Twinsprings Research Institute
The story of our Do It Yourself Platinum LEED for Homes-Net Zero Green Building project in Colorado
Skip to content
Home
10 Year Report
5 Year Report
About
LEED Docs V3
LEED Docs V4.1
Other Projects
DIY Greenhouse
Greenhouse spreadsheet explained
Preparing the foundation
Constructing the frame for the glass
Attaching the roof joists
Bracing the roof joists
Installing back wall frame
Attach bay to its neighbor
Install Glass Holders and Glass Pane
From Here
Photos
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
After Move
Before Move
Resources
Construction Odds and Ends
Crawlspace Conditioning
Exercise Spa
Gas Hot Water Boiler Systems
Hot Water Recirculation
Insulation and Air Barrier
Metro Denver Green Homes Tour Signs 2017 and 2022
Monitoring
Radiant Heating and Cooling
Radon
Slab Technical Information
Trombe Wall
WaffleMat
Water Supply
Windows and Doors
Wood Hot Water Boiler Systems
2019
New chandelier
Front door with LEED project sign
Yeoman video doorbell
Device settings
Two front doors
Daytime camera view
Night vision video doorbell
Three french hens
Ping pong ball soccer
Infinity scarf and circle skirt
Glassblower
Handmade and Glass Blowing Market Map
View of Monschauer from the castle wall
Slate stone siding on many buildings
Sleepover cosmetic bag
Huge indoor water slide
Amazing mosaics at the cathedral
Christmas paper and boxes
GE Refrigerator 2018
GE_Bottom Freezer
GE GWE19 Refrigerator Energy Guide
Energy Star Refrigerators 2018
Twinsprings Research LEED Project Registered
Lutron devices
Lutron schedules
Remote added to the dining room box
Kitchen lights
Switch box wire testing
Dining room box
Gas Usage Compared to Neighbors For a Year
Gas Usage and Neighbors for Feb 2019
Dibble Boiler Piping-21 without storage tank
Boiler Fireplace for Ambiance and Heat
North facing window during storm
Ponttor in Aachen where the scouts meet
A little more sightseeing-Ponttor
Another fancy birthday cake
Birthday Cake Decorating
Discovering butterflies
Butterfly Pavillion
A kiss under real mistletoe in Arizona
New Shlage Door Handles
Basement bath granite, sink and faucet
Butcher block, stove and knobs
Used GE dishwasher
New master bathtub
Kohler Purist hand towel bar and robe hook
Corian Zodiaq Quartz
Second coat of stain
Gray concrete stain
Sanded sealer off added another coat
Trial install
Flawed counter
Installed counter
Sealed cement
Buffed cement
Sanded cement
First cement coat
Ocean view
Lighthouse beach Sanibel Island FL
Pink Cadillac
Cruise ship
Using follower to hold springs
Pinned Lock
Parts of a Lock
Garage Deadbolt and Privacy Lock
Backdoor deadbolt and keyed lock
Rekeyed lockset
New doorknobs
First lock install
New oil rubbed bronze doorknobs
Henry Vinyl Adhesive 650R
Master bath tile
Plank tile glued
Mud room tile
Tile removed
Plank tile layoutP
B-I-N Sealer
Gardz Primer
Bondo Epoxy Putty
Drywall patch to repair broken board
Repaired damage first coat
Mudding and taping over Bondo
Bondo repair
Broken drywall cut out
Tile removal damage
Damaged drywall
Plug in LED lights
Soldered light strip
Disassembling fixtures
Broken junction box
Replacing junction box
Installed GE junction box
Extending the wires to two different cabinets
End cabinet wire
Adding LED lights to switch
Metal cable run behind stove
Metal cable in PVC conduit in sink cabinet
Metal cable behind dishwasher
Ardex AF200
Removing membrane and mortar
Finished patch
Mortaring in the tile
Tile mortared into place
Ditra membrane cut to fit
Floor after hardwood shim removal
Partial tiles cut out and grout removed
Shortened island with butcher block top
Trying to match the tile
Hardwood under the cabinet
Shortened island
Taking apart the island
Long Kitchen Island
Loading shelves in greenhouse
Greenhouse spray booth
Greenhouse floor tarp
Spray booth with family bath doors.
