CooL WAy To REPURPOSE
How it relates to your space
Erasing waste in space design and decor.
REUSABLE MATERIALS
P. 5
Making things new without waste
ISSUE # 1
April, 29 2016
Reduce, REUSE, REPURPOSE.
spaces
ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
P. 2
P. 3
P. 8
One man''s guide to country chic living
According to the Department of Environmental Quality, in 2015, 47,417,841 cubic yards of solid waste were disposed in landfills all across the state of Michigan. That’s an incredible 1.5 percent increase from solid waste disposed in 2014, only a year before. With rates of waste disposal increasing exponentially, finding ways to reduce our local waste footprint is crucial. And, what better way to “get green” than to incorporate eco-friendly concepts into your own space? Our team here at Spaces is bringing you the latest trends and ideas that locals here in West Michigan are taking to in order to introduce our neighbors to an eco-friendly mentality . From refurbished furniture to energy efficient architecture, West Michigan’s making strides to bring those numbers down, and so should you! We encourage each and every one of you to “reduce, reuse, and reclaim!” Check out what’s going locally in our articles below and get informed.. We hope you enjoy! SPACE CADETS
mckenna.bland@hope.edu
nathan.petroelje@hope.edu
3
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK
2
SPACE CADETS Leah Sullivan Webmaster, Writer McKenna Bland Magazine Editor, Writer Nathan Petroelje Writer, Infographic Design
leah.sullivan@hope.edu
SPACES: Architecture & Interior Design
Why it Matters & How it Relates to Your Space By Nate Petroelje
Creating energy efficient spaces in the West Michigan Area is tough. It's not as simple as just slapping solar panels on a roof and calling yourself "off the grid". According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), there four main sources of energy that constitute a space's energy footprint: air conditioning, water heating, appliances/lighting/electronics and space heating. Because Michigan has a cold climate for 6-7 months out of the year, space heating accounts for the largest portion (55%) of energy consumption according to the EIA. This makes energy consumed for heating a prime candidate to look at when reducing one's consumption footprint. It can be as simple as turning the thermostat down a few degrees and throwing on a sweatshirt. What do those few degrees save? A lot, according to David Bell, renewable energy specialist and Senior Mechanical Engineer at Progressive AE. "For each degree that you turn the thermostat down, you save roughly two percent on your energy bill each month" Bell said.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY:
If you work in a small office space, turning down the thermostat may seem like a silly idea; those who liked the warmer space will just want to bring in space heaters then, right? Absolutely, and that's fine! Despite being seen by many as a poor appliance for efficient usage of energy, newer model space heaters are actually quite efficient. There's another reason why inhabitants of a space should be okay with space heaters, too. "When people have control over their own space, they feel better about their space, and they perform better," Bell explains. So not only does lowering the thermostat and using a good space heater cut down on the biggest end use culprit, but it can raise the performance of those in the space with you! There's more opportunities to reduce your consumption beyond just making your space colder. Bell highlighted a few key ideas that are simple for homeowners and office space inhabitants alike to get started with, each a step in the right direction to reducing one's energy consumption footprint.
SPACES: Architecture & Interior Design 4
Here are some ways for you to reduce in your space: Make sure that your end use appliances are as new as possible. In the last few years, appliances have improved by leaps and bounds in terms of energy consumption. "Refrigerators that are 20 years old are way less efficient than what they're making now" says Bell. When shopping for new appliances, look for the Energy Star seal of approval. Lighting: LED>CFL>Incandescent Recent advancements in Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology have helped to create incredibly efficient light bulbs out of them. In recent years the push has been to switch to Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL) from the old Incandescent bulbs. While this is a good move, LED's are superior to both. Hope College senior Anne-Lynn Dillman knows first-hand how much of a difference LED lights can make. "It was natural, pleasant light and beyond that, our utility bill was basically cut in half. Between the [warm] light and the energy savings, the LED bulbs proved [their worth]." Dillman said. Programmable Thermostats Bell describes these as the best thing that you can do for a home. Systems like the Nest thermostat system are connected to the web, so you can change the settings even when you're not at home through your phone, computer, or tablet. Lowering the temperature in your space when you're not there is one of the easiest ways to reduce the biggest culprit of energy consumption in West Michigan spaces. They're reasonably priced, and the savings will cover the up-front costs in a very short time. Other improvements that space owners should consider are a bit more capital-intensive, but are still worth considering. When replacing larger aspects of your space, such as windows or the furnace, always prioritize energy efficient products. "If you just tell the furnace guy to replace your furnace, they will use whatever is on the shop shelf. Pushing them to find the most efficient models is important here" Bell says.
Above all, whenever you're replacing anything pertaining to energy consumption in your space, live by Bell's simple rule. Never replace like-for-like. Always look to get the newer, more efficient versions of products. -N.P.
5
MAKING THINGS NEW WITHOUT WASTE
BY MCKENNA BLAND
REUSE
It is easy to get wrapped up in the glamour of house flipping with HGTV shows like Fixer Upper and Property Brothers. Homeowners buy a home and professionals come in and do the dirty work. Homes go from drab to fab in 30 minutes! No episode is complete without the classic teardown scene - where the homeowner or designer takes a swing at those tacky, outdated cabinets in the kitchen. In a few minutes footage will show the house completely gutted, a blank slate for hosts to work their magic. What happens to those tacky, outdated cabinets? Or the doorknobs on every door in house? What about the baseboards in each room? Unfortunately, these things often get destroyed or tossed. To understand the reality of waste in home repair and flipping, Amy Alderink, a former builder and current executive director of house flipping non-profit Homecor, shared about her latest reno. Alderink and her team have been working on this home for the past three months. She says it was sold by an older couple looking to downsize. This is not usually the case for Homecor, an organization that aims to revitalize Holland’s Central City district
6
one house flip or home repair at a time. They typically purchase homes in a short sale or foreclosures that are in desperate need of a facelift. All materials that made up the original construction of this house were included in the sale and the couple even left some of their own furniture pieces and accessories for repurposing or staging the finished home. This gesture along with the house’s as-is construction give the Homecor crew something to work with. However, the quality of these pieces may not be valuable, functional or safe enough for resale. “It comes down to a balance of what can be saved, and what actually makes sense to save,” Alderink explains. When she and the team began renoing houses eight years ago, she made the rookie mistake of repairing the existing windows in the home and keeping them for resale. Buyers were not thrilled with this because they wanted new, energy efficient and easy to open windows, she adds. Today her team only keeps stain-glass windows (like the ones pictured - yes, they’re actually from this flip) and windows that do not need to be opened. The rest of the old windows head to the basement.
