides. So even light reflecting into the house and back out is captured and converted into electricity. Choi appears to be on an ongoing journey towards an environmentally friendly home. The yard is landscaped with plants living in their natural windward and leeward habitats. On the north side of the yard
The skylight and integrated solar panels as seen from inside the home, where the panels can actually capture the light bouncing back up under the skylight and create even more energy.
are bigger trees that naturally block wind and rain. And they shade the ground, minimizing evaporation and lessening the need for frequent watering. In the front, or the leeward side of the yard overlooking the ocean, Choi is currently in the process of installing a drought tolerant garden. The foliage he’s planting is found naturally in the area and is on the shorter side, reducing the need for pruning to maintain the view. Standing on Choi’s roof, the PV system glistening in the sun, the occasional standard solar panels dotting distant rooftops are a reminder of Hawai‘i’s goal for a sustainable future. Not surprisingly, the environmental conscious architect is optimistic for the islands. “As time goes on, especially in the U.S., green sustainable design is becoming the norm,” he reflects. “Consequently, much of the public now almost expects one to be knowledgeable in sustainable architecture, which will eventually phase out designers and builders that are not knowledgeable in sustainable architecture.” Professionally speaking, Choi says he always tried to steer people in a green direction and acknowledges there’s a lot people can do on the personal level with small, yet significant choices. He says, “If one can first develop a green outlook on the way we live, there are many inexpensive investments and green practices that one can do to improve their home to become more sustainable. By adopting a green mindset, one can start with small gradual steps in behavior and green investments to make their home a more sustainable, more comfortable, and more affordable place to live.”
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MARKETPLACE
Grow Your Own
Pacific Panel Cleaners LLC
Ohana Greenhouse is the largest specialty garden supplier in the state. We carry lighting, propagation, growing mediums, organic nutrients, fertilizers, pest control, hydroponics, scientific instruments, water filtration, climate control, and educational materials. Stop by any of our six locations to serve you on Maui, Big Island, and O‘ahu.
Salt spray, dust and dirt degrades the performance of all solar products by as much as 20% by blocking out the sun's energy. Regular maintenance expands life and increases the performance of the equipment. Let Hawai‘i’s first solar panel cleaning and maintenance company protect your investment.
Ohana Greenhouse & Garden Supply 2001 Democrat Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96819 808.841.GROW (4769) ohanagreenhouse.com
Designer Bags Recycle with earthworms! Worms convert household garbage to a nutrientrich organic soil amendment quickly, safely, with no odor. The new Worm HangOut – a joy to manage and harvest – is the latest innovation for the urban vermicomposter. Find the worm system that best meets your needs at O‘ahu’s leading worm and soil boutique. Waikiki Worm Company 1917 South King Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96826 808.945.WORM (9676) waikikiworm.com
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Pacific Panel Cleaners, LLC 808.772.4705 O‘ahu 808.652.3946 Kaua‘i pacificpanelcleaners.com fred@pacificpanelcleaners.com
Hui Ku Maoli Ola, LLC Native Plant Nursery and Landscaping Company Create a beautiful and highly specialized landscape that can save water, malama the ‘aina and replicate what your land looked like a thousand years ago with hundreds of species to choose from. Visit our nursery today! Hui Ku Maoli Ola 46-403 Haiku Road Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744 808.235.6165 plantnativehawaii.com
NYR Organic Beauty Products Gift Boxes
Segway of Hawai‘i Wrapped Up 'n Ready to Go
Loved in the U.K., new to America – Neal’s Yard Remedies certified organic beauty products make perfect holiday gifts for friends, family, employees or clients. We’re celebrating 30 years of award-winning health and beauty products that are good for you and good for the planet.
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NYR Organic Kim Houston, Founding Leader Nationwide Shipping 808.537.3933 us.nyrorganic.com/shop/usa
No gas No insurance or registration No safety check No traffic Free parking Sidewalk and bicycle lane legal
For life or for work, call Hawai‘i’s only authorized Segway dealer. Segway of Hawai‘i 808.941.3151 segwayofhawaii.com
MARKETPLACE
Solar Energy Project Developer
Soap Free Cleaning
Rain Hog Water Catchment
There’s never been a better time to make the switch to solar electricity! RevoluSun is bringing cleaner, smarter solar to communities, one rooftop at a time. So why not start with yours? Call today to schedule an appointment and make the switch!
