Videos - Photos - Study Plans - Show House in the News - As Seen in Natural Home Magazine
As Seen in Natural Home Magazine
January/February 2007: Part I
March/April 2007: Part II
May/June 2007: Part III
July/August 2007: Part IV
September/October 2007: Part V
November/December 2007: Part VI
January/February 2008: Part VII
March/April 2008: Part VIII
May/June 2008: Part IX
January/February 2007
Green Grows in Brooklyn: Part I
Robyn Griggs Lawrence
Now under construction in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, the Natural Home Show House will feature cuttingedge green remodeling techniques and healthy materials. Follow the progress over the next year, then come see it for yourself next fall.
History lesson: The 1920s building in a neighborhood of 19th century brownstones had served over the years as a pharmacy, a Laundromat and a deli with residences above. It had been boarded up for decades when Rolf Grimsted and Emily Fisher of R&E Brooklyn bought it. Neighbors were concerned about its structural stability, and squatters had taken over. Grimsted and Fisher wanted to preserve the building’s historic façade while pushing the envelope in green design. “We’re confronting a complicated balance between environmental concerns, preservation and building new within a historical context,” Grimsted says.
Developers with a conscience: “Rolf and Emily are exactly the kind of people who should be developing buildings,” says architect Tony Daniels of Studio A. “The typical rapacious developer would take this building down and build something cheap. They have a vision for a particular kind of housing situated to its particular context—something special and worth preserving, using today’s materials.” Going green: “Going with more sustainable systems and materials has aesthetic and practical value.
The finishes we’re considering are all beautiful to the eye and touch,” Fisher says, listing materials such as IceStone counters made from glittering, recycled glass; salvaged wood or bamboo flooring finished with natural oils or low-VOC water-based poly; and cabinets crafted from Kirei, a board made from sorghum stalks. “These homes will look, smell and feel wonderful,” she adds. “They’ll be easy on the owners’ pocketbooks because they won’t cost a lot to heat and cool. And they’ll be easy on the larger community because they’ll rely less on fossil fuel and pollute less.”
The ultimate reuse: “Because the building is not being knocked down and sent to a landfill, the embodied energy stays just where it is,” Daniels explains.
Solar access: Photovoltaic panels will provide electricity, and an innovative hybrid solar-thermal and gas-fired system will heat and cool the home. No small task: The challenges inherent in restoring an old building are monumental. The building shell, with a completely collapsed roof, was home to lead, mold, asbestos and other dangers. “When I saw the existing conditions, it shook me down to my bone marrow,” Politzer admits. “It was a very dangerous situation.” Just breathe: The house is slated to be New York’s first American Lung Association Health House (www.HealthHouse.org), meeting rigid certification standards that address moisture and humidity control, energy efficiency, air filtration and ventilation, and materials emissions. “There’s tremendous cachet in this, especially for New Yorkers after September 11, when air-quality issues became extremely important,” Politzer says. Paving the way: While New York City has made great strides in sustainability and many people predict Brooklyn will soon be a hotbed of green building, finding eco-friendly resources—and contractors willing to work with them—is still a challenge. “The green building industry just isn’t very developed in our urban context,” Grimsted says. Adds Politzer: “We’re building against the wind, but the winds are starting to change.”
March/April 2007
Green Grows in Brooklyn: Part II
Beneath a rough exterior, the Natural Home Show House in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, is taking shape.
Robyn Griggs Lawrence
Construction of the first-ever Natural Home show house—a remodel of a 1920s Brooklyn brownstone once slated for demolition—is well under way. The building is being rebuilt internally to accommodate two three-bedroom townhomes that will feature next-generation green technologies, including solar electric, solar hot water and low-VOC finishes. The house is slated to be New York’s first American Lung Association Health House (www.HealthHouse.org), meeting rigid certification standards that address moisture and humidity control, energy efficiency, air filtration and ventilation, and materials emissions.
Progress to date: The fly-ash concrete foundation has been laid, and interior framing, including the first installation of structural steel, is under way. The construction crew is framing out the new parts of the home, working quickly to get a roof on the building, which is currently open to the sky.
