Sustainable Flooring

According to the Project Manager, this project contains:

-Ceramic tile floors that are made with recycled glass.  We picked this product because it is resilient and the glass has been recycled from old car windshields, and other post-consumer glass products.  Carpet was not used due to it ability to hold particulates and "cheapen" the air quality in the house. 

-Wood flooring is a local wood product.  FSC was not used due to the thousands of dollars it would have added to the project.  Low VOC finish will be used on the wood flooring.

-We are using cocomats (walkoff mats) at all the entries to reduce contaminants entering the house.  This will assist in better indoor air quality in the home.

FSC Lumber Makes It To Maine

Here are a few facts about the carpentry and lumber for Cranberry Ridge:

-Forest Stewardship Certification (FSC) lumber was used to frame the exterior and interior walls of the house.  This lumber is harvested from well-managed forests and can be used towards one LEED point.
-The use of framing lumber was minimized by spacing floor joists, rafters, wall studs at 24" o.c. instead of the industry standard 16". 
-We used a peel and stick sill seal material at the PT plate and low-voc caulk at all potential air infiltration susceptible locations.
-Siding and trim was purchased from a local supplier and harvested within 500 miles of the jobsite, minimizing pollution and consumption caused by excess transportation.  The siding and trim was installed in a rain-screen system (1" air space between siding and exterior wall sheathing.)  This is a very durable construction in that it minimizes the potential for water to rot the structure or enter the house and cause mold harming people within. 
-Interior trim and cabinetry materials are a combination of FSC wood and dakota-burl products which is made from recycled materials and sustainable resources.

Hancock Lumber is now carrying FSC products to supply the demand of this project.  Owners, Architects and Builders are encouraged to use this new resource in the State of Maine!

LEED Home Breaks Ground

The LEED home is approximately 3,200 square feet and will include 4 bedrooms and a two-car garage.  The house will be framed with FSC Certified lumber and will incorporate Cold Climate framing techniques as taught by Joseph Lstiburek, Ph.D., P.Eng. 

More features include Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) and Warmboard which is a one step application for the radiant flooring system.  The drywall is recycled and we will use low VOC paints and adhesives and a cellulose insulation.  The tile is made from recycled glass and doors from strawboard.  Our Millwork Division will be making the kitchen and trim.  I can't wait to see what interesting products they use!

Currently, the road is being made to the site and foundation work will begin next week.  Construction is expected to be complete by September 2006.  My plan is to keep a running progress report of this project.  Visit this site often!

"Green" Award Presented by Tom Wright

The Maine Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) held an award ceremony January 19, 2006 to honor Maine Governor John Baldacci, Maine State Housing Authority Director Dale McCormick, and University of Southern Maine President Richard Pattenaude for their outstanding leadership and contributions to the development and growth of green building in Maine.  They were honored with boxes crafted by our own Millwork Division.  The FSC cherry wood boxes with walnut accents were laser-carved with each recipient’s name and the USGBC logo. 

As a founding member and former Board member of the USGBC Maine Chapter, Tom Wright was asked to present the award to USM President Richard Pattenaude.  Tom commended Pattenaude for his leadership role in fostering a team approach to building.  This approach is evident in many of our green projects including the John Mitchell Science & Technology Center which was the first LEED building for the University.  The project was not originally designed to attain LEED Certification and it became critical to the success of the project that the team work cohesively.   

The Maine Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council is a coalition of leaders from across the building industry, including architects, engineers, contractors and suppliers, working to promote buildings that are energy efficient, environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. USGBC is a national non-profit that has brokered the development of the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for creating high performance, green sustainable buildings.