Green Clean 808 introduces Soap Free Procyon cleaning products. Procyon cleaning products are environmentally safe, leave no residue and are safe to use around both keiki and pets. Procyon cleaning products provide an affordable green alternative to cleaning your home or business. Available at Young’s Distribution in the Harbor Center in Aiea.
RainWater HOGs make it easy to fit volumes of rainwater storage in the tightest spaces. These slim, modular tanks are designed to hold 50 gallons and are built for reuse after their 20 year design life. RainWater Hogs are made with safe, FDA-approved, potable non-offgassing plastic.
Iolani A. Lewis Certified Green Professional-NAHB 1600 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1700 Honolulu, Hawaii 96814 808.285.2210 iolani@revolusun.com
Green Clean 808 98-025 Hekaha Street, Bldg. 2, Ste. #5 Aiea, Hawaii 96701 808.484.9822
Green Builder’s Depot 550 Paiea Street Suite 126 Honolulu, Hawaii 96819 808.839.9700 greenbuildersdepotintl.com
Nourish Naturally
Grow It Better
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Hawaiian Bath & Body all-natural skincare is handcrafted using our original formulations with botanicals and extracts for gentle cleansing and moisturizing; no harsh chemicals, detergents or petroleum ingredients. The result is excellent for your skin and safe for our Planet. Get Clean, Go Green! Use coupon code GM for Free Shipping.
We are a locally owned garden store, dedicated to satisfying all your gardening needs. No more driving into town. We do garden consultations and carry products for every gardener; organics; hydroponic; aquaponics; vermiculture and lights. Monday - Friday 11 - 6
Not only is solar energy abundantly available in Hawai‘i, but the cost to have your own system has never been lower. With attractive financing options, going solar makes more financial sense than ever. Eliminate some or all of your electricity bill with a Bonterra PV system! Call me today to schedule an appointment.
North Shore Soap Factory 67-106 Kealohanui Street Waialua, Hawaii 96791 808.637.8400 hawaiianbathbody.com
North Shore Organic Gardening 67-272 Goodale Avenue, Suite 105 Waialua, Hawaii 96791 808.637.2069 nsog.us
Chad Haraguchi Bonterra 808.599.0306 haraguchi49@gmail.com
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ADVERTISER DIRECTORY
Oahu Ala Moana Farmers' Market 808.388.9696 haleiwafarmersmarket.com/ala-moana Aloha Air Cargo 808.836.4191 alohaaircargo.com AquaPono 808.342.7443 aquapono.com Baby Awearness 808.988.0010 babyawearness.com Bess Press 808.734.7159 besspress.com Bishop Museum Press 808.847.3511 bishopmuseum.org Bonterra Solar - Chad Haraguchi 808.599.0306
Muumuu Heaven 808.263.3366 muumuuheaven.com
Hale‘iwa Farmers’ Market 808.388.9696 haleiwafarmersmarket.com
Native Books 808.596.8885 nativebookshawaii.com
Hawai‘i Conservation Alliance 808.586.0916 hawaiiconservation.org
North Shore Organic Gardening 808.637.2069 nsog.org
Hawaii Kai Farmers' Market 808.388.9696 haleiwafarmersmarket.com/hawaii-kai
North Shore Soap Factory 808.637.8400 hawaiianbathbody.com
Hawaii Skylights and Solar Fans 808.847.6527 hawaiiskylights.com
NYR Organic - Kim Houston 808.537.3933 us.nyrorganic.com/shop/usa
Hawaiian Electric Co. 808.548.7311 heco.com
Ohana Greenhouse & Garden Supply 808.841.4769 ohanagreenhouse.com
Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods 808.595.8847 hawaiianlegacyhardwoods.com
Organik Clothing theorganik.com
Book Ends 808.261.1996
Honolulu Board of Water Supply 808.748.5000 hbws.org
Conservation Council for Hawaii 808.593.0255 conservehi.org
Honolulu Furniture Company 808.597.9193 honolulufurniturecompany.com
Cool Roof Hawaii 808.282.0477 coolroofhawaii.com
House Of Pure Aloha 808.373.5111 houseofpurealoha.com
