Henderson Callender of the Community Environmental Center (CEC) points out where cracks around the top of the riser should be repaired as part of the air-sealing program.

By Henderson Callender, CEC

The key to a happy client is not just work that’s done well, but work that involves the client’s participation in the project.

Home invasions can be very distressful for families—even benign invasions, like visits by work crews out to perform weatherization services. Homeowners who contract to have their house weatherized certainly want the work to get done. Nevertheless, there is a certain amount of trepidation involved in letting strangers into your house accompanied by tools and a mission. You think: How disruptive is this going to be?

For the past 13 years, our nonprofit organization, Community Environmental Center (CEC), has performed weatherization services in metro New York City, “invading” some 200 one- to four-family homes each year for fee-for-service jobs as well as no-charge services under New York State’s Weatherization Assistance program (WAP) for low-income families (see “From Wall Street to Green Construction” and “About Community Environmental Center”).

Based on our experience, CEC has learned that the key to a happy client is not just work that’s done well, but work that involves the client’s participation in the project.

Making the Client Comfortable

Client participation happens through on-site education. Weatherization professionals explain to the client what the crew intends to do and what each step should accomplish to help make the structure more weathertight and energy efficient. For many organizations performing weatherization services across the country, this may seem standard operating procedure. However, it is advice that should be reiterated. Routine makes for carelessness. And a slipup—something as simple as a worker who seems brusque—can sour a client/work crew relationship. We encourage our work crews to respect the house and to respect the client.

The result of our taking the time and trouble to explain each step we take is feedback from clients that is 99% affirmative and that often leads clients to refer us to their friends. As one Brooklyn, New York, homeowner told us, “I was a little scared [about the weatherization process]; this was an unknown quantity to me . . . But they told me all I needed to know about what they were going to do and why. When they said they would come at 9, they came at 9. They said it would take three or four days—it did.”

The first step in the weatherization process is most often a phone call to introduce ourselves to the client and present an overview of the weatherization process and what we hope to accomplish. We confirm an appointment and give the householder an estimate on how long the job will take. We don’t just explain what we do; we emphasize the benefits that will come from weatherizing the home.

We begin the relationship like a doctor: We take a history of the “patient.” How long have you lived there? Have you had construction done before? What kind of work? Do you have ongoing service contracts?

Energy Audit as a Teaching Tool

Following the initial contact, when we go to the home for the energy audit phase, it’s time to do more explaining. We’ve done an overview of the dwelling from the outside; now we want to tour the house with the client to scope the work that must be done, while inspecting the heating system and activating detectors to check for gas leaks and CO buildup.

Meanwhile, we are also keeping an eye out for unsafe conditions, such as loose wiring, and water seeping into the basement. If we do spot a hazard, more often than not an electrical problem, we must be diplomatic. We explain to the client that correcting such a problem is not the responsibility of weatherization work crews. The client must redress the problem with qualified professionals, like electricians, before the work crew arrives.

Explaining the Work Scope

With the audit completed, we discuss with the client what we think needs to be done to the house—and this does not always accord with what the client thinks or expects should be done (see “The Use of Energy Labels in Two European Countries,” HE Mar/Apr ’08, p. 8). We steer the client in the right direction, again by explaining why a different approach to making the home weathertight may be a more cost-effective way.

There seems to be an assumption, for example, that “weatherization” means “new windows.” This is not necessarily so. We might explain why a strategy like adding insulation around windows would be more effective in retaining heat than replacing windows. We want clients to clearly understand what renovations they will get—and what they won’t get—before the auditor leaves the home.

Make Sure the Client Is at Home

When setting a date and time to start work, it is important to stress that the client be on premises. There are times when a work crew arrives to find no one home. Or the homeowner decides at the last moment that he or she doesn’t want the work done right now. Or the wife made an appointment with us, but the husband appears to say, “I don’t want you to touch my house.”

These kinds of situations are becoming increasingly rare, thanks to the public’s growing awareness of environmental matters and the need many people feel to conserve energy. When we explain to clients the difference in energy use, and what that means in savings, between CFL bulbs and fixtures and conventional ones, they are much more appreciative than they might have been a few years ago.

Similarly, we get a more knowledgeable and appreciative response when we describe how the client will save on utility bills by replacing an old refrigerator (or dishwasher or clothes washer) with an Energy Star appliance, or how much more efficient a gas-driven drier is than an electric one. Never lose the opportunity to ballyhoo, and to demonstrate when possible, how a household’s life will change, how much more comfortable the home will be, how the client will save dollars, with the upgrades being made to weatherize the home.

