Spring Home Improvement

The green spring kitchen home 2

iulsterm publishing’srovement insider’s guide to e verything at h ome • a pril 2009

The green home

Zero-energy homes ... pg. 10 Rebates and incentives ... pg. 12 The relationship between costs and benefits ... pg. 24 M ichael G old / T he c orporaTe Not your i father’s cardboard ... pg. 30 MaGe

also: Joe Bevilacqua’s Conversations modest lifestyle ... pg. 16 with three Indoor air quality ... pg. 22 green architects ... pg. 6 Ulster co-housing ... pg. 28 Page 2 • April, 2009 Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement

Two appliances that should not be used in a green kitchen are the garbage disposal and the microwave. Trash disposals use “an incredible amount How green was my galley of water,” she said. Microwaves emit, obviously, microwaves, and many people don’t stay the safe distance of four to six feet away from them while There’s a lot to consider if you want an ecological kitchen they are running. Also, Welton said the high energy By Dan Barton of microwave ovens has another, more insidious ning green and then executing green, with envi- effect. “They cook the food from the inside out, he kitchen is the very essence of “home.” In ronmentally sound materials and techniques, is making the DNA unintelligible to our systems.” most houses, it is the lexis, where cooking, the way to go. Speaking of radiation, stay away from granite eating and conversation all take place. And, In the case of a retrofit, the first place to start, ac- countertops, Welton warns. They undoubtedly are Twhen it comes to wanting to be more green, cording to Welton, is at your most energy-draining attractive, but granite emits radiation — it’s like it is the place where many people start. appliance — the refrigerator. bringing a radon problem up from the basement “Greening anything is very comprehensive,” said “The refrigerator generally is nine percent of into a home’s central living space. Janus Welton, a Woodstock-based architect who the energy-use picture,” Welton said, noting that Materials are important, too, both for the health of specializes in green kitchens and teaches classes converting from a model made several years ago the ecosystem and the health of the family using on the subject. “It goes way beyond choosing green to an Energy Star-rated model can take a big bite the kitchen, Welton believes. “There are over 80,000 materials. Even greening one room in the house out of electric bills instantaneously. chemicals that have been unleashed into our build- is a very comprehensive project.” Another easy step, she said, “is going to all green, ing materials since World War II,” she said. If you are building from scratch, she said plan- organic and natural cleaning products.” She cautioned that many materials used in floor-

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a susTainable kiTchen May never have been preTTier. in This kiTchen froM berkeley Mills, The furniTure is Made froM baMboo, jarrah (a susTainably harvesTed ausTralian wood) and recycled Glass counTerTops. and The Type of food you prepare on TheM is every biT as iMporTanT. usinG local producTs, however, would Make iT ThaT Much Greener. The green diet ing, counters and cabinetry contain hidden toxins remodels,” she said. “It represents a very wise l which emit or outgas for a long time after they are investment for their resale value.” Gretchen Primack, a Hurley resident, poet, installed. “What makes a room toxic is all the adhesives,” she said, suggesting remodelers seek out soy-based glues. And they must be specified to be green. If in doubt, obtain the Material Data Safety =(1$6,7(6(59,&(6 Sheet (MSDS), which will list the components for a given material. Given the complexity and variety of kitchens, Welton said it is impossible to estimate the cost for a “typical” green renovation. They can be expensive, she said, but she suggested the cost can be recouped when the home is sold. “People spend between $10-$15,000 to $60,000 on these

On the cover he “green” house featured on our &RPSDFW%DFNKRH:RUN Tcover was designed in stages, first by Peter Reynolds, senior de- 0DWHULDO'HOLYHU\ signer at Ashokan Architecture and Planning, in the 1990s with a recent /RZ,PSDFW7LJKW4XDUWHUV addition designed by architect Brad Will, the firm’s owner. Made of local 7UHQFKLQJ'ULYHZD\5HSDLU6LWH3UHSDUDWLRQ materials and using EnergyStar ap- *UDYHO%DUQ3DGV0DWHULDO+DQGOLQJ pliances, the contextual modern design incorporates a metal roof which :HGHOLYHU« has a 50-year life and will reduce heat gain. The section between the *UDYHO6WRQH0XOFK7RS6RLO older building and the new additions features a “green” roof that is planted 7RGG:ROJDPXWK with sedum. 5HDVRQDEOH5DWHV)UHH(VWLPDWHV 6&+('8/(($5/< Page 4 • April, 2009 Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement teacher, activist and “happy vegan,” believes that age and water pollution are tremendous,” Primack According to Primack, a United Nations report on having an environmentally responsible kitchen said. “The amount of land to be stripped, including the environment in late 2006 found the livestock can best be achieved not only through gadgetry in the rainforest, to feed all of these animals is sector generates more greenhouse gas emis- and technology, but also by eliminating meat and tremendous. The runoff from animal agriculture is sions worldwide than all transportation combined, meat products. what causes these outbreaks of E. coli. We blame including fuel-guzzling airplanes. And people are “There are a multitude of environmental concerns the spinach, but it’s not the spinach. It’s the poultry consuming more meat and dairy products every when it comes to animal agriculture. The water us- farm up the road.” year. Global meat production is projected to more than double from 1999 to 2050, while milk output is set to nearly double. With animal agriculture among the top causes of global warming, it makes little sense to drive a Prius and eat hamburgers, she emphasized. One could drive a Hummer and still be more environmentally responsible if the individual was a vegan. For those of us who really love meat, eggs and dairy, going vegan is a hard path to follow. Primack understands that. “People are resistant to education on this. We tend to think of food as personal, as cultural, not as political. People feel that changing what they put in their bodies is this very radical thing to do.” But she quotes the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a not-for-profit organization that advocates vegan diets for health reasons. “They said something that made so much sense to me,” Primack said. “We don’t consider it radical to put someone under anesthesia, cut them open, scrape out and remove parts of their arteries…but we do consider it radical to say, ‘No more cheese.’” It’s also easier than ever to be a vegan now, she said. “We live in a time where it is actually very simple. You can get the tofu sour cream or you can get the regular sour cream. You can get the bologna or the fake bologna. It’s not rocket science. It’s not hard.” Those who are interested in making the change can draw from the Internet to get themselves started. “There are thankfully and joyfully so many websites: tryveg.com, Chooseveg.com, Goveg.com. All of Saturday April 4th • 9am to 3pm these organizations will provide people with free starter kits, recipes, and resources.” Primack has been a vegetarian since she was a See whats new... young teenager, but went vegan just a few years and try it out too! ago. “I really didn’t get it. I thought cows were always filled with milk and needed Farmer Brown to help them out. Well, no, like any mammal, including a human or a dog, you have to be pregnant and 6SULQJ give birth to have breast milk. So what happens to the baby? The baby goes to the veal farm. So we have this whole industry that’s set up around the by-product of the milk industry.” Primack’s upbeat, cheerful and positive approach contrasts with the stereotyped sourness of some advocates. “To me, thinking about this stuff, it’s a very holistic thing; I care about living beings,” she said. “I care about human living beings…and I care about the animals we share the planet with and I care about the plants we share the planet with. That TRACTORS philosophy leads me to the choices that I make. It’s not a matter of being strident or bitter. I just want to CHAINSAWS live kindly. And living kindly means not participating in unnecessary brutality. That brutality is toward COMMERCIAL animals, but it’s also environmental brutality.” POWER TOOLS What goes out For Melissa Everett, executive director of Sustain- One Day Special pricing able Hudson Valley, controlling the waste stream is a fundamental component of any green kitchen. Wood cutting demos “I go crazy in supermarkets to reduce packaging, myself,” Everett said. “But what I find works is that Hands-on opportunities and you make some decisions before you go in there. tractor test drives for those You have to fight back against the mind-numbing quality of the supermarket experience. Go for a more attending personalized store, where you can choose reduced packaging, so that you’re not generating the waste Light refreshments in the first place…Buy what you’re going to use and Lime Rock Park don’t buy what you’re not going to use.” Doing what everyone else does is not the way to Grand Prize drawing go green, Everett said. “One thing that you don’t 1909 2009 think about is that if you’re buying three potatoes, Manufacturer reps will be on site you don’t need a bag. I just sort of say, ‘What’s the 00TH ANNI 1 VERSARY RP minimum packaging that I can actually, coherently All equipment will be outdoors VF ZZZKHU]RJ live with. And I don’t worry about looking eccentric, Must be 18 years or older to operate all power equipment KINGSTON PLAZA 845-338-6300 www.herzogs.com because I’m not concerned with that. Find what your No purchase required to enter drawing OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE comfort level is, and go a little beyond it.” Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement April, 2009 • Page 5

Using space efficiently is important too, Everett said. “I’ve lived in a lot of small spaces, so I tend to have a real conviction that it’s worth it to get organized, so I speak from that bias. It’s so much less painful to organize yourself than to have to struggle with decisions.” As with many transformative experiences, the idea is to begin incrementally. “Set some goals that you can measure,” Everett suggested. “I want to have one bag of trash a month. I want the volume of food to visibly exceed the volume of packaging. I would start from there.” l For more information and more green kitchen tips from Janus Welton, go to www.janusweltondesign- works.com. Contact Sustainable Hudson Valley and Melissa Everett at (845) 384-1061 or www. sustainhv.org.

