With an unusable concrete hot tub in the back, a cramped kitchen and an aging interior, Steve and Erin Buss knew the mid-century modern home they purchased needed an overhaul.
     
The house, built in 1951, touted appropriately time-worn windows, a lack of insulation in key areas as well as energy and water-wasting fixtures.
   
 “We wanted to do a renovation that was lasting and smart and efficient,” Steve says.
     
The couple, who have two young children—Audrey, 3, and Owen, 2—began discussing their options and the need for a home with livable spaces as well as good indoor air quality.
     
They talked about their ideas with the realtor who sold them the home. He suggested they partner with the Minnesota chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). After 16 months and more than 30 interior designers, an architect, builder and landscaping firm, the Busses have a completely remodeled house that served as this year’s ASID Showcase Home.
     
The Edina home was chosen as this year’s showcase project in part because of its style and the couple’s focus on going green, says Karen Soojian, senior interior designer from Gabberts and chair of the ASID Showcase Home steering committee.
     
There are many houses in the Twin Cities built in the mid-century modern style, Soojian says, and this project presented an opportunity to show what interior designers can do without having to add a huge addition to a home and expand its footprint.
     
The designers volunteered more than 300 hours of time to the project and worked with the Busses to stay true to their desires and budget. The family requested clean lines and a mid-century look without the funky, avant-garde style specific to that era. They opted for a more reserved, sophisticated twist, Soojian says.
     
The focus, however, was always on the environment. The house is pending Minnesota GreenStar certification. When approved, it will become the ASID’s first certified home, meaning a third-party has designated the property a more efficient and healthy home. The certification mandates that the remodeling process incorporate an environmentally sensitive design and use environmentally sensitive construction techniques.
     
In the Buss’ home, that meant recycling everything that could be recycled instead of sending it to a landfill. Special dumpsters were brought in so construction materials were recycled and whenever possible, parts of the existing home were used. In addition, the working appliances and fixtures were donated to local charities including Habitat for Humanity.
     
Builder Nick Walton, of Reuter Walton Construction, says new construction materials going into the home were equally scrutinized. Also, he says, the house has been prepped for future construction, allowing the family to eventually turn the garage and/or three-season porch into additional and handicapped-accessible living spaces that will allow the house to grow with the family into the future.
     
Mike Williams, executive director of Minnesota GreenStar, says the ASID home raises awareness of the Minnesota GreenStar Certification process and shows that people don’t have to sacrifice good design to reduce their impacts on the environment.
   
 “It’s a very realistic example of how green can be mainstreamed,” Williams says. “You can do the right thing and still have your choice.”