With the arrival of the work crew, we make another tour of the house, always in the company of the client. We will not work in the house if the client is not there, for various reasons. One reason is the security of private property, always a touchy subject for work crews, who must defend themselves if the client claims, for instance, that an earring is missing from her dresser top.

Minimize Disruption

The work crew tries to work as much outside the bounds of the client’s daily life as possible. For instance, insulation can often be blown in from outside the house. Otherwise, to install insulation and perform other disruptive tasks, we prepare clients in advance by asking them to remove clothing from closets, pull back carpeting, and get dogs and ther pets out of the way. Work crews may have to move furniture from one side of the house to the other; they always do this carefully and in consultation with the client.

Since installing insulation under the floorboards in the attic often affects lights, we turn the lights on and leave them on after the job is completed to show the client that all is well. When the job is completed, it is beneficial to point out various improvements, especially if they are not obvious to the eye. If the heating system has been replaced or revamped, we explain any new technology involved and how it works.

Safety Drill for Workers

An on-the-job education program also should target the crew, serving as a workday drill or constant-reminder program that emphasizes following safety guidelines. Patrick Goodluck, CEC’s on-site manager, puts workers through their paces regarding proper use of protective clothing and equipment, including the so-called Tyvec space suits and face masks essential for such jobs as installing insulation in closed spaces, hard hats, and gloves. If a worker is being newly outfitted with protective clothing, does it fit properly? Is it comfortable?

This is established as our routine morning safety drill to check the proper working order of equipment, including extension ladders, triangular (step) ladders, extension cords, drills, saws, blowers, and vehicles. We have been trained in OSHA standards, and workers are made familiar with them. For example, workers can’t grow beards, so facemasks will fit snugly.

Among other procedures, the crew is drilled on the proper setup and securing of scaffolding; is taught that extended ladders are positioned at a 70° angle, with the base planted firmly 3 feet from the threshold or the wall; and is taught not to stand on the topmost platform of a triangular ladder.

When we start work on an older house, we assume that we will encounter a certain amount of lead, and quite possibly asbestos. These materials may show up when we strip old insulation from pipes, for example, before performing blower tests. We watch for out-of-ordinary situations, such as water seepage, loose wires, and kerosene space heaters that must be removed. That’s why we always wear protective clothing and masks for even the most routine tasks.

The goal is safety for the client and for the worker.

Sharing the Work

With the client comfortable with the work crew and briefed on everything that we are doing, and with work crew members always cognizant of the procedures that mean professionalism, we are accomplishing a sound job of weatherization for a household that now fully appreciates what goes into this kind of work—and what it accomplishes in making the home more comfortable, more energy efficient, and more environmentally friendly.

This on-the-job tutoring of the client pays an added dividend: An educated client will take much better care of the house and be much more alert on ways to save energy. We’ve also recruited another client to the cause of improving the environment.

Henderson Callender is energy auditor for Community Environmental Center, Long Island City, New York.

About Community Environmental Center

Community Environmental Center (CEC) has been in the forefront of the growing effort to improve the performance of the built environment in New York, especially in the New York City metro area. As a not-forprofit, the firm is uniquely dedicated to this goal, which includes reducing environmental pollution, limiting the need for expensive public infrastructure projects, and assisting the lower-income population by reducing the cost of utilities.

High-Performance Building Services

CEC, established in 1994, focused initially on the energy conservation needs of existing residential buildings. With the advent of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED system and increasing market interest in making buildings more energy and water efficient and healthy to live in, CEC added staff to provide green building and LEED certification consulting services. CEC’s Engineering Services and Technical Services departments now have 15 professionals experienced in various aspects of high performance building, including five engineers. Six members are LEED accredited. While the majority of CEC’s projects involve existing residential buildings, our client base includes owners of commercial and industrial facilities and new construction of all types. Eight of CEC’s projects are registered to be LEED certified at various levels. CEC has published Affordably Green in NYC, a guidebook to green design for low-income housing in New York City.

CEC’s experience ranges from contracts to develop ambitious efficiency standards for an entire city agency and for a major New York State Energy Research and Development Agency (NYSERDA) housing program, to overseeing the work of other firms in implementing the standards and to consulting and contract work on individual buildings.

In a large urban area like New York City, the stock of existing buildings far outweighs the amount of new construction. CEC has played an important role in the upgrading of existing buildings as it continues to be the largest not-for-profit energy conservation contractor in the state, currently managing over $8 million in annual contracts from the State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), NYSERDA, and private building owners. CEC has reached more than 250,000 people with energy conservation programs that reduced their utility costs by an estimated $22 million. This energy use reduction translates into 44,000 tons less of CO2 being emitted into the air per year.

