The US Green Building Council awarded a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Homes Gold certification to Kensington, Maryland-based Alexander Group for their renovation of a 1960s rambler in Oxon Hill. An early adopter of green building practices, CEO and President Alex Dean, has been an advocate of energy conservation and solar and alternative energy resources since the 70s and has various green certifications from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) and The US Green Building Council (USGBC) to prove it.
What makes the Oxon Hill Project green? 
- Low VOC Plywood and construction glues and low VOC hardwood floors
- Low VOC Green Seal GS-11 certified paints used inside the house
- FSC certified, no VOC, no formaldehyde cabinetry
- Open cell foam insulation
- Mold resistant drywall throughout the house
- High efficiency HVAC system with UV bacteria killing light, Merv 13 filter and separate ERV system
- Landscape Elements: drought tolerant turf & plants
- 80% of waste from construction diverted from landfills to recycling
Any credible claim about a so-called Eco House should address the extent to which it can make it’s own energy and capture water runoff. The smartest homeowners, architects and builders would design a new home (or remodel an existing one) with a large south-facing roof and install the largest possible array of high-wattage solar panels. This earns kudos for the builder and the architect and, when you add up the federal, state and any county tax incentives, the Solar Renewable Energy Credits they can earn AND the benefits of reducing exposure to utility-supplied power, it becomes true WIN-WIN-WIN proposition.
Green Design, Building and Renovation incorporate many different components, systems and assemblies into projects. The project presented in the story was a renovation of an existing structure and due to limited solar effectiveness due to shading by a neighbors home and budget constraints solar was not feasible. Green building is much more than just water capture systems and photovoltaic panels. Smart designers and builders incorporate high performance insulation, building techniques and high efficient heating and cooling systems and strategies as well as water conservation and electrical devices to minimize heat gain, heat loss and energy consumption. The subject house has a HERS rating of 55. This means the home uses 45% less energy than a home built to the 2004 IECC standard. Our HERS rater commented that this home (over 4000 sf conditioned space) uses less energy than homes under 2000 sf of conditioned space that the rater tested this past winter. The subject house definitely earns the title Eco House by the simple fact of its operating efficiency.