Having It All
MODULAR, RECYCLED MATERIALS THAT CREATE VALUABLE OUTDOOR SPACE
Using deck and exterior products that have a modular design for surface materials and accessories allows designers to fulfil an abundance of different design visions without the need for custom or costly materials. Harnessing the power of recycled and certified materials, modular decks bring additional advantages to the table. Offering tremendous design flexibility, coupled with ease of installation, adjustable pedestal deck systems provide a unique and viable alternative to traditional deck building materials and methods. Pedestal decks can be used in a variety of spaces- balconies, rooftops, and/or on-grade applications. Modular decks installed with a pedestal system provide the opportunity to turn underutilized or wasted outdoor spaces into a functional amenity, extending indoor living space or generating an outdoor oasis of its own.
Modular deck systems offer quick and easy installation. Fastening kits facilitate secure installations of wood tiles and paver-tray-backed pavers without harm to the tiles or pavers. Built-in bottom slope-leveling mechanisms provide pedestal stability and adjustability, even once loaded. Tab sets on each pedestal allow for consistent tile or paver spacing.
Circular Materials Durable Enough for the Exterior
Leading manufacturers have created wood deck tiles that are commercial grade and available in standard and FSC® Certified options. Wood tiles are crafted from premium grade remnants and material harvested in an environmentally responsible method, and are designed to preserve the economic viability of rainforest hardwoods. Wood species include fused bamboo, cumaru, garapa, ipê, itauba, and tigerwood. Tropical hardwoods contain a rich variety of graining and coloration, are exceptionally dense, and resistant to insects. These commercial-grade, high-density wood species weather well, allowing for minimal maintenance. If maintaining the wood color is desired, wood tiles can be periodically cleaned and sealed. Left to weather naturally, the wood tiles will develop a silvery-gray patina. Weighing one third as much as concrete tiles, wood tiles are a good alternative when surface material weight is a factor.
When combined with pedestals, wood tiles offer one of the most labor- and cost-efficient methods of creating a flat, level deck over a sloped sub-surface. Manufacturers today offer domestically made pedestals constructed out of high-density polypropylene plastic, comprised of 20% post-industrial recycled content, that are also 100% recyclable. Pedestal deck support systems are impervious to water, mold, and freeze-thaw cycles. Using a gravity system, the supports protect roofing membranes and waterproofing and do not damage or harm the surface below. Pedestal systems can support decks over occupied space, allowing cavity space for electrical systems, duct work, and irrigation. Deck supports are designed to elevate a variety of substrates, including granite or concrete pavers, wood tiles, composite materials, fiberglass grating, or conventional wood decking systems.
Modular decking naturally accommodates site furnishing, including planters and seating or storage. These modular units are designed to integrate perfectly with modular pavers in a pedestal deck system, making it easy to design a custom, beautiful outdoor environment. Modular cubes can host plant life in the summer and be repurposed for seating and storage in the winter. Lightweight, durable powder-coated aluminum modular trays expand the design options for rooftop environments. Used as a containment system for architectural rocks or other deck elements, low clearance trays work with the modular pedestal system to add dimension and texture to deck areas. Incorporating a pedestal system can provide pedestrian access to green roofs.
Besides recycled and recyclable content, modular pedestal decks provide passive solar heating and cooling. Pedestal deck systems can help reduce cooling loads of the building structure because they are air permeable.
RENOVATING A FIREHOUSE FOR THE LONG HAUL
Photo courtesy of Bison Innovative Products
Adjustable pedestal decking created a low-maintenance, durable outdoor solution for an historic firehouse.
Built in 1896 in Jersey City, the firehouse was the original home to JCFD’s Hook & Ladder No. 3. In 2009, after serving the community for over 100 years, the firehouse was purchased and repurposed as the headquarters of Brunelleschi Construction, a company owned by father-son duo, Alfonso and Anthony Carrino. Fast forward ten years and Anthony jumped on the opportunity to purchase the firehouse from his father and remodel it into a residential loft.