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Page 6 • April, 2009 Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement ‘Beyond the technical into inspiration’ Conversations with three of the region’s green architects

By Andrea Barrist Stern

he author of Ecclesiastes wrote, “There is no new thing under the sun.” Given how long ago he wrote it, he can M

T l e a h c i be forgiven for his lack of foresight and his pessimism that our charac- ter and achievements do not affect G our fate. At this moment in time, d l o however, the scientific community is / T in agreement that how we continue e h to use the earth’s resources will very C much determine our fate. a r o p r o Ulster Publishing asked three t of the region’s LEED-accredited e I architects, who specialize in green m a g architecture, to discuss what is e cutting-edge in new construction, retrofits and materials because there is, indeed, a great deal that is new under the sun. Brad Will established Ashokan Architecture and Planning, a full- service architectural and interior design firm located in Kingston, seven years ago. Barry Price started the firm bearing his name in Woodstock in 1994 and has since completed commissions throughout New York, New Jersey, Western Massachusetts, Boston and Califor- nia. Joe Mahota, owner of Mahota Ar c h i t e c t Br a d Wi l l o f As h o k a n Ar c h i t e c t u r e a n d Pl a n n i n g a t t h e To n n e r Do l l Co m p a n y in Associates in the Albany area, is Ki n g s t o n , a b u i l d i n g t h a t h a d s a t d e r e l i c t a n d u n u s e d f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s b e f o r e h e r e d e s i g n e d it f o r also a USGBC-certified (U.S. Green t h e n e w o w n e r . “On e o f t h e f i r s t t h i n g s o n t h e g r e e n a g e n d a ,” s a i d Wi l l , “is t o r e u s e .” Building Council) LEED trainer. Green technology may keep changing but these it is sited; thetightness of the building’s “envelope;” beginning to gain acceptance in rural areas. “You experts agree there are some basics to green the energy systems; lighting and appliances; a can tuck a house into the landscape and reduce design: how a building respects the land on which sustainable landscape; and even farming to make the visual bulk of the building,” he pointed out. use of available cropland. If the design is for a new Shallow green roofs, which are more cost-effective building, its orientation and integration with the sur- than deeper ones, are generally planted with sedum FUTONS rounding land is the place to start. And, whenever and are designed to self-irrigate, holding a certain possible, old buildings should be preserved and amount of rainwater. FUTON FRAMES retrofitted — or their materials reused — because reuse is a cornerstone of green building. The envelope Still Best Prices The outer shell of the any green home, new or The site retrofitted, needs to be well insulated and well Still Best Sevice Truly green architecture involves a “holistic ap- sealed, and designed with high-performance win- proach,” where the land is as important as the dows that will keep out the ultraviolet rays. A tight building, Will pointed out. His firm has been in- envelope can also enable the heating and cooling Still Free Local corporating farming into some larger parcels with system to be downsized. Delivery the owners either growing the crops themselves “You lower your operating costs to such a degree or leasing acreage to outside farmers. “People that whatever upgrade is made will pay for itself,” become much more aware of where the food is said Will. “You are getter a much better return on NOW ONLINE coming from when they see it being grown outside your investment — 10-15 percent; it can be 20 their windows,” he noted. percent — than the stock market offered in its “The notion is you can design a building that is in better days.” balance with the landscape instead of dominating With both retrofits and new buildings, owners can WWW.FOREIGNWIDE.COM it,” said Price, who has become interested in “green opt for blown-in foam or cellulose insulation in attic roofs,” an idea that has already been embraced spaces and wall cavities, according to the architects. 845-430-2027 as an urban solution to control run-off but is just A cotton fiber product made from recycled denim is also gaining popularity as an insulating material, replacing the older fiberglass batting. Woodstock Landscaping Windows should be double- or triple glazed and Supplies & Nursery 845-679-0312

7KH7LPHOHVV%HDXW\RI6WRQH 845-339-7399 LEXLYNN, Inc. 3DYLQJ6WRQHDQG5HWDLQLQJ:DOO6SHFLDOLVWV (VWLPDWHVIRU:DONZD\V3DWLRV 101 Basin Rd., West Hurley PICK UP OR DELIVERY 'ULYHZD\V 3RRO'HFNV Please Call 845.464.1745 Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement April, 2009 • Page 7 the panels between them should be gas-filled to combat thermal transference. All major window manufacturers offer sashes that will enable you to insert replacement windows, according to Will. “You Benjamin Realty literally pop out the windows down to the frames,” he said. “The sashes come in a variety of sizes. 845.679.2808 • www.BenjaminRealtyNY.com The contractor might have to do some shimming. Debra Benjamin Licensed Real Estate Broker • [email protected] It’s usually an easy job.” Heat film for existing windows is also widely available to minimize heat gain and to avoid having to cool the space more than is necessary, Mahota pointed out. “The film knocks down the UV rays, which can also damage furniture and fine art. Sold at most building supply stores, it is “a very real solution to excessive utility bills,” Mahota said. An adequate amount of film for a single-story ranch shouldn’t cost more than $200, he added. Structural insulated panels (SIPS) that come complete with interior wall board, insulation and exterior sheathing are increasingly being used instead of traditional wood stud framing, according to the architects. Door and window openings can be cut at the factory. The large panels, however, must be carefully linked together to form a waterproof seal and should be installed by licensed installers. A similar product is ICF (insulated concrete form), cast-in-place reinforced-concrete walls that consist of insulation on the outside and inside and a poured Westchester Modular Homes Approved Builder concrete core. Approximately one foot thick, the walls are quiet and can be an important element in the creation of a zero energy house. ICF is also used for foundations and basement walls. Straw bale construction is effective but still rare in this area, according to Will. “It isn’t on the radar,” he acknowledged. “When people think of houses, they don’t think of straw. Straw reminds them of The Three Little Pigs.” When installed properly, however, the straw is packed so tightly, the structure is virtu- ally fireproof because of the lack of air circulation in the walls. It can be finished with cement plaster, fiber cement or wood siding. “It’s also very quiet, has a nice cozy feeling and you are recycling materials,” said Will. “[The envelope is] the first line of defense and it includes the roof and the foundation as well,” H&H emphasized Will. Where the foundation was once insulated two feet in from the wall, the entire under- slab is now insulated to increase the tightness of l the envelope, he said. Environmental Price brings in a building performance professional for every renovation to do a diagnostic test of the envelope. He often calls in a professional to test new construction as well in order to create a baseline against which to gauge improvements. Construction “They are able to tell how tight a house is by and Consulting Indoor Air Quality Testing and Mold Removal

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Matthew Flamhaft www.hhenvironmental.com 845-626-7022 Page 8 • April, 2009 Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement pressurizing the building and residential wind turbines will be using an infrared camera,” Price “a very viable option” before too noted. “What you may think the much longer. problems are is not necessarily what they really are. I was able Other neat stuff to improve my own house by 20 Don’t forget a composting bin, percent.” Price said a building emphasized Mahota. “Compost- performance consultant gener- ing bins are huge,” he said. “One ally charges about $400 to $500 of my personal bents is to over- and will also test appliances for come the staggering amount carbon monoxide output and the of waste that is generated… boiler for efficiency. Hundreds of years are required to produce top soil but we can Lighting generate top soil from our gar- LED, an electronic light source bage and can see a garden [take that is available across the form] overnight.” visible, ultraviolet and infrared Hydrotect tiles, which contain wavelengths with very high a coating of titanium dioxide brightness, is the lighting of to- that is baked onto the tiles at morrow even if its price is still a high temperatures, are a new bit high today, the architects be- product that require minimal lieve. Its advantages, however, e cleaning and are both scratch- g a are lower energy consumption, m and stain-resistant. Their chief I e

longer lifetime, smaller size and t asset though, according to Ma- faster switching. hota, is that they require minimal “LED provides a tremendous cleaning. When light is captured o r p o r a

amount of light for the energy C by each tile, the titanium dioxide used but I don’t think they have h e activates oxygen from the atmo-

been perfected yet and the T / sphere in a process called photo

technology isn’t there to justify o l d catalysis. Once the process is the cost,” said Mahota. “Compact G activated, bacteria, algae and fluorescents are still the best other known germs decompose. value.” Will also recommends i c h a e l Any dirt is on the surface can be five-watt cold cathode bulbs that M removed with minimal cleaning, emit the same amount of light reducing the amount of water, as a 40 watt incandescent. The maintenance and cleaning aids light is slow to come on, however, that are necessary. and he concedes “they are not There have also been major for everyone.” Said Will, “There advances in appliance lines. are things [like this] that people Mahota just purchased a Sam- should be aware of and experi- sung washer-dryer, for instance, ment with to see a difference in that features 66 percent water their electric bills.” reduction. Dual flush toilets have a Energy systems 0.8-gallon flush for liquids and Geothermal heat pump sys- a 1.6-gallon flush for solids. tems, which take advantage of Composting toilets don’t require the nearly constant 50- to 60-de- any water at all. gree temperature in the upper Ar c h i t e c t Ba r r y Pr i c e in o n e o f h i s d e s i g n s t h a t is u n d e r c o n s t r u c t i o n in Ul s t e r “Anybody will go green if you Pa r k . Th e d e t a i l i n g w a s d o n e u s i n g w o o d f r o m a t i m b e r f r a m e h o u s e t h a t h a d b e e n ten feet of the earth’s surface to t a k e n d o w n o n t h e s i t e . “Th e o l d h o u s e h a s l i f e in t h e n e w h o u s e ,” h e s a i d . give them what they have always circulate heat in winter and pull had but in a way that is better hot air from the house in the summer, have come down in price to about $20,000 for an average- and more efficient,” said Mahota. sized house, according to Mahota. Natural gas can make sense in areas where it is available and high- An architect’s philosophy efficiency propane furnaces are another effective Barry Price’s goal is to figure out how to push the alternative, he said. While solar power is still the architectural envelope just a little further. “For me, standard for electric needs, Mahota also believes sustainability and green building are a means to an

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Crawford_2col (6.5)x10.5_Ulster Pubs_run date 3-30 Page 10 • April, 2009 Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement The zero energy home MaGe i orporaTe c he / T / old G ichael M

Geoffrey hanowiTz, The owner of woodsTock pluMbinG, heaTinG and air condiTioninG, aT The business’s new Green buildinG on wiTTenberG road, where a pre-enGineered posT buildinG will GeT iTs heaTinG and coolinG froM a GeoTherMal Ground source heaT puMp, resulTinG in a zero carbon fooTprinT. oTher Green feaTures include spray foaM insulaTion, enerGysTar painT, and fiberGlass window fraMes. hanowiTz expecTs To relocaTe froM his paTricia lane office To The new siTe wiThin four MonThs.

