U.S. Green Building Council’s Founder, David Gottfried, Practices What is Preached

By Alison Mickey

David Gottfried, CEO, Regenerative Ventures, Founder of the U.S. Green Building Council & the World Green Building Council, stands in front of his family’s regenerative home in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland, CA Photo by Michael Dambrosia

Try an experiment: count how many times during an average day you hear the word “green” or the preface “eco-.” Chances are, you’ll hear those buzzwords a lot—in the media and especially in advertising. Society is increasingly saturated with green products and standards, but many may wonder how sincere this environmental call to arms really is. In many areas, green branding, sustainable building and eco-friendliness can seem nothing more than a jaded advertising gimmick, designed to sell things and make us feel good about buying them. Furthermore, many people may well ask, do the people jumping on the green bandwagon try to live as sustainably as they can?

At least some people are practicing what they preach. David Gottfried may not be a household name, but as the founder of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the World Green Building Council (WGBC) and CEO of Regenerative Ventures, Mr. Gottfried has exerted tremendous influence on the sustainable building movement. Regenerative Ventures actively partners with entrepreneurs and seasoned corporate management teams, assisting them to establish and achieve their goals in creating structures that use dramatically less energy, water, and other scarce commodities. The WGBC is a union of national councils whose mission is to accelerate the transformation of the global built environment towards sustainability. The potential impact of the WorldGBC is enormous: its current member nations represent over 50 percent of global construction activity, and touch more than 25,000 companies and organizations worldwide.

The front of the Gottfried’s house (prior to renovation). Courtesy of David Gottfried

Probably the most influential of Gottfried’s projects is the USGBC, founded in 1993 and one of the landmarks in the evolution of sustainable building. In 1998, the Council developed the LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, which provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction and design. To date those standards have been applied to projects in 30 countries. The USGBC’s member organizations (now totaling over 17,500) include corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. In addition to comprehensive LEED green building certification systems, the USGBC provides an expansive educational offering and sponsors the industry’s popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (www.greenbuildexpo.org).

The defining requirement of the LEED system is transparency in all aspects of the development and construction process. The system uses common measurements for green building and was designed to stimulate competition and reward the most sustainable projects, to raise consumer awareness of sustainable buildings and their benefits, and to recognize industry leadership and promote best practices. LEED-certified buildings use resources more efficiently than non-LEED buildings, have smaller carbon footprints, and provide healthier atmospheres for inhabitants and employees. The LEED certification program awards buildings points for satisfying specified green building criteria. The six major environmental categories of review include: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Innovation and Design. Buildings are awarded Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum levels of LEED green building certification based on the total number of points they earn within each LEED category--the higher the total point value, the higher (and better) the rating. Platinum is the very highest level of sustainability. LEED certification can be awarded to all types of buildings, including, as of 2008, residences.

The interior of the house prior to the renovation. Courtesy of David Gottfried

This brings us back to David Gottfried, the man who practices what he preaches. Gottfried, a businessman, organizer, and sustainability evangelist, and his wife, Dr. Sara Gottfried, M.D., (Medical Director at the Center for Integrative Medicine), in August 2008 completed the highest-scoring green home renovation since the LEED for Homes Green Building Rating System launched in January 2008. The LEED for Homes system rates a home based on the six LEED categories; the residential system replaces the Materials and Resources category with Location and Linkages, and adds the additional category of Homeowner Awareness. In a press release about the renovation, Gottfried states that his goal was to “showcase how to green an old historic home and still achieve LEED Platinum”. The Gottfried regenerative home has a LEED rating of 106.5 out of a possible total 136 points.

The kitchen’s original stove (prior to renovation). Courtesy of David Gottfried

As the first step in greening their lifestyle, David and Dr. Sara Gottfried and their two children moved from an approximately 3,000 square foot Berkeley Hills home to a roughly 1,500 square foot Craftsman bungalow in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland, CA. David Gottfried wanted a smaller home to reduce the family’s carbon footprint and to demonstrate that a family of four can live quite happily in a smaller space. Dr. Sara Gottfried, who is interested in the health effects of building practices and materials and who is particularly sensitive to chemicals, was keen to provide a healthy space for her family and to contribute as much as possible to a cleaner community. The Gottfried family chose to move to Rockridge to renovate an old house primarily because restoration enables reuse of many materials and doesn’t eliminate open space on a previously vacant site. The friendly, tree-lined neighborhood is also very accessible, with public transportation and many amenities situated within walking distance.

David and Dr. Sarah Gottfried, M.D. Courtesy of David Gottfried

One of the most important considerations for any renovation is cost, and there is a prevailing perception that green houses cost more than regular homes. In fact, the net cost of owning a LEED home is comparable to that of owning a conventional home, after you factor in the decades of energy savings a green home provides. The Gottfried’s renovation was funded in part by a green construction loan from New Resource Bank, and was awarded an interest rate cut for its use of solar power and LEED. In an interview with Green Space Today, David Gottfried expressed his hope that green loans will become increasingly available to California homeowners.

The renovated living room includes a Herman Miller Goetz Couch; Marvin Windows; and Mythic Paint. Courtesy of David Gottfried

The home is designed to be net-zero energy, which means that the house produces all the energy it needs without drawing anything from the power grid. To this end, the Gottfried family installed a solar photovoltaic power generation system and solar- and hydronic-powered water-heating systems: one of the home’s toilets uses captured rainwater, and “greywater” (used water from the home’s two showers, bathtub and two sinks) is harnessed to water the landscaping. Canyon Construction used recycled or sustainable materials as much as possible, including reclaimed redwood from the Old Sacramento Main Bridge for the front steps. Furthermore, David Gottfried works in a Lifepod®, a self-contained room run on renewable energy that is installed in his backyard.

The beautiful new renovated kitchen. Courtesy of David Gottfried

David Gottfried told Green Space Today that “the project was rewarding because we were able to showcase cool green technologies, some of which work together through an integrated system.” Additionally, the Gottfried home is living proof that it is possible to conserve resources without scrimping on beauty. David and Dr. Sara Gottfried call their stylish yet conscious décor “eco-bling.” In addition to recycled abalone tiles in the bathrooms, some 27 colors from Mythic Paint, which sells only non-toxic, child safe, low-odor paints, were used throughout the house. Rocky Prior, President of Southern Diversified Products (which owns Mythic Paint), explained to Green Space Today that the company “wanted to focus on both performance and zero VOC [Volatile Organic Compounds].” Prior was determined to produce ecologically safe yet aesthetically pleasing paints. “If the polymer studies didn’t match the high standards of performance, then we went back to the drawing board,” said Prior. As a result of this rigorous testing, Prior confidently declares that “there is no compromise between the paint’s durability and its ability to be toxin-free”.

Courtesy of David Gottfried

The Gottfried family is very comfortable in their new home, and happy in the knowledge that they are living a healthy lifestyle and setting a good example for others in their community to follow. “I founded USGBC for several reasons,” said David Gottfried. “I wanted to make a difference in my life, and formed a coalition to change how buildings are developed.” The Gottfried’s house has also made a difference in the lives of their neighbors, who could follow the renovation through a blog on www.gottfriedhome.com; the blog notes, “The renovation process engaged the neighborhood, teaching both immediate and wider communities about the ways a green home can be beautiful, affordable, and livable.”

The Solar LifePod in the Gottfried’s backyard. Courtesy of David Gottfried

Alison Mickey is a resident of the Rockridge neighborhood in Oakland, CA. She currently works for Schwartz Communications doing PR for technology and solar companies in San Francisco. Her email is amickey@schwartz-pr.com.

<!--

Companies and Products Involved in the Gottfried Renovation:
Developer:  David Gottfried, Regenerative Ventures
Architect:  Dan Smith, Nick Buehrens, Daniel Smith Associates
Contractor: Chris Avant, Jeremy Fisher, Raul Ruiz, Canyon Construction
Landscape Architect:  David Thorne, Hilliary Curtis, David Thorne Associates
Landscape Contractor:  Kip Matthews, Gardeners' Guild
Interior Design:  Sara Gottfried with assistance from Kendall Wilkinson, Kendall Wilkinson Design; and Veronika Rathert
LEED for Homes:  Mark Berman, Davis Energy Group;  Paul Rosen, North Bay Energy
Green Point Rated:  Robert Mitchell, Sustainable Spaces
Greywater/Rainwater Design-Build: Brent Bucknum, Hyphae
Financing (Green loan): New Resource Bank
Colorist:  Corey Hitchcock, Live with Color
Solar Hot water, PV's and Radiant: Sun Light & Power
Painting: Moondance Painting
Energy Performance: Advanced Home Energy

Products Used in Renovation:
Solar Photovoltaics: Envision Solar
Greywater/Rainwater Storage: Rainwater Hog
Paint: Mythic Paint
Windows and LifePod French Door: Marvin Windows & Doors, Truitt & White
Attic Insulation: NCFI Polyurethanes
Wall Insulation: Blow-in Cellulose
Kitchen Cabinets: Silverwalker
Cabinet Hardware: Ecohome Improvement
Solar Panels, Phoenix Solar Hot Water Heater, Radiators: Heat Transfer Products, Hydronic Specialties Company
Wood Floors (Hickory): EcoTimber Flooring
Glass Tile: Oceanside Glasstile
Countertops/Bathroom Wainscot: Syndecrete
Kitchen Appliances, Washer/Dryer: Bosch Appliances
Tub, Sinks, Vanity, Aerators, Showerhead: Kohler
Dual Flush Toilets
Showerhead: Bricor, Water and Energy Solutions
Lighting: Matthews Fan Company/WPT Design
Rear Office Solar Steel Structure: Envision Solar
Stairs/Decking (reclaimed redwood)
Fencing (FSC redwood)
Pavers: Basalite (Permeable Renaissance Positano)
Living Room Furniture: Herman Miller
Bedroom/Dining Room Furniture:  The Wooden Duck

Associated Websites:
www.gottfriedhome.com--website with details of the project, team, product and ethos
www.planetgreen.discovery.com--video blog documenting the renovation process and home’s green features.
www.worldgbc.org–World Green Business Council
www.regenv.vom–Regenerative Ventures
www.greenhomeguide.org–LEED for Homes website
www.usgbc.org–US Green Building Council website

-->