The preliminary construction process is beginning to take shape on the Pasadena Eco House. Work crews have begun dismantling the river rock retaining wall and the cinder block wall located at the back of the property. To provide you with an idea of the location of the walls, the picture to the right shows the rock wall in the foreground and the retaining wall next to the steps in the rear.

To obtain LEED Certification, certain requirements must be met on items carted away from the property, thus reducing any negative environmental impact. In simpler words, “keep things out of the landfill”.

River Rock, A Hot Commodity

The versatility of river rock cannot be overemphasized. Although it is not common anymore, it used to be the basis for building a house. In this instance the rock was used as a decorative retaining wall.
River rock foundations can still be found throughout the area on some of the older character homes. These days, one of its primary utilities is found in landscape design.

The local homeowners were eager to remove the rock and use it in their own projects. The rock, which was removed from the lot is now being used as a dry stream bed, which will also encompass a bridge in the design adding a unique and well remembered feature on an adjacent property. A terraced rock wall will also be constructed on another property. Lastly, one other homeowner took an entire bin of the stones to use in general landscaping projects and outlining the flower beds around the house.

Removal of Debris

Some of the other items removed included pavers, and cinder or concrete blocks. Most of these items were hauled away for recycling.
The company, Looney Bins has a documentation process that certifies the compliance with the LEED program. According to the company’s website, they are able to recycle approximately 90% of concrete, asphalt, rocks and dirt.

Next Steps

The lot was surveyed and the boundaries were marked this week. The actual construction should begin soon with the first step being to grade the lot in accordance with the slope and drainage requirements. It will be interesting to see how the parcel begins to take its shape. We will be providing future updates on the progress of the Eco House along with information on the unique new building processes and energy saving components of the home.