Primer applied
Family bath cabinet painted light gray
Outside unit
Flexible pipe in vinyl sleeve
Inside unit being installed
Mr Cool DIY 12000 btu
Combo unit moved to counter side
Prepac shoe bench
Mud room setup
Combo washer/dryer
Mud room progress
Second floor laundry closet
Mini split wifi error message
Freehand liquid chalk sign
Stencil letters for sign
Curved glass modern stair light.
Rewiring curved light for standard socket
Basement carpet
Fun playroom/family room
Child easel and artwork
Art table and small dresser for supplies
White/Magnetic board and posters
Dollhouse arranged
Gigantic analog clock
A measure of growth
Little Critters and dollhouse furniture
Child’s table and chairs
Finished play kitchen
Wood kitchen assembly
Family room toy area
Matching faucets
Faucet fixed and hot water spigot to match
New cartridge
Black faucet handle and mismatched hot water faucet
Patchwork Kitchen tile
Kids playroom shelves
Easy Closet layout
Techline furniture ad
Basement shelves
Mud room shelves
More master closet
Final master closet layout
Trial master closet layout
Closet shelving ad
Shelving on truck
Plumbing wall
Side wall
Rear wall
Tile design with shower head and niche
Tile design in steam/tub room
Tile design on controls wall in steam room
Blue tile on arched ceiling
White background tile
Blue ceiling tile
Trim tiles
Decorative tile selection in catalog
Handmade sample tile a gift from Doremail
Tile loaded in the truck from the warehouse
Straightening the edge
White granite identified as quartz
Installed countertop
Professionally edged and polished
Unloading kitchen quartz
End cabinet piece
Quartz in kitchen
Quartz pieces slid out of the truck
Craigslist Ad
White quartz instead
Broken granite wet saw
I broke the granite!
Sink holes cut out
Polishing the cut edge
Removing plywood and glue
Dark granite counter top
Valve kits from eBay.
Painted gray cabinets
Dark bronze plumbing trim.
Tile repair
New trim fit
New dark bronze light fixture
Removed tile to examine valve for new trim
Dark bronze trim ceiling light salvaged from our house
Installing bronze light fixture.
Dark bronze shower head and long hose (Amazon $60)
Dark bronze hardware from eBay ($20 two sets)
Light gray cabinet frame
New sinks from Craigslist ($80)
Family bath sink cabinet
Finished mirror
Taped edge
Cardboard protection from spray paint
Paint sprayed on edges
Painted edge close
Free granite counter top
Old shower curtain
New shower curtain, towel rack and matching inherited towels
Finished with accessories
Craigslist modern faucet
Craigslist sink only
eBay light
With new faucet
Sink in place
Fitting counter and backsplash
Matching glass tile for backsplash
Cutting sink hole
Mirror removed revealed hole
House Layout
New home for our son and his family
Assembly pieces slide together
Fabric layout for piping
Finished loveseat in room
Backrest tufts that were replaced
Back slide attachment
Arms reattached to base
Arm covered
Replacing the arm fabric
Studying the fabric layout and seams
Reproducing the construction
Ripping the seams
Loveseat construction
Original beige upholstery
Wire shelves as backrest and cover
Dust covered jacket from tile saw
Shims in place
About 2/3rds covered
Fireplace at Mt. Princeton Hot Springs
Last rows not yet glued
Finished stone work on pillar
First two boxes of corners
Mortared Tile
Staggered cuts
Dry stacked tiles
Tile corners
Imagining the whole pillar
Test at home
Test in store
Multi color ledge stone
Broken stucco and concrete remains
Dry laid stone corner
Faux rock block corners
Stack of boxes of faux stone
Mower parking spot
Pillar covered with cement board
Cement board on column
Media Cabinet on Post
Stone Column
Lever style dual flush
Flush valve seat types
Tank disconnected
Parallel Install
Fluidmaster Dual Flush
Eames style leather lounge chairs
Couch in truck
Baby bedroom set ad
Painting the set royal blue
Finished dresser with Cars knobs
Bed and hassock chair
Couch and throw pillows
Ad for couch and coffee table
Child bedroom set ad
White crib
Better fit
Cabinet installed
Outlet revealed
Vent pipe in upper cabinet
Wall fixed from tile removal
Wine fridge corner
Frigidaire dishwasher Interior
Older Frigidaire Dishwasher
Frigidaire Refrigerator and Wine Fridge
Refrigerator for sale
Newer GE Dishwasher
Hidden controls
GE Interior
New stove and hood
Range hood ready to install
Stove hood exhaust vent
New stove hood vent in cabinet
Range hood ad
Stainless steel range hood
Gas pipe install
New outlet brought down from microwave
New gas stove in kitchen
Gas stove in seller’s garage
Existing electric stove and microwave
Damaged office floor
Beautiful new floor
One leftover box of hardwood
Unexpected hole in subfloor
New office floor
Office floor in progress
Clean up after carpet removal
Removing damaged hardwood
First open box of wood
Short and longer pieces
Flooring in truck bed.
