Project: Silver Woods, Bethany Beach, Del. Size: 130 acres; 350 1,500- to 4,100-square-foot homes. Price range: $299,000 to $449,000. Completed: In progress. Certifications: NAHB-Gold. Developer: Silver Stock Properties, Beach. Architect: Murphy Architects, Philadelphia. Builder: Silver Stock Builders, Bethany Consultants: JCM Environmental, Newark, Del.
Photo Credit: Colin M. Lenton/WPN
At first glance, the traditional-style homes in Bethany Beach, Del.’s Silver Woods community resemble many others dotting the Mid-Atlantic region. But its quickly evident that the resort town’s latest planned development is unique, boasting community-building initiatives and habitat-preserving efforts that are pleasing to conservation-conscious locals and second-home shoppers alike. At the same time, baby boomer buyers are getting more than just an attractive location two miles from the ocean: NAHB-certified green-building practices bring the promise of lower energy bills and healthy indoor air quality, all without sacrificing brand-name amenities.
Situated on the Delmarva Peninsula, a stretch along the coast of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, Bethany Beach offers a slower pace than some of its neighbors. With Silver Woods, developer Bob Thornton sought to protect the existing land rather than carve it bare. “I was motivated by watching national firms come into the Bethany Beach resort area and clear cut,” Thornton explains. “Everything went. And they basically would create a dusty jobsite, build homes, and plant 2-foot trees.”
The first step Thornton took was to overhaul a decades-old site plan, reducing the number of lots from 378 to 350, allowing him to increase the amount of public space and preserve most of the property’s 240-year-old oak stands.
Thornton implemented restrictions that allow for tree cutting only when required by a home’s footprint or roads, regulations that not only help maintain the natural appearance but also aid in shading and help extend the perceived size of many lots. “This is what adds additional value to our bottom line. If we lose a lot, we don’t care,” Thornton says. “Lawfully, I can cut them down; … economically, it pays to cordon them off and make them part of the natural landscape.”
About 30 acres of the subdivision will remain as open space. This includes the tree stands, wetlands, boardwalked nature trails, and feeding stations that attract seasonal migrating birds. A dock will be used to teach kids to fish, and trails will connect to the town’s existing network of bike lanes.
Silver Woods will employ integrated pest management practices, utilizing plant species that attract birds and insects that help eradicate pests. This includes stocking the development’s two retention ponds with mosquito-larvae-eating gambusia fish. (The fish raise questions from some in the industry; Thornton says research by his environmental consultant on the project found no adverse impact for the area.)
To avoid having to add additional retention ponds in the later stages, Thornton will implement point-of-discharge stormwater management. A combination of mechanical filtration and natural drainage swales at the end of the property filter the runoff before it flows into the tidal basin, which then benefits from the freshwater recharge, Thornton says. The process also reduces nitrogen and phosphate runoff into the ocean that can lead to fish- and crab-killing algae blooms.
The habitat management practices weren’t all touchy-feely: Thornton’s efforts were key to gaining approvals from a small town so closely tied to the health of its coastal ecosystem.
Unlike the obvious sustainable touches throughout the neighborhood, the homes themselves are less identifiably green, with a subtle mix of energy- and water-efficient features alongside the high-end options and amenities Thornton says home buyers in his market demand.
The Colonial-style houses—one- and two-story models ranging from 1,500 to 4,100 square feet—were the first in the state to be certified Gold under the NAHB’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines.
All of the homes start with tight envelopes of 2x6 exterior walls with CertainTeed R-19 fiberglass batt insulation; ceilings feature R-30 fiberglass batts from Owens Corning. Interior walls also are insulated to reduce sound transmission from room to room.
Walls are wrapped with DuPont Tyvek housewrap and all penetrations are foamed with fire-retardant spray. Pipes, including long runs, are wrapped. Duct runs are minimized, sealed, and confined to conditioned space.
Energy Star–rated products are prominent throughout the homes, including Maytag kitchen appliances, Carrier air conditioners, Velux skylights, and Pella windows. All lighting fixtures accept compact fluorescent bulbs, and laundry rooms and bathrooms include occupancy sensors. Rinnai tankless water heaters also are standard, and several buyers also have made use of Frog Mountain solar-powered attic fans.
The development’s first residents already are noticing a significant difference, reporting electric bills 25% to 30% lower than that of similar-sized homes nearby.
In addition, all of the homes are pre-wired for future installation of photovoltaic panels. In anticipation of older homeowners, barrier-free upgrades are available in some of the two-story models, including a framed chase that allows for the addition of an elevator.
Though the first few homes in the community did not undergo HERS testing, Thornton is working with the NAHB-Research Center and the Department of Energy's Building America program on a pilot project that commits Silver Woods to achieving a HERS rating of 70 in all homes. The NAHB-RC will assist Thornton by redrawing plans and reengineering systems to help achieve that goal.
On the exterior, the homes’ standard sod and irrigation package includes native plantings and a satellite-controlled sprinkler system; an on-site nursery will help ensure residents continue to use drought-tolerant plants. Each homeowner receives a guide to native plants along with a manual explaining efficient use of resources in the house.
But for as much as Thornton is proud of the green building efforts inside and outside the homes, he recognizes that a desire to be green is nothing if customers aren’t getting the fixtures and finishes they want. “Green alone is not enough to bring someone to the table,” he says. Therefore, Silver Woods homes are marketed just as heavily for their aesthetic amenities—such as brand-name fixtures, exotic hardwood floors, and granite or decorative concrete countertops—as they are for their eco-friendly features.
“There are so many things they buy and there’s all these other things that come with it,” Thornton says. “They can get the amenities without making sacrifices they thought they had to make to get to green.”
Katy Tomasulo is Deputy Editor of EcoHome.
Bob Thornton, owner of the Silverwoods development, poses in front of his latest project in Delaware on February 13, 2009. The Silverwoods Housing Development in Bethany Beach Delaware is home to the first NAHB certified green home in Delaware.
Photo Credit: Colin M. Lenton/WPN
Though Silver Woods is Bob Thornton’s first venture into full-scale development, he has quickly become one of Delaware’s strongest green building advocates.
An entrepreneur who also owns a sterling silver jewelry supply company, Thornton draws on a diverse career background—including the masonry trades and wastewater management—for many aspects of his current venture. Stone for Silver Woods’ entrance comes from a farm he owns in Pennsylvania, and he implemented the community’s state-of-the-art stormwater management himself.
Recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Home Builders Association of Delaware, Thornton helped draft Sussex County’s green building initiative, based on the NAHB’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines.
Thornton also is working with the NAHB to promote certification. “My mission is to educate everyone in the building industry not to get involved in greenwashing,” he says. “[People who call] themselves green without independent third-party verification [are] going to be a tremendous problem for the building industry.”
Part of his education efforts is showing that green building isn’t a penalty nor a political issue—and it doesn’t have to stand out. “They don’t understand that if someone is a sound green builder, they’re probably going to do better than those around them from an economic standpoint,” Thornton says. “People who don’t know green building don’t know the economic incentives that come as well as the badge of honor.” —K.T.
The Silverwoods Housing Development in Bethany Beach Delaware is home to the first NAHB certified green home in Delaware. In this photo, a skylight as seen over a bathroom to the right of the home, is used to naturally light the interior.
Photo Credit: Colin M. Lenton
The homes feature HardiePlank fiber-cement siding from James Hardie. The lap siding comes with PrimePlus sealer and primer and carries a 50-year transferable warranty. 888.542.7343. www.jameshardie.com
Windows
The homes’ ProLine double-hung windows from Pella include a low-E coating and argon gas fill. The Energy Star–rated units have a U-factor of 0.32 and an SHGC of 0.34. The windows feature low-maintenance EnduraClad exteriors. 800.374.4758. www.pella.com
The Silverwoods Housing Development in Bethany Beach Delaware is home to the first NAHB certified green home in Delaware. In this photo, two man made retention ponds are stocked with fish, in part to help control the insect population during the summer months.
Photo Credit: Colin M. Lenton
The two retention ponds on site have become naturally populated with bass, sun fish, spotted turtles, and amphibians. Future stormwater management will combine natural and mechanical filtration to eliminate the need for additional ponds.
Large ceiling fans help to circulate air throughout the homes of The Silverwoods Housing Development in Bethany Beach Delaware on February 13, 2009.
Photo Credit: Colin M. Lenton/WPN
Duron Genesis low-VOC paint contains less than 15 g/l for semi-gloss and less than 40 g/l for flat and eggshell. The paint provides excellent hide capabilities, the company says, and cleans up with water. 800.723.8766. www.duron.com
Landscaping around the homes is watered by a satellite monitored sprinkler system seen here in Bethany Beach, Delaware on February 13, 2009. The Silverwoods Housing Development in Bethany Beach Delaware is home to the first NAHB certified green home in Delaware.
Photo Credit: Colin M. Lenton/WPN
The Toro Intelli-Sense TIS-612 sprinkler system features WeatherTrak scheduling software that calculates the optimum irrigation schedule based on details such as plant and soil type, slope factor, and root depth; in addition, the device uses daily data from NOAA satellites to adjust schedules and water delivery according to the weather. According to the company, the system can save 40 or more gallons of water per day. It includes a flexible range of programmability features. 800.664.4740. www.toro.com
All of the appliances used in The Silverwoods Housing Development in Bethany Beach Delaware are energy star compliant on February 13, 2009.
Photo Credit: Colin M. Lenton/WPN
The Maytag MFI2568 Ice2O bottom-mount refrigerator is the first French Door–style unit to have an ice-and-water dispenser on the outside, according to the manufacturer. The Energy Star–rated model offers 24.9 cubic feet of space and includes Quad Cool temperature monitoring, a PuriClean II filter, and an Elevator shelf. The kitchens also feature Maytag’s Energy Star–qualified MDB8951 dishwasher, which boasts a stainless steel interior, a SteamClean option, automatic temperature control, and space for 14 place settings. 800.344.1274. www.maytag.com
Bathrooms
New homes in the community will include Kohler’s Persuade dual-flush toilet, which allows for 1.6 gpf or 0.8 gpf via a two-button actuator. The WaterSense-labeled toilet uses 20% less water than standard 1.6-gpf units, the manufacturer says. It features a compact elongated bowl and a skirted trapway. 800.456.4537. www.kohler.com