Cpl. Gonzalez's home: Truly special.

Second part of a two-part series I wrote for Pascack Press:

HILLSDALE

The outside view of Cpl. Visnu Gonzalez’s new Platinum Certified LEED home
which features some of the most cutting edge building technology in the country.
Photo courtesy William J. Martin

Put aside the fact that this home was given as a donation to injured Iraqi War veteran Cpl. Visnu Gonzalez. Or that it was built entirely through volunteer efforts and donations organized by the Massachusetts Charity Homes for our Troops (HFOT). The tremendous spirit of giving is only part of what makes this home truly special.

Thanks in part to a $1 million grant given by the Sierra Club Foundation to HFOT to utilize green building techniques, volunteers were able to craft Cpl. Gonzalez’s home in Hillsdale to be the first in the nation built to meet the Federal Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA)
Climate Choice Program standards. The partnership program recognizes innovative emerging technologies that can substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions once they are more widely adopted, according to the EPA.

“Regardless of whether you believe in global warming or climate change - whichever side of the political paradigm you’re on - I don’t think I’d find to many people that would argue that Americans should not be innovating and trying to create energy saving technologies to be used by everyone,” said Westwood Architect William J. Martin in a recent interview.

Martin, who volunteered to design the home for HFOT, said that this project gave him a chance to fulfill part of his initial inspiration for becoming an architect: to help people.

“Part of what we’re doing here is a public information campaign to an extent, to demonstrate to people what is really possible to do,” said Martin. “This money from the Sierra Club, along with the directive to ‘build it as green as you can,’ it was tremendous, it was terrific. There’s no real new technology here, but the technology is new in the sense that we’ve assembled it in a house for the first time.”

Mark McGrann, founder CEO of McGrann associates, which is a certified consultant with the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), praised the home in granting it the highest level of ranking for efficiency that council awards. Likening energy ratings to golf where lower scores are better, McGrann said: “This house is like Tiger Woods!”

“We rate houses in our business based on a score of 100. So if you build a house to code today, just a typical house brand new, it would get a score of 100,” said McGrann. “Let me tell you how good this house is. Just on the energy efficiency part, just what we did on the walls and ceiling and what we did with the HVAC, this house gets a score of 41. And when you add the solar panels to this house, it gets a score of 21.”

“In my 25 years of doing over 40,000 certified energy star homes, this is the lowest rating that my company has ever put out,” he added.

From left to right, James Tortorelli of Caldwell Banker in Hillsdale
who volunteered on the project from start to finish; Westwood Architect William J. Martin,
holding the USGBC LEED-Platinum award; and Mark McGrann,
founder/CEO of McGrann Associates. Photo credit McGrann Associates

This was accomplished through a compressive approach of utilizing green techniques. Any casual observer would notice the presence of photovoltaic energy generating solar panels on the roof of the home. What one may not notice was the use of structurally insulated panels, a building practice referred to as SIP. The fully constructed walls were moved into place using a crane, and fit together much like a puzzle, creating a complete thermal envelope. The practice largely obscures the use of studs, or nails, which can facilitate the transference of internal heating.

Additionally, the house utilize two geothermal wells, or systems dug some 30-45 feet underground which utilizes the natural temperature under the soil to generate heat in the winter and cool air in the summer. It even features an irrigation system that collects and reuses rainfall.

The house has even drawn attention from Gov. Jon Corzine, who toured the building in August. Now it will be hooked up to a computer system where performance can be publically monitored on a Web site accessible through HFOT.

“This is sort of a new age in construction and it’s something we wanted to explore,” said HFOT President John Gonsalvez.

Standing with the Geothermal heating/cooling system to the left and the insulated plumbing
distribution in front, from left to right: John Gonsalvez, President HFOT; Gov. Jon Corzine;
William J. Martin; Rick Goyette of HFOT; and general contractor Gerald Godsil.
Photo courtesy Tim Larson

The volunteers were rewarded with their efforts by receiving Platinum rating, the highest offered by the USGBC Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Program. According to the USGBC, it’s the first suburban NJ home to receive the ranking and only the second in the state.

“This is the first platinum LEED home I’ve been in and this truly is an incredible home,” added Robert McKinney, Chair of the Sierra Club Foundation Board.

Martin said, now that the project is done, he’s very excited to monitor how it performs. He said part of the subtle beauty of this home was the deliberate effort to make it fit into the residential character of the neighborhood.

“This is an extraordinary house, but I deliberately designed it to look like an ordinary house,” said Martin. “To design it to look like an ordinary house was so that people would be more receptive to the idea of green design by creating something that people can envision living in.”

For the volunteers, the innovation was secondary to providing Cpl. Gonzalez with a home specially suited for him. For HFOT, it’s all part of their mission to provide for and help as many severely injured veterans as possible.

“I even said to John Gonsalvez: ‘who would have thought that a group of volunteers could come together to build something so technical?’ And he said to me, ‘I did!’” Martin said with a bellowing laugh. “We built the house and we used very high tech materials and it’s done. Now we need to see how well it performs.”

Cpl. Visnu Gonzalez and Veterans Day

Seldom have I had the honor to cover an event that is truly special. That is how I would describe the efforts on behalf of Homes for our Troops and 100's of community volunteers who worked to build and donate a specially adapted house for Cpl. Visnu Gonzalez in my home town of Hillsdale.

Feeling very patriotic, here's a copy of the article I just wrote for Pascack Press and Northern Valley Press which appears kindly at their courtesy.

