Framing Goes Up on Ed Begley's Green House

On Begley Street follows the journey of Ed Begley Jr., noted environmentalist, actor and innovator; his quick-witted wife, Rachelle; and their outspoken teenage daughter, Hayden, as they set about to build not just a new home, but one that’s focused on sustainability— and Platinum LEED-rated.

Developed by the U.S. Green Council, LEED provides a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, and maintenance solutions, with Platinum being the highest certification.  

With Begley Street, we will discover the particular requirements set forth in Leadership In Energy Efficiency Design, with which the family must comply for the house to be considered LEED-certifiied.  

We’ll follow the Begley’s as they face all the anxieties and difficulties of a new construction project— such as finding the best, most innovative materials— while exemplifying how others can make these same changes, big and small, in their own homes.  

Currently, the Begley’s are completing the steel framing.  Steel, one of the most recycled of building products (94% recycled material), has been configured for their home’s use in Fontana.  A steel-framed home, in residential construction, is still rather rare, but is a harbinger of future builds, as resources like wood, become more scarce.  

These photos are a view into a precious moment of the build, a look into the inner structure of the Begley residence, as we continue to watch it evolve and take shape in the coming months.