Defend Oahu Coalition defendoahucoalition.org
Hui Ku Maoli Ola Hawaiian Plant Specialists 808.235.6165 plantnativehawaii.com
Details International 808.521.7424 details-international.com Doi & D’Angelo Artworks 808.247.4413 doidangeloartworks.com Down To Earth 808.947.7678 downtoearth.org
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Green Clean 808 808.484.9822 greenclean808.com
Jamba Juice jambajuicehawaii.com Kai Ku Hale 808.636.2244 kaikuhale.com King Windward Nissan 888.385.3203 kingwindwardnissan.com
Drift Boutique 808.284.1177 driftboutique.com
Kokua Hawaii Foundation kokuahawaiifoundation.org
Futura Stone of Hawaii 808.841.7433 futurastonehawaii.com
MiNei Hawaii 808.734.3499 mineijewelry.com
Green Builder’s Depot 808.839.9700 greenbuildersdepotintl.com
Mokulua Woodworking, LTD. 808.263.9663 mokuluawoodworking.com
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When contacting our advertisers, please be sure to mention that you saw their ad in GREEN. Mahalo!
GRE E N M A G A Z I N E H AWAII.C O M
Pacific Home 808.596.9338 pacific-home.com Pacific Panel Cleaners, LLC 808.772.4705 pacificpanelcleaners.com
Surfrider Foundation surfrider.org Sustainable Marketplace of the Pacific 808.441.3455 sustainablemarketplacepacific.com The Bike Shop 808.591.9162 bikeshophawaii.com The Green House 808.524.8427 thegreenhousehawaii.com Waikiki Worm Company 808.945.9676 waikikiworm.com Whole Foods Market 808.783.0820 wholefoodsmarket.com
Maui Bamboo Living Homes 877.857.0057 bambooliving.com Down to Earth 808.877.2661 downtoearth.org
Paradise Eyewear 808.955.3532
Hawaiian Moons Natural Foods 808.875.4356 hawaiianmoons.com
RevoluSun 808.748.8888 revolusun.com
Mana Foods 808.579.8078 manafoodsmaui.com
RevoluSun - Iolani Lewis 808.285.2210
Ohana Greenhouse & Garden Supply 808.575.9999 ohanagreenhouse.com
Segway of Hawaii 808.941.3151 segwayofhawaii.com Servco Home & Appliance Showroom 808.564.2493 servcoappliance.com Simplicity Imports 808.306.2382 simplicityimports.com Summer Baptist, ND, L.Ac. 808.351.2977 drsummerbaptist.com Sunetric 808.262.6600 sunetric.com
Rising Sun Solar 808.579.8287 risingsunsolar.com State Farm Insurance Agent Carey Tanaka 808.877.4450
COMING NEXT ISSUE
Photo: Jen Metz
Jennifer Metz reused, recycled and consumed with a conscious eye to avoid unnecessary packaging and waste in order to live a trash free year.
Trash Free Year Are you up for the challenge?
It takes courage, patience and conviction to live a trash-free lifestyle for an entire year. Jennifer Metz harnessed all three noteworthy attributes, and then some, and lived 2011 trash free. Not only that, she kept a meticulous and informative blog with wonderful imagery detailing her trials and tribulations with, and without, waste. Jennifer sums up her yearlong experiment in the January/February 2012 issue. GREEN stops in at sustainable mushroom farm Kaua‘i Fungi to check out the operation and the whimsical delicacies they produce. Also, GREEN profiles master navigator Chad Baybayan, who has been at the center of the debate over a new 30-meter, multi-billion
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dollar telescope on Mauna Kea. Somewhat against the grain, Baybayan is actively testifying in favor of the project because of the community benefits. Look for the January/February issue at local retailers starting in January 2012 at Jamba Juice locations across the state or check greenmagazinehawaii.com for a distributor near you. Email info@greenmagazinehawaii.com and request your free subscription to the eZine, the complete online version of GREEN, delivered directly to your inbox. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @grnmagazine to stay up to date on all the latest green news, events and ideas.