With its knowledge of the available federal, state, and local government programs, CEC is able to access applicable public incentives for its clients and guide them through the application and compliance procedures. CEC directs clients as appropriate to the private energy market programs in peak load reduction to create income incentives for energy efficiency.

Environmental Education

CEC began its public environmental education effort in 2002, when it won a city contract to construct an environmental education center at Stuyvesant Cove Park in Manhattan. A year later, CEC created a related not-forprofit, Solar One, to manage and guide the project forward. Staff provide specialized environmental issues classes for students and adults and host various cultural events out of a small classroom structure powered largely by solar energy, which serves as a living example of solar power use. Designs are under way for Solar 2, an 8,000 ft2 facility to house a larger program and to demonstrate the feasibility of green design. It will be a net zero energy building.

Deconstruction Service and Materials Outlet

CEC established its salvage material warehouse and deconstruction service, Build It Green!/NYC, in support of its goals to assist building owners in achieving LEED certification and to support affordable housing efforts in New York City. The service addresses two of the LEED criteria dealing with materials and resources and has diverted tons of reusable materials from New York City’s waste stream. Builders and homeowners are able to buy high-quality used appliances, cabinets, doors, and other items from our Build It Green!/NYC warehouse.

Proud to Serve New York City

CEC’s staff reflects its pledge to social equity, boasting a high percentage of women and various minorities in both management and operations. CEC has deep roots in the New York City community through its relationships with government agencies and the many community service organizations, housing authorities, and building managers and owners with whom it has worked. This, together with its unusual combination of experience in all kinds of buildings, from single–family homes to large complexes like Co-op City and commercial facilities, and its deconstruction and public education services, enables CEC to play an important role in transforming New York City into a sustainable high-performance city.

by Brooklyn Eagle (edit@brooklyneagle.net), published online 03-04-2008

Click here to view to the article on the Brooklyn Eagle website.

For Brooklyn homeowners and renters who are skimping on heating, help may be just a phone call away.

Based on household income levels, residents may be eligible for New York State’s no-charge Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The program assigns contractors to make homes weathertight and energy efficient while also reducing carbon emissions to the environment.

“Although we have been experiencing a surge of applicants for WAP, we think there are many more in Brooklyn who are not aware of its existence and would qualify for the program,” said Richard Cherry, president of the Long Island City-based Community Environmental Center (CEC), a not-for-profit energy-efficiency contractor that has been weatherizing apartments and homes in the metropolitan region for 13 years.

“We want to reach out to the low-income [individuals and] families who now can’t afford the renovations that will add to their comfort while reducing their utility bills this year and for years to come. The sharp increases in fuel prices has reached a crisis point for many households,” he said.

Said Congressman Ed Towns (D-Brooklyn), “The Weatherization Assistance Program is an outstanding example of what can be accomplished when New York State, New York City and the federal government cooperate to benefit citizens by improving the air they breathe, reducing energy consumption and helping the environment.”

Towns is a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

In Brooklyn, Beth Schultz of Midwood watched a CEC work crew overhaul her home last fall. The end result is a home that “breathes” easier — and allows her to breathe easier — as well as being warmer and more economical to heat. CEC took on the assignment last fall, completing the job in about four days, “just as they said they would,” according to Schultz.

After a thorough inspection (energy audit) to prioritize needs, the boiler was cleaned, leaks in pipes and ducts were sealed, smoke and air quality monitors were installed, cracks in the walls were repaired, new CFL lighting fixtures were added and insulation installed in her drafty front bedroom.

Income Eligibility

Income eligibility is determined according to a sliding scale representing total household income, which is limited to 60 percent of the state’s median income. For a single person, this is $21,177; for a family of four, $40,714. WAP recipients typically enjoy more than 20 percent savings on their utility bills, according to Olga Souto, who, along with Carol Wiggins, administers WAP.

For an application for weatherization assistance, Brooklyn residents should contact Souto or Wiggins at (718) 784-1444.

REMODELING NEWS, March 2008

By Richard Cherry

Click here to download a PDF of the magazine.

Ever-growing concern with climate change and the need to slash carbon emissions and reduce energy consumption are having an impact on the way that remodelers are being asked to do business. Homeowners want to “go green”— especially if conserving energy and reducing carbon emissions also means savings on utility costs.

Adding to the environmental movement are various city and state sponsored programs to promote energy conservation and clean air initiatives, including economic incentives and financial assistance to low-income homeowners for weatherization projects offered by entities like the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

Recently, the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, where remodelers working in the city obtain their licenses, formed a task force on how to educate, train and inform remodelers on green strategies—which is the intent of this article.

