Photo credit: Tim Street-Porter

Materials & Resources

The project team had hoped to save considerable material resources by reusing an existing building, but they were disappointed to find much of the original frame rotten.

New materials were also selected for their environmental responsibility.

All new wood used in the project came from forests certified according to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards to have been sustainably managed. Some materials and equipment left over from old movie sets were incorporated into the building. The kitchen cabinets, for example, were salvaged from the set of the movie Ocean's 11.

Materials were also selected for their low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde and for their high levels of recycled content. Floor mats and tiles are made from recycled rubber, countertops are made from recycled glass, and veneer panels are formaldehyde free.

Where possible, other materials were substituted for wood. The building uses bamboo flooring and fiber-cement siding. Fast-growing poplar was used for some flooring.

Energy-efficient, low-mercury lamps were used to minimize mercury emissions.

In order to encourage a long life for the building, the design team chose a classic style that is less likely to fall out of fashion.

Diversion of Construction & Demolition Waste

98% of the waste generated during construction and demolition was reused or recycled.

Green Products Used

• Energy-Efficient Unitary Air Conditioning Equipment
• Low-Mercury Fluorescent Lamps
• Low-VOC Acrylic Latex Interior Paint
• Natural Linoleum Flooring
• Non-Water-Using Urinals
• Photovoltaic Collectors
• Tankless Water Heater

Green Strategies

• Protection of Global Ecosystem
  • Minimize ozone-depletion potential of refrigerants in cooling systems
• Plan for Materials Longevity
  • Use fiber-cement siding
• Toxic Upstream or Downstream Burdens
  • Use true linoleum flooring
  • Specify only low-mercury fluorescent lamps
• Post-Consumer Recycled Materials
  • Prefer insulation with high recycled content
• Pre-Consumer Recycled Materials
  • Specify floor tiles with recycled content
• Materials and Wildlife Habitat
  • Use wood products from independently certified, well-managed forests for rough carpentry
  • Specify bamboo flooring instead of hardwood
  • Use wood products from independently certified, well-managed forests for finish carpentry
• Transportation of Materials
  • Prefer materials that are sourced and manufactured within the local area