an attic, completes the circuit by recovering energy Getting off the grid is a case where less is definitely more from outgoing vented air. According to Aebi, a By Matt Rohr zero energy homes begins with the creation of an structure that only improves in value and has no “envelope,” a home design where energy loss is or some people, the idea of getting off the energy cost variables, and you’re doing something minimized and systems run at peak efficiency. grid conjures up visions of mountain men to help society on a greater level,” said Anthony Aebi, “You end up with a building that’s more durable, and cutting themselves off from the outside world the owner of New Paltz-based Greenhill Contract- it’ll retain its value better,” says Rhinebeck-based For paranoia over Armageddon. But in the ing, which built the first zero energy home in New energy consultant Lloyd Hamilton, who has worked world of upscale home building and retrofitting, the York state in the Town of Esopus last year and is with building companies around the mid-Hudson production of energy on one’s own property — to currently working on the Green Acres subdivision Valley on zero energy homes. “When you’re not the point of cutting outside energy requirements to in New Paltz, the first zero energy community in dependent on fluctuations in the energy market, nothing — is an idea that’s gaining popularity. the state. you have insurance that you’ve locked in your price The trend, called zero energy building, refers to a According to Aebi, a number of interrelated sys- and have a home that functions the way you want. home or business with no net energy consumption, tems combine to form the basis for zero energy It’s a complete, energy-efficient system.” meaning that all energy is produced or offset on- homes. The first involves clusters of solar panels, Hamilton has worked in the zero energy building site through a variety of measures, including solar typically installed on the south-facing roof of the field for the past seven years, gravitating to it after panels, geothermal systems and wind power. Over home. Utility companies use “net metering” to de- a career in home heating and air-conditioning in- the course of a year, enough energy is generated termine yearly consumption, allowing the house stallation. He said he sees the philosophy behind from those sources to power and heat and cool to produce electricity for the grid during the day zero energy building not as a radical notion but the home. The result is a structure that doesn’t (when demand at home is lower) and draw off the rather as an extension of an increasingly energy- necessarily go off the grid, but rather produces grid when needed at night. conscious world. enough energy to offset what it uses during times Heating and cooling needs in zero energy homes “What you do is not so much rearrange your life, when natural production isn’t enough, when the are handled by geothermal systems, utilizing a but rather rearrange how you use and purchase sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. And the heat pump to draw heat from the earth during your energy,” he said. benefits — financial, environmental and personal colder months and disperse heat from the home Geoffrey Hanowitz, the owner of Woodstock — are driving many homebuilders and buyers to during the summer. High-efficiency insulation and Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, LLC, look toward zero energy. windows prevent leaks within the system, and a said that the durability of geothermal and solar “If you’re looking at it long-term, you’re getting a heat recovery ventilation unit, usually installed in energy systems is what makes them attractive to homebuilders. “I have systems that I installed in the 1980s that are still operating,” he said. “They’re designed to work for many years and last a long time.” Going green Cost concerns ollowing are some tips on how you can light bulbs. But aside from the benefits, the greatest obstacle Flower energy usage in an existing resi- • Turn off lights, computers and appliances to zero energy building is cost. Building a zero dence and get closer to the goal of having a when not in use. energy home requires a much greater outlay of zero energy home. • Use proper insulation and make sure weath- cash than a conventional home, and government • Install efficient appliances, including En- er stripping and caulking are adequate. incentives and bonuses for zero energy building ergy Star-rated refrigerators, dishwashers • Lower the thermostat in the winter, turn have been slow to materialize, according to Aebi. and laundry appliances, and compare it up in the summer. “Not everyone can come up with the cash to appliance efficiencies. • Regularly clean and maintain solar panels build a zero energy home up front,” said Aebi, who • Install cost and energy-saving fluorescent and other devices. noted that building costs for a zero energy home can more than double conventional costs, with projections of $100/square foot on a simple wood Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement April, 2009 • Page 11

If y o u t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t t h e e n e r g y s a v i n g s , it r e d u c e s t h e c o s t o f t h e b u i l d i n g , s a i d An t h o n y Ae b i , o w n e r o f Gr e e n h i l l Co n t r a c t i n g o f Ne w Pa l t z . frame structure increasing to $200/square foot or more on a zero energy home. “You have insurance that you’re locked “It can be hard to convince the average person in to low energy prices, and you have a to build a zero energy home,” he said. home that functions the way you want,” According to Hanowitz, the demand for geother- he said. “There’s no reason that we can’t mal and solar systems increased after the price start incorporating these concepts into of fuel oil skyrocketed last year, he but noted that all new homes being built.” l relatively small existing tax incentives imnpacted For further information, contact Anthony Aebi of installation rates. If you can afford Greenhill Contracting in New Paltz at (845) 594- “Financially, it’s been tough,” he said, though he to incorporate zero energy design 5076. Rhinebeck-based energy consultant Lloyd believes that tax credits included in the recently into your building plans, however, Hamilton said Hamilton can be reached at (845) 597-7369. passed federal stimulus package will help make zero that focusing on green energy production and Geoffrey Hanowitz and Woodstock Plumbing, energy options more affordable in the future. self-sufficiency will pay for themselves over the Heating and Air Conditioning can be contacted But Hamilton argues that the uncertainty of an- long run. at (845) 679-5762. nual energy costs — and declining availability of natural oil reserves — make zero energy systems more cost-effective over the long haul. 635,1*,6+(5(67$57:,7+60,7+u6*$5'(1,1*&(17(5 “Energy is going to be the most volatile component of any of our lives going forward, and if you can remove that volatility, you’re not going to care 100% what happens to the price of oil and energy,” said ORGANIC & Hamilton. “Add up the money you spend on energy over the years, and that’s the budget figure you NON-TOXIC have to make your home zero energy.” • Natural But in an age when many people don’t remain in • Red the same homes for 20 or 30 years, the length of • Black time that most zero energy advocates say it takes to recoup the cost of the systems, going zero energy l can be a tough sell. DELIVERY “If you take into account the energy savings as extra income, it brings down, in effect, the cost AVAILABLE of building the home,” said Aebi. “But it’s still an expensive proposition, and it’s hard to get some people to consider it as a viable option.” SMITH HARDWARE On existing homes, Hamilton said that zero energy SAUGERTIES conversion often requires a second mortgage – a difficult commitment in today’s economy. 246-4500 “It can be a huge cost burden,” he said. For those unable to build a full zero energy home or $SULO1DWLRQDO2SHQ+RXVH6KRNDQ/RFDWLRQ convert their existing residence, Aebi said that proper RQ$SULOWK WKSP5HIUHVKPHQWV 'RRU3UL]HV insulation and weather stripping is the best way to make existing homes more energy efficient. $GGWKH´/RRN$GGWKH´/RRNRI/RJµWR\RXUQHZKRPHRI/RJµWR\RXUQHZKRPH “For saving money, people need to think about the ,W·V(DVLHUWKDQ\RXWKLQN,W·V(DVLHUWKDQ\RXWKLQN home envelope,” he said. “Caulk windows, insulate ,I\RXDUHLQWHUHVWHGLQDGGLQJWKH´ORRNµRI wherever you can and keep air and moisture out.” VROLGORJFRQVWUXFWLRQWR\RXUUHPRGHOLQJ QHZKRPHRUJDUDJHSURMHFWRXUH[FOXVLYH NLOQGULHGORJVLGLQJGHFNSRUFKPDWHULDOV DQG WLPEHUV PD\ EH WKH SHUIHFW DQVZHU )HDWXULQJ H[WHULRUFRQWRXUV LGHQWLFDOWR RXUVROLGORJSURILOHVDQGSUHFLVHWRQJXH DQGJURRYHLQWHUORFNV.XKQV%URWKHUV/RJ 6LGLQJDQGWLPEHUVLQVWDOOHDVLO\ZLWKW\SLFDO ´6WLFN%XLOWµDSSOLFDWLRQV

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By Matt Rohr for people interested nergy efficiency can be a tough contradic- in greening their home tion for homeowners. On one hand, cutting and saving money, even energy use at home is one of the quickest while spending it. Eways to save money. But on the other hand, “The bottom line is improving energy efficiency — better insulation, that energy efficiency solar power — can get expensive. How can hom- saves money and helps eowners save both money and the environment? us reduce our carbon That’s where government rebates and incentive output, which we really programs come in. From the federal level down need to do,” said Gay to state and local municipalities and even utility Canough, the founder of companies, cash and other incentives are available the Endicott, NY-based

Ne w Yo r k s t a t e o f f e r s a s t a n d a r d t e n p e r c e n t c a s h i n c e n t i v e f o r i m p r o v e m e n t s l i k e e n e r g y e f f i c i e n t w i n d o w s a n d d o o r s . ETM Solarworks and former acting executive director of the New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA). “Although we can reduce our carbon output, we’re not doing it, and people should be doing it.” Canough regularly teaches a training course at SUNY Ulster for solar panel installers, and her Long Island-based company installs solar energy systems for electricity and hot water heating. Through NYSEIA, she said she works to increase the availability of incentives on the state level and spread the word about the availability of solar power and green energy. “We’re trying to impress upon the powers that be in Albany that it’s a good thing to keep going,” she said of incentive programs. “We’re creating jobs and have the opportunity to put the U.S. in a global leadership position.” Pat Courtney-Strong, the coordinator for the Mid- Hudson chapter of New York Energy Smart Com- munities, believes energy efficiency should begin even before adding renewable energy systems. “The first order of business is to make the home as energy-efficient as possible,” said Courtney-Strong. “It doesn’t make any sense to put solar panels on a house with no insulation.” Where to start Courtney-Strong advises interested homeowners to begin seeking incentives at the state level. Summer’s Coming...Are You Ready? “New York state has very extensive programs that

Weekly NEED A NEW ROOF MaintenanceService CompletePoolSupplies Liners&Accessories FreeWaterLabAnalysis ? J&A ROOFING CO. (845)(845) 452-4444339-2020 0000000160 Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement April, 2009 • Page 13 have been in place for about a decade now, and they’re all searchable on the Internet,” she said. The main option for cash and loan incentives from the state, www.getenergysmart.org, offers a standard ten percent cash incentive for improvements like energy efficient windows and doors, said Courtney-Strong. Although it doesn’t include any tax credits, the program also offers a low-interest loan for home improvements as well as grant programs for households that are income-eligible. “Our leaders have set a goal of reducing electric consumption in the state 15 percent by 2015,” said Courtney-Strong. “These programs are designed to help that goal.” She advises anyone interested in increasing energy efficiency to consult a home performance professional before starting the process, due to the complicated nature of paperwork and programs available. Est. “People do need to talk to someone, because it Creating Spaces 1998 can be a little overwhelming,” she said. “They can of Distinction call or use the Web to do research. A lot of people just need a little bit of direction and some help with decision-making.” • Additions • • Renovations • Powering up • Energy Upgrades • • Project Management • According to Canough, most installers will also help interested homeowners navigate the sea of • Kitchens • • Windows • • Baths • • Doors •

