When
Rick Pratt, the owner of Classic Homeworks, decided to add on
to his own 1912 Bungalow in Wash Park two years ago, he wasn’t
trying to set an industry standard. He was only following his
conscience. Yet after a brand new “Best Green Remodel”
category was created for his addition at the prestigious Colorado
Awards for Remodeling Excellence this year, he is hoping that
other progressive homeowners will take note.
“It’s possible to build on to an older home to make
room for your growing family or hobbies while preserving its
charm and acting environmentally responsibly,” Rick says.
So how did Rick do it? Two decades of experience remodeling
leaky older homes to be more energy-efficient guided much of
his design. Over the years, he collected mountains of information
on environmentally-friendly building materials and techniques,
which was used as it was available and within his budget.
Through smart design and quality craftsmanship, he was able
to nearly double the square footage of the home without imposing
on any of the precious yard. Even with all the new space, utility
bills are only 30% higher than before. Additionally, the new
design encourages family togetherness and also works great for
entertaining.
The new green addition blends effortlessly with the environment,
original bungalow, and the neighborhood, proving that today’s
families can still make the most of yesterday’s architecture
while respecting the local & global community they live
in. |
