KKC brings Bank of Manhattan home.

Kim Komick (KKC Development, Inc.), John Starr (Starr Design Group) and Bank of Manhattan team up to bring life to their new Eco friendly branch in the heart of Manhattan beach. The branch being built by Kim Komick includes a green roof, a green wall, energy efficient prodema@  siding, and a water conscious landscape.  It will serve as a downtown branch for the Bank whose newly completed headquarters is on Rosecrans.  Sustainable building is imperative so we can maintain the beauty of our town with as little impact as possible to the ecosystems and water fronts.  Scheduled to open right before the summer 2012 Bank of Manhattan will be one of the most looked forward additions in the community.

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Water Conservation: Another Trend to Watch

Residential water use accounts for more than half of the publicly supplied water in the United States. As a result, the EPA has finalized the voluntary WaterSense specification for new homes in December of 2009, which reduces water use by about 20 percent compared to a conventional new home. This is achieved by installing specially designed shower heads, toilets, faucets, and even landscape irrigation practices, which are all made to conserve water.

Managing water is a growing concern in our daily lives. Communities across the country are starting to face challenges regarding water supply and water infrastructure. Many of the states that have projected population growth increases also have higher per capita water use.

Houses built with the new homes specifications include WaterSense labeled toilets and bathroom faucets and ENERGY STAR labeled appliances and other water-efficient features indoors, as well as water-efficient landscaping outdoors. WaterSense labeled homes are built to use 20 percent less water than conventional new homes.

KKC Fine Homes is active in this movement, and we provide our clients with every opportunity to choose wisely when it comes to Water Sense.

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KKC and Dean Nota: Creating Together

Olivares Project

KKC Fine Homes has teamed up with local Architect, Dean Nota, to design and build a single family residence for longtime residents of Manhattan Beach. The Olivares house has undergone an 8-9 month planning process, and it will entail a modern style construction, with a clean and an open living plan, level changes, and an abundance of light.

Dean Nota graduated from Southern California Institute of Architecture in 1973. Nota went on to design the much recognized Marsh Residence in 1988, in Hermosa Beach, CA. He has been featured in many forums, books, and periodicals. Nota is known for his sculptural building plans, which are gorgeous and light filled.

“Living in a modern house is a choice of lifestyle”, says Nota, and “the most important thing for a client to do is to take some time to figure out how they want to live and what they need, and then find someone who understands that”

With all the focus on “green living”, Nota says in his Beach magazine interview, “The ultimate green building is a modern building, with the idea of doing more with less”. In June 2007, Nota created the Harless residence, which was subsequently featured in the book, “Green is Beautiful: Building Sustainable Houses”, by Claudio Santini.

Our current collaboration with Mr. Nota is sure to be yet another work of art, and we are confident that Manhattan Beach will yet again appreciate the concept of Southern California modernism.

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Another Green Trend: The Eco-District Community

An Eco-District is defined as: “an integrated and resilient district or neighborhood that is resource efficient; captures, manages, and reuses a majority of energy, water, and waste on site; is home to a range of transportation options; provides a rich diversity of habitat and open space; and enhances community engagement and wellbeing”.

Portland is already on the bandwagon with this one, encouraging the creation of greener communities where residents have access to most services and supplies within walking or biking distance. These areas would also incorporate green spaces and green certified buildings. The creation of walkable, low impact communities in the suburban setting is rapidly gaining steam.

Many of us in the beach cities already live within walking distance of stores and merchants. Riding a bike to the local market is common. We have the benefit of smaller communities, and the idea of an eco-district is certainly within the realm of possibility. This green building trend seems to fit right in with our beach lifestyle. KKC Fine Homes is constantly working to find ways in which we can serve our community, and this is another trend we support.

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Green Building Trends Are Taking Over

We have talked quite a bit about Green living and building in concurrence with this trend. Earth Advantage Institute has released “Top Green Building Trends” and we are very excited to bring these ideas to you.

Energy conservation has been a concern of homeowners for many reasons in the past, and now, more than ever, we are hearing how our clients are conscious of this. There are a lot of ways to save energy, but one of the more recent concepts is called a “smart grid”. This device uses custom and web-based display panels to show real-time home energy use, and even real-time energy use by individual appliances.

We will continue to discuss these exciting new trends in the coming months. Topics will include such things as reclaimed flooring, water conservation, and eco-district communities.

Our beach is precious to us, and everything that we can do to help conserve our beautiful community is a step towards preserving and honoring that. KKC Fine Homes uses only the best designers and architects in order to provide our clients with options which serve the community, as well as their individual needs.

