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!

Trip To Build Boston A Success!

Just made it back from the second annual Build Boston- Residential Design.  What a show!  Our Millwork Division was exhibiting some of their cabinets and furniture trying to expand awareness of their services in the region.  I counted almost 800 other exhibitors.  I think I talked to each one of them and I heard there were at least 8,000 attendees. 

After waiting almost 4 hours in the cold just to be let in to set up, we finally made it indoors.  The work days were long- until 8pm each night.  On the upside, I always have a great time telling the history of projects and the stories behind them.  Overall, I think it was well worth the time and effort spent attending and exhibiting although I never had the chance to make it to any seminars.  Maybe next year.

"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.