In renovating an early 20th century colonial in Rocky River, Trisha Brown responded to the climate change challenge of this century while retaining the home’s old world charm and character. The four-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath center hall looks just like the neighbors’ on the outside, but step inside and see the tasteful way Brown blended the latest in green ideas with traditional design.

Green building features include:

• Low-flow plumbing fixtures to save water
• Use of FSC lumber (Forest Stewardship Council)
• Use of medium density fiberboard for 3rd floor closet doors and trim
• Over 32 cubic yards of construction/demolition waste recycled, diverted from landfill
• Old kitchen cabinets, toilets, sinks, light fixtures, steam furnace, radiators, and many other items donated to Habitat for Humanity Restore and diverted from the landfill
• Use of no-VOC paints and water-based sealants
• Insulation is recycled newspaper and boric acid which acts as a fire retardant and insect repellant
• Two new 92% efficiency furnaces
• Dual fuel heating—heat pumps and gas
• Tank-less water heater
• High efficiency fluorescent lighting throughout
• Energy Star rated refrigerator and dishwasher
• 18 new low-E and argon filled Marvin windows for exceptional energy efficiency

Brown worked as general contractor and project manager on the house, and is selling it with the help of Progressive Urban Real Estate, which specializes in in-fill development and home sales in the urban core. She plans to do more green renovations through her new company Housing Futures, which aims to “make homes beautiful, but to fully update them for several more generations of living.”

“I started this business because our existing housing stock is a valuable resource and by extending its life, vitality is retained in established neighborhoods and in the house itself,” Brown says. “In an area like Rocky River, the houses' average age is over 40 years old. Many are reaching the end of their functional lives. By investing in these homes, I believe it gives a home buyer, who might otherwise travel farther out to newer suburbs a great option to stay closer to the city center, transportation lines, established communities.”

But just renovating them is not enough for Brown.

Her priority is to make it as energy efficient as possible, use green products and methods to lessen the environmental impact of the renovation and to rework the existing space in an effort to not increase square footage.

”I believe this results in an exceptional investment for the home buyer. Whether or not they are interested in the green attributes, time will tell, but I think they will be very excited to have the most energy efficient house on the block. The utility savings from a well insulated house with high efficiency systems will be very attractive. The savings will be realized month after month, year after year.”