I am part of this task force based on my work at the nonprofit organization Community Environmental Center, which offers home performance services in the metro New York area and works with architects and contractors involved with sustainable housing. Short of taking the specialized training to qualify as “building performance contractors,” what do remodelers need to know to add “green” to their portfolio of capabilities?

MATERIALS SELECTION

From the remodeler’s standpoint, green strategies for the most part focus on careful selection of materials. The emphasis is on using recycled materials or new materials with recycled content that are environmentally benign. Ideally, these materials are locally sourced, manufactured with minimum negative impact on the environment and easily replaced.

First, let’s define what “going green” means. As I like to say, there are “many shades of green.”

The best kind of green is re-using materials instead of trashing them and buying new. For example, refinishing floors, doors and cabinets instead of tearing them out. Bricks from a demolition site can be re-used for fashionable exposed brick walls. The idea is to reuse what you can instead of sending it off to already overburdened landfills.

Next, the way to go is select new materials that are recycled or have recycled content.

Otherwise, new materials can be considered green f they have a negative impact on the environment; that we call a “small carbon imprint.” This means the process of producing these materials emits minimal amounts of carbon dioxide, the principal greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere.

A growing phenomenon of the green movement is the startup in many communities of re-use centers, usually nonprofits, where building materials otherwise destined to be trashed are collected from construction and demolition sites, recycled and given a “new life.” In New York, for instance, there is Brooklyn’s Green Depot and CEC’s Build It Green!/NYC. In addition to the admirable job they do in reducing the wastestream, these re-use centers are an invaluable resource for anyone involved with home renovations, offering such good-as-new materials as flooring, doors and door frames, shelving, cabinetry, trim, tile, plumbing and lighting fixtures, among a variety of other items, at prices much cheaper than what they would cost new.

Remodelers counseling ecoconscious householders can point the way to the selection of new, green materials manufactured from renewable substances or with substantial recycled content.

Bamboo flooring, for instance, is handsome and durable — and bamboo is a fast-growing plant, easily replenished, unlike other tropical woods. Wood (and wood-derived products) with FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) certification are from carefully managed and sustainable forests. Modular carpeting, which can be made from ground-up plastic bottles, is installed in the form of square tiles, enabling easy replacement of individual tiles when worn, instead of tearing up all the carpeting.

Manufacturers of a wide range of building materials continue to climb aboard the green bandwagon. For instance, 3Form’s Ecoresin is a tough, non-toxic polyester-derived sheet material, 40 percent of which is from recycled material, available in many colors and patterns as countertops, backsplashes and wall panels. Otherwise, consider countertops of recycled plastic or glass.

An important point: Remodelers should also use paints and glues labeled as not containing VOCs (volatile organic carbons), now available from all manufacturers, which greatly improve interior air quality.

FOUR BASIC GREEN STRATEGIES

Looking at the house as a whole, consider these four areas in which remodelers can make the most impact in providing homeowners with a more comfortable environment while greatly reducing energy consumption.

Air sealing. Identifying all locations, including piping and ductwork, where cold air infiltrates from outside, and applying weatherstripping as needed.

Replace old appliances with Energy Star appliances, as certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy, which greatly reduce energy consumption. An Energy Star refrigerator is 40 percent more energy efficient than other refrigerators.

Replace conventional light bulbs with CFL’s (compact fluorescent bulbs), which are 75 percent more efficient and last six to 10 times longer, available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Install modern high-tech argon-filled thermal pane windows with low-emissivity coatings that do a far superior job of blocking air infiltration than conventional windows.

Install (or replace) insulation, probably the single most effective means of preventing heat loss. CEC is on record as favoring cellulose insulation because it is made from recycled paper, is locally sourced and provides a superior thermal barrier (see remodeling News, January/February 2008).

Sometimes the job of making homes weathertight involves major problems that can be solved only by BPI-approved building performance contractors. The Building Performance Institute offers intensive training for remodelers wanting to take the next big step to achieving green expertise.

Short of that, remodelers may find it more practical to sub-contract a building performance contractor. That way the first step to be taken in a home improvement project would be an energy audit pinpointing just where and how energy related updates should be executed, and prioritizing them according to needs and budget of the client.

Results of the audit become a sort of blueprint for the whole job of remodeling, expediting work and assuring at the end a comfortable home as well as one with aesthetic improvements. For further information on green materials, suppliers and manufacturers, and energy-efficiency techniques, remodelers can find many sites on the internet that offer valuable guidelines.

Resources include the U.S. Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org), which has local chapters across the nation, the Building Performance Institute (www.bpi.org) and, for an exhaustive list of green materials, Building Green (www.nrdc.org/buildinggreen). Also helpful are CEC’s websites (www.cecenter.org and, the re-use center, www.BIGnyc.org).

