Green on the Greens: Sustainable Suburban Living in the Texas Hill Country

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Strategically placed windows and overhangs and a heat-deflecting metal roof cool the house naturally.
Strategically placed windows and overhangs and a heat-deflecting metal roof cool the house naturally.
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Homeowner Griz Adams (third from left) accepts his home's LEED Platinum certification with architect Ben Adam (far right) and builder Bob Mial (second from left).
Homeowner Griz Adams (third from left) accepts his home's LEED Platinum certification with architect Ben Adam (far right) and builder Bob Mial (second from left).
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The first floor of the Adamses' home has a spacious floorplan.
The first floor of the Adamses' home has a spacious floorplan.
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The second floor of the Adamses' house has space for two more bedrooms and another living room.
The second floor of the Adamses' house has space for two more bedrooms and another living room.
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The powder room's concrete sink was handcrafted locally.
The powder room's concrete sink was handcrafted locally.
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Local craftsman Bruce Calder made the dining room table from a salvaged pecan tree.
Local craftsman Bruce Calder made the dining room table from a salvaged pecan tree.
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Karen Adams and interior designer Cary Atkins found this rustic, reclaimed pantry door at Discovery Architectural Antiques in Gonzales, Texas.
Karen Adams and interior designer Cary Atkins found this rustic, reclaimed pantry door at Discovery Architectural Antiques in Gonzales, Texas.
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Local limestone and reclaimed wood beams helped the home earn points for LEED Platinum certification.
Local limestone and reclaimed wood beams helped the home earn points for LEED Platinum certification.
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Reclaimed beadboard accents a living room wall. Support beams made from Weyerhauser iLevel engineered lumber add visual interest to the ceiling.
Reclaimed beadboard accents a living room wall. Support beams made from Weyerhauser iLevel engineered lumber add visual interest to the ceiling.
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Karen Adams enjoys the warm Texas sun on her back porch with Boo, her black Labrador retriever.
Karen Adams enjoys the warm Texas sun on her back porch with Boo, her black Labrador retriever.
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Reclaimed cabinetry adds personality to the energy-efficient kitchen.
Reclaimed cabinetry adds personality to the energy-efficient kitchen.
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Cambria quartz adorns the dining room's wet bar.
Cambria quartz adorns the dining room's wet bar.
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The Adamses are eligible for a rebate on their Solahart passive solar hot water heater.
The Adamses are eligible for a rebate on their Solahart passive solar hot water heater.
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Colorful, recycled glass tiles add texture to the master bathroom.
Colorful, recycled glass tiles add texture to the master bathroom.
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Local craftsman Bruce Calder made the living room's fireplace mantle from the one tree that had to be cleared from the site.
Local craftsman Bruce Calder made the living room's fireplace mantle from the one tree that had to be cleared from the site.

Karen and Griz Adams’ Craftsman-inspired stucco and limestone home fits right into its golf-course community outside San Antonio–with a few exceptions. Designed by Boerne, Texas, architect Ben Adam, the 3,526-square-foot home takes full advantage of its site, with natural ventilation and south-facing windows overlooking long Hill Country views.

The roof sports a solar hot water heater, and a detached three-car garage is equipped for future photovoltaic panels. Hidden underground, a vertical, closed-loop geothermal system quietly heats and cools the home, while two buried 20,000-gallon rainwater harvesting tanks keep it completely off the water grid.

The home’s many forward-thinking features have it on track to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum certification, the highest award given–a first for this Texas town. “It’s not the place where you would look for something like this,” Adam says of the home’s very traditional surroundings. “But we thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be neat if we did this another way?'”

Putting the pieces together

Living in a small town made finding talented local contractors easy. “There is a great cabinet maker, a standout concrete guy, and many local craftspeople,” Karen says. Once they assembled their team, Adam and the Adamses conducted a pre-construction charrette–an intense period of design collaboration–to devise an efficient homebuilding plan that considered every discipline involved. “The most important lesson we learned was that collaborating with other professionals during the planning phase is essential,” Karen says.

  • Published on Jun 2, 2010
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