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.LQJVWRQ/DZQDQG3RZHU(TXLSPHQW Authorized Sales and Service of: Residential & Commercial Power Equipment Pick-Up vailableand Toro • Kawasaki • Tractors & Chainsaws • Tecumseh Sales & Service Delivery A Briggs & Stratton • MTD • Shindaiwa • Lawn Boy • Kohlerler available programs. She advises people seeking information about energy incentives to visit the $189.99 solar energy association’s Web site (www.nyseia. Special Price Including Rebate $264.99 org) and scan a list of solar installers there before Special Price Including Rebate calling for prices and help. “Most companies who do installing will also handle Handheld String paperwork, so it all gets taken care of at the same l time,” she said. Blower Trimmer And right now is a good time to be in the market model #KRH300A model #KTF27A YEAR YEAR for solar power. Canough said that incentives from “Vac Attachment for CONSUMER COMMERCIAL a variety of sources can reduce the cost of panel Handheld Blowers” arrays by as much as 70 percent or more. To start, the New York State Energy Research and Devel- opment Authority (NYSERDA) offers discounts 6RXWK6WHUOLQJ6W.LQJVWRQ1< on solar electricity systems that can amount to 30 (2 blocks behind YMCA) percent, according to Canough, and with federal Page 14 • April, 2009 Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement rebates available at 30 percent and state tax credits • 30 percent of cost, up to $1,500, for qualified cutting down on energy use to do the simple things: at 25 percent (although caps for each differ), the windows and doors; turn thermostats down, turn TVs and lights off when price of a system can drop dramatically. Canough • 30 percent of cost, up to $1,500, for properly leaving a room and install low-cost insulation in said that a 5-kilowatt system, enough to power rated insulation; problem areas. an average Hudson Valley home, typically costs • 30 percent of the cost for qualified Energy Star “There are a lot of things that people can do that around $45,000. With existing incentives, she said, geothermal heat pumps and solar water heating are very simple,” she said. “Reducing use is the the cost can drop to around $12,000. and electricity systems; best bang for the buck of anything. It does the “There are some really juicy incentives right now,” • Up to $7,500 for plug-in hybrid electric most good.” she said. vehicles. Federal tax credits are also available for a number More credits can be obtained by filling out tax Coming soon of green home improvement projects, including forms during next spring’s income tax cycle, and Additionally, Central Hudson Gas and Electric energy-efficient windows and doors, roofing, water additional information is available from the Energy Company will soon be offering an incentive program heaters, heat pumps and wind power units. The Star web site or www.irs.gov. for energy-efficient air conditioning units and heat federal government’s Energy Star program (www. Courtney-Strong also pointed to dsireusa.org, pumps, according to Eric Kiszkiel, the manager of energystar.gov) lists the following tax credits avail- a database of energy efficiency incentives, as a energy efficiency for the company. able for 2009, among others: good resource for tax credits, exemptions and other Approved by the state Public Service Commission government programs. in January, the plan, which begins in May, will offer K.H.S. CONSTRUCTION Locally, Canough noted that many banks and a rebate depending on the efficiency level of the credit unions offer low-interest loans for projects heating or cooling unit. HONEST, Very Reliable & Dependable that improve energy efficiency, and many installation “The idea is that the rebate would cover the cost NO JOB TOO BIG OR SMALL companies can help with financing as well. of the upgrade to the next efficiency level, and Free Estimates • References Available “For homeowners, it tends to be a matter of hopefully help more people cut energy costs,” New Construction • Additions • Renovations • Handyman what’s affordable to them, and it’s different for said Kiszkiel. Install Siding • Rooﬁ ng • Interiors • Exteriors every person,” Canough said. “Having incentives He also said the utility company plans to offer Stairs • Gutters, Doors & Windows Installed • Painting broadens the market and makes it affordable to low-cost energy audits of small commercial proper- Sheetrocking • Decks • Patios • Stone Walls • More more people.” ties to help customers with energy savings, and is Kevin (cell): 845-616-1365 • Robyn (cell): 845-616-0034 Before beginning any improvements, however, awaiting approval on a program to help residential Kevin & Robyn (home): 845-658-3453 Canough also advises homeowners interested in homeowners get reimbursed for higher-efficiency boilers and heating units. “On a global level, we have to look at how we’re using energy and utilizing natural resources,” he said. “We want to be able to improve customers’ efficiency and save money.” Kiszkiel said that the company plans to have a new web site and phone bank operational next month to being processing requests for the rebates and offer advice on how to make homes more energy efficient.l

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3 ,21((51$785$/322/6 Page 16 • April, 2009 Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement Lean and green Napanoch couple makes being frugal as enjoyable as burning through wads of cash

By Dan Barton When asked to meet with Joe Bevilacqua and his eporters sometimes embark upon a story wife, Lorie Kellogg, to do a story about the ecologi- Photos by Michael Gold/ with much of it already written in their cal benefits of living a modest lifestyle, this writer, heads, or at least with serious preconceived for instance, expected to be initiated into a world The Corporate Image Rnotions. of complicated cost-cutting cleverness.

MosT of us will noT allow ourselves To live in balance wiTh naTure, believes bevilacqua, who said The “GluTTonous” side of capiTalisM prevenTs us froM reMeMberinG ThaT a busT is never far behind any booM TiMe.

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I was initiated but it was not so much into a different blend with incomprehensible seamlessness. (There least the kind of comfortable, user-friendly frugality kind of world as to a parallel universe. The couple’s are two cats, too — Offica Pup and Krazy Kat, but in this country dwelling — was pretty simple: buy cozy Napanoch home and its wild décor are a place they declined to be interviewed and I have to take smart, keep your mind on your money and find ways where Hanna-Barbera characters, architecture their owners’ word that they exist.) to do things for yourself rather than pay others to featuring indoor trees, a Buster Keaton-themed Bevilacqua, a free-lance commentator for public do them for you. bathroom, Big Band music and three very affec- radio, among his many pursuits, touched a nerve “We go for the highest impact for the smallest tionate dogs (George, Gracie and Zasu) somehow after an interview with him was aired over public ra- buck, you see, because we’re poor,” explained dio on “Marketplace” in January, drawing an unusual Bevilacqua. amount of responses to the show’s web site. “Well, we’re a one-income family, practically,” Over a tasty dinner of vegan mac and cheese Kellogg clarified. (A graphic artist, Kellogg has a and chocolate pudding at his eclectic home several full-time job working for a tool company in Mount weeks, it became clear that the key to frugality — at Tremper.) Kellogg is the pragmatist, focusing Bevil- SMADA

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Visit TotalGreenUS.com Click ‘My Energy Profile’ Seize the Power Use Code Spring09 Collect 30% Tax Credit Page 18 • April, 2009 Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement acqua’s semi-automatic bursts of expres- ups and downs work-wise, but has kept siveness. A protégé of Daws Butler, the it together lifestyle-wise. voice actor who put words in the animated Most of us will “not allow ourselves” to mouths of Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, live in balance with nature, said Bevi- Snagglepuss, Elroy Jetson and many, lacqua, who believes the “gluttonous” many more, Bevilacqua has done voice side of capitalism prevents us from acting and writing, produced radio shows remembering that a bust is never far for XM and public radio, and provided behind any boom time. commentary for NPR’s “Marketplace,” just “Lorie is more progressive than I,” to name a few of his boundless pursuits Bevilacqua said. “Going vegan is the and talents. The artistic path is never beginning of it….Eating right is the an easy one, however, and despite his core.” genius and inventiveness, Bevilacqua “We make our own soymilk,” said has had a tough time eking out a living Kellogg, holding up a stainless steel as a freelancer. pitcher in which the soymilk, which is “My opinion, if you want, is that we’re in expensive to buy at the store, is made. a depression, and I treat it that way,” said “For a cup of beans, you make two Bevilacqua, who opted for a sparing and quarts of soymilk.” unpretentious way of life a decade ago “We buy a lot of things in bulk,” Bevi- when he and Kellogg first met. lacqua said. “Beans, grains, rice. We He’s keeping busy, though. He has book try to diversify our grains — by eating coming out soon, “Unkle Dunkle and amaranth and quinoa.” Donny,” which he describes as a “Hanna- Gardening helps too, as does having a Barbera meets Jay Ward [creator of Rocky “huge” freezer. “You fill it up, and you’re & Bullwinkle and Dudley Do-Right]” thing. eating fresh from the garden all winter. No big advances here — he’s working Peas that are frozen fresh taste fresh strictly for the royalties. “I’m not being paid when they defrost. The tomatoes which a dime, but I treat it like I’m being paid.” come from our garden taste nothing like He’s also doing an audiobook of scripts tomatoes you can get in a store…” he wrote with Butler. I suggested that, perhaps, mindful- “I’ve tried to be in radio all my life, but no ness is the vital component to frugality; one will let me, so I keep trying to force it’s hard to watch your money if you my way in,” Bevilacqua said. don’t actually stay focused on where it About eight years or so ago, Bevilacqua is going and how it can best be used. was working for a tech firm and got laid “Yeahhh,” Bevilacqua agreed, in the tone off, but he received about $600,000 in of someone who had just had an ah ha stock options, which financed a house in moment. “I think the goal is to get as Austin, Texas first and then the house in thoughtful as possible…Every minute Napanoch. Since then, the couple, who of the day is an opportunity to learn first met in Los Angeles, has had their something new, and the only way to do Jo e Be v i l a c q u a a n d h i s w i f e , Lo r i e Ke l l o gg , in t h e i r e c l e c t i c h o m e . Get outstanding low prices on quality products.

