Design plays a big role in the comfort of the home. A cross-breeze layout, heat-blocking windows, and a whole-house fan system that pulls in cool air from open windows and pushes hot air out through vents in the roof keep the interior temperate and cool. A tight “building envelope” prevents cool air from leaking out through doors and windows, and when the house is closed and the air conditioning is running, a ventilation system kicks in, replacing stale air with fresh from outside.
In the garden, a solar-powered pump draws well water into a multi-zone drip-irrigation system and delivers it to the Bendons’ fruit trees and native and adaptive landscaping. Out front, a grass paving system replaces impermeable concrete hardscaping, allowing water to be absorbed into the ground. In back of the home, water flows into a grassy retention basin when it rains, preventing runoff from entering the storm sewer system — and ultimately, the ocean.
Platinum-level tech aside, the home’s ambiance is friendly and inviting. The exterior is painted in soft shades of gray, and the doors are a cheery Parisian blue. Inside, the crisp, white walls brighten an open-plan design, and weathered white-oak flooring and modern kid- and pet-friendly furniture stand up to the happy traffic of an active family of five. Ample windows let in lots of natural light and glass doors open onto a large covered lānai for easy indoor/outdoor living.
Of course, there are financial benefits to having a high-performance green home, such as next-to-nothing utility bills, tax incentives, and cleaner air and water, but the best perk of all is helping make the world a better place. “There is a lot of satisfaction [in] looking out across our yard, watching the kids play and knowing that we took an old cane field and turned it into something better,” says John Bendon. “A place that is good for both people and the environment.”
To learn more about LEED certification, visit USGBC.org/LEED.
Resource Guide
- Certified Air Conditioning (air-conditioning installer) 296 Alamaha St., Kahului | CertifiedAirMaui.com | 808.727.2271
- Clifton Dodge, Kīnā ‘Ole Sustainable Land Use (landscape contractor)
KinaOleSustainableLandUse.com | 808.870.6333 - Green Building Hawaii (LEED certification) GreenBuildingHawaii.com | 808.873.2040
- HUE Interior Design & Home Furnishings (furniture, accents) 210 Alamaha St., Kahului | MauiHue.com | 808.873.6910
- Linda Lange (architect) | 808.575.9043 | LindaLangeAIA@gmail.com
- Maui Garage Doors 2000 Maui Veterans Hwy., Kahului | MauiGarageDoors.com | 808.871.8888
- Maui Pool Masters (pool and concrete work) 173 Ho‘ohana St., Kahului | MauiPoolMasters.com | 808.868.4227
- Paul Gillespie, Green Earth Landscape Management (landscape contractor/maintenance) P.O. Box 546, Kula | 808.214.0205
- Rising Sun Solar (solar installation) 269 Papa Pl., Kahului | RisingSunSolar.com | 808.575.2022
- Rusty Dukes (general contractor) 808.876.0039
- Valley Isle Lighting 255 Alamaha St., Kahului | ValleyIsleLighting.net | 808.871.1119
- Zach Hansel, Landscape Architecture Studio (landscape architect) P.O. Box 758, Wailuku | Hansellas@live.com | 808.269.1175
