Doors + Windows 101 Workshop: 5/11

Doors + Windows 101 Workshop: 5/11

Join us on Saturday May 11 from 11-12:30 PM at Second Use Building Materials in SODO! Doug Elfline of Mighty House Construction will guide you in assessing your window and door projects to see if using salvaged materials is an option, demonstrate how to choose appropriate salvaged windows and doors, and share tips for proper installation and maintenance.

This event is TOTALLY FREE but we request that you RSVP. Please RSVP to maryanne@seconduse.com at your earliest convenience to reserve your spot!

Love Your Kitchen, Love Your Family Remodel

Love Your Kitchen, Love Your Family Remodel

Join us for a chance to tour this beautiful kitchen remodel in Ballard

May 5, 2019 on the the Northwest Green Home Tour! 

This family was unhappy with the layout of their existing kitchen. They needed a new kitchen that encouraged social cooking within the family, better storage solutions, and more counter top space. The goal of the project was to create a space where, while one person cooks, the other can occupy the same space to keep each other company.

Through the collaborative efforts of Entero Design and Mighty House Construction, we worked within the existing footprint of their kitchen to create a space that fit their design aesthetic and their personal needs. Entero Design worked with the clients to develop a kitchen layout that encouraged socialization between the couple and incorporated a variety of sustainable finishes and materials to make the space unique. To gain more kitchen space, the unconditioned back porch was enclosed and incorporated into the kitchen space, enlarging the kitchen by a few feet.

 

Mighty House Construction handled the construction process for the project. We were able to keep the pre-existing exterior stairs and reuse the interior kitchen doors. The old flooring was replaced with Marmoleum, a natural linoleum made from linseed oil and mixed with other natural products on a jute backing. The new counter tops are made from Paperstone, a solid surface counter top made from recycled paper, and the newly installed cabinets are from Canyon Creek, a local cabinet company in Monroe, WA whose wood products are Carb2 compliant. The beautiful new back-splash features Bedrock Recycled Glass tile made in Seattle from 100% recycled glass product. The space also features newly installed LED overhead lighting, and under-cabinet lighting from  Northwest LED.

The 20 by 2020 Challenge

The 20 by 2020 Challenge

The 20 by 2020 Challenge is a local campaign to promote the development of 20 Passive House or net zero energy projects of 20,000 square feet or larger in King County by the year 2020 next year! The good news is that Zero Net Carbon buildings can make economic sense today. Passive House construction is a cost-effective means to revolutionize building energy performance, particularly for larger buildings. Many of the pioneering Passive House buildings in the US have been affordable housing projects. By establishing an ambitious energy target and using science-based design and modeling, Passive House buildings reduce energy consumption by as much as 75%. Couple this with rooftop solar or a contract for green power, and you’ve got a Zero Net Carbon building.

The 20 by 2020 Building Challenge will provide “proof of concept” that Passive House can propel our shift to a carbon-sustainable future. Passive House is the world’s leading standard for energy efficient construction. It combines building enclosure efficiency and passive solar strategies in a system for designing and building cost effective, comfortable, energy efficient buildings.

The major components of a Passive House include:

  • Super-insulated envelope
  • Ultra-high-performance windows
  • Airtight construction (0.6 air changes / hr at 50 Pascals)
  • Eliminating or reducing thermal bridging
  • Heat-recovery ventilation
  • Using passive heat sources (solar of course, but also equipment, lighting, and occupants).

Learn more here! