Our new green car!

Here's some photos of our new green mode of transportation. It's a 2010 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI (diesel). The 2009 model was named the "Green Car of the Year" - beating out the Prius. In 2010, one of the Audi diesel models won the award. This VW model beat out the hybrid Prius in mpg road tests. This VW, once broken in, will get nearly 50 mpg and it's NOT a hybrid. Ours is Reflex Silver with Titan Black interior, 6 sp manual trans, 17" alloy wheels, bluetooth, panoramic sunroof, and the sport protection package. It also has 8 airbags, including the side AND head curtain airbags in the both the front and back seat. We just had the windows tinted . . . it looks BAD! (meaning GOOD!) VW approves of a biodiesel blend of up to B5 while it's under warranty, and there's a biodiesel station not too far from our house, so we're looking into that.

It's an Eastern White Pine again this year . . .

We picked out and cut our Christmas Tree this year. Yes, we cut a real tree every year as opposed to having an artificial. To learn why this is a "greener" choice - read back through the archives here - December 08 or December 07. This year's tree is our largest yet - about 13 feet! We love it.

Fall Colors and Pool Closing

Above: Fall Colors are finally starting to come along . . .
The pool is now closed. We still have to finish the fence, platform deck, and the landscaping. It was a long summer of hard work, but we'll reap the rewards the WHOLE summer next year! We received the final inspection approval on the pool AND the cabana yesterday. Woo hoo! One gate to go and we are totally legal. By midsummer next year, we should have the fence and platform deck complete.

This winter we are focusing on interior trim and tweaking the HRV. Updates to follow . . .

Equipment is up and running. . .

Fence posts are in . . .

We have the pump and purification system running, the fence posts are in, and we have just a bit more to do to finish hooking up the underwater light. The cabana is ready for rough inspection, and the pool should be ready for it's final inspection this week.

Update sans photos

There's not much to show photographically, but I can give an update of all of the hard work we've been doing the past few days. When we returned from our relaxing 4th of July vacation in western NY (no hypothermia, thank goodness!), we began finishing up the electrical work on the cabana and continued filling the pool with water. (Right before we left for NY, we finished installing the door on the cabana - see photo in previous post below. Now we are waiting for the key lockset to come in for the door so that we can lock it from the outside - which is something most sliding patio doors don't have, interestingly, so we had to special order it). While we were in NY, the pool guys came and installed the ladder, handrail at the steps, and the diving board.

The pool company came yesterday to do the rough grade, but they still have to install the sump pit near the pump and finish up the grade there. They also need to install some liner clips to the corners to keep the liner from popping out there. Once the grade was complete, we were able to dig our post holes for the fence that will go around the pool and along the property line. We've ordered the siding and trim for the cabana. Trim should be in any time now, and siding should be in hopefully within 10 days from now. We've started filling the trench back in where the electrical conduit is running from the house. We've left a few holes open for inspection and will fill those holes after we pass the rough-in inspection.

Monday will be our cabana electrical rough-in inspection. Today, the pool guys came and put in a vacuum to clean the pool and sanded out some rough spots in the concrete. Last night and this morning, I painted fence posts (only 8 more to go, I think).

Our next step is to hook up the pump and purification system electric and set all of the fence posts. After that, we'll finish up the fence, add the privacy panels to the fence along the property line, and install the siding on the cabana. After that, we'll be taking it easy and hopefully enjoy USING the pool a bit. In our "spare" time, we'll work on landscaping and the platform deck that will be adjacent to the concrete pool deck. In 30-60 days I can stain the concrete deck if I decide to do so. . .

Update photos

As the photos show, we're too busy to write much, but you can get the idea from the pictures!

Is that a pool cabana?

Another update to keep our demanding fans happy! Here's what we accomplished today. We set all four walls of the pool house on the slab. We still need to finish sheeting and placing rafters, but this is a pretty good start. Since we were waiting on the pool contractors to finish up the concrete we had pre-built the walls of the pool house. So, with the help of a dolly, Kenny and I set the back and left (west) walls and anchored them to the slab. Then with some help from neighbors we were able to set the right (east) and front walls. The kids helped to anchor those, and with all bracing still in place, well pick up where we left off in the am. On tap for tomorrow is to finish sheeting and top plates, then the rafters. Hopefully we'll be to a wrapping/felting stage soon, which means that the electrical panel in the pool house comes next.

Over the weekend, Kenny and I trenched and ran underground conduit and wire to the pool house and underwater light. Temps were above 90 and humidity was off the charts, but we got it done. Now we need to place the panel and get it wired up and rough inspected. Temps this week are supposed to be lower with "normal" humidity, so we should make some progress.

Pool guys are supposed to be finishing the bottom of the pool with vermiculite and sand, and then installing the liner. More pics to follow!

Electrical Work

Over 90-degrees in Cincinnati again today, but we spent the day digging trenches for the pool electric. We'll be starting the Pool House on Monday or Tuesday next week. The pool company is supposed to be coming to work on the pool bottom and the liner either tomorrow, Saturday, or Monday.

We had to trench from the house out to the pump and then all the way around the back of the pool to the opposite end where the light under the diving board will be. That's about 200 feet of trench for those of you who are counting . . .

Concrete pour pictures

With temps over 90-degrees today, pouring and finishing the concrete deck got interesting. . .

Cantilever edge below:

Green Facts: High embodied-energy portland cement product was replaced with recycled fly ash in this concrete mixture. This mixture contained approximately 35% fly ash.

Concrete forms . . .

Pool Progress

Backfill complete - waiting for bonding inspection and concrete deck.

Pool Update . . .

RAIN.

Pool Update . . .

Rain.

Digging Update

Now we're talkin'!

7:30am: Anchor Pools arrives on-site.

The clearing begins.
Mike finds a souvenir for his son.

Clearing complete and layout begins.

Digging the hole. (Kids are excited).

It's Official!!!

Today we signed the papers to begin the swimming pool construction. I'll be sure to update with pictures often, so for now let's everyone wish for lots of sunshine and dry weather. They will start excavation as soon as it's dry enough not to tear up the rest of the yard. For those of you who just can't wait for the details, here's the specs:

18'x36' in ground, rectangle, vinyl liner pool (I know, I hate vinyl, but gunite bids came in at nearly 1/3 the cost of our house!)

Liner will be a dark blue/black to look like a lagoon

cantilever concrete deck - either colored or textured

diving board

variable speed pump which saves 30%-90% energy over a standard pump

DE filter which allows for water savings - no backwashing of filter required

LED color changing underwater light

and a Mineral Purification System called Smart Green - which means no burning eyes from chlorine!

Check back soon for links to all of these eco-pool options!

Tours, Tours, and MORE Tours . . .

These are some busy times here at the Nutter Green Home. Before Spring Break, we had a few client tours on the same day, and today we have two educational tours scheduled. This morning, we had an Interior Design class from the College of Mt. St. Joseph and some members of the Batavia Greens and Beans garden club. This afternoon, we'll be hosting the Boyer Guild Architectural group and possibly more members of the Greens and Beans club. This morning we had about 20 people, and this afternoon we should have around 10-15. Here are more interior shots:

We have been working on the exterior landscaping and vegetable garden. I'll get some photos posted as soon as I can. We've also started the interior trim, so we are hoping to be able to add a lot more update photos soon. I've also started a bit of consulting, so I'm working on a kitchen remodel and some general consulting every now and then. I'm keeping way too busy, and of course don't forget about the big Earth Day Festival that is going to be held at our house on Wednesday - April 22nd. We have about 80 kids coming to participate! I'm sure we'll have lots of fun photos to post this coming week of that as well, so check back soon!