Clean-up complete: “We’ve finished the building clean-up, and we’ve built a superstructure to support it,” says developer Rolf Grimsted of R&E Brooklyn. “Right now, because the roof’s not on yet, we’re being very careful about moisture prevention because we’re concerned about mold.”
Preserving the facade: Grimsted and Emily Fisher, also of R&E Brooklyn, are making a conscious effort to preserve the building’s original brick shell, allowing it to sit more comfortably in the Brooklyn brownstone neighborhood. “We had to scrape away layers of toxins from a fire, from the Laundromat that was here before, and from the plaster and lead paint,” Grimsted explains. “We’ll coat the bricks with the same type of sealer we would use for lead-based paint—even though there’s no lead paint left on the bricks.”
March/April 2007
Green Grows in Brooklyn Part III
The Natural Home Show House in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, will show off cutting-edge, eco-friendly materials.
As the construction crew works on the building’s shell, the Natural Home Show House team has been busy selecting finishes for the house. Developers Rolf Grimsted and Emily Fisher are poring over samples of salvaged wood flooring, a particularly good choice to lay down over Warmboard radiant heating because the older wood already has done all of its contracting and expanding.
The first-ever Natural Home Show House—a remodel of a 1920s Brooklyn brownstone once slated for demolition—will be open to the public in October. The house is slated to be New York’s first American Lung Association Health House (www.HealthHouse.org) and will feature solar electric, solar hot water and a host of healthy, green finishes. Keep checking this site for updates on the Natural Home Show House.
Check out some of these products that will be on display in the show house:
AMERICAN CLAY PLASTERS, made from natural clays, recycled and reclaimed aggregates, and natural pigments, are a great alternative to paint.
Intricately grained KIREI BOARD, made from post-harvest stalks of sorghum plants, is perfect for crafting gorgeous cabinetry, flooring, wall coverings and furniture. Kirei creates the look and feel of wood without trees.
Manufactured next door in a daylit Brooklyn factory, ICESTONE recycled-glass-and-concrete surfacing material
is a natural for the show house. It will be used for the kitchen countertops.
WARMBOARD’s radiant heating system will turn the show home’s floors into a source of even, responsive, energy-efficient heat for the house.
Green Seal–certified AMERICAN PRIDE PAINTS are usually solvent free (zero VOC) and never contain chemicals that are suspected carcinogens.
July/August 2007
Green Grows in Brooklyn: Part IV
Watch as we shop for the most gorgeous, green interior finishes and furnishings for the Natural Home Show House in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn.
Choosing beautiful, healthy interior décor and finishes might be the most fun part of remodeling. To adorn the first-ever Natural Home Show House, we’re pleased to announce a fabulous new partner: sustainable retailer Green Depot.
Set to become New York’s first American Lung Association Health House, the 1920s Brooklyn brownstone was once slated for demolition; now it will be a showcase for cutting-edge design and the best green materials. Based right next door in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, Green Depot—which stocks and distributes environmental products up and down the East Coast—will provide finish materials for the home.
Natural Home is thrilled to work with Green Depot because we know its dedicated staff thoroughly evaluates every product, offering only the best with respect to health issues, durability, performance, lifecycle, resource depletion, and energy conservation and consumption. To learn more, go to www.GreenDepot.com.
September/October 2007
Green Grows in Brooklyn: Part V
Summer saw a burst of activity at the Natural Home Show House. Take a look at how far we've come.
Our partners, R&E Brooklyn and Green Depot, are closing in on the final push to complete the Natural Home Show House, a 1920s Brooklyn brownstone once slated for demolition. the former pharmacy and Laundromat in Boerum Hill will showcase the best practices in environmental building.
As construction winds down, we'll be hosting an "open walls" walkthrough in October, and the renovated property will be included in the Green Homes NYC tour on October 6. A shining example of the potential of green building, the Natural Home Show House is slated to be the first American Lung Association Health House in New York City; it also will be the first U.S. Green Building Council LEED-certified home in the state of New York.