Mercury glass handles
Dining set
Sideboard to match table
Set of six dark wood chairs.
Kitchen table and blue chairs
Modern Herman Miller design chairs
Ad for table and chairs
Herman Miller table
Hear exchanger
Secondary pump shows watts used
Taco zone controller showing call for heat in zone 1
Pressure and temperature gauge
First fire in new fireplace surround
Living room rearranged
Fireplace boiler re-connected.
Sharkbite removal tongs
Sharkbite removal ring
Pipes and wiring reconnected
Disconnected pipes and wiring
Main pump wiring
Aquastat wiring
TV fully retracted
Long tiles for cabinet sides
TV tilted and pulled out for viewing
TV mounted a bit too low
Rock face tile installed.
Backing for TV mount cut
Long tile installed
Finished tub/toilet room
Finished floor with baseboards
Floor without baseboards
Helper getting boards together
Tub room laid
Underlayment and first board
Underlayment
Mold cleaned near tub
Cleaning and treating the floor
Removing the adhesive
Mold near tub
Rotting floor under toilet
Removing tile
Green tile floor
Stove pumps and connections
Cement board installed
Ceramic fence insulator
Hole for double wall chimney
Chimney reinstalled
Framing started for facing
Cut out and pushed back over stove
First cuts of cabinet to fit around stove
Moved to stove corner
Taking the cabinet apart
Cabinet with new used TV
Back of cabinet over part of hallway
Moved to Colorado in 2014
Purchased in 2004
Post with Internet cabinet
Sunshine on new stone pillar
Stone covered post
Search for:
Major RV Roof Leak During Hail Storm
New Tesla Y Long Range EV
RV Pressure Tank
Pool Shelter Kite
Spa Pipe Weakness
Categories
►
-Recent Posts
►
Construction
►
Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope
►
Floating Walls
►
Inspections
►
Moisture Intrusion/Expansive Soil
►
New Detached Garage
►
Roofing
►
Deconstruction
►
Design Style
►
Bathrooms
►
Family Room
►
Finishes
►
Furniture
►
Kitchen
►
Living Room
►
Organization
►
Primary Bedroom
►
Tile
►
Trim
►
Diversions
►
Crafts
►
Friends and Family
►
Grandkids
►
Moving
►
RV Camping
►
Sewing
►
Sideline at son’s house
►
Spencer House
►
Travel
►
Energy Efficiency
►
Appliances
►
Green Roof
►
Solar
►
Vehicles
►
House Systems
►
Electrical
►
Mini Split Air Conditioner
►
Monitoring
►
Plumbing
►
Radiant Heat
►
Condensing Modulating Gas Boiler
►
Fireplace Boiler
►
Radiant Cooling
►
Trombe Wall
►
Radon Mitigation
►
Ventilation
►
Central Vacuum
►
Landscape
►
Patio
►
Pool
►
Spa
►
Xeriscape
►
LEED Project
►
Green Building Interests
►
Local Products
►
Outreach
►
Maintenance and Repair
►
Planning
►
Project Team
►
Reduce Reuse Recycle
►
Tools
Loading Comments...
Write a Comment...
Email (Required)
Name (Required)
Website