————————

Richard Cherry is the President of Community Environmental Center. Visit CEC’s website for more information.

The ideal candidate will have at least one year of HVAC/mechanical engineering
experience.  A familiarity with multi-family residential building science and
computer modeling programs such as TREAT and EA-QUIP are essential for
success in this position.

Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Interested candidates should fax a one-page cover letter and resume to
(718) 784-5506, Attn: Tech Services.  Or email to apettway **@** cecenter.org.

Must be able to:

• Perform site inspections for energy use assessments and audits;
• Analyze heating/distribution system designs and specifications;
• Perform energy use analyses and tracking;
• Have a degree in mechanical/energy engineering or related field with knowledge of HVAC design and application, building performance analyses, building modeling, building construction and design;
• Travel and be able to interpret plant operating and installation data for translation into engineering documents; Perform construction quality control management and building audits.

Internship programs are open for three to six months at 35 hours/week. Compensation is at an hourly rate.NOTE: Internships could lead to permanent employment, if available.

Interested candidates should fax a one -page cover letter and resume to:
(718) 784-5506, Attn: Tech Services or email to apettway **@** cecenter.org.

Tech Services Internship Opportunity [PDF]

Work tasks will include:

• Writing grant applications for foundation and government funding opportunities.
• Preparing competitive proposals in response to requests for services.
• Researching public policy initiatives on energy conservation and climate change
  and preparing formal comments on behalf of Community Environmental Center.
• Coordinating the work of consultants and volunteers (retired professionals)
  who are contributing to proposals or business plans.
• Preparing outreach materials about CEC’s services and accomplishments.
• Networking with potential clients and funders.
• Gathering information from CEC staff members as needed for the above tasks.
• Maintaining dynamic website content, including coordination with staff and subscribers.

Qualified applicants will have strong writing and analytical skills, an ability to work
with technical information, and excellent communication and interpersonal skills for teamwork and networking. Successful grant-writing experience, as well as work experience or an advanced degree relevant to CEC’s area of focus, are desired.

The position is open starting March 1^st, and includes full benefits. Salary will be commensurate with experience. While a full time employee is desired, a part-time arrangement is possible. Please submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample (PDF or MS Word compatible format) to Vanessa Krigger, Human Resources Administrator, at vkriggerATcecenter.org (replace AT with @).

January 2008

Click here to download a PDF of the magazine article.

With the push to “go green” making great strides, contractors are looking for ways to join the bandwagon in a cost effective way. With the realization that more and more clients are demanding “green,” the implementation of green measures and technology can enhance the value of a property.

Obviously, the choice of building materials is a key element, including the selection of insulation. And the greenest material available for insulation is cellulose. In addition to being a recyclable, locally sourced material, cellulose provides a superior thermal barrier as compared to fiberglass insulation.

This has been the experience of Community Environmental Center (CEC), which has grown over its 13 years of existence to become the largest not-for-profit energy-efficiency contractor and consultant in New York State. As an overall promulgator of green values to the construction industry, CEC is playing a major role in building recognition of cellulose insulation in the metro New York construction marketplace.

At a recent informal seminar and demonstration of cellulose insulation application technology to an audience of New York City-based architects, one test proved to be quite a revelation to the audience.

BLOWTORCH TEST

A blowtorch was applied to a patch of cellulose. Instead of flaring up, the flame merely charred the surface of the insulation. How could this be? After all, cellulose consists of paper fibers — most often ground-up newspapers — and what’s more flammable than paper?

Many people can’t conceive that this material can be fire resistant, accounting for a lingering resistance to specifying cellulose insulation among architects and contractors in some markets, including New York City. On the other hand, some contractors outside the city are surprised that anyone would specify anything else but cellulose for insulation.

For the record, stabilized cellulose insulation, as legally specified for the construction marketplace, is treated with a borate compound that provides remarkable fire resistance. Cellulose is standardized, monitored and labeled by a host of regulatory authorities and testing laboratories, including ASTM (American Society of Testing and Materials),
Underwriters Laboratories and the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission.

The Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Assn. (CIMA) cites independent studies that affirm, among other findings, that cellulose insulation increases fire resistance of walls by 22 percent to 55 percent, compared to fiberglass insulation.

Fiberglass does not burn either. But it melts, producing holes and pockets within walls that enable fires, typically electric fires, to reach wood joists and other combustible materials.

It isn’t the insulation material itself that is to blame for fires within walls and ceilings; it is the material’s effectiveness in preventing flames from spreading. The dense fiber structure of cellulose slows the spread of fire, smothering flames and hot gasses, and creating a “two-hour firewall” for escape from a burning structure.