Workers have completed the structural steel framework and roof, and they've laid the groundwork for the HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical and radiant "warm floor" installation. Green Depot is leading the way as we source the most innovative materials for interior finishes including soundproofing solutions for common walls and floors as well as the attenuation of street noise and mechanical systems (an environmental issue in noisy New York). Green Depot is also bringing in some of the best and brightest minds in green building and design through its 360 Network, a community of local, reputable professionals
After hitting a few construction snags, we're back on track, and the home should be ready for public tours in early 2008. Watch our future issues for updates or check out the website: www. NaturalHomeMagazine.com/ShowHouse2007.
November/December 2007
Green Grows in Brooklyn: Part VI
A year ago, we began chronicling construction of the Natural Home Show House, a former pharmacy and Laundromat in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, that will be transformed into two super-green townhomes. The project—also set to be the first American Lung Association Health House in New York—is progressing nicely.
Ready to roof: The structure is framed and mostly closed, awaiting attention from the roofer, the HVAC installer, the plumber and the electrician.
Collaborative growth: Designers Erika Doering and Erika Hanson, who recently joined the team, are using their creative expertise to make the homes more efficient and functional. In addition, architect Tony Daniels and engineer Imtiaz Mulla are working to make the house comply fully with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards.
To maximize the homes’ conformity to LEED, the team upgraded the mechanical design to operate more efficiently and bring in more filtered fresh air. The homes are on track to be the first LEED-H single-family townhouses in New York and the first LEED-H homes in Brooklyn.
Welcoming change: “One of the nice things about this building process is that we’ve remained open to evolution of the building practice and material choices,” says developer Rolf Grimsted of R&E Brooklyn. “From a management point of view, this has proved complicated, but it’s essential to maintaining the pioneering spirit with which we started. Our goal all along has been to establish a new, sustainable building practice.”
Catching the buzz: “Community support of this project has been tremendous, and our neighbors are happy with the progress,” Grimsted says. “We’re constantly getting calls and being stopped on the street as more people get interested in both the progress and the green aspect of the construction. There’s a groundswell of interest in this type of building.
January/February 2008
Green Grows in Brooklyn: Part VII
It’s been a busy few months at the Natural Home Show House in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill. In October, site developers Rolf Grimsted and Emily Fisher held an open house, halting construction for a week to transform the space into a touch-and-feel museum. More than 500 people—ranging from curious neighbors to Parsons School of Design students—saw for themselves what green building materials such as soy-based insulation and Warmboard radiant subflooring really look like.
TAKING SHAPE: After the open house, construction went back to full-steam-ahead mode. The plumber laid down the stormdrainage lines and moved on to the sanitary drainage systems (translation: toilets). Much of the radiant flooring was installed, and the structure was reinforced in preparation for laying the concrete. (Because construction is slated to continue throughout the winter, there was a major push to get the site fully enclosed before bitter weather set in.) Meanwhile, architect Tony Daniels reviewed suppliers’ shop drawings for a number of items that will be on the building’s exterior, including roof drains, sealants and slate pavers. He also continued to develop the site’s energy model to ensure that the renovated 1920s brownstone will meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.
LIGHT AND AIR: “Tony did exhaustive energy research,” says Green Depot founder Sarah Beatty, whose company will provide finish materials for the home. Among other things, Daniels conducted seasonal light and shade studies of the entire building, inside and out, to gauge optimal door and window placement. As a result of his research, he changed the positioning of certain doors and windows to achieve consistent light and air flow. (Balanced, even light is healthier and more energy efficient than having big contrasts of sun and shadow.) Daniels also enlarged the space between the original 1920s brick facade and what will soon be the outer walls of the two townhouses, so the site will have a built-in breezeway. In addition to enhancing air flow, it will provide a sound buffer and give the homeowners increased privacy.
Constant Change: Watch as the former pharmacy and Laundromat transforms into two state-of-the-art green townhouses. A new Natural Home blog will track the progress, until construction is complete. Entries will be updated every few weeks. Check it all out at www.NaturalHomeShowHouse.com.
