Profile

Portfolio

Phases

News

archived news


Architect alters home using environmental concepts

by Patricia Harris

The Item — SHORT HILLS, N.J. — Thursday, December 28, 2006 — In renovating his Burnside Drive house, township architect and resident Timothy Klesse is participating in a growing national trend, that of creating “green” projects that are environmentally responsible and healthy places to live and work.

As part of the addition he is putting onto his Tudor-style home, Klesse has sought to incorporate old and reused materials. He salvaged leaded glass windows and French doors from a tear-down project in the township and used them throughout the addition, which adds two new bedrooms over the garage, converts a screened-in porch to a family room and updates and expands the kitchen.

Klesse also had the original slate roof taken off the house before the work began, and he sorted and stored the pieces of slate on his property. The slate is being used for the new roof, and additional pieces required to complete the roof are being bought from local vendors seeking to discard materials. In addition, the architect saved weather-stripping and doors that could be used in new places.

“I hope to get LEED certification,” Klesse explained Dec. 21 during a tour of the new addition, which has been under construction since July and is nearing completion. That designation, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is conferred by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The council is a coalition of building industry officials who promote building that contributes to protecting the environment by, among other methods, using energy-efficient materials and reusing materials. According to its Web site, the coalition has 7,200 member organizations and 80 regional chapters.

Klesse estimated that through the reuse of materials, he has reduced the number of Dumpsters needed for his project from four to two. He said he believes he has saved approximately $30,000 by reusing materials and putting in his own labor to repair the leaded windows, refinish and rewire old light fixtures and build interior benches.

Samantha Howley, office manager for Klesse Architects, located on Chatham Road near the Short Hills post office, said more and more of Klesse’s clients are insisting on “going green,” and Klesse believed it was important to put that practice into action in his own home.

Klesse, who has lived in his home for four years, said the house was built in 1927. It was designed by Bernardt Muller, the New York City architect who also designed the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum, the Tudor homes on Nottingham Road and houses on Glen Avenue and Burnside Drive that were once part of the Neil estate.

Among features of the house are rough-cut shingles on the exterior and hand-hewn beams and hardwood floors, stucco walls and archways in the interior.

The web site front page states the philosophy of Klesse Architects: "Our firm has strong opinions, years of training and professional experience, codified methodologies and a high level of artistic aesthetics. The difference is: We listen. After all, we won't be living there, you will."

The web site also gives Tim Klesse's complete background of duel degrees and licenses in Architecture and Interior Design. This gives him thorough insights into the complexities of the modern home environment. Tim believes in tailoring his design solutions so that they maintain the integrity of the building while satisfying the clients' specific needs.

Klesse Architects has assembled a talented design and technical staff with the ability to implement the ideas Tim and his clients agree to. They always strive to do this efficiently and with great attention to details. They specialize in new homes, historic homes, kitchen and interior design. Other services are: zoning analysis, verification of existing conditions, bidding and negotiating, construction administration. The firm utilizes the most up to date Auto Cad software to assist in quality design and to insure maximum accuracy.

Klesse Architects is located next to the Short Hills Post Office and across the street from the Short Hills Train Station. If you are located out of the immediate area, you will find complete Map Quest directions on the site.

For more information, visit the new web site for Klesse Architects that can be found at www.Klesse.com.

Klesse Architects AIA — Located in the Short Hills section of Millburn, New Jersey, the firm has been practicing design and architectural services in the area for 13 years. Klesse Archtiects specializes in new homes, historic homes, kitchen and interior design and always with great attention to detail. The philosophy is easily summarized: "The difference is we listen." The address is 38 Chatham Road, Short Hills, NJ 07078; phone: 973 379 6602; www.Klesse.com. Firm Contact: Tim Klesse, 973-379 6602. PR Contact: mike becker, beckercommunications, 973-376-6705 mike@beckercomm.com