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Builder constructs Preserve's first 'green' home
By Mike Bollinger • Staff Writer
 | | Tom Regnell (left) and builder Andrew Watkins stand in front of Regnell's home in the Homestead Preserve's Sheep Meadow neighborhood. The home is the first EarthCraft house in the Preserve and also the first in Bath County. (Recorder photo by Mike Bollinger) |
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HOT SPRINGS - The Homestead Preserve now has its first green home, constructed by a local builder for whom the project was his first in the development.
Andrew Watkins Custom Homebuilding of Millboro built the EarthCraft house for Tom and Betsy Regnell of Alexandria in the Sheep Meadow neighborhood. Watkins has been certified through EarthCraft for two years, and said the Preserve helped him obtain that certification.
"The Preserve actually brought the program to my attention. There was a training session in Charlottesville, and they offered to pay for me to go. They offered the chance to all of their builders," Watkins said.
EarthCraft Virginia is a green building program designed to promote the construction of homes that use less energy, make use of sustainable building materials and provide a healthy living environment for residents. Homestead Preserve is the first community in the Allegheny Highlands to have a home certified under the program.
Watkins said the EarthCraft certification, which he obtained in March 2007, goes along with the way he builds. "It is my personal conviction to do right by the environment and make the most of everything I put into the house," he said.
The Regnells readily agreed for their house to be built as an EarthCraft. "It was through Andrew's doing that we built a green home, and we're very excited to be a part of that," Betsy Regnell said.
"When we selected fixtures, we made sure they qualified under the EarthCraft plan. Andrew's conscientious attention to it made all the difference," Tom Regnell said.
One of the major differences between EarthCraft construction and regular construction is the selection of materials, Watkins said. Sustainably-harvested lumber or lumber made from recycled products is used. Indoor air quality is another important aspect of the EarthCraft program, and Watkins said high air quality is achieved mainly through the heating and air conditioning system and the way it is installed.
"In a lot of construction, the HVAC system works overtime because of where it is placed. We make the attic a conditioned space, and thus the unit doesn't have to work as hard," Watkins said.
Other aspects of EarthCraft certified construction include placing vapor barriers, the fact that air barriers are completely taped and sealed, and using blown-in insulation.
Watkins also said framing practices help conserve resources by using two-stud corners instead of three-stud corners. Also, joists are placed directly on top of studs, meaning only one plate is needed on top of walls.
"Many of these are practices that over the past 10 years have not been done but that building practices indicates should be done," Watkins said.
As part of the EarthCraft certification, a blower door test is done using the front entrance door and a smoke test is done on the HVAC system to check for air leakage in the ductwork. The testing netted the Regnell home EarthCraft Select designation, Watkins said, indicating the house is at least 30 percent more efficient than 2004 energy code specifications.
While the testing was taking place, Watkins said he was more inquisitive than nervous. "I was very confident, since I had been present during every phase of construction. We made sure not to leave holes or gaps and took extra mea- sures to make sure things were really sealed up," he said. Watkins said the inspector told him there was little room for improvement concerning the test results.
The fact that Watkins is an EarthCraft certified builder is on the company's Web site, but Watkins said he has not yet begun to use the certification in his marketing efforts. "I do inform people that I am a green builder, and I intend to make all my current projects EarthCraft certified," he said.
Renovation work, Watkins said, does not qualify for the designation unless a house is basically taken all the way down to the frame.
When the Homestead Preserve project was in its early stages, Watkins said he introduced himself to Charles Adams, one of the Preserve developers. "I was finally able to get an interview. I also had to provide financial statements, three years' worth of references and show him some of my projects throughout the county," Watkins said.
The Regnell home is the first house Watkins has built in the Preserve. "I certainly hope it won't be the last," he said.
In addition to being the first EarthCraft home in the Preserve, the Regnell home is also the first one in Bath County. "I am hopeful of leading the change, and I hope others will follow. Homes should be built as efficiently as possible with energy costs rising the way they are. I try to maximize my efforts for my clients," Watkins said.
In addition to his work in Bath, Watkins said he has also built homes in Alleghany, Highland and Rockbridge counties. In addition, he does design work and builds four of his own designs.
Watkins has been in business on his own since 1998. He worked for Wayne Williams for two years after relocating to Bath with his wife, Aimee. "We came to Bath County because of the solitude and beauty. It is a great place to raise kids," he said. The couple has two children, Max and Molly.
Construction on the Regnell home took slightly more than 12 months, beginning in early April 2007 and ending in late April of this year. One of the challenges during construction was the limited site to work with. The home sits on a one-half acre lot with an 11-foot elevation drop from front to back.
EarthCraft is a point-based certification process, and points are awarded for protecting surrounding trees and vegetation. Soil erosion protection is not only part of the EarthCraft certification, but a Homestead Preserve requirement as well. "It was a challenge to move equipment and store materials on that lot and disrupt the surroundings as little as possible," Watkins said.
Drive by one of Watkins' job sites and there will be recycling bins present. "I feel really strongly about recycling. We don't put Dumpsters on our job sites," he said.
Not only does Watkins try to protect the environment through his construction, but also he is in the beginning process of doing so in other ways through his business. He is hoping to be able to make bio-diesel to use in his company vehicles.
"All our company trucks are diesel. We have seven restaurants in the area that are providing us with used vegetable oil," he said. "We have to buy a processor and the chemical ingredients, and we hope to be producing fuel by the end of the year."
Watkins said learning about building would be a neverending process for him. "I will continue to stay at the forefront of building. I will use new and improved methods of construction as much as I can," he said. He added he has attended several seminars on green building.
Watkins credits his staff, Chantry Combs, Jeremy Cole, Nathan Forbes, Jason Hiner and Wayne Hobbs, for the success of the recent EarthCraft construction and of the company in general. "For us to build houses would not be possible without our staff and local subcontractors. Many people ask us to keep as much as we can local when we build for them, and a couple of our employees have been born and raised here," he said. "They are all on board with the EarthCraft program and strive to build the best houses we possibly can."
"We are absolutely thrilled with the house. We couldn't be happier," Betsy Regnell said. "Every detail is perfect. We are very happy with the way it turned out. It is really comfortable."
"We really love it. Andrew just did a great job and has great attention to detail. He is a great craftsman," Tom Regnell added. "I am amazed at how tight it is. Also, I am delighted we kept the business in Bath County."
In a press release, a Preserve official explained why the development is now part of the EarthCraft program. "We decided to become part of the EarthCraft Virginia program because its green building tenets complemented our long-term commitment to the landscape of the Allegheny Highlands," said Don Killoren, co-general manager of Homestead Preserve and president of Virginia Hot Springs Building Company. "Most of our owners are already environmentally committed individuals. That's why they chose to buy at our conservation community in the first place. We wanted to provide them the additional opportunity to not only live in a community committed to landscape stewardship but also committed to building in ways that decrease our environmental footprint."
Virginia Hot Springs Building Co. is constructing a second EarthCraft home in the Preserve's Old Dairy neighborhood.
For more information about Andrew Watkins Custom Building, visit www.customhomebuildinginc.com.
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