(Here's a picture I took of Cpl. Gonzalez at the ceremony, but the newspaper
used the excellent photos by Tracy Jeffrey Photography)

HILLSDALE



It’s a special day when you’re handed the keys to your very own home, but seldom can that act touch the hearts of not only the recipients, but also an entire community.

As nearly 250 people gathered on Cross Street in Hillsdale on Nov. 10 at 11 a.m., one day prior to Veterans Day, spirits were high and pride was overwhelming as many dignitaries, volunteers and—most importantly—family, witnessed Cpl. Vishnu Gonzalez given the keys to his new home.

The ceremony culminated years of volunteer efforts organized by the Massachusetts charity Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) to furnish Gonzalez, a purple-heart recipient, with a specially adapted home after he was severely injured in the line of duty.

“What a special day, what a special community,” said HFOT Founder and President John Gonsalvez. “You’ve gotten together and embraced a very nice young Marine here, looking happy as can be today. It makes my heart proud to see that big smile on Vishnu’s face.”

Serving in the United States Marine Corps, Gonzalez was paralyzed when two snipers bullets hit him in one of the most fearsome battles of Operation Iraqi Freedom on April 21, 2004 in Fallujah, Iraq. Fast-forward five years of laborious rehabilitation to 2009 to the date of the 234th birthday of the Marine Corps where the crowd had gathered around the brand new home.

Lead by a procession of the Police Pipes and Drums of Bergen County and American Legion Post 162 of Hillsdale, Gonzalez made his way to the driveway of his new home at 28 Cross Street, accompanied with his mother Maria Baez and his former commanding officer, Sgt. Major William Skiles. The ceremony started with a powerful call, from the group of Marines in attendance.

“OORAH!” they cheered, followed by a 21-gun-salute, a lone bugler playing traditional music and “the Star Spangled Banner,” sung by Miss USO. It’s not the first time a ceremony had taken place at the property—a ground breaking had been held in January of this year—but, for now, it will be the last.

“In a time when we’ve been attacked and we have men and women who are still overseas, there’s nothing more important then to let those men and women who have worn that uniform know, that we care about you, that we will take care of you and we will not let you be forgotten,” said Gonsalvez in his opening remarks.

In an opening prayer, Rev. John Korbelak of St. John’s in Hillsdale underscored the spirit of volunteerism that lead to the completion of the house.

“The strength of this house is in the love which built it. It is a reminder of the kindness of people who seek to bless others in need,” said Korbelak.

What followed was incredibly moving as Skiles, a 28-year-active veteran of the Marines and a recipient of a Bonze Star with a "V" for valor for his heroic efforts in saving injured Marines under heavy enemy fire, took the podium.

“I was his first Sgt. to help Medevac [Gonzalez] off the battle field that day, 21 April, 2004. That was a long time ago. I just want to you know, in the Marine Corps, there’s two family’s. Always has been. He’s got his family with him, next to him, and he’ll always have us,” said Skiles.

“Over 78 wounded in one company in Fallujah—and I live for them everyday. And you live for them, right?” said Skiles speaking to Gonzalez.

Skiles then brought out three special guests whom he said were among Gonzalez’s closest friends and the people who saved his life in battle: Hospital Corps-man 1st Class Jason Duty, Staff Sgt. Jose A. Cruz and Gunnery Sgt. Oscar Nunez.

After a tearful embrace, the ceremony continued with words from Hillsdale Mayor John Sapanara.

“It’s rare that you have so many good and decent people here at one place at one time and it’s just overwhelming to see the outpouring of help and support, as well as people like we see in front of us who have served our country so nobly,” said Sapanara.

The home, which was funded primarily through HFOT, also relied on the donation of valuable services by countless professionals. General Contract Jerry Godsil who volunteered his services underscored the effect of the tremendous effort.

“A lot of things went into the home, but there’s one thing that nobody has to worry about and that’s a mortgage,” said Godsil.

The house is the 44th donated home by HFOT across the nation and it includes an elevator and many design elements specifically suited to enable Gonzalez to have increased mobility and independence.

“This is the 44th time that we’ve been able to do this in a community and we’re just so very proud of that,” said HFOT President Gonsalvez. “We’ve got a long way to go, but the miles that we have to go get shorter every time a community stands up and shows what’s great about this county.”

When asked to say a few words, Gonzalez, clearly overwhelmed as dozens of flashbulbs fired in his face, thanked the many volunteers who brought the house to fruition.

“I just want to say thanks to everybody, the volunteers, everybody that helped build this house from scratch. I don’t know. I don’t know what to say,” Gonzalez said as the crowd burst into a raucous applause.

“You don’t have to say anything, this is our way of saying thank you to you,” said Gonsalvez. “I think it’s very important that we stand before you, humbled as we do.
What we’ve done here pales in comparison to the mission that you took on for this country, the day you signed your name, willing to give up everything, including your life for us. For that, I’m eternally grateful and I know everybody here is, too.”

In closing words, Maria Baez, who has supported her son throughout these tough times underscored the significance of the good that came out of a tragic injury.

“My son’s new home is without doubt the result of insurmountable selfless acts of love from hundreds of volunteers from this community, as well as from all over the United States,” she said. “My son’s dream home is a reality. He begins a new chapter in his life full of promises and hope in his own cozy nest surrounded by comfort, independence and safety.”

Handing two sets of keys to Gonzalez and Baez, Gonsalvez drew applause with the following line.

“It’s time to say those wonderful two words: Welcome home!”

With that, many left the driveway and entered into the new home, past the sign mounted to the right of the front door, which reads: “The Home That Love Built.”