“Green homes can put green in your pocket,” according to Mike Phinney, Architect and founder of the Phinney Design Group. Located in the Beekman Street Arts District in Saratoga Springs, Phinney Design Group is a leading Architecture, Interior Design and Green Building Consulting firm recognized for their expertise in green building and design. Started in 2003 with a staff of two –Phinney Design Group has grown to a staff of eleven.

Known as an expert in green building and design, Phinney’s growing list of commercial and residential “green” building projects include the Natural History Museum’s Bio Building in Tupper Lake, NY – the first U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certified building in the Adirondack Park, and the Adirondack Lodging – Wingate Hotel by Wyndham in Lake George, NY.

With so much experience in green design, they now incorporate certain green elements into their projects as a standard. Of those few customers who aren’t aware or interested initially in any green elements, says Phinney, “Ninety nine percent of those customers go for it after learning about the savings.”

According to Phinney the average homeowner spends $400 per month to heat a 2500 sq ft home. Making some straightforward investments in energy conservation and efficiency upgrades, such as upgrading insulation using spray foam in the walls and attic, upgrading to high performance windows, and converting hot water to solar hot water, one homeowner in Albany he worked with cut his energy costs by 80%.

“Eighty percent of a green building is just common sense,” says Phinney.  Customers can see a three to five year pay back by investing in some key elements such as: high efficiency heating and cooling, passive solar design, energy star appliances, and quality high performance insulation and windows. Combined with the tax credits offered by state, customers can see significant reductions in heating costs.

Phinney first became interested in green building while studying architecture at RPI, where he wrote his thesis on environmental awareness in architecture. From this experience he came to appreciate the use of natural products in design and construction. After graduation, Phinney completed several design projects including a greenhouse. In 1997 Phinney was hired by the Albany-based Architecture firm, Gregory J. Selaman, PC, as the Project Designer and Project Architect for the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) new headquarters building, which the state legislature mandated be constructed as a green building. Completed prior to the first LEED rating system, Phinney worked with many people from the USGBC who were “test driving” the early LEED rating system. The DEC building was one of the first official LEED certified buildings in the country.

After completing this multi-year project, Phinney was ready for more diversity in his projects. In 2002 he and his wife Marci bought some land in the Saratoga area and designed and built their own green home. As he worked on building his own green home, doors were opening for Phinney to start his own business, focusing on green building, which he did in 2003. In 2007 Phinney Design Group moved into their new green building, located at the corner of Grand Avenue and Beekman Street. This multi-use building houses the offices of Phinney Design Group, with an Art Gallery on the second floor and a neighborhood pub and restaurant on the first floor. The building has incorporated many sustainable features such as the use of local building products, high-recycled content materials, low or no VOC finishes, high-performance glazing, spray foam insulation and more.”

Structurally Insulated Panels, known as SIP’s, were used for roof panels. Runoff from the roof drains onto a green roof built out as a patio on the third floor. The green roof filters the run off, acting as a natural filtration system, meaning cleaner storm water runoff from the building. The green roof also acts as an insulator in the winter and helps keep the floor below cooler in the summer. The building also uses plenty of day lighting. The office work areas are arranged in a U-shape with the desks located around the windows providing much daylight. The windows can be opened, allowing for good cross ventilation.

Phinney Design Group works with customers seeking a broad range of “green” elements. From aiming to use all natural products with low or no VOC’s on the interior finishes, to installing solar hot water or solar photovoltaic electric systems, Phinney Design works on a variety of residential and commercial buildings. As a LEED Accredited Design Professional, Phinney and his staff work closely with those clients choosing to pursue LEED certification, taking them through the entire process, from design through construction.

Since buildings account for more than 40% of our energy consumption in the U.S., focusing on building energy efficiency is a priority for Phinney Design.

Some of their recently completed projects include the reconstruction of an apartment building on Grand Ave and a LEED Platinum level house on Cottage Street in Saratoga Springs. A new urban infill lot, this barn style inspired house has a compact footprint and uses passive solar heating.

The Wingate Hotel is a shining example of first steps local businesses can take to build green and reduce energy costs. Hotels are typically huge energy consumers. However, with the installation of infrared motion detectors in each room, Phinney and his staff were able to implement a system so that when no one is in the room the lighting is automatically turned off and heating and cooling return to a set level. This relatively simple design change, combined with spray foam installation, high-grade windows and high efficiency lighting have resulted in significant energy savings. “They are using 35% less energy than what the chain predicted they would use.”

Besides the DEC building in Albany, Phinney’s other “signature” green building is the Bio Building in Tupper Lake. Serving as the new maintenance building, office space and a lab, the large 50 KW solar photovoltaic panel array installed on the roof exceeds the energy needs for the building. This high performing solar panel system was built with the panels perpendicular to the suns rays, directly on the azimuth angle – following the curvature of the earth. This means every ounce of sunlight hitting the panels is absorbed. According to Phinney, the 50 KW array is actually performing at 62 KW, with the extra power redirected to the adjacent museum building.

Locally, Phinney Design Group has partnered with numerous area businesses on green construction projects, including Capital Construction, SAS Builders and Bonacio Construction. Phinney Design, in partnership with Turner Construction and Forum Industries, has a proposal into the City of Saratoga Springs for the High Rock Development RFP. Their RFP includes a proposal for a new public safety building, parking, two large multi-use buildings (retail, commercial office space and apartments), as well as a large movie theater. In their proposal, all of the new buildings would be constructed as LEED certified.

Ultimately, in order to become entirely sustainable we must get to building net zero energy buildings. This means buildings designed to meet their energy needs without external inputs. This is typically accomplished through high quality high performance materials (like structurally insulated panels, super insulated windows), siting a building on the east-west axis so as to use passive solar design, on-site alternative energy generation systems like solar hot water and solar PV systems, and high efficiency appliances. Currently, the cost to build a net zero commercial building is not financially feasible for most builders due to site restrictions and cost of materials. Commented Phinney, “Currently the only way for us to get there (in a commercial building like apartments) is for society to be willing to pay the extra $100/month in rent.”

For Phinney, he sees “the new economy is energy efficiency.” He added that we also have to start thinking smaller and simpler. Phinney is hopeful about the growing interest in green building, “I think you will see that trend and interest (in green building and net zero) will continue and people will begin to demand it.” If this vision holds true, we may see net zero energy buildings in Saratoga sooner than we think.

For more information about Phinney Design Group go to www.phinneydesign.com , tel 518-587-7120.