NRG Barriers, Inc. of Saco, Maine, has become the first polyisocyanurate foam insulation manufacturer to totally phase out CFC-11 use in a complete product line. As of January 1, 1993, 100% of NRG’s commercial roofing insulation products will be produced with HCFC-141b, according to Technical... Read more

In what is described as a major policy change, the Western Wood Products Association (WWPA) is launching a campaign to emphasize the environmental benefits of wood and appeal to growing public awareness about the environment. “We want the [building] industry to know that we’re concerned about the... Read more

from NAHB

With the upcoming release of its booklet

What Remodelers Need to Know and Do About Lead, the Remodelers Council of the National Association of Home Builders is providing a valuable service. The booklet, to judge by a late draft, will be effective in educating builders and remodelers about the dangers... Read more

Lumber from 100% recycled plastic has been around for several years now. Due to the large number of companies making recycled plastic lumber (currently about 22 in the U.S.), and the range of processes and feedstocks used, product quality varies greatly. ARW Polywood comes strongly recommended by contractors who’ve used it.

... Read more

CoHousing development—is it sustainable? Kathleen O’Brien thought maybe; I think yes. Yes because CoHousing offers another scale of social organization—an intermediate scale between the single family and the town or municipality—thereby expanding the palette of technologies that can be applied. It does this simply by being a... Read more

On November 25th, international delegates in Copenhagen, Denmark, completed negotiations on a second major revision to the Montreal Protocol for the phaseout of ozone-depleting substances. Under the Copenhagen Amendments, the schedule for eliminating CFCs is moved up to January 1, 1996, four years ahead of the schedule... Read more

Richard L. Crowther, Butterworth Architecture, 80 Montvale Ave., Stoneham, MA 02180; 617/438-8464 (800/366-2665 for orders). 1992, $39.95.

Richard Crowther is clearly committed to understanding and practicing “ecologic architecture” in every way possible. The scope and breadth of material in this book is remarkable... Read more

Steve Loken has been building houses and enjoying the Montana wilderness for fifteen years. In the mid-’80s, Steve began to see a conflict. The forests he so enjoyed were disappearing, the houses going up were getting bigger and bigger, and the lumber they had available to them was getting worse and worse. Out of that realization grew the idea... Read more

for Roof Sheathing

An emergency ordinance amending the South Florida Building Code to deal with the devastation wrought by Hurricane Andrew includes a provision requiring that only

5/

8" or thicker plywood be used for roof sheathing. The provision applies both to repairs and new roofs, and... Read more

The Naturally Elegant Home (see review, page 14), are proliferating nationwide. One innovative item, introduced last year by Feeny Manufacturing Company, replaces the common corner-cabinet lazy susan with three rotating bins for separating recyclables. The... Read more

with Resource Efficient Construction

The ReCraft 90 demonstration house built last year in Missoula, Montana by Steve Loken has received a great deal of attention for its use of leading-edge building materials. Concerned with dwindling supplies of solid, large-dimension timber, Loken chose to use... Read more

By Janet Marinelli with Robert Kourik. Little, Brown & Co., 1992. 230 pages, hardcover, $45.

This book skillfully combines a “how-to” approach to sustainable home-building and remodeling, with an inspiring array of case studies and beautiful photographs showcasing environmental design strategies. Clearly reflecting the author’s first... Read more

In October, 1871, in small barn on Chicago’s Southwest Side, Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a kerosene lantern. The tinder-dry wood-frame building ignited in a fire that destroyed half of Chicago. Devastating fires were not new to our nation, but this was exceptional. Something had to be done. We had to begin building structures... Read more

As the plight of forests gets more attention, the number of groups and organizations that have taken on the task of certifying sustainable forestry practices has multiplied. With this proliferation, a need has emerged to coordinate the different certification efforts and establish... Read more