Sustainable home makes an impact in S.F. SAN FRANCISCO

Helmut Schmidt in the kitchen with energy efficient appliances at 2139 39th Ave. which he remodeled into one of the most sustainable homes in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, March 23, 2009. Helmut Schmidt in the kitchen with energy efficient appliances at 2139 39th Ave. which he remodeled into one of the most sustainable homes in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, March 23, 2009. Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 23 Caption Close Sustainable home makes an impact in S.F. 1 / 23 Back to Gallery

Helmut Schmidt is an impressionable guy who wants to make an impression.

When he saw "An Inconvenient Truth" - Al Gore's documentary about climate change - Schmidt was inspired to take action. The native San Franciscan and manager of the family-owned firm S & L Realty bought a modest Sunset District house. He gutted it and, using the latest technology in sustainable building, created one of the greenest, most energy-efficient houses in San Francisco.

The day it went on the market late last month, Schmidt put up a Web site to help others learn how to incorporate more sustainable features into their homes when they build or remodel. The site also serves as a forum to share the latest techniques in sustainable construction.

"How we live is important," said Schmidt, 39, who is married and has two young daughters. "And I think we can make changes that really matter without it being a big hassle."

Because the state of the planet is a result of the aggregate effects of innumerable small and seemingly insignificant acts, Schmidt said, you don't have to don a cape, assume a secret identity and battle a deranged scientist to make an impact. Little things make a big difference - like using wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council in remodeling projects, installing dual-flush toilets to save water or using compact florescent light bulbs to save energy.

Just about every element of sustainable construction and design went into Schmidt's house, which, viewed from across the street on 39th Avenue, doesn't exactly look like one of the greenest houses in the city.

"We didn't want to change the front very much," he said. "We wanted it to fit in with the rest of the block."

The small space usually reserved for a tiny rectangle of lawn next to the driveway has been landscaped with river stones and ornamental grasses that require little watering. Just inside the entryway is a mechanical device that measures the ebb and flow of electricity generated by the 2.3-kilowatt solar power system installed on the roof. An inverter box in the garage changes the direct current into alternating current.

On days when the system is generating more energy than the house is using, the meter runs backward, recording the surplus that flows into PG&E's lines, which is deducted from the utility bill at the end of the month.

The cost of the $20,000 system was defrayed by rebates: $4,000 from PG&E and $3,000 from the city. The expense was reduced further by state tax incentives.

"Because solar systems are expensive, you don't want to overbuild," said Craig Dinsdale, an energy consultant with Keep It Green Energy in Fairfax. To avoid that, Dinsdale looks at how much energy a home typically uses over a year.

Because Schmidt was completely rebuilding his home with energy-efficient lighting, appliances and other devices, estimating energy use was a little more complicated. "He (Schmidt) is so passionate about all this," Dinsdale said. Flagstone steps lead from the front yard to the garage where Schmidt displays some of the insulation materials used to create an airtight seal around the house. An average home, he said, produces 12 to 15 tons of carbon dioxide each year. A well-insulated one reduces that number by 2 to 4 tons.

For the walls, Schmidt used cellulose, shredded phone books and recycled cotton from blue jeans. None contains Formaldehyde, a toxic element commonly found in home insulation. Fire-resistant foam was used to insulate the roof.

"Where things come from and where they go is the hardest part of sustainability," he said.

Inside, the 1,737 square-foot, four-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home has been redesigned by Andre Rothblatt Architecture of San Francisco. The kitchen, living room (with fireplace) and dining room create one living space, which looks out on the ocean. Light pours in through a circular skylight above the kitchen. Hemp carpet covers a cork floor in the living room and dining room.

In the bedrooms, the floors are made from salvaged hardwood. The bathrooms were designed with reduced water use in mind - low-flow shower nozzles and dual-flush toilets. Two buttons on top of the toilet, labeled one and two, select the appropriate flush.

The walls are painted in warm, earth tones with toxin-free paint. Volatile organic compounds found in most paint produces air that is three times more polluted than outdoor air and one of the five top hazards to human health, according to the EPA.

Schmidt's plan to build a green home didn't affect the design, Rothblatt said. It did come into play in the selection of bamboo cabinetry, cork floor, recycled-glass counter top and other sustainable materials.

As for the four skylights that reduce the amount of energy needed to illuminate the home, Rothblatt had a simple answer: "I just like to have lots of light."

Schmidt installed EnergyStar-rated appliances, including a front-loading Bosch washing machine that uses 75 percent less water than the average machine.

He chose an integrated hot water tank/forced-air heating system. The water heated in the 97 percent-efficient Phoenix tank is used by a forced-air heater to heat the home. Two filtered cold air returns and a hydronic air handler ensure clean air.

"We did it right, and that takes longer," Schmidt said of the 16-month project. "But this is important. I think building this way is absolutely vital to us. I think the long view is the most important thing in real estate."

The house, originally listed at $1.285 million and now being offered at $1.235 million, has attracted a lot of interest from prospective buyers, said James Rogers, an agent with Green Key Realty. "Everybody seems to love it," he said. "This is an exemplary home. There are probably only two or three homes like this one in the entire city."

As more sustainable homes go on the market, he said, it will become necessary for agents to educate themselves so they can explain the sustainable features to prospective buyers. Others associated with the real estate industry - architects, contractors and interior designers - are changing as well. The bamboo in Schmidt's house came from AlterECO. The interior design was by Space Insiders. Even the staging, by HomeStagers, used sustainable materials such as organic sheet sets, bamboo/cotton blend pillows, organic kitchen towels, and Enviro-Log Fire Logs.

Schmidt said that if he's lucky, he probably has about 20 more houses like this one in him. He hopes his Web site, www.sustainableschmidt.com, will create a wider impact by disseminating information vital to the well-being of the planet.

A tour of the house by students at neighboring St. Ignatius High School, many of whom seemed excited and interested in the importance of sustainable building, was a further sign of hope.

"I love my city very much," Schmidt said. "It's pretty special. And we can make it even more special."

For more information about sustainable homes, go to www.sustainableschmidt.com.