– Homeowners today want to be good stewards of the environment and also care for their families’ health and well-being. They don’t know how to design, build, or furnish their homes in a way that is eco-friendly and health-enhancing.
“Many responsible consumers are uncertain what a ‘sustainable’ product or material is,”Linda Jovanovich, American Hardwood Information Center, notes. www.hardwoodinfo.com.
“It simply means the particular resource is self-replenishing – something we can use freely now without fear that its supply will run out in the future. Since American hardwood forests renew themselves almost twice as fast as they are harvested, the U.S. supply of hardwoods for flooring, furniture, cabinetry, and millwork is sustainable now and for generations to come.”
American hardwood is sustainable and plentiful. It is also carbon neutral. American hardwood grows in the atmosphere and absorbs carbon dioxide. The oxygen is returned to the environment and used to create roots and trunks and branches. The long-term reduction of carbon is possible by using natural American hardwoods in a home.
Hardwood can also be beneficial for a household’s well-being.
Hadley Williams, an artist, remodeled her California family home in the Bay Area. She asked Michael McCutcheon, Andrew Mann, and Sherry Williamson for help. They designed a sleek, eco-friendly residence that was both functional and beautiful. The plain-sawn American oak was used to wrap the floors, ceilings and casework of the gutted interiors. This created a wonderful balance between aesthetics, sustainability and healthfulness.
This was the priority. Every building product was checked for more than 900 chemicals that could be harmful. Solid timber was able to avoid harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are found in laminate glues. This effort led to the house being awarded LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Stephanie Horowitz, an architect based in Boston, ZeroEnergy Design, is another expert in creating eco-friendly, contemporary homes that are family-friendly.
“We regularly specify domestic, sustainably harvested hardwood floors,”She says.
“When paired with a non-VOC finish, a hardwood floor helps maintain healthy indoor-air quality while allowing us to support local business and overall environmental health.”
She recently designed a house for a client that wanted a comfortable and healthy living space in a traditional area. Horowitz achieved LEED-platinum certification by installing quarter-sawn white oak floors and choosing other durable materials and finishes that have low or no VOCs. This also ensured that the house’s inhabitants are able to breathe easily.
Visit www.hardwoodinfo.comLearn more about sustainability and healthfulness of American hardwoods products and home applications.