One of the highlights of the project is an 800-square-foot roof deck. This incredible outdoor space features modular cumaru wood tiles supported by adjustable pedestals. Offering tremendous design flexibility coupled with ease of installation, adjustable pedestal deck systems provide a unique and viable alternative to traditional deck building materials and methods.
Above the wood tiles rests an outdoor kitchen and living space. Cumaru wood tiles are a more economical alternative to the traditional ipê wood tiles. Cumaru is nearly as dense as ipê and provides a lighter, blonder tone in contrast to the brown tones of ipê. Cumaru wood tiles are available in a variety of sizes. Wood tiles are an ideal long-lasting, low-maintenance decking solution providing warmth, excellent weather resistance, and architectural charm for decks.
RENEWABLE ENERGY THAT REDUCES EMISSIONS AND PROVIDES RESILIENCE
Using propane as a fuel or energy source means harnessing an available clean technology to reduce emissions while still meeting energy needs. Propane is clean and nontoxic. Propane is abundantly available, and the growth of renewable propane means it can be used for generations to come.
Both high-efficiency propane furnaces and propane tankless water heaters can be key components in earning the LEED for Homes (LEED H v4) and the 2015 National Green Building Standard (NGBS) certifications for a home. High-efficiency propane furnaces and water heaters can reduce a home’s HERS Index by anywhere from 9 to 14 points.
PROPANE FUELS AND PROTECTS A GRANDVIEW, TEXAS RANCH HOUSE
Photo courtesy of PERC
Power outages are, unfortunately, becoming more common. Propane standby generators offer a powerful, reliable way to protect homes and families, as well as buildings and businesses, from the damage a power outage can cause.
In the wake of Texas’ winter storm Uri that crippled the state in 2021, tasteful design is only part of what clients demand from a custom home. Mike Reese, owner of Fort Worth, Texas–based Eureka Fine Homes, is also committed to building resilient homes that can withstand extended power outages brought on by surprise ice storms or summer squalls.
The Grandview, Texas, home built by Reese provides a farmhouse-style elevation featuring shiplap and board-and-batten siding, a traditional roof, and over 1,500 square feet of covered porches. But the front elevation disguises an elegant and luxurious 4,000-square-foot, open-concept home with a multitude of windows and a walk-out basement floor.
Reese’s three-part strategy–a highly efficient building envelope, minimizing reliance on electric appliances, and backing up the power supply with a propane standby generator–ensures his clients have peace of mind that they can ride out the storm at home. Reese reduces major electrical loads by using propane for heating and for tankless water heating. Propane-fueled residential furnaces emit up to 50 percent fewer nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and 82 percent fewer sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions than electric furnaces.
Beginning with an efficient building envelope ensures less energy is needed from the start to keep a home comfortable. Reese’s projects use continuous load path construction techniques, and he’s beginning to implement complete liquid flashing and full foam encapsulation to build extremely tight homes.
Next, Reese reduces major electrical loads by using propane for heating and for tankless water heating. “The benefit of tankless is that you’re not going to run out of hot water,” he says. “You just have an endless supply. Of course, the efficiency part of it: You’re only using fuel when you’re calling for it.”
Although propane furnaces and electric heat pumps are about on par in his Texas climate in terms of energy costs, Reese prefers propane heating for its resilience value. By taking away 40-amp circuits for heating, water heating, and cooktops, he can reduce the electrical load enough to spec a more affordable standby generator. On the Grandview property, a 24-kilowatt generator supplies not only the house but also water troughs for the ranch’s high-end cattle, who would be endangered by a summer power outage that knocked out the water supply.
Reese also foresees generators becoming more critical as installing electric car charging stations becomes standard practice. That’s why he’s installing gas generators at a community of 40 homes he’s building in Weatherford, Texas.
“That’s a big thing with generators is that we’ve got to be able to not only allow the client to have comfort and safety in their home,” Reese says, “but also be able to keep their vehicles charged so when unforeseen emergencies come up, they’re not stuck.”
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