Eco-designer Robin Wilson discusses the Kennedy Green House restoration and how you can green your own home.
The family of Robert F. Kennedy had lived in their Mt. Kisco, New York, home for more than 15 years. Upon returning from a visit to their summer home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, they discovered that a flood had resulted in six inches of standing water in the space, and black mold creeping up the walls and on every surface of the home. (See slideshow)
Using the standard remediation tools of bleach and water, the clean-up began of the visible surfaces. However, unbeknownst to the family, the mold had infiltrated the crevice between the exterior and interior walls due to its proclivity for adhering to drywall. The toxic mold had also entered the heating and cooling systems, which resulted in an increase in winter respiratory issues for the children including hospitalizations for pneumonia, asthma and other maladies.
By spring, the warm air brought a resurgence of the mold spores, and the family quickly had to decide if they would use the more toxic herbicides available on the market. However, due to the possible cancer-causing agents in such products, the family decided not to use them, and ultimately realized that they were fighting a losing battle.
The family moved out of their historic home into a rental property. And then the process of rebuilding began. First hiring an architect and project manager, then a builder and interior designer — the family began the process of Green Dream Team collaboration which resulted in a masonry home that has the highest level of eco-innovation available in the market. To help with costs, the team sought sponsors for the project, resulting over $1 million of donations from leading companies who have an interest in showcasing their products to visitors — thus creating a living laboratory for those who are able to tour the space. Some of the features of the home include:
Energy efficiency: The home uses geothermal, radiant, solar, hybrid hot water heaters, passive, and fiber-optic lighting
Water efficiency: The home uses Kohler dual-flush toilets, low flow showerheads, and faucets with aerators built in that make droplets feel larger during a wash.
Low volatile organic compound paints: The paint in the home was provided by Benjamin Moore, and within one hour after painting, there is no paint smell which is great for those with chemical sensitivities.
Sustainability: The kitchen cabinetry is by Holiday Kitchens, a U.S. manufacturer that ensures that all the off-gassing is done at the factory and the paints and stains are baked into the finish. And they also plant a new tree for every tree used to make the cabinetry, while re-using all the waste wood for cutting boards or fire-starter pellets.
Flooring: There were two types of flooring installed in the home. The custom flooring used reclaimed wood from the original home which was then cut into parquets for use in the home. The engineered flooring was used in the bedrooms due to its durability and also to ensure that warp and weft would not occur due to humidity changes from the radiant heat.
Energy Star appliances: All the appliances are by Electrolux which is strongly committed to efficiency practices.
The four principles of eco-friendly design were applied throughout this project — sustainable, recyclable, renewable and non-toxic –Â and one unique example was the use of a demolition recycling firm. For a typical 2,500 square foot home, there is approximately two tons of construction waste that will end up in landfills. A firm with the project team was able to dismantle, recycle or sell the entire house to scrap dealers and the family was able to receive a substantial tax break.
Speaking of tax breaks, many homeowners do not realize that the government has a program called the Home Star program (similar to Cash for Clunkers) that provides tax credits and rebates for energy efficient home renovations, purchase of energy efficient appliances and the amounts range from $1,000 to $3,000. Its definitely worth doing a few things to your home by the end of this year to take advantage of the tax breaks available to home owners.
Learn more when you read my book – Kennedy Green House — and you will have a few tips and tools for your home, including options for materials, cleaning information and product details, plus a sneak peek into the home with beautiful photographic images.
Robin Wilson is a eco-friendly and healthy home interior designer (www.robinwilsonhome.com) focused on sustainable, reusable, recyclable and non-toxic options from the ‘foundation to the furniture’. She is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, an affiliate member of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), and she is currently studying for her LEED accreditation. She is the author of “Kennedy Green House: Designing an Eco-Healthy Home from the Foundation to the Furniture,†(Greenleaf Book Group Press, $30).
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