Richmond BizSense
JONATHAN SPIERS APRIL 25, 2017
An environmentally friendly Fan home renovation was among local projects recognized last week at Richmond nonprofit Viridiant’s eighth annual Sustainable Leadership Awards.
The statewide group, which administers the EarthCraft brand of green-building programs, recognized Richmond developer Hollyport Ventures’ “Honor’s Corner” project with two awards at last week’s ceremony. The renovation of the 1909 home at 3200 Floyd Ave. was named single-family renovation project of the year and one of the top 10 high-performance homes of the year.
Hollyport Ventures is led by Richard Cross, who worked on the project with his son, Washington, D.C.-based architect R. Michael Cross. Richard Cross said the three-bedroom, 2½-bathroom home was a “full gut” rehab, with both chimneys and most interior walls removed.
Energy-saving features in the home include a geothermal heating and cooling system, “high performance” insulation and windows, low wattage LED lighting and Energy Star appliances, as well as solar technology and rainwater recycling. The home received the EPA-sponsored Energy Star award in addition to platinum LEED certification – the highest possible designation from the U.S. Green Building Council.
“Honor’s Corner” – named for Honor Patterson, a longtime resident of the home – also was recognized among the top 10 high-performance homes of the year, a list that included a home at 4713 Louisiana St. in the Villas at Rocketts Landing, a solar home development by Williamsburg-based Health-E-Community Enterprise of Virginia.
Other local winners included Midlothian-based Evergreen Homecrafters, which was named single-family builder of the year. Mike Toalson, who soon is retiring after 20 years as CEO of the Home Builders Association of Virginia, was presented with this year’s Visionary Award.
Local groups nominated for awards included Henrico-based Bain-Waring Builders in the single-family builder of the year category, Midlothian-based Theta Homes in the EarthCraft single-family debut category, and Richmond Metro Habitat for Humanity in the Habitat for Humanity affiliate of the year category.
Richmond-based Virginia Supportive Housing also was nominated in two categories: multifamily renovation project of the year, for its Studios II development in South Richmond, and multifamily new construction project of the year, for its Crescent Square community in Virginia Beach.
Viridiant presents the awards each year to recognize Virginia builders and developers who use sustainable design and construction in their projects. Formerly known as EarthCraft of Virginia, the group marked its 10th anniversary last year with a name change derived from the Latin word for “green.”