SUPERIOR THERMAL BARRIER

It is this density, which contributes so much to its fire resistance, that also provides a superior thermal barrier, blocking air infiltration and heat loss. Cellulose is two to three times denser than fiberglass, easily flowing around all obstructions and completely filling all voids, halting air circulation within walls. Because air movement accounts for more than 98 percent of moisture seepage, blocking the flow of air also eliminates standing water problems and the rot and other damage
caused by water.

As CEC learned from more than 10 years of providing weatherization services for houses and apartment buildings, cellulose insulation is up to 40 percent more effective as a thermal insulator as compared to conventional insulation.

The density of cellulose also contributes to soundproofing walls and to mold and vermin resistance.

APPLICATION METHODS

Typically, cellulose insulation is applied by blowing it behind drywall or below floorboards with pneumatic fill tubes, easily accomplished with this dense, fine-grained material. Far superior to installing batts of insulation material, blowing in the fine cellulose fibers packs it so densely that there is no flow of air within walls. Air movement allows heat to escape and fire to spread. Settling of the densely packed cellulose is virtually non-existent.

Another application works particularly well in extensive renovations in which walls are opened and studs exposed, before drywall is in place but with all pipes, ducting, wiring and outlets in place. It also works well with remodelers who are stripping walls to the studs in houses and other structures.

This is a damp-spray application involving a double-hopper blower arrangement, with one hopper blowing low-moisture insulation in and the other hopper recovering and recycling overspray. The cellulose easily flows around all obstructions, achieving a paper mache-like quality that clings securely with no need for netting or any other barrier to hold it in place.

After applying, the cellulose fill is scraped down so it is flush with the studs, and allowed to dry. Then sheetrock is installed.

The cellulose fibers are so fine in damp spray that they achieve a particularly tight seal, 38 percent tighter than fiberglass, and overall a much tighter building envelope. However, the damp spray method does require specialized equipment and expertise.

RECYCLING WASTE

Furthering the cause of environmentalism is the fact that cellulose is an environmentally benign material produced locally from recycled waste that otherwise would continue to flow to landfills. Every hundred pounds of cellulose insulation contains 80 pounds to 85 pounds of recycled newsprint, CIMA claims.

Even the production of cellulose is eco-friendly. Cellulose insulation is made by electrically driven mills that process recycled wood fibers and shut down easily when product quotas are met, emitting relatively little greenhouse gas emissions.

We found that cellulose meets all these criteria, and we have been using the material as much as possible in the construction services we provide as contractors or consultants, whether in design specifications or actual construction installation.

——————————-

Leroy Anthony is Director of Conservation Services for Community Environmental Center, based at 43-10 11th St., Long Island City, NY 11101. Since its inception, CEC has sought to provide services that are not only cost efficient and energy conserving but are also environmentally friendly. For further information, contact Anthony at lanthony (@) cecenter.org, 718-784-1444

illustration by Jason Edmiston

Considering the harsh statistics—such as the fact that around 13,000 tons of construction waste are generated every day in the five boroughs, and that around 2 percent of the world’s global climate change is credited to landfill-generated methane gas, nothing less than high-fives and bear hugs go out to the green-minded folks at Build It Green NYC!, which salvages and sells donated or acquired materials (often brand-new or barely used) taken from building demolitions or left over from new construction. Since BIG NYC! resells the stuff and passes on the mass savings to New York City consumers, the “junk” is spared the toxic and environment-crippling fate of decaying in a dump. New Yorkers doing any kind of home renovation this year, or landlords needing materials for their buildings, should mosey on down to this Queens-based warehouse: Everything from brand-new cans of paint (only $5) to doors, sinks, windows, kitchen cabinets (some of the ones recently donated were originally worth—cough, cough—$75,000 each!), lumber, and household appliances are available, all of it priced 50 to 70 percent less than the original market price. Even cooler: The proceeds of this nonprofit go to creating an environmental and educational center run by the “green energy, arts, and education” group Solar One. Donating materials is also welcome, and tax write-offs give an extra incentive.

Link to the Village Voice page.

Click here to link to the article at Mulit-Housing News.

MULTI-HOUSING NEWS, By Richard M. Cherry, president of Community Environmental Center

In just the past year or so, the public has come to accept the reality of global warming and its adverse impact on air quality, the weather and the consumption of energy. Coming to terms with this reality should be a wake-up call to the multi-housing industry to take advantage of a golden opportunity to lead the way in improving the environmental health of their communities—and to profit by doing it. For far too long, too many owners and managers of multi-unit buildings have been largely indifferent to the potential benefits of environmentally sustainable design and technology.