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³&RPH+RPHWR4XDOLW\´ 7KHRQO\FRPSDQ\WKDWOHWV <28SLFNWKHSULFH UILDERS NC C.W. B , I . 3URSHUW\0DQDJHPHQW CUSTOM HOMES New Homes & Additions /DZQ&DUH Marlboro, N.Y. (845) 787-6091 &OHDQXSV 0RZLQJ 0DLQWHQDQFH E-Mail: [email protected] %XLOGLQJ)ULHQGVKLSV0DLQWDLQLQJ5HODWLRQVKLSV Website: www.CWBuildersInc.com David & Richard Hargrove • 845-702-9905 • Insured 3$7,2)851,785(216$/(12: :HDUHWKH+XGVRQ9DOOH\·V/DUJHVW3RRO 6SDDQG3DWLR6KRSLQWKH5HJLRQ /DUJH9DULHW\RI8PEUHOODV&KDLUV 7D EOHV&XVKLRQV+DPPRFNV

2SHQ'DLO\6XQ (VWDEOLVKHGLQ 5RXWH:/DNH.DWULQH1< 5WH+LJKODQG1< Be v i l a c q u a g e t s h i s e x e r c i s e f r o m a c h i n n i n g b a r h e m a d e f r o m o l d p l u m b i n g p i p e s . that is by paying attention.” One thing that is worth the money, Bevilacqua believes, is Internet access because of the amount one can learn. Here’s a Great Home Improvement! View from the compost heap Another cost-saving technique the couple uses is trash reduction, to the point where they no longer Outdoor need to pay to have somebody pick up the garbage. Over 30 Years Experience “Our kitchen trash bag is like this every week,” Kel- Authorized Dealer Speaker logg said, making a small quadrilateral with her hands. “It’s just a [small] plastic bag.” How do they manage that? In part, it is from be- Sale ing vegan. With no animal products in their diet, pretty much everything can go in the compost U ! Only $199/pair heap, which in this household is located just off 549 Albany Ave. Kingston the back porch. A recent investment is a solar oven, which the couple uses during the months when the sun is strong. “Every day, well into October, I can cook, l when it’s at least partially sunny, outside, for free; 67(9(1%/$66 no utilities are required,” Bevilacqua said. “It was 5RRILQJ +RPH,PSURYHPHQWV only $250, and it saves me God knows how much money.” $OO7\SHVRI5HVLGHQWLDO5RRILQJ The windows are coated with heat-reflective film, which helps insulate. In the summer, most of the &DOO12:IRU\RXUIUHHHVWLPDWHDQG light is reflected out, saving on cooling costs. \RXZLOOVSHDNWRWKHRZQHULQVWDOOHUKLPVHOI The couple gets their exercise not from an expensive gym but by doing their exercise at home. In (OHFWULFDO3OXPELQJ6KHHWURFN7DSLQJ addition to the gardening and household chores, 3DLQWLQJ5RRILQJ6LGLQJ:LQGRZV they installed a chin-up bar made from old plumbing in the living room, and have a weighted pulley ([FHOOHQW:RUNPDQVKLSDW([FHOOHQW3ULFHV device that opens a hatch into the basement. Kellogg uses a classic Schwinn stationary bike /LFHQVHG&DOOIRUD)5(((67,0$7(,QVXUHG to get in a half-hour of exercise before work while Red Hook Paint & Wallpaper A T T H E O L D S O A P F A C T O R Y 7392 So. Broadway, Red Hook , NY 845.758.2441 MON-FRI 7-5:30 SAT 9-4 SUN 12-3

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Joe Bevilacqua’s 50 solutions for a more sustainable lifestyle 1. Drive a Honda Insight hybrid, which gets 60 to 70 mpg. 28. Have a lot of plants in the house to create oxygen and serve as a 2. Live in a small, 1,100-square foot house. natural air filter. 3. Cook most meals fresh at home, no microwave. 29. Ride bikes into town in the summer, about four miles one way. 4. Eat vegetarian at home and compost food scraps and uneaten 30. Ride a stationary bike indoors in the winter. leftovers. 31. Buy clothes at thrift stores. 5. Produce very little garbage and take it to the dump ourselves. 32. Organize errands to save trips. 6. Rake our leaves into the compost. 33. Use compact fluorescent bulbs and LED lights. 7. Have a small but prolific organic garden that feeds us all summer. 34. Turn off lights when we are not in a room. 8. Process and store the rest of the garden’s bounty in a large freezer in 35. Keep electronics (TV, etc.) on a power strip and turn it off when not our basement. in use. 9. Grow nearly every kind of vegetable. 36. Have a small TV that uses less power. 10. Grow many kinds of herbs in the garden and around our 3-acre prop- 37. Use a bidet instead of toilet paper. erty, and hang and dry the herbs inside our house. 38. My wife uses reusable, washable cotton pads and a rubber cup instead 11. Buy very little packaged or processed foods. of tampons. 12. Buy dry foods such as beans and grains in bulk. 39. Shave with an old-fashioned, double-edged safety razor. 13. Hand grind coffee beans. 40. Make fresh soy milk and tofu, with a soy milk machine, from bulk soy 14. Design the inside of the house for maximum exercise, including a beans. hatch with weights and pulley to go to the basement, and pipes bolted to 41. Cook rice and other grains in a rice cooker to save time and keep food the ceiling for a chin-up bar. ready anytime. 15. Hike and run with our dogs in the woods. 42. Bake bread from scratch. 16. Heat with a wood stove, which we can cook on, too. 43. Only use orange oil, vinegar to clean the house. 17. Turn down the water heater. 44. Winterize the house. 18. Have a small, efficient refrigerator. 45. High ceilings, ceiling fans, open floor plan. 19. Air dry (hang our clothes) outside in the summer, inside in the winter, 46. Use passive solar techniques — skylights with shades, large windows and have no dryer. on southern exposure. 20. Hand wash dishes. Have 47. Add reflective film to south facing windows. no dishwasher. 48. Sew mylar to back of curtains on south side, 21. Have no fully working which keeps cold out and heat in during winter, stove; cook mostly in a small and the opposite in the summer. convection oven. 49. Be multi-talented; have many diverse skills — 22. Have our dogs eat a just like our garden, we do not “mono-crop” how vegan food mix. we can make a living. If one job ends, it is easier 23. Use recycled wood for to find work in another area. I currently make a cat litter. living writing and editing books; writing articles for 24. Cook outdoors in a solar newspapers and magazines; writing, directing and oven all summer. acting in stage plays; drawing cartoons; illustrating 25. Have fruit trees — books; writing technical manuals; writing, produc- peaches, cherries. ing, directing and acting in radio dramas; reading/ 26. Pick wild raspberries, recording audio books; reporting for public radio blueberries, scallions on magazines; teaching broadcasting and public our property, and acres of speaking on the college level; doing publicity and woods behind. PR for a variety of clients and more. 27. Only mow a small part 50. We shop locally and support local businesses of our yard, let the rest go over big corporations, which saves fuel and helps natural. the community.

watching Letterman from the night Kellogg gets massages in exchange for doing her before on the DVR. masseuse’s website. The heat comes from wood and Bevilacqua and Kellogg were early adopters of a propane; the oil tank and furnace hybrid car, a 2000 Honda Insight. “For eight years, were removed after they moved in. we have been driving 50 miles to the gallon,” Kel- “The house is small, so it heats the logg said. [entire building],” Bevilacqua said. Frugality does not come easily to a lot of people, “Plus, when we renovated, we added leaving them feeling trapped. But Bevilacqua finds a lot of insulation in the ceiling and his economical lifestyle both liberating and calming. the walls,” Kellogg noted. “Burning “I feel humbled by the enormity of it all, and being wood is only $250 a month.” bevilacqua has a new book, “uncle dunkle a part of it, and I’m trying not to lose the forest for Bartering plays its part as well. and donny” coMinG ouT soon. the trees, man. I’m happy! “We stay happy and content and we aren’t missing Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement April, 2009 • Page 21 out on anything, immediately,” Kellogg said. “We can cook anything. I make kick-ass cinnamon rolls, Remodeling, Renovating, and on a budget. … You can make anything at home. even new construction does not Make it yourself!” have to be a nightmare There are a lot of clichés about finding peace in the simple life, but Bevilacqua and Kellogg have & cobbled together the ingredients of a life so mellow  its authenticity is inviting. +RPH%XLOGHUV*HQHUDO&RQWUDFWRU “The difference between us and most people is…if 1HZ&RQVWUXFWLRQ/RJ+RPHV I get laid off from a job, I just don’t lie around, watch 845-706-3100 5HQRYDWLRQV$GGLWLRQV)ORRULQJ Oprah and get fat,” said Bevilacqua. “What I do is 845-706-1114 5RR¿QJ6LGLQJ'HFNV)HQFLQJ get out and meet a lot of people. And I contact my visit us @ www.mbgny.com )8//(;&$9$7,216(59,&(6 friends. I’m not shy to tell people that I’m looking for a job. Meet people are of the same mind as you and you’ll help each other. … Tell them your dreams. WSK_ad_4:Layout 1 3/25/09 2:36 PM Page 1 $XWKRUL]HG/LQZRRG+RPHV'HDOHU Maybe they have the same dreams.” l Integrity, experience, and dependabilty are just a few of our tools conserve, reduce, & save. high efficiency oil or gas boilers and furnaces - radiant floor heating (QFKDQWLQJ*DUGHQV solar hot water and heating - geothermal heating and cooling 6SHFLDOL]LQJLQDUWLVWLFHDUWKIULHQGO\ central,high velocity,mini split and heat pump air conditioning systems GHHUUHVLVWDQWFRXQWU\JDUGHQV on demand and indirect hot water heaters (ULF6WHZDUW'HVLJQHU ServingtheMid-HudsonValleyCommunityforthepast12years. FRQVXOWDWLRQGHVLJQLQVWDOODWLRQ PDLQWHQDQFH Takeadvantageof govermentincentives. Formoreinformation 0DU\'DYLV5RDG$FFRUG1< orafreesolarsitesurvey,pleasecontactusat(845)679-5762. HOVJUHHQPDQ#DROFRP www.woodstockhvac.com www.greenmangarden.com

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By Megan Labrise ing and sustainable build- uilding green? Don’t ing consulting firm based forget to mind your Ps in Mahopac, agrees. & IAQs. “It’s very important that B IAQ, or indoor air you’re able to open your quality, is not the first thing windows and have well- that comes to mind when maintained ventilation most people think of green systems,” she pointed construction. Alternative en- out. “You want a good ergy sources, such as solar thermal envelope but panels, windmills and geo- you do need fresh air.” thermal heat pumps, may Seller’s environmental be the poster children of the awareness has an added movement. However, the right urgency. Her son has to breathe easy in your own asthma and her husband

home — ideally a healthy, non- e was exposed to the dust g toxic environment — should a and debris from ground m I be just as important as energy e zero. She has educated t conservation. herself on the topic of air To achieve this, there are purification. several simple things you o r p o r a Cooper and Seller C

can do to go greener when it h e recommend HVC, or comes to IAQ. First things first: energy recovery ventila- / T / use your natural resources to tion. These systems are o l d

their fullest potential. G powered through a single Air is free and exists in exhaust port, transferring