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Storage Space: Another Trend We Like

Lack of adequate storage causes a myriad of problems

Can you ever have too much storage? Sure, you can increase the storage in your home by adding shelves, installing cabinets, and buying wardrobes and armoires. But the best time to think about storage is while you are building or remodeling your home.

One way to increase storage space is by looking up. As in, higher ceilings, and taller cabinets. A kitchen or great room can be designed to accommodate this easily. Many homebuilders are incorporating this into their designs, as the demand increases. We also find storage under the stairs, and in the attic.

The garage is also an important part of today’s home storage design. Many people, especially two-car families, have at least one SUV, and the largest of these vehicles would not fit in a standard garage. Additionally, with our active beach lifestyles, garage storage is essential for the variety of surfboards, bicycles, and exercise equipment which we collect.

KKC Fine Homes is committed to helping you to find the right design for your home storage needs, and beyond. Our talented team will create beautiful storage solutions which are tailored to your, and your family’s, needs.

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KKC Partners With Reuse Network

Workers remove items from 112 Manhattan Avenue

As we discussed in the previous segment, Reuse Network and KKC Fine Homes has partnered to deconstruct the 112 Manhattan Avenue property in an eco-conscious way. The process of deconstruction is commonly misunderstood, and most people don’t realize how easy it is to donate their homes in this way.

You might assume that this process is much more time-consuming than the standard demolition. In fact, it is only slightly longer. Most jobs take approximately 3 weeks to complete. Reuse Network works directly with your contractor in order to make the duration of the job as short as possible for you.

You might also be under the misconception that your house couldn’t possibly be worth donating. In fact, almost all houses have something to donate. At the same time, you can feel good about keeping reusable materials out of landfills, and into the hands of someone who can make good use of them.

KKC Fine Homes is very pleased with the deconstruction process, now completed. Every step we take is mindful of preserving our beautiful beach community, as well as serving our clients as efficiently as possible.

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Universal Design: Something for Everyone

These kids might need an outdoor shower ........

Universal design means creating spaces that meet the needs of all people, young and old, able and disabled. From the arrangement of the rooms to the choice of colors, many details go into the creation of accessible spaces. Working with talented and creative designers, we can help you to build a space which works for a variety of situations.

No matter how beautiful, your home will not be comfortable or appealing if you cannot move freely through its rooms. Even if everyone in the family is able-bodied, a sudden accident or the long-term effects of illness can create mobility problems or visual impairments.

Many things go into developing a floor plan and custom touches. Make sure you provide plenty of floor space, and include tables or counters that are a variety of heights to accommodate standing, seating, and a range of different tasks. Be aware of installing mirrors and cabinets in a way that they may be reached by a child or a person in a wheelchair.

Working together, we can provide you with many different options, which best suit your individual needs, as well as take into account needs which may arise in the future. KKC Fine Homes and the designers we work with are pleased to offer suggestions and services to make your beach dwelling the best it can be for you.

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Reuse Network and KKC Give Back to the Community

Workers disassemble 112 Manhattan Avenue

As part of the building process, demolition is necessary. However, KKC Fine Homes has discovered a way in which this generally wasteful process can actually benefit the community, as well as save the environment, at no additional cost. The company is called Reuse Network, and they are a non-profit organization, specializing in deconstruction. Deconstruction is the careful dismantling and reclaiming of a structure’s reusable, finished materials and rough lumber.

Miles McGray, South Bay representative for Reuse Network, states, “Part of our mission is to keep reusable materials out of the landfills.” McGray explains that, in partnering with companies such as Habitat For Humanity, all sides benefit. Working directly with the builders and contractors, Reuse brings in a team to collaborate and disassemble the structure in an efficient and environmentally-friendly way.

This week, we will be talking more about this company, and some common misconceptions the public might have about the process of deconstruction. We are excited that we have found yet another way to preserve our beautiful beach and still offer the same great service to our clients.

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Could Your Home Be Making You Sick?

One of the great ironies of the twentieth century is that the very technologies intended to enhance our well-being have often undermined our health. Chemical additives, mass produced synthetics, and composite construction materials all have the potential to make us sick. Breathing in toxic fumes every day can have devastating health effects.

The healthy home nurtures those who dwell inside and also protects the world beyond its walls. Designed with sensitivity for the environment, it is energy-efficient, economical, sustainable, and non-polluting.

You don’t need to set up housekeeping in a monolithic dome or an earth-sheltered dwelling to live in harmony with nature. Even the most traditional home can be adapted to incorporate the key principles of healthy design.

Living at the beach, every day that we watch a sunset, or enjoy the ocean, we see the importance of preserving this wonder of nature. KKC Fine Homes would like to help you build the healthy home of your dreams.

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