Investing in available “green” technology to improve energy efficiency, reduce consumption and help the environment reaps a quick payback and significant long-term operations savings for the owners and developers of apartment buildings.

New construction and renovations of existing buildings that meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, the prestigious rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, convert these co-ops, condos and rentals into high performing assets in the marketplace.

LEED-certified housing attracts buyers and renters who believe in conservation. It also fortifies the good will and loyalty of residents, who experience added comfort levels, including improved indoor air quality, as well as reduced utility bills.

Densely populated municipalities, coping with energy shortages, the threat of blackouts and poor air quality, are adding to the push to achieving sustainable buildings. In April, New York City’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg came aboard with his comprehensive PlaNYC 2030 blueprint to manage the city’s growth and conserve energy in environmentally responsible ways.

New York City also enacted Local Law 86, which requires that construction of municipally funded buildings (except housing and schools) within a certain size and budget must be LEED certified. Sponsors of the legislation, which took effect with the new year, hope it will inspire the private sector to go green.

Although not covered by Local Law 86, the legislation pointed the way for pilot programs involving multifamily housing sponsored by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development and carried out by my organization, Community Environmental Center (CEC), a not-for-profit that is a preferred contractor for energy-efficient and high-performance green design and construction.

The bandwagon for sustainable design is blossoming into various incentives and subsidies sponsored by the federal government and by states and cities across the nation—available resources that the canny developer will want to explore. CEC (www.cecenter.org) has been assisting property owners in New York State to locate and apply for these incentives.

Such energy-efficient measures as upgrading heating and air conditioning systems, installing low-emissivity windows and Energy Star appliances, adding insulation and sealing leaks will generate many times the investment in life-cycle savings.

But why stop at these conventional energy efficiency measures? This is the 21st century, and we should take advantage of 21st-century technology.

Take solar power, for instance. It’s doable right now. CEC’s solar-powered Solar 1 exhibit and education center in Manhattan generates 3.52 kilowatts an hour from an 88-panel rooftop photovoltaic (PV) array, and our much larger, soon-to-be-built Solar 2 will actually be a net 0 energy user, meaning it will generate more energy from the sun than it will consume.

Other advanced, cost-effective technologies on the shelf are co-generation (enabling buildings to generate their own hot water and electricity and, to a limited extent, heat); heat-recovery systems (which capture and recycle heat otherwise lost through ventilation); and bi-lighting in common areas (activated from dim to bright only when monitors sense the movement of people, thus significantly reducing the cost of lighting hallways and stairwells).

One of our favorite “fixes” is computer-managed heating controls, which regulate heat via sensors throughout the building and warn of boiler malfunctions before they become emergencies.

Although automobiles seem to get all the attention, in reality buildings in the U.S. account for about one-third of all the energy, water and materials the nation consumes, according to the U.S Green Building Council. Here in New York City, buildings account for a whopping 79 percent of energy consumption.

We applaud the initiatives set forth by the mayor in New York City’s PlaNYC 2030. We’re all for squeezing more miles-per-gallon out of our cars while reducing exhaust emissions. Let’s pay more attention now to cutting energy consumption and improving the environment where we spend most of our time: indoors.

Richard Cherry sees opportunities where others see smokestacks and landfills. In 1994, after two decades with the New York Urban Coalition, Cherry founded the Community Environmental Center to help low-income New Yorkers save money on utility bills by adding insulation, weatherizing, and installing more efficient appliances. Today, the Community Environmental Center has become the state’s largest nonprofit energy conservation organization and the city’s only nonprofit eco-business. The Center now runs an array of initiatives, including consulting services for developers who want to put up energy-efficient buildings, a program to salvage building materials for reuse instead of adding to landfills, and education efforts that teach children about conservation in a solar-powered building. In his role as an eco-entrepreneur, Cherry has aggressively promoted activities that not only help New York’s disadvantaged communities but also raise environmental awareness across generations.

Meet Richard Cherry
Richard Cherry’s original plan was simple enough: help New Yorkers on limited budgets save money on utility bills. The work, funded by a government weatherization program, would help people who badly needed it get some extra cash at the end of the month. Today, Cherry is an eco-entrepreneur, and the Community Environmental Center he founded in 1994 is the state’s largest nonprofit energy conservation organization and the city’s only nonprofit eco-business.

The Center provides a comprehensive menu of services for homeowners, building owners, government officials and professionals interested in energy efficiency or sustainable buildings, including:

* energy engineering services for existing buildings;
* home performance contracting services for one- to four-family homes;
* Green Building technical assistance to architects and engineers;
* low-income home weatherization services; and
* reused and recycled building materials made available at low cost.

