Today we did our first duct blaster test out at The Glen lot 28.  This requires the inspector to cover all the vents and pull air in reverse through the air handler and the ducts.  The average homes air handler and duct work leaks 10 to 12% of the air.  To be qualified as an Earth Craft home your duct work and air handler must have less that 6% leakage.  We had a leakage of only 4.9%!!! That is quite a bit below average and pretty exciting to know we can be that efficient.  One of the big difference in efficiency comes from using mastic glue, the material that is coating the duct piece below.
  
  

Foam insulation is one of the best ways to go Green.  That is why we have chosen to use closed 3/4″ to 1″ of closed cell foam around all of the exterior walls and on the ceiling of the building.  Ken Wells, owner of Poly Pro Insulation, was gratious enough to give me a tour of his truck to show me exactly what happens behind the walls.  The barrells to the left and right of him contain two different fluilds.  When the 2 fluids get to the machine (pictured to his right) it distributes the correct amount of each fluid into the tube to be distributed and sprayed out by the foam installer.  As displayed below the installer must wear both a mask and a suit to protect himself from the now 360 degree liquid that he sprays out of his gun to cover the walls.  The closed cell foam hardens as it hits the walls and does an excellent job of blocking up all of the tiny little holes and cracks that traditional fiberglass can often miss.  For more information on foam insulation http://www.polyprollc.net/

The local chapter of the Home Builders Association, the SVBA, recently decided to endorse Earth Craft and Energy Star as locally supported Green builder programs.  The popularity of the program has definately increased in the last few years as it says in this article:  http://ecvirginia.org/files/HBAVArticle.pdf  If you would like to more about Earth Craft please check out their website at:  http://ecvirginia.org/

We started building our first Earth Craft home.  This home is going to be different than the other homes at The Glen because it is going GREEN!  While all of our homes use energy effiecent appliances and fiber cement board siding there are a few items that make a big difference such as:

- Spray Foam Closed Cell Insulation

- Seer 14 airconditioner

- Less than 6% air handler and duct leakage

- Low E windows with less than a .35- U rating

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 - Water Sense faucets 

- Recycled carpet and hardwood 

- High efficiency lighting with dimmers and fans in multiple rooms

More information about how we are going “Green” will follow.

Just 8 minutes from The Glen at Cross Keys a new vineyard is opening up this weekend!  CrossKeys Vineyard is going to be offering a wide variety of wines including Chardonnay, White, Petit Verdot, Meritage and Cabernet Franc.  The vineyard will also be holding events, tastings and rental for personal events. To find out more about our local vineyard check them out at:  http://www.crosskeysvineyards.com/ And don’t forget about Valley Fest May 24th at Massanutten!

Thanks to all the home owners that were able to make the Spring Fling party.  It was great to have everyone meet the new and old neighbors!  Our big raffle winner was Jeanie Clark, our first home owner at The Glen, who was the lucky winner of the “Push Mower”.  George and Sonja Lovell won the Cally’s growler & coupon and the large majority of remaining homeowners got there very own bottle of “The Glen at Cross Keys” wine.  Pictured above are a few of the neighbors mingling with the developers as they enjoyed the neighborhood view off the back deck.

The grass is green, the flowers are out and Scripture Communities is excited to invite all Glen home owners & future owners to celebrate Spring at the model on May 15th.  This event will hopefully give our current home owners a chance to meet some of the new neighbors and perhaps introduce some family or friends to the neighborhood.