Inspired by our story on the Begley family’s environmentally conscious home? Such a high-tech, super-eco-friendly showpiece might seem out of reach for all but the most avid conservationists, but the Begleys emphasize that everyone can take small, achievable and immediate steps to save energy and water (and money!). Here’s how one neighborhood family applied many of the same green principles on a more modest scale in their recent home renovation.
When Jason Friedman and Alicyn Packard bought their Toluca Lake home in October 2015 and were preparing to do a full remodel before moving in, they made a deliberate decision to go green wherever they could. “We wanted to reduce our global footprint as well as cut utility costs,” Friedman explains. “Even though some of the choices meant doing additional research or paying a slightly higher price, we knew that in the long run we would save money and help the planet.”
Finding inspiration and design ideas through websites like Houzz and Pinterest, the couple hired local contractor Randy Landsberger of Property Services Inc. — a fellow Toluca Lake resident — to handle the three-month renovation process. “We worked with our contractor, along with the electrician, plumber, landscape designer and pool contractor, to make socially responsible decisions with our house,” Friedman says. “When given the choice, we chose every green option.” Their choices included:
- New windows and insulation to help with temperature control
- A split HVAC unit that provides temperature control for specific zones of the house
- A tankless water heater to save on gas
- Efficient LED lighting throughout the house
- Low-flow toilets to conserve water
- A hard cover on the pool to prevent water evaporation
- Drought-tolerant landscaping designed by Zaida Correa of New California Gardens
These simple upgrades yielded practical benefits, including reduced DWP and gas bills, without trade-offs in comfort or style. “I especially love the way our front landscaping turned out,” Friedman says. “We wanted to make sure that going drought-tolerant wouldn’t mean sacrificing aesthetics. The front yard is an important part of the house, since it’s the first thing people see. It was very important to us to make sure our landscape looked nice with very minimal maintenance and water usage. We chose succulents for most of the plants, dymondia for the ground cover and synthetic turf. I think it demonstrates that you can have a drought-tolerant landscape that doesn’t look like a desert.”
Pleased with the results of their efforts, the couple is contemplating further green upgrades, most notably adding solar panels to the roof as that technology rapidly improves. Asked what advice he’d give to neighbors who might be thinking about their own renovations, Friedman encourages them to go for it: “If you are looking to be more socially responsible or to save on utility bills, consider taking steps to make your home greener.”
For more home-upgrade tips, read “Energy Efficiency 101.”