The Center sweats the small stuff, while keeping the big picture in mind. Last year, the Center’s staff installed fixtures for compact fluorescent bulbs, replaced energy-devouring older refrigerators with energy-efficient models, weatherized windows and doors, and installed energy-efficient heating systems and insulation in 8,000 homes, nearly all affordable housing units. The work cut the amount of carbon dioxide dumped into the atmosphere by 10,000 tons annually - the equivalent of planting more than 2,600 acres of trees a year to help scrub the air clean.

The Center also provided technical assistance to the City in converting a 25-unit Bronx apartment building into a showcase for green technology. Renovated from an empty shell, the building will contain high-efficiency condensing boilers and other measures that will cut energy and water consumption by one-third compared with other city-owned buildings.

Roots in the Trade

Cherry’s grandfather, a Russian immigrant, learned English from a plumbing manual and became a plumber. His father, who trained as an accountant, became an expert in heating systems.

“I find it eerie that I trained as a lawyer and here I am dealing with heating systems and plumbing” he says. “Isn’t that something!?”

Rick Cherry’s career started at a large corporate law firm, but soon left Wall Street to join the staff of the New York Urban Coalition. He spent 20 years there, much of the time running the Coalition’s housing program.

When Cherry was in his early 50s, the Coalition board decided to dissolve the organization, and he was out of a job. “I had to decide what to do with my life,” he says. “It was a tough time for me.”

At the suggestion of a friend, Cherry started the Center as an outlet for his passion to improve living conditions for New York’s low-income residents.

Solar One

In 2002, the Center won a city contract to build an environmental education center in Manhattan. A year later, Cherry and his staff created a related nonprofit, Solar One, the city’s first solar-powered arts and education center.

“The city wanted a not-for-profit group to develop and manage a model of sustainable urban development in Stuyvesant Cove Park,” Cherry says. “Several museums decided against it because they had capital needs of their own. We took it on.” The building was an Earth Day demonstration structure erected by architects who donated it to the Center.

More than 8,000 students throughout the City have attended presentations on energy conservation at the facility. Solar One also runs CitySol, a clean-energy festival series where people rock along with bands that perform on a solar- and biodiesel-powered stage, itself a former catwalk recycled from a Tommy Hilfiger fashion show.

Plans are currently underway for replacing Solar One with Solar Two, which would be the first building in the City to generate more energy than it consumes. Solar Two will continue to run Solar One’s programs including the Green Renter lecture series — featuring subjects relevant to city life, such as green investing, recycling, and how to purchase wind power - and its eco-apartment will show people what they can do in their own homes to lead more eco-friendly lives.

Waste Not, Want Not

A few years ago, Cherry learned about deconstruction, a way to salvage worthwhile material from demolished buildings rather than dumping it in a landfill. He saw an opportunity to expand the Center’s environmental impact and revenue stream at the same time.

“There was nothing like it in the city, and people here knew I was interested,” Cherry says. “Then a major developer told me they needed some buildings taken down, and if I found warehouse space for the salvage I could do the job.” Cherry found the space.

Since early 2005, when Cherry created Build It Green!, the enterprise has kept 450 tons of building material out of landfills and sold it well below retail cost to homeowners, landlords fixing up apartments, and families restoring older homes. Set designers and movie and television producers come to the warehouse as both customers and suppliers.

After “The Sopranos” finished filming the last episode, crews dismantled the set and contributed all the doors to Build It Green! Contractors now bring donations of new and used items to Build It Green! instead of the landfill.

Recently, someone donated two kitchens, unused and still in their crates, each worth $70,000. “Because so many people wanted them, we ran our first Internet auction. We made a lot of money,” Cherry says, “and it was Build It Green’s greatest coup. So now we’ll start calling property managers and kitchen designers to tell them we’re interested in any high-end kitchens being replaced.”

Sustainability

In the 13 years since founding the Center, and in particular since seeing Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, Cherry has broadened his views and his organization’s mission.

“I originally thought that we were only helping to make homes more affordable for people without much money,” he says. “I never thought of it in the context of climate change.

“As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to realize that it’s not wrong to say that we all have a moral duty to save the earth,” Cherry adds. “That’s something new for me. I’m trained as a lawyer and I explain things like a lawyer, but I’ve discovered along the way that it’s okay not to be embarrassed about sometimes being a preacher.”

People often ask Cherry, who’s approaching 65, if he’s going to retire soon. He shakes his head and focuses on the next challenge — transforming the Center from a company that depends on government contracts into a self-sustaining business.

“We’re in business to make sure we improve the environment,” Cherry says, “and we want to stay in business. But, in the end, I want to leave a business that has more to it than a financial bottom line. I want it to have a soul.”