The Grunheim at 2629 Grendel Drive

The Grünheim display chalet at 2629 Grendel Drive is our 1,000th chalet built here at Innsbrook and our first “green” chalet. The Grünheim uses less energy, water and natural resources, coexisting peacefully amid its natural surroundings. This three-bedroom,
two-bath chalet rests on a 2.3-acre wooded lot on Lake Grendel.

Innsbrook Celebrates its 1,000th A-frame
This chalet, called The Grünheim, is being built as a display chalet. Not only does this chalet commemorate 37 years of building A-frames in harmony with nature, but it will be an important landmark in our quest for becoming greener.

Our green-building mission began with Innsbrook’s four committees that were dedicated to overseeing the construction of the home: the Innsbrook Green Initiative Committee, the Innsbrook Architectural Review Board, the Innsbrook Planning and Zoning Committee, and the Innsbrook Construction Department.

What Is Green Building?
Building green means incorporating environmental considerations and resource efficiency into the building and development process to minimize environmental impact. The design, construction and operation of a home must focus on energy and water efficiency, resource-efficient building design and materials, indoor environmental quality, and must take the home’s overall impact on the environment into account.

Features of The Grünheim
The Grünheim is a modified Timberline-style chalet that features three bedrooms and two full bathrooms, plus a loft area. With an eight-foot dormer above the kitchen and four-foot two-story bump-out in the dining room, this chalet has plenty of open spaces and room for guests. The great room offers a gorgeous floor-to-ceiling corner stone fireplace and a spectacular wall of windows that gives owners a beautiful view that changes with the seasons.

Some of the features of this display chalet include six-panel solid-wood interior doors, frisee carpet in the bedrooms and loft area, breakfast bar in the enlarged kitchen, aluminum spindle deck rail and architectural shingles.

The Grünheim's Green Features
Our A-frame chalets have always been built with the landscape in mind, with a desire to keep our environmental footprint to a minimum. All chalets are built on piers to minimize disturbance to the tree roots.

Site Preparation The Grünheim was situated on the lot to best utilize solar benefits and minimize erosion. Trees cleared for placement of the chalet were cut on site and tops/brush were chipped on site and used for walking paths and erosion control.

Subfloor Systems The subfloor systems were pre-engineered and shipped for accurate measurements to ensure less waste and a higher quality subfloor. The subfloor was screwed to the floor joists in addition to being glued using low-VOC subfloor adhesive.

Exterior Framing and Insulation The lumber package was predetermined and shipped as needed to prevent exposure to the elements; the pre-cut lengths reduce waste. For increased heating/cooling efficiency, an upgraded insulation package was used, which included 4 inches of foam on the roof as well as insulation under the building.

Mechanicals PEX® plumbing supply lines were used in this chalet. It's a sustainable product with no corroding or pinholes leaks, is chlorine- and scale-resistant and more flexible than traditional piping. A high-efficiency electric heat pump with 8 HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Rating) with sealed duct work and plenums were used in addition to set-back thermostats. A 13-SEER air conditioning system was also installed.

Water Efficiency Fixtures such as low-flow shower heads, faucets, and toilets and EnergyStar-rated appliances, such as the dishwasher, all help to conserve water.

Energy Efficiency Some of the aspects of this chalet that help lower the energy bills includes: EnergyStar-rated refrigerator, low-E insulated thermal pane windows on the lake side, and upgraded patio doors in the great room and bedroom for improved insulation. CFL bulbs are also used throughout the chalet. All of these combine to lower your energy bills. It’s a real savings!

Resource Efficiency Resource efficiency means choosing materials with “Reduce-Reuse-Recycle” in mind. For example, the chalet's orientation and design take advantage of natural daylight, which helps reduce lighting needs and saves energy costs. This chalet was also constructed with renewable materials (a renewable resource is that which can be replenished at a rate greater than its consumption). These materials include PEX® piping, Certified Sustainable Forest Product wood flooring in the kitchen, dining room and great room; Certified Sustainable Forest Product (cedar) on the ceilings in kitchen, dining room and hall, as well as the walls in the great room and dining room; certified green Daltile® ceramic tile in the bathrooms; and EverGrain Deck® material used for deck, deck steps, front entryway, and lakeside dock. EverGrain is a material made from recycled plastic and wood products.

Indoor Air Quality Our heating, air conditioning and ventilation system (HVAC) was appropriately sized to create an efficient and ventilated chalet. Paints and finishes with low Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs, were used. VOCs are basically air pollutants, which is why it is important to have a chalet constructed with products that are made with no or low VOCs. Plus, the glue used for the subfloor system and the grout for the ceramic tile are both low VOC. The Shaw® carpet is "Green Edge," made of Anso nylon — a recycled material.

The Surroundings Innsbrook is a natural paradise with more than 100 lakes and 7,400 acres. In 1999 the resort became the first resort in the continental United States to become a certified sanctuary through Audubon International. In 2000, our golf course followed suit. Since this time, both have continued to gain recertification for each category, including Environmental Planning, Wildlife Habitat Management, Resource Conservation, Waste Management & Outreach and Education. Throughout our development, there are 300 kinds of wildflowers, and you'll find a wealth of them around The Grünheim and the Lake Grendel area. A variety of mature hardwoods can also be found on this property.

For more information on 2629 Grendel Drive or the Innsbrook Green Initiative, call 636-928-3366 ext. 199 or e-mail properties@innsbrook-resort.com.

This property is not for sale.