Eleek Countertops

I’ve posted on Eleek’s recycled aluminum modern light fixtures over at Living Well, but Eleek is much more than just lighting. They fabricate sinks, switchplates, hardware, tile and countertops too… all from 100% recycled aluminum.

From Eleek.com:

Unique, beautiful and easy to care for, Eleek Recycled Aluminum Countertops are a fresh answer to the demand for sustainable and stylish countertop options.

Our countertops do not fingerprint like stainless steel. They are lighter than stone, heat resistant (up to 300°F), and always pleasantly room temperature thanks to aluminum’s highly conductive nature.

Eleek Countertops are customized to your kitchen. That makes each countertop completely unique. Plus, no cutting on site is required and installation is a breeze.

Big bucks though… according to Sunset.com, Eleek countertops cost about $95 per square foot; comparable to top-end granite.

For more information, check out Eleek Recycled Aluminum Countertops.

The Slow Home

I was just checking out my friend Bob’s new blog and he has a link to the Slow Home… Good Design for Real Life.

From TheSlowHome.com:

Slow Home is an international movement devoted to bringing good design into real life. It takes its name from the slow food movement which arose as a reaction to the processed food industry. The sprawl of cookie cutter housing that surrounds us is like fast food – standardized, homogeneous, and wasteful. It contributes to a too fast life that is bad for us, our cities, and the environment. In the same way that slow food raises awareness of the food we eat and how these choices affect our lives, Slow Home provides design focused information to empower each of us to take more control of our homes and improve the quality of where and how we live.

Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency

From EnergyStar.gov:

As of December 31, 2007, most of the residential tax credits (windows, doors, roofs, insulation, HVAC, and non-solar water heaters) expired. You have until April 15, 2008 to report these credits on your 2007 taxes. The tax credit for solar water heaters and solar panels remains in effect through December 31, 2008.

On February 27, 2008, the House passed $18.1 billion in renewable energy tax incentives (H.R. 5351), including an extension of the tax credit for energy-efficient home improvements. The bill is similar to the one passed last year, which was ultimately removed from the 2007 Energy Bill, signed into law in December 2007. This bill must still pass in the Senate, and be signed by the President to become law.

See more info at EnergyStar.gov…

SIPs

A re-post from Living Well…

From SIPs.org:

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) are high-performance building panels for floors, walls and roofs in residential and commercial buildings. Each panel is typically made using expanded polystyrene (EPS), or polyisocyanurate rigid foam insulation sandwiched between two structural skins of oriented strand board (OSB), but other surfaces are also available to meet your needs. The result is a building system that is very strong, predictable, energy efficient, and cost effective.

Building with SIPs generally costs about the same as building with wood frame construction, when you factor in the labor savings resulting from shorter construction time and less job-site waste.

Other savings are realized because less expensive heating and cooling systems are required with SIP construction.

For more information on SIPS, visit the Structured Insulated Panel Association website.

Taylor Recycling

This afternoon I attended a meeting of the Women in Architecture Committee of the AIA Westchester / Mid-Hudson. I know, I’m not a woman… but Carol Kurth, the committee chairperson, does a great job at organizing interesting seminars and she is kind enough to allow us men to attend.

Today’s seminar was presented by Steve Feldman of Green Demolitions, an organization that takes donated kitchens and architectural salvage and recycles them. They have three regional showrooms where they sell the items and raise funds for All Addicts Anonymous. I will tell you all about Green Demolitions another day.

What I want to share here is what to do with the rest of your demolition, after you donate your valuable stuff to Steve’s organization. Steve recommended Taylor Recycling.

From TaylorRecycling.com:

Taylor Recycling is a waste recovery company headquartered in Montgomery, NY. Our principal facility, located approximately 70 miles due north of New York City, houses one of the most unique construction and demolition recycling operations in the world. Over 95% of the waste we receive is converted into valuable end products.

So there you go. You can recycle up to 95% of your entire demolition.

Welcome to Westchester Green

Since December 2006, I have been posting to my blog, Living Well in Westchester and its been a great success. Dedicated to residential architecture and design, Living Well is a great place for me to share thoughts and information on general topics that interest me most.

This past year, I have received many requests for information on green architecture and design. So here you go, Westchester Green is dedicated to just that.

If you have information that you would like to share, please send me an email at blog@fivecat.com.