As an architect, Broad Ripple citizen and Green advocate, I had always hoped and halfway expected my first Green, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building would be built in Broad Ripple for I held the conviction that Broad Ripple is a progressive community with a strong connection to nature. However, it turns out that this first building may well be built in Crawfordsville. I have been working with clients Shari and Doug since May of this year and the design is well along with a possible ground breaking date in August.

Most of us know that Crawfordsville (population of 14,000) is the home of Wabash College - a well-respected institution with an all-male student body. However, how many of you know that Crawfordsville is known as the Athens of Indiana? The work of Meredith Nicholson ( A Hoosier Chronicle, The House of a Thousand Candles, Otherwise Phyllis) and General Lew Wallace ( Ben Hur, A Tale of the Christ, The Prince of India) drew attention to a small yet vibrant colony of artists thriving in Crawfordsville at the turn of the 20th century. This connection to the intellectual ideals of Ancient Greece established a correlation still referenced today.

Patty and I became acquainted with Crawfordsville through a friend, Joyce, who moved there to provide a kinder, gentler, more nurturing community setting for her two young daughters, Jessica and Jennifer, whom she was rearing as a single mom. Things have turned out better than she expected. It's easier to get your kids around, neighbors are trustworthy, caring and helpful and life seems generally more wholesome for family living. Jennifer is quite active in the marching band and community theater and most gratifying, Jessica will be attending Indiana University next fall after accepting the prestigious Wells Scholarship. Joyce is noticeably happy and has just recently become the owner/operator of Campbell's on Main Street, offering specialty coffees and teas, soups and sandwiches in an atmosphere of friendly sophistication.

Shari is one of those neighbors who has lived in Crawfordsville all her life. She came to me through Joyce because she wanted to build a Green home. For many years, she and her two young sons, Sam and Ben, suffered with symptoms of allergies and asthma. She visited doctors regularly who prescribed medication yet the symptoms persisted. At one point, she began to research effects of environmental pollutants. She has subsequently stopped using chemicals of all kinds in her home. She paid more attention to the eating habits of the family and began preparing meals from natural and organic food products. And she eliminated any product that emitted VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in her home. Gradually, the symptoms subsided and today, she and her boys are doing well and are completely off medication.

Working with Shari and Doug, some interesting concepts have found expression in the design. The living area opens widely to the South through a generous screen porch allowing control of solar heat gain and storm exposure. The configuration of the structure will encourage natural ventilation largely eliminating the need for air conditioning. The basement and crawl spaces will utilize insulating concrete form blocks that will greatly improve the insulation value of the foundation making it Energy Star compliant. The exterior walls will use AAC (Autoclave Aerated Concrete) that will provide twice the insulation value of a typical wood and brick wall in a substantial and durable masonry structure. The mechanical system will be a geothermal system with a 350 foot loop field that will heat the home comfortably for a projected cost of less than $400.00 a year. All interior finishes and cabinet work will follow LEED design standard recommendation. This and other Green considerations give us cause to believe that a LEED Certification of silver or better is possible for the home. If you have an interest, you can see the plans of this home and more details at www.cortellini.net.

Patty and I love Broad Ripple and, yes, I would have liked to have completed my first Green project in Broad Ripple. Yet, hey, Green is too important to wait for indifference and resistance to come around. Green needs to happen anywhere it can and, who knows, perhaps we can learn to appreciate the charms of a Green Crawfordsville as well.