March/April 2008
Green Grows in Brooklyn: Part VIII
When we last checked in on the Natural Home Show House in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill, crews were installing the radiant flooring and reinforcing the structure to prepare to pour concrete. The 1920s building, which is undergoing an extensive remodel, is now almost fully enclosed by DensGlass Gold paperless gypsum sheathing—chosen for its high recycled content and because it’s noncombustible as well as mold- and weather-resistant.
Roofers are preparing to pour concrete that contains a high percentage of fly ash, a byproduct from coal-fired power plants. Using fly ash reduces the need for cement production—a major source of greenhouse gas.
Learning Lab: Instructors at New York’s Parsons School of Design are using the Show House to teach architecture and interior design students about sustainability. In Nadia Elrokhsy’s Introduction to Sustainability and Environmental Design course, students are re-examining the townhouses’ design, paying particular attention to using fabric for sound attenuation.
Design Studio 3 instructor Aki Ishida challenged her students to come up with design concepts for the building using eco-friendly materials and cutting-edge green techniques.
Ishida’s students are finding cutting-edge, green products that are unfamiliar to many Americans. Their midterm projects incorporated an array of healthy furnishings and materials, among them 3form’s nontoxic ecoresin (which has a high recycled content and is 40 times stronger than glass), Oporto plank cork flooring, Plyboo (plywood made of rapidly renewable bamboo), wheatboard (made of annually renewable waste straw with low-VOC, formaldehyde-free adhesive), recycled polyester and American Clay earth plaster (breathable and dust-proof).
Creativity Blooms: One student’s design involved sticking illuminated salt pyramids into a wall to de-ionize the surrounding space. Other students created reclaimed-chopstick lamps, plastic coffee-cup-lid chandeliers and recycled-plastic lumber posts made from old milk jugs.
Follow the Show House’s progress via blog entries, updated articles and videos at www.NaturalHomeMagazine.com.
May/June 2008
Green Grows in Brooklyn: Part IX
The Natural Home Show House weathers a tough New York winter.
Things are happening at the Natural Home Show House at the corner of Nevins and Pacific streets in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill. The roof is on, and four of the building’s small outside decks are in place. The windows and rooftop solar panels have yet to be installed, so the interior is still exposed to the elements—and at times, wintry weather slowed construction to a veritable crawl. Construction crews have spent a lot of time battening down the hatches and vacuuming accumulated rainwater off of floors and other interior surfaces that could be damaged by moisture.
Topping things off: Architect Tony Daniels of Cycle Architecture in Brooklyn chose two different materials for the roof. Traffic surfaces—those meant to be walked upon—will be covered in Schluter-Systems insulating sheets topped with pavers set in mortar. The Schluter sheets’ waffle-print design gives them a high insulation value and allows moisture to drain, preserving the building material below. Because the sheets drain so well, the pavers can be set in a very thin bed of mortar—important because the Show House is extremely close to reaching its height limit. (New York City has strict zoning laws when it comes to height. Inches count!) Roof surfaces that won’t be trod upon will be covered with a conventional bitumen sheet, which has a 25-year warranty. "The durability of a roof is very important to sustainability," Daniels says. "Anything that gets water damage will ultimately have to be removed and thrown away."
Water, water everywhere: With the roof more or less in place, the push to install the building’s storm drains has begun. "New York City’s sewer system is notoriously overburdened," Daniels says. "It’s an old combined-sewer system, meaning that rainwater, sewage from people’s toilets and industrial wastewaters all go through the same pipes. In times of heavy rain, the system overflows, the runoff combines with raw sewage, and it all gets dumped into the waters around New York." (Obviously, this is bad for the environment and public health.) To mitigate the Show House’s sewer contribution, Daniels hit on a simple solution: rain barrels. Two of them will be installed—one on the second floor and one on the third—and the homeowners will be able to use the collected rain to water plants and irrigate their rooftop gardens.
What’s on tap? Next, crews will install all interior pipes and ducts, finish the subfloors and put in the windows. Once the building is sealed, the interior framing work can begin. At the same time, work on the building’s limestone-veneer exterior will continue.