Nov. 9--SAN LEANDRO -- Julie Quayle's cozy cottage behind her home is certifiably green.

When Quayle decided to build the 450-square-foot cottage, she set out to keep the structure's carbon footprint as light as possible.

"You spend your whole life driving a car that puts out emissions and doing things like that, and I decided I wanted something low in energy use," she said.

The unit, completed in March, was featured last month in the KTVU Greenpoint Showcase Tour -- an online listing and physical tour of Bay Area homes built using environmentally sensitive techniques.

The homes in the Greenpoint Showcase are given a Build It Green Greenpoint Rated score based on a uniform rating system that evaluates indoor air quality, water conservation, community impact and energy efficiency. A score of 50 is needed to qualify for a green certification. Quayle's project was awarded 123 points. It was the first project in San Leandro to receive the rating.

On Nov. 2, the City Council officially commended Quayle, Hyer Architecture and Canivet Construction for their green efforts.

Quayle said she has spent nearly her entire life in her three-bedroom house in the Estudillo Estates neighborhood. She grew up there and then inherited the house from her parents in 1972.

When her daughter moved in with her own two young children, Quayle decided to turn the house over to them, and build a smaller unit for herself in the backyard.

But

energy use was a big concern. Her PG&E bills could hit $400 in the winter months, and hovered at around $70 in the summer, she said.

Quayle's architect, Fred Hyer, designed the cottage to be as energy efficient and environmentally friendly as possible, using salvaged lumber, recycled ceramic tiles, radiant space heating, on-demand water heating, energy-efficient appliances, lots of insulation and a compact size. Barrels collect rainwater from the roof for watering the garden, and an awning over the front door is made from a recycled Porsche windshield. Solar panels were not used because of the many large trees around her property, Quayle said.

The cottage has been so energy efficient that Quayle hasn't noticed any change in her monthly gas and electric bill. She did not say how much the unit cost, but said building green did not come cheap.

"I was willing to spend more because I think it will save in energy bills in the long run," she said.

Quayle said she hopes others in San Leandro will follow her lead and build green. Just don't think about moving into her little cottage with her.

"It's perfect for one person," she said. "For two, I don't think so."

To see more photos of Quayle's cottage, visit remodelers.memberexpo.com/BIG/details.cfm?Member--ID=22.

Jason Sweeney covers San Leandro. Reach him at 510-293-2469.

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