abundance; it just needs a i c h a e l energy from outgoing air little direction. “The solution M through a heat exchange, is ventilation. That’s really the where 60-70 percent of one area that occupants can the energy is reclaimed. control that can be an improve- Homeowners can then ment in buildings,” said Cliff direct the fresh air to Cooper of Cooper Associates, where it’s most needed, an environmental consulting usually to living spaces firm based in Kingston. and bedrooms. Historically, complicated The average price of a building plans have not in- centralized HRVsystem cluded ventilation in the design is $3,500. “Every house and operation of residences. has bathroom fans; apply Where there is ventilation, it’s that cost to this,” advised largely exhaust. Infiltration, Cooper. which is required by the state Use logic. The best building code, is often left to places for an exhaust chance. Without a specific sys- system is close to where tem, there is no control over contaminants are being its quality and contaminants generated. You want can easily be incorporated to “source capture,” or into the home. capture the pollutant as Green homes in particular close to its point of origin are designed to be well insu- as possible. lated and have a tight envelope Too much exhaust is for energy efficiency when it not as good as the ap- comes to heating and cooling. propriate amount. For “We have a move now toward Ka t e Da y t o n , o w n e r o f Gr e e n Co u r a g e , in h e r Ne w Pa l t z s t o r e t h a t s e l l s s u s t a i n a b l e b u i l d i n g gourmands, avoid down- sustainability in buildings, and s u p p l i e s , l i k e i n s u l a t i o n m a d e f r o m r e c y c l e d d e n i m , a n d o t h e r g r e e n i t e m s f o r t h e h o m e . draft exhaust hoods, that’s often translated as en- which use a tremendous ergy efficiency,” said Cooper. amount of exhaust to get “As we tighten buildings, the need for engineering — always have ventilation. When we get into the relatively simple jobs done. “If you have one above in ventilation becomes more important. My view is tight buildings, it’s absolutely an imperative.” the stove, you’ve got that momentum already be- that we should never rely on infiltration for buildings Brenda Seller of Green Works, a design, contracting generated upward by the food cooking below,” said Cooper. If your house can breathe correctly, chances are you will, too. Radon and carbon monoxide The issue of adequate fresh air is larger than 5HQpHYDWLRQVUHQHHYDWLRQV#KRWPDLOFRP ventilation, however. Radon and carbon monoxide must be checked. Radon is a heavy gas that naturally seeps up through the cracks in the rock 5HQHH0LWFKHOO below homes. Without proper ventilation, it sticks around — and it is believed to cause cancer. /$1'6&$3,1*6721(:25. The number one preventative step is a simple radon test. Air Check Radon sells mail-order test 3$,17,1*35(6685(:$6+,1* kits for only $15. These simple, EPA-registered (/(&75,&&867200853+<%('6 tests take two- to five-day samples. In any home that has a combustion appliance, you have to ensure an adequate amount of air is being Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement April, 2009 • Page 23 supplied for combustion. The number two cause lergies, you can invest in an air purification system. rarely adversely affected by them,” he said. of death from contaminants is carbon monoxide Some of the systems that will mitigate the ill effects Only a minority of people who have allergies — poisoning. Carbon monoxide detectors are now of air pollutants include HEPA filters, which eliminate approximately 40 percent — will be affected by required as part of new construction. Make sure many particulates. Seller suggests IQ Air, producer mold. yours are in working order. of the HealthPro Plus, the #1-rated air purifier in the Above all, be aware of your environment. If you Surprisingly, the most offensive irritant to your United States ($939), for single-room use. Perfect sense something wrong, then that’s a good indica- respiratory health can be, well, your own actions. 16, the company’s whole-house air cleaner, runs tor of poor air quality. “If you have a running nose “The…number one source of contaminants in a between $2,795-3,295 installed. and watery eyes in a space then you need to exit home is occupant activity and occupant behavior,” It may be best to have an expert’s input to make that space,” said Cooper. said Cooper, noting things we bring into our homes, sure that your ventilation conforms and gives you And remember that keeping emissions down is both intentionally and unintentionally, can hurt our the best possible air to breathe. part of the bigger global picture of sustainability. respiratory systems. “When you’re building a new home, I would really Said Cooper, “While we have the personal benefit Some of the irritants or toxins contributing to poor recommend paying for consultation with a certi- of a better environment, we all have to step up and air quality in the home include everyday cleaning fied sustainable building advisor. They will save become part of the solution to ensure that we have products and air fresheners. Personal grooming so much money in the long run, when it comes to this environment in the future.” l products, such as aerosol sprays, stick deodorizers green building,” said Seller. For more information, contact Cliff Cooper at Cooper and perfumes, add contaminants to a space; even One thing a consultant can do is direct a client’s Associates, 943 Orlando Street, Kingston, (914) leaving the cap off your laundry detergent can be focus. Many of us, said Cooper, may focus on 388-9796, email him at [email protected], or go harmful. Carpeting is a huge offender, full of volatile aspects of IAQ that are symptomatic, rather than to www.ccooperassociates.com. Brenda Seller of organic compounds (VOCs), and many cleaning the root of the problem. “Mold gets a bad rap. We Green Works in Mahopac can be reached at (914) and pest exterminating products can wreak havoc have been living with mold as long as we’ve been 248-6798. Green Courage is at the Water Street with our bodies as well. a species; we’ve intimately been associated with Market in New Paltz, (845) 255-8731 or www. “The candles that have fragrance and the scented them. We use them, we enjoy them and we are very greencourage.com. plug-ins and odor-masking things are really bad to breathe in,” said Seller. “Yes, your house might smell good, but it’s not doing any favors for your lungs. They’re technically polluting.” Alternatives include natural wool carpeting, which can be costly. Wood flooring is beautiful but must be properly stained and treated with non-polluting substances. That means with VOC-free stains and finishes. Particleboard is a huge source of urea-formaldehyde, a resin used in super-strong adhesive. It was a major source of “sick house syndrome,” in the 1970s and 80s, consistently releasing toxic vapors throughout its lifespan. Though its use was discontinued in manufacturing, it still exists in many homes. “Don’t freak out that you now need to throw out every piece of particle board in your house; that’s not good for the environment,” said Kate Dayton of Green Courage, a New Paltz-based retailer of Now Open for the Spring Planting Season! environmentally responsible building materials and supplies. For approximately $15, homeowners can invest in a quart of Safe Seal, which will quickly remedy an emissions problem, according to Dayton. l “You can paint that sealant over any exposed particle board edges and you’re encapsulating the off-gassing,” she pointed out. Manufacturers have come a long way in terms AUGUSTINE landscaping of environmentally friendlier products in the past few years, said Dayton. She began Green Cour- age in 2004 after a laborious search for low-VOC & nursery cabinetry. Before 2007, such a thing was out of reach for most East Coast consumers. “Now, there are definitely options out there to Six Acres of the Most Complete Line of Trees & Shrubs in the Hudson Valley be able to have great cabinetry without hurting yourself and the earth--and the people making the All Major Rt. 9W, East Chester St. Bypass, Kingston, NY Nursery Hours: stuff,” said Dayton. Credit Cards 845-338-4936 Mon-Sat: 8-5 Clean and green Accepted Sunday: 10 to 2 Then there are those toxic cleaning products of which we are all so fond. Look for certified, formaldehyde-free construction materials for your home. Home Depot stores carry many green prod- JEFF COLLINS ucts. “Wal-mart has been in the forefront [when it comes to] greening their own operation,” said STONE SUPPLY • LANDSCAPE SUPPLY Cooper. “They’re sold on sustainability.” Health food stores, of course, carry a large array of natural 29 Riseley Rd Mt. Tremper, NY 12457 and chemical-free cleaning products as do most supermarkets. Bluestone • Fieldstone • Flagstone • Belgium Block • Colored Crushed Stone Seller suggests getting back to basics as far as cleaning products are concerned: using baking Colored Mulches • Mason Sand • Masonry Supplies • *DUGHQ6RLOVDQG0RUTop Soil and More H soda as scrub, vinegar as a cleaner, and organic soap on your dishes. Vapor steam cleaners are All Types Of Stones Available versatile tools that simply use water heated to TT TOP TTOP GRE GGRREEATAA QUALITY QQU a temperature that will kill bacteria, viruses and (845) 688-7423 UALITY PRICES PPRRIICCEESS Y germs. A unit could cost $500-1,500 but will save For Walls, Walkways, and Patios on a lifetime’s supply of mops, buckets and caustic cleaning products. “I think it’s a great choice for everyone. You never need to invest in another cleaner,” said Seller. If that’s not enough, especially for people with al- Page 24 • April, 2009 Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement

But is it worth it? Weighing alternative energy investment against traditional tightening

Pu tt i n g a l t e r n a t i v e e n e r g y i n t o a b u i l d i n g t h a t i s n ’t a l r e a d y t i g h t e n e d u p is l i k e p u tt i n g a s o l a r p a n e l o n a t e n t . Fo r e x i s t i n g h o m e s , t h e m o s t c o s t -e f f e c t i v e g r e e n e n e r g y w o u l d i n v o l v e a r e n e w a b l e e n e r g y s y s t e m t o m a k e t h e h o t w a t e r , b e l i e v e s Vi n c e n t Co z z o l i n o , CEO o f Th e So l a r En e r g y Co n s o r t i u m in Ki n g s t o n .

