As printed in The Business Monthly (May, 2009) – Sometimes, what you don't see is what you get.

At least that's the case with a house on Torrent Row in Columbia, which is a new "green" home operated by The Arc of Howard County. It's likely to be the first county residence to achieve the highest level of certification in a rigorous environmental rating process.

To explain the home's extraordinary but often indiscernible features, a community reception was sponsored by the project's collaborators on April 22 – Earth Day.

While it incorporates universal design and other customized elements to meet the multiple physical needs of its four male residents, there's more of interest about the home than first meets the eye. The team of collaborators dared to ask "what if" and to envision features that go well beyond what is beneficial to the home's inhabitants to what is beneficial to the environment – and therein the home's bounty of hidden features lies.

The single-story house in Oakland Mills was erected during the course of seven months to replace an older home owned by Supportive Living Inc. Funding for the project was provided by the Howard County Department of Housing & Community Development.

The house has qualified as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) home. To explain to visitors how the project came to be certified by the LEED program, a continuous presentation played during the recent open house. Photographs were also posted around the home to explain key elements.

Some of the home's features are a rainwater recovery system, energy efficient insulation and appliances, and drought-resistant landscaping, to name a few.

"It's an incredible place," said Jim Greenfield, president of Columbia Builders and the driving force behind the project. Greenfield arranged for many of the house's subcontractors to either donate services or provide them at cost. All work by employees of his Columbia-based company was done without charge.

"My late son taught me a lot about giving and not expecting anything in return," Greenfield said of his son Mark, who died in February 2000 after many years of receiving services through The Arc.

"Building houses is what I know how to do, and so that's how I can give," he said.

The project's collaborators are hoping to achieve the highest rating offered in the LEED program, which is managed by the U.S. Green Building Council. While the home's final point tally isn't complete, it had qualified for the gold designation and is just two points shy of securing the top-level platinum rating.

Don Taylor, principal of D.W. Taylor Associates, Inc. in Ellicott City, said the project "took on a new sense of importance" as expectations were raised from achieving silver certification to gold, then platinum. Taylor's firm was responsible for architectural plans and development.

"Knowing that this home will likely receive a platinum rating and that the residents will be provided the highest level of convenience available has turned a small project into one of our most rewarding ones," he said.

Aside from its environmental aspects, the home is designed to accommodate the special needs of its residents, who require round-the-clock care. But best of all, the house will keep giving back in terms of energy efficiency and minimal upkeep, said Jay Raksin, facilities and maintenance manager for The Arc.

"It's been a privilege working with this talented and dedicated team on this project," Raksin said. "Everyone worked through the project's challenges and is pleased with the outcome."

For more information, call Kari Ebeling at The Arc of Howard County at 410-730-0638.