NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carol Williams Schuler
612-338-3900/carol@habermaninc.com
NATURAL HOME MAGAZINE’S FIRST-EVER 2007 GREEN SHOW HOUSE IN BROOKLYN IS SLATED TO BE NEW YORK CITY’S FIRST AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION HEALTH HOUSE
Now under construction in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill, this historic brownstone will feature cutting-edge green remodeling techniques and healthy, sustainable materials
TOPEKA, Kansas, (Feb. 5, 2007) – Natural Home magazine is embarking on a new green building adventure in 2007: the construction of its first-ever green show house, to be completed in October. The home is also slated to be New York City’s first American Lung Association Health House. The building, a remodel of a 1920s brick pharmacy in Boerum Hill, will house two three-bedroom townhomes and feature next-generation green technologies.
Once a pharmacy, a Laundromat, a deli and until recently a site slated for demolition, the building is being transformed into one of New York’s shining examples of cutting-edge green buildings. Emily Fisher and Rolf Grimsted of R&E Brooklyn, a community-sensitive real estate developer, bought it with the intention of preserving the building’s historic façade while pushing the envelope in green design.
Green Highlights
Solar electric panels will provide electricity in the building, and an innovative hybrid solar-thermal and gas-fired system will heat and cool the home. Eco-friendly materials will include cement made from fly ash (waste from power plants), countertops made from recycled glass, bamboo flooring finished with low-VOC water-based poly, and kitchen cabinets made from sorghum stalks, a type of grass. The building’s original brick façade is being painstakingly preserved and sealed against possible toxins in a healthy, environmentally friendly manner.
Health House
Concerns about air quality issues in homes are common, considering the level of pollution inside a home can be as much as 100 times higher than outdoor levels. An American Lung Association Health House® home (www.HealthHouse.org) must meet stringent certification standards that address moisture and humidity control, energy efficiency, air filtration and ventilation, and materials emissions. The building of Natural Home’s green show house will include several site inspections during construction and performance testing upon completion.
“The green building industry has not been as active in urban settings, but that is starting to change,” said Natural Home editor-in-chief Robyn Griggs Lawrence. “We are thrilled to be working with exceptional partners on this green show house, giving our readers the latest information in sustainable design as we follow the progress of this innovative remodeling project.”
“We’re also very excited to feature a remodel rather than a new home for our first demonstration home,” Lawrence added. “Because the building is not being knocked down and taken to a landfill, all that embodied energy remains right there on the site.”
Progress on the show house, which is scheduled to be complete by October 2007, can be followed by visiting www.NaturalHomeMagazine.com/ShowHome2007.
Natural Home Green Show House Creators:
Developers: Emily Fisher and Rolf Grimsted, R&E Brooklyn
Architect: Tony Daniels, Studio A/WASA
Architectural Design: Kiss + Cathcart
Contractor: Robert Politzer, GreenStreet Construction
Natural Home Green Show House Sponsors (to date):
American Clay (www.AmericanClay.com)
American Pride Paint (www.AmericanPridePaint.com)
Kirei Board Eco-Friendly Finishing Material (www.KireiUSA.com)
Icestone Recycled-Content Countertops (www.IceStone.biz)
Warmboard Radiant Heat Subfloor (www.Warmboard.com)
About Natural Home magazine
Natural Home provides practical ideas, inspiring examples and expert opinions about healthy, ecologically sound, beautiful homes and outdoor living spaces. Natural Home is the leading publication about green living in America. Its message is stronger than ever as more Americans turn to making homes that are sustainable and healthy havens for their families.
About Ogden Publications
Ogden Publications publishes Mother Earth News, Natural Home, Utne Reader, Herbs for Health, The Herb Companion, Capper’s, Grit, American Life & Traditions, Farm Collector, Steam Traction, Gas Engine Magazine and Motorcycle Classics. The company also provides insurance and financial services and runs a network of highly successful websites. The magazines and web sites reach people interested in self-sufficiency, sustainability, rural lifestyles and memorabilia.
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