By Dan Barton thing. Others, like caulking, storm windows or wall money that is flowing out through walls and windows ll of us — or many of us, at least — want insulation, insulating the water heater, or changing in various forms of energy, either air through badly to do our part to save the planet and use the burner on the furnace to a more efficient model, sealed windows or doors, or heat through non- or its resources more efficiently. do not cost a great deal of money. poorly insulated walls, believes Michael O’Hara, A But there’s a recession underway Vince Cozzolino, chief executive officer of The director of operations for Sustainable Hudson Val- and, across the board, money is as tight as it’s Solar Energy Consortium (TSEC) in Kingston put it ley. It’s what builders refer to as the “envelope” of been since the days of the Dust Bowl. In such another way. “The answer [to the dilemma of major the building, O’Hara said, and like the ones you a time, the desire to be on the cutting edge energy-efficient improvements versus more mod- put mail in, it is best if it is well-sealed. of home-based renewable energy comes into est measures] is some of both,” he said. “In some “Putting alternative energy, of whatever sort, into conflict with the wallet’s ability to fund what cases, it’s a slam-dunk; in some cases it isn’t.” a building which is not already tightened up is a is in some cases can be a pretty hefty outlay. The slam-dunks, according to Cozzolino, come waste of time,” he pointed out. “You might as well So, in such times are homeowners better off, when you can incorporate renewable energy into put a solar panel on a tent.” ultimately, sinking thousands, up to $20,000 for a a house from the ground up. “For a new house, Electrical devices for lighting, cooking, or other photovoltaic system, for instance, into an alterna- if you are doing any excavation, implementing uses “provide numerous opportunities” to use tive energy source that can take years to pay for a geothermal system at that time is very cost- energy more wisely, O’Hara said, adding, “Efficien- itself or should they just stick with the oil heat while affordable. It’s kind of like putting footing drains in. cies can be gained by changing the device if it’s at trying to use energy more wisely? It’s not that bad.” the end of its useful life, but there’s a lot of room “It’s not really a dilemma or debate,” said As- For existing homes, like the ones most of us live to improve by turning off the device entirely when semblyman Kevin Cahill. The Hurley Democrat is in, Cozzolino said, the “best bet” for cost-effective you’re not using it.” chairman of the New York State Assembly Energy renewable energy is to use a renewable energy According to O’Hara, an almost-cost-free way to Committee. “Clearly, the most immediate bang for system to make the hot water. “If you do that, save money is by unplugging chargers when not the buck is weatherization and other energy ef- you’ve reduced your oil consumption by about a in use and avoiding the “standby mode” with TVs ficiency measures.” third. There’s a payback in about five years, and and other devices. “The fact that the remote control Cahill emphasized some measures, like lowering there’s not a huge outlay,” he noted. works means that the TV is sort of napping, but the temperature on the water heater or lowering the The first step for any building owner is to stop the is still powered on,” O’Hara said. “Something that thermostat and putting on a sweater, don’t cost a leaks, which can literally be expressed in terms of anyone can do for very little money is to put a power Mike’s Kick The Oil Habit! Get Clean Energy (OHFWULFDO&RQWUDFWRUV from the Sun and Earth NOW 5HVLGHQWLDO &RPPHUFLDO Spin Your ELECTRIC METER BACKWARDS! EARTHWORKS Use geothermal and solar for the most energy efﬁ cient (OHFWULFDO'DWD7HOHSKRQH&DEOLQJ and environmentally friendly heating, cooling, and Specializing in Lawn Development water heating system available “...the lowest operating cost of any system *HQHUDWRU6DOHV Land Clearing on the market today” — Department of Energy ,QVWDOODWLRQDQG6HUYLFH Driveways Installed & Repaired • Federal & State incentives lower the installations costs • Run your equipment using clean, renewable electricity ,1685(' Backhoe / Excavating & Trucking Service • Protect the environment for future generations /,&(16(' Ponds • Snow Removal • Field Mowing NEW! 30% Federal 687-9117 Tax Credit Call us now for a consultation SERVICE INDUSTRIES WDSURRW#KYFUUFRP Mike Soule Insured 845-658-7116 • www.Altren.net Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement April, 2009 • Page 25

· · strip with a switch on it in between the device and What’s That Smell?!! the wall socket. If you’re not using it for more than 287 a little while, just flip it off and it goes off entirely.” 2)7+( “The next quickest bang for the buck is to find those holes in the wall, seepage around the windows, &/26(7 the water heater that’s not insulated, the faucet that’s dripping,” Cahill said. “[Fixing] all those things )XUQLWXUHUHGX[E\7KH:RRGZRUNHU can save money immediately and the payback is ORFDOO\FUDIWHGMHZHOU\DQGSRWWHU\ infinitesimal. You go out and buy the 3M plastic for EULFDEUDFDQGPRUH your windows, it costs you eight bucks, you get paid back in the first three weeks of use. That’s not a *5$1'23(1,1* payback; that’s a gift.” 6DW$XJ 6XQ$XJ DPWRSP A murky picture 2SHQPRVWRWKHUZHHNHQGVE\FKDQFHRUDSSRLQWPHQW Cahill said it can be hard for homeowners to 6WROO5RDG6DXJHUWLHV know for sure whether renewable energy is more If it’s the water, RII3LQH/DQHDQG5WZHVWRIWKH7KUXZD\ cost-effective than the traditional-energy-used- we can help. [email protected] +LJKTXDOLW\FRQVLJQPHQWLWHPVZHOFRPH more-efficiently scenario. “There’s no real hard evidence on the finances of Mark Anderson & Progeny (PDLOMRFLFDOH#\DKRRFRP that … for a couple of reasons,” Cahill said, noting plumbing •• heating • air conditioning

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TSEC’s CEO Vi n c e n t Co z z o l i n o p r e d i c t s t h e g o v e r n m e n t w i l l m a k e it i n c r e a s i n g l y e a s i e r o n a l t e r n a t i v e e n e r g y c o n s u m e r s t h r o u g h a d d i t i o n a l t a x i n c e n t i v e s . Me a n w h i l e , a c c o r d i n g t o s t a t e As s e m b l y m a n Ke v i n Ca h i l l , c h a i r m a n o f t h e As s e m b l y ’s En e r g y Co mm i tt e e , a n y g r e e n e n e r g y s y s t e m t h a t t a k e s m o r e t h a n n i n e y e a r s t o p a y b a c k is n o t financially w o r t h t h e c o s t .

purchasing and developing renewable systems.” that tax credit, it would be unfeasible…to install it not for state subsidies. But if you happen to be According to Cahill, the actual math of any of these solar panels on your roof.” an early adopter who believes it’s important to be units involves the length of the payback. The rule The plus side of renewable systems, said Cahill, carbon-neutral, or you want to ensure your lights of thumb he has been hearing in the energy field is that they “provide security” from price fluctuations do not go out when the power grid goes down, is anything that takes more than nine years to pay and supply interruptions. there are other reasons you might make a larger back is not financially worth it to do. “By year nine, “If you anticipate the energy price spikes we saw alternative energy investment, he pointed out. you would have only recaptured $9,000 of that last year, or if you just don’t want to have to worry $20,000, assuming it was able to produce every bit about that again, you can certainly decide to put a More incentives of electricity, which is a big assumption,” he said. “If solar panel on your roof,” said the assemblyman, Cozzolino predicted that the government will it were to save you a $1,000 a year on electricity, adding, “And oh, by the way, you’re doing something make it increasingly easier on alternative-energy it really wouldn’t be worth the financial payback, good for the environment while you’re at it.” consumers through additional tax incentives. “My but there are other factors involved. That’s one of There’s a payback to solar panels, but it’s a long view is soon, soon, the state will incent the utility the reasons we put in place certain tax credits, to payback — typically 12 to 17 years, according to companies to start building solar farms,” he said. bring down the capital costs of those installations, Cahill. The public really doesn’t have “a stomach “We will be able to get that solar energy from so that your payback period is shortened. Without for that,” he conceded. And it would be longer were the utilities. When they get the ability to do this, companies like Central Hudson will manage solar farms and put megawatts of power together to get &RPSOHWH*DUGHQV enormous economies of scale, bringing the price &RQFHSW &UHDWLRQ &DUH down for all of us. It still won’t be at grid-parity, but 5LTIMATE'ARDEN%NVIRONMENTS it will be much more affordable.” And if conventional energy prices start going up like they did in the last )NSPIREDBY0RACTICAL6ISION part of 2007 and first part of 2008, the affordability IHQFHGLQFXWWLQJJDUGHQV of solar will come sooner. ODUJHSURSHUW\PDLQWHQDQFH If you can’t wait that long, a good way to shave ZDONZD\VSRROJDUGHQV your electric bill is to look into the next leap in home Conscious ENERGY lighting efficiency: LED light bulbs. Cozzolino said. the time Fully Insured You can now put them into floodlights and bring is now them indoors. While, in some cases, you need new Photovoltaic and Solar Heat 4HIRZA-C!ULIFFE & Hot Water Systems fixtures for fluorescent lights, LED lights are available that screw into the standard light bulb socket. “There are more and more of those coming out UHDOVROXWLRQVIRURXWGRRUHQWKXVLDVWV Drastically Reduce or into the market. That can reduce your electric bill Eliminate Your Energy Bills Woodstock Consultation & Site Analysis to Help Reduce Your Energy Usage Home Repairs

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way that we possibly can,” said Linda Gluck, one of Legacy Farm’s general managers. The first phase of this build-out will include the common building and nine residential units, to be inhabited by Legacy Farm’s founding sharehold- ers. The group is currently petitioning the attorney general for approval to add the anticipated remain- ing units. They have invested $340,000 to date in a general fund. The projected two-year construction of the

MaGe nine initial units and common house is expected i to begin in Spring 2010. These initial nine high-density homes — compa- rably small by yesterday’s McMansion standards orporaTe — will range from 900 to 1700 square feet. Most c

he will be two story duplexes, with some single-family

/ T / detached units available. All will feature elements

old of sustainable design, with the hope of eventually

G becoming zero-emission housing. Parking will be consolidated, and a series of walk-

ichael ing trails throughout the development will provide M a child-safe, pedestrian environment. Energy- efficient buildings will be constructed of highly durable non-toxic materials, such as: low-volatile organic compound (VOC) finishes, fiber-cement siding, metal roofs, recycled insulation and polished concrete floors. “The overall package is super-insulated,” said Chuck Silver of Hudson River Design. “They also have heat-recovery ventilation…Everything is done with an eye toward green and indoor air quality.” Silver, who has over 30 years of green building experience, co-designed the Legacy Farm community with Bruce Coldham of Coldham & Hartman Architects of Amherst, Massachusettes. He is also the designer of Common Fire, the platinum LEED-certified housing co-op known as “the greenest building in the Northeast” in Tivoli, New York. Landscape architect and planner Walter Cudnohufsky, of Walter Cudnohufsky Associates, Inc., Ashfield, Massachusettes, also served as a project consultant. “The core group [of Legacy Farm members] has been self-directed. They didn’t hire a developer; they hired a design team. They’re [involved] in project management; they found the property; they’ve gone through the municipal process of approval. It’s very impressive,” said Silver. It takes No monthly utility bills Once constructed, their energy-efficient units will surpass EPA Energy Star standards. The commu- a green village nity will achieve close to 50 percent less energy use than code-built construction. Legacy Farm’s co-housing community Small geothermal heat pumps in each unit will provide heat, hot water and air conditioning from expects to be off-the-grid when finished a single device. This is coupled with tight building envelopes and photovoltaic panels. “[The panels] are part of the initial purchase price, sized to fully archiTecT chuck silver desiGned leGacy farM, a 37-uniT co-housinG iniTiaTive on 56 acres in rosendale. power the heat pump which produces all heat, hot water and air conditioning to the houses. Any optional increase in the size of the photovoltaic By Megan Labrise The dream of a green community will soon become system would be to power lights, appliances, etc.” oing green not within your means? You a reality at Legacy Farm in Rosendale. said Silver. might just be able to buy with a little help In April 2008, the project, also known as Ulster Their inclusion will ultimately reduce fossil fuel from your friends. County Cohousing, received conditional final ap- consumption for heating, cooling and hot water G One trend in residential building that’s proval from the Rosendale Planning Board for 37 to zero. on the rise is cohousing, a cooperative living ar- residential units on 56 acres off of Binnewater Road. That means no monthly utility bills. “These build- rangement in which people cluster houses around The former farmland features a lake, meadows ings have, as part of their purchase price, their a common building. They may share amenities, and woodlands, much of which will be preserved energy for heat, hot water and air conditioning meals and more, depending on their determined as open space thanks to a minimized development included. By using renewable sources, there are needs as a community. They do share an ethos: footprint. no energy bills...when you buy a unit,” said Silver. Community planning is the secret ingredient in “From my point of view — and our point of view Instead, residents’ modest portions of utility service sustainability. — it’s absolutely urgent that we go green in every purchase and maintenance are appended to their mortgage payments. Clustering will also permit shared systems, such as sewer and water, to soften their impact on the land. As green development goes, Legacy Farm was Green Building • Custom Woodworking Renovations • Framing • Siding ahead of its time. “When we first starting dreaming Additions • New Homes about creating Legacy Farm Cohousing in 2002, our green and sustainable standard was less ap- For estimates & questions: preciated or understood,” said Legacy Farm’s other William Wallace • 845 750 7335 • New Paltz, NY general manager Ellen Sribnick. www.WilliamWallaceConstruction.com “After attending recent county events regarding

Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement April, 2009 • Page 29 local green and sustainable efforts, it is palpable ing on to sustainability, offering major incentives TRANSFORMATION RESTORATION and encouraging to witness that we are part of a for green elements in residential design. movement toward this world wide agenda.” On the federal level, there are tax-credit incentives: Painting & Powerwashing Cohousing originated in Denmark in the early 30 percent of purchase price for photovoltaic. The • Interior/Exterior 1970’s. Stateside since 1988, it is now considered new administration has added further incentives for a promising solution to modern environmental going green. “Now, in the new package, there’s 30 • Decks - Powerwashed, and social concerns. There are currently over 150 percent for geothermal heat pumps, in addition to Stained & Sealed cohousing communities in the United States And the photovoltaic credit. Both of those are fantastic given our current economic and climatic circum- incentives for building green,” said Silver. FREE ESTIMATES stances, this just might be the best moment in Legacy Farm has applied for two New York Call Chris Dolan: (845) 902-3020 history to pursue cohousing. There are important State Energy Research & Development Authority social benefits as well. (NYSERDA) grants: Next Generation Emerging “There’s a need for social resilience and coop- Technologies for Residential Buildings and Heating eration,” said Gluck. “People are hard-hit by the and Cooling Systems. The former, to be applied to economic situation. During the [Great] Depression, “greening” the buildings, has been granted. there was a cohesive social fabric: extended fami- The green aspect is as important to po- lies, an agrarian society, thriftiness. That resilience tential residents as its founders, said Pasha was a buffer for those people in that time. We don’t Clarke,chairperson of the Legacy Farm member- have that now; everybody’s on their own.” ship committee. Cooperative intergenerational neighborhoods “The type of person that cohousing attracts has serve as a “planned community,” which forms a a vision of creating a living space that’s in tune ARCHITECTURAL KITCHENS sort of extended network of shared experiences with how they believe the world should be treated. COMPETITIVELY PRICED and resources. Households reflect a cross-section It’s all connected with what we believe and how of diverse ages and backgrounds: singles, couples we’re treating our land. We’re grateful to have this and families with children. The ideal result is an beautiful piece of property.” l ongoing connection to neighbors, forming a sort of Legacy Farm holds monthly meetings; the public NEW SHOWROOM extended family while maintaining one’s personal is welcome to attend. An informational meeting, space. silent auction, and potluck lunch will be held at the Canaltown Alley on Main Street in Rosendale The larger community (behind the Big Cheese) on Saturday, April 4. For In addition to providing a supportive community more information, visit: http://www.legacyfarmco- structure, Legacy Farm hopes to reach out and housing.com/. benefit the community at large. One possibility is woodstockcustomwoodworking.com the development of an organic community garden. The property, which was a pesticide-free farm for three generations, would easily lend itself to sustainable farming once more. Also, the solar energy generated by Legacy Farm Hemlock Lawn Care will be of use beyond its boundaries. “Almost all In this economy, increase your property photovoltaic systems [including Legacy Farm’s] value by loving your lawn! FARM MARKET & feed power back to the grid. They do this whenever GREENHOUSE power is being generated and not fully used. They generate much more power in summer when the OPEN FOR THE SEASON days are longer and they take power when needed,

[more in winter than summer]. This arrangement is known as net metering. When a building has Mowing, landscaping, lawn ANNUALS, PERENNIALS, no annual energy bills for the year, it means that installations, spring/fall cleanups, HANGING BASKETS the solar array produces as much power as the HERBS, NURSERY STOCK l building consumes in the year...net-zero energy caretaking, plowing PRODUCE, BAKERY, GIFTS use,” said Silver. Both state and federal governments are now catch- Residential or Commercial 5100 RT. 209, ACCORD, NY 12404 (845) 657-6910 or (845) 787-7423 OPEN DAILY 7-5, CLOSED MONDAYS 845-626-CORN (2676) [email protected] WWW.SAUNDERSKILL.COM

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3 x 5” Page 30 • April, 2009 Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement Reduce, reuse, redecorate An ingenious design company has found a way to recycle your father’s boring cardboard box

By Megan Labrise are free of cadmium and lead.” K, so you’ve got this beautiful earth-friendly The “buy local” slogan doesn’t just apply to pro- home constructed of sustainable materi- duce. Supporting local manufacturers cuts down als and powered with renewable energy on the carbon emissions created by shipping long Osystems. Now, what are you going to put distances. Because of this, Cardboardesign hopes it in? to open satellite manufacturing plants in the Midwest Your solar panels and rainwater catch basin are and California for region-specific shipping. clear giveaways about the lifestyle you have chosen but the furnishings inside will truly set the tone in Heavy duty your green home. More and With its unique look, cardboard home decor easily more consumers are becomes a conversation piece, not to mention an applying the same excellent way to broach the subject of sustain- principles of sustainability with your guests. But before the deeper ability to buying home questions are asked, expect a few technical accessories. And de- ones, like “Will that chair really hold me?” signers are getting the The answer is likely yes. Much of the fur- hint. There are now niture features triple-wall fluted cardboard more environmentally construction. “Boxes are normally single-flute conscious decorating cardboard. Put two flutes together, it’s twice options than ever. As a as strong, but also, when you go to bend it, result, going green can it will holds its shape,” said Cathy Henszey. clude inhabitable teepees, rocket ships and castles, still mean fun, funky and “You can get it two feet deep, three feet a propeller plane for simulating flight and a full-sized functional when it comes deep; it doesn’t have to be that flat stuff lemonade/advice stand, ready to open for real or to home decor. that people are used to,” imaginary business. One company that proves As a result, chairs have successfully Online retailers The Spoon Sisters (www.spoon- you don’t have to sacrifice held 400 pounds. sisters.com), distributors of unique gifts for all ages, aesthetics — or a sense of have added the Cardboardesign airplane to their humor — to save the planet inventory. “It’s absolutely wonderful. The product is is Cardboardesign. Their prod- very smart, and we’re very selective about what ucts are eco-friendly, chemical- we bring in for children,” said Bonnie Spoon. “We free, recycled and recyclable. like the product and we like what they stand for. They are also delightfully quirky. Also, it’s made in the USA. It’s very exciting when They sell three cardboard prod- you find a product that is well made and made at uct lines: children’s playthings, home.” home decor and furniture. But, this time at least, the kids don’t get to have all They are made entirely from the fun. Adults have been known to write, draw and clean, sourced cardboard and paint graffiti on the tables and chairs. At a South- vegetable-based adhesives. ampton, New York art gallery opening, the artist “I always knew that cardboard also painted the tops of furniture and the pieces was sustainable, so when we were sealed to match the art on the walls. went to make the products Merchandise does not arrive with waterproofing. we just figured we would Relatively inexpensive water-based sealant is avail- go with that inherent qual- able at most home improvement stores, however. ity,” said principal designer Of course, just because it’s constructed Cathy Henszey. “It was kind from discarded materials doesn’t mean of the love of cardboard that you’ll find these custom designs at started the business and its bargain basement prices. sustainability that’s kept it “Because it’s cardboard people going.” expect it to be cheap. Because it’s She and company co-founder Vahid ecological and made in America, it Pourkay began designing unique cardboard pieces costs money. But we want to reuse in 2006. Retail sales began at the end of 2007 and things rather than use virgin materials,” were a quick success. Series 55, which includes heavy-duty said Cathy Henszey. The furniture and accessories range in aesthet- tables and desks, is constructed with Their products range from $34 for a small ics from straightforward desks and bookcases to 2.5-inch-thick honeycomb corrugated vase or Liquidcardboard piece, to $180 for a “Liquidcardboard,” a multi-vented accordio-ruffled cardboard. A desk may weigh under ten heavy-duty project table. A large set of Ecologic base for vases, baskets and centerpieces that pounds, but the result is remarkably shelves (63X63”) will set you back $330. can be manipulated into multiple designs to fit its durable. It’s a price that sustainable-savvy consumers are owner’s needs. “What’s interesting about the series 55 fur- still willing to pay. “What we’re finding even in this “Cardboardesign is committed to unique design niture is you can jump on those pieces. I’ve recession is that there still is a large percentage and creative living,” said sales manager Barbara furnished my kids’ dorm rooms with those,” of people, as much as 30 percent of the popula- Henszey, the designer’s sister, who works from said Barbara Henszey. “The honeycomb tion, who are willing to pay a premium of up to Rhinebeck. structure is the strongest physical struc- 20 percent on sustainable products. That’s Like many modern businesses, the New York ture in the natural really encouraging City-based company has operational departments world so you to us as we see spread throughout the tri-state area, including its can stand that this whole manufacturing headquarters. Cardboardesign o n o n e eco-friendly products are all made in the USA. of those movement is All of the company’s items are made from 100-per- desks and you becoming main- cent recycled, post-consumer paper fiber. won’t hurt them.” stream,” said Barbara “We source our cardboard; we know what’s coming There is a whim- Herszey. from where and what’s in it,” said Barbara Herszey. sical nature to For more information, “We make sure that everything is free of toxins, many of the visit the company’s and we do testing of our cardboard periodically. products. Chil- website: www.card- We want to make sure that our cardboard sources dren’s items in- boardesign.com. l Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement April, 2009 • Page 31 635,1*63(&,$/6635,1* 63(&,$/6

l Page 32 • April, 2009 Ulster Publishing’s spring home improvement