Lindsey “Crystal Harbour”
Cayman Islands
Project Details:
Crystal Harbour embodies the modern Caymanian lifestyle with a minimal environmental impact. The homeowners wanted a design to provide privacy from neighboring properties while capturing views of Governor’s Harbor and embracing their love of the outdoors. A high-performance sustainable home was of equal importance. Inspired by the maritime history of the Cayman Islands, the architecture embraces a nautical theme. From the private dock, the building presents its bold architectural stylings and welcomes visitors inside through richly landscaped gardens. Inside, the clean, contemporary lines of the structure are complemented by the colorful playfulness of finishes and furnishings. The result is a stunningly beautiful home that uses significantly less water than an average home and goes beyond Net-Zero by generating more electricity than it consumes.
Challenges:
The biggest challenges on this site were also some of the greatest amenities. The predominant NNE breeze sometimes turns into gale-force winds that held the potential to cool the human occupants or blow them away. A design that basically had two houses in one where part of the house was used year-round and the other part was used 4 months of the year. This makes trying to develop an accurate energy model for net-zero very challenging.
Solutions:
• HERS Index score of -13 (This means the home uses 113% less energy than a traditional home and produces more energy than it uses)
• 22,600-gallon cistern that harvests 100% of the rainwater that falls on the roof and provides irrigation for all landscaping
• Orientation to block undesirable winds
• Overhangs to provide shade for outdoor living spaces, reduce heat gain and lessen the need for cooling
• Hidden, 22 kW photovoltaic array to offset electrical costs
• Electric car charging station powered by PV
• Vegetated, cellular paving increases permeability and reduces resource use
• Emphasis on recycled, renewable, and non-toxic materials
• Motorized shades controlled by photocells to reduce solar heat gain
RESULTS:
Our project success
What our clients are saying
“Green Insight is always available on-site and in real-time. Their ability to turn things around and keep a project on track distinguishes GI from competitors. They are also creative and willing to roll with the punches. In my world, things don’t always work out perfectly but the team at Green Insight is always open to finding creative solutions to figure out the most timely, cost-efficient way to resolve issues.”
Casey Cameron
Project Manager, Pavilion Construction
“Green Insight’s team is responsive, available, and provides a tremendous sense of security. We recently had a project where the goalposts changed quickly and often during the approval process. We were able to get our project approved, but I honestly don’t know how that would have gone if we didn’t have the backup and knowledge that Green Insight provided.”
Chris Beabout
Director of Development, Landmark Homes
“When it comes to green energy consultants, Green Insight takes the stress away like no other. They bring an unbeatable combination of value-engineering, industry knowledge, and out-of-the-box creativity for solutions that work. What I value most about working with Green Insight is the relationship – which is more like a partnership that has been one of the key drivers in our success. They take the stress away. And frankly, this has been the best relationship that I’ve had with somebody in this business.”
Ceri Jones
Owner, Trailhead Homes
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