7
On my visit, she walked me through the “graveyard”, a solemn and damp room hosting all of the original windows from the home, soon-to-be-painted doors and rotting baseboards. In one corner toilets and chandeliers laid next to each other and in another an old dresser and mirror. The previous homeowner also left his tool bench, a piece that Alderink plans to use for a butchers block island in the kitchen, and perhaps part of a bathroom counter. She hoards anything and everything that can be reused down here. Along with her tool bench plans, she’s had the crew keep existing door frames and kitchen cabinet framing, as well as sanding the original pine floors, which have been underwraps (carpeting) for at least 20 years. Cutting costs, is not always the goal for Alderink when it comes to why she reuses materials. Before this gig, she spent years as a contractor for new-build homes. This industry is constantly making things out of new materials, and that can feel wasteful. For this reason, the crew tries to be mindful with their impact. What cannot be reused from the demolition goes to one of three locations depending on its condition or use. Metals are collected and sold to scrap yards like Black River Recycling. Furniture or appliances head to Lakeshore’s Habitat for Humanity Restore (sound familiar?). And as a last resort, the crew tosses things in dumpsters. But that is really a dreaded option for Alderink. Thankfully, there are other options. “When everything else fails, we can tell them where to take things,” Mary Ann Hensley chimes in. Hensley, solid waste and recycling education coordinator at the City of Holland, points to things like the city’s relationship with Chef Containers and Comprenew for recycling and responsible dumping. There are a host of resources for Holland residents to take advantage of, she says. Flipping homes requires reuseable materials to cut costs and to maintain character in home decor and design. Without it, our world faces an overwhelming waste of creativity and goods. Consider your options on your next home overhaul and keep your mind open to making one man’s trash (or donation) someone else’s treasure. - MB
REPURPOSE
THE COOL WAY TO REPURPOSE: ONE MAN’S GUIDE TO COUNTRY CHIC LIVING
"It's cool lookin'."
By Leah Sullivan Who knew repurposing could be so cool? Well, other than John Sullivan. Small-town attorney from Marshall, Michigan sure has tricks up his sleeve when it comes to repurposed home decor. Our team here at Spaces ventured to Sullivan’s five-acre farm house in Marengo Township to check out. Stretched across a beautifully rural area of farmland, the Sullivan property houses a home and two barns. Over his nearly twenty years owning the estate, Sullivan has surely made his renovations, repurposing all throughout. “It’s cool lookin'” Sullivan explains, referring to using repurposed materials as opposed to new. “It’s economic…it can give me an end result that works.” Throughout the home, you’ll find repurposed materials everywhere you look. From a shoe holder made from old copper pipes, to old doors and miss-matching doorknobs. The home is filled with repurposed goods, nevertheless adding to the rustic and country chic style of Sullivan’s home. “You can make some neat stuff,” Sullivan adds, noting other items found on the property, including an old outhouse Sullivan created, using rusty metal shingles and old barn wood, as well as a garden shed, made of materials from Sullivan’s daughter’s old play-set. “I had a hard time just pitching that [play-set] because we had so many memories with it.” One of the coolest features of Sullivan’s property is within one of his barns, repurposing the barn’s old steal roof as a ceiling and wall trim in the barn. Using a wood stain made up of rusty bolts and nails and white vinegar, Sullivan creates a rugged, yet very attractive look to the interior of the barn, where he spends time working on automotive projects. “It’s interesting because you apply it and you really can’t see it changing the color significantly, but then, in about ten minutes, it almost transforms the color,” Sullivan says, explaining the pine wood staining process. As for the materials? Sullivan claims that “Inevitably, if you have a shop or two, you end up accumulating stuff.”
8
look. From a shoe holder made from old copper pipes, to old doors and miss-matching doorknobs. The home is filled with repurposed goods, nevertheless adding to the rustic and country chic style of Sullivan’s home.
“You can make some neat stuff,” Sullivan adds, noting other items found on the property, including an old outhouse Sullivan created, using rusty metal shingles and old barn wood, as well as a garden shed, made of materials from Sullivan’s daughter’s old play-set. “I had a hard time just pitching that [play-set] because we had so many memories with it.” One of the coolest features of Sullivan’s property is within one of his barns, repurposing the barn’s old steal roof as a ceiling and wall trim in the barn. Using a wood stain made up of rusty bolts and nails and white vinegar, Sullivan creates a rugged, yet very attractive look to the interior of the barn, where he spends time working on automotive projects. “It’s interesting because you apply it and you really can’t see it changing the color significantly, but then, in about ten minutes, it almost transforms the color,” Sullivan says, explaining the pine wood staining process. As for the materials? Sullivan claims that “Inevitably, if you have a shop or two, you end up accumulating stuff.” For more inspiration as to ways you can repurpose within your own home, check out the video to see more of Sullivan’s projects. -L.S.
SPACES: Architecture & Interior Design 9