In 2015, Dwell Development completed construction of Seattle’s first Emerald Star home in the Ballard community. This 2,218 square-foot home combines green technology, renewable energy, rainwater capture, and reclaimed materials to meet Built Green’s Emerald Star certification, the program’s highest certification level. To achieve Emerald Star status, a home must show it will achieve net zero energy use and a 70 percent reduction in water consumption compared to the average home. Two years later, the post-occupancy study reveals that the Ballard home is a success and has even exceeded Emerald Star expectations!

The Results:

Achieving Built Green’s Emerald Star stringent certification isn’t easy; currently, only four projects have received this accreditation in King and Snohomish counties. Two of those projects have gone through post-occupancy analysis so far including Dwell Development’s speculative home. The analysis of the Dwell Development home shows that:

• The home produced 3,941 kWh more renewable energy than energy consumed over a 25-month period.
• They owners used just 19.95 gallons of utility-supplied water per person per day. The Seattle area average is around 67 gallons per person per day.

Home energy and water model predictions may differ from reality, and that is why it’s so important to compare models to actual performance once the home has been lived in. We at Built Green are very excited to see that Dwell Development’s home exceeded expectations and that the Emerald Star certification is achieving the desired results.

Dwell Development has been a Built Green member since 2005 and has certified over 100 homes at the 5-Star Built Green level, which includes one Passive House, and four Net Zero Energy Homes to date.

Homeowner Experience:

Does deep green living impact the homeowners’ experience and comfort? When interviewed, the homeowners living in the Dwell Development home expressed that they had a very positive experience. They believe purchasing an Emerald Star home was a smart financial decision and their lifestyle was not significantly impacted by living in an Emerald Star home. The home is more comfortable and healthier for both the homeowners and the environment. Plus, it saved them over $4,000 on utility bills! Learn more about the results of the study.

About Dwell Development:

Dwell Development is an award-winning sustainable residential builder based in Seattle, WA and the Grand Winner of the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2016 Housing Innovation Awards. Dwell Development’s contribution to the Greater Seattle area has transformed the traditional landscape for residential design and construction by exclusively building energy-efficient homes featuring high performance properties and sleek modern designs. Follow the latest updates from Dwell Development on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN and Instagram. For more information, visit dwelldevelopment.com

About Built Green

Leah Missik is the Built Green’s program manager and Built Green is the green building certification program of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. The Master Builders Association is the largest local homebuilding association in the country Built Green certifies homes as 3-Star, 4-Star, 5-Star, and Emerald Star through a holistic checklist-based system that requires verification by an independent third-party. Since its inception, Built Green has certified more than 32,000 housing units and 17,900 buildings. For more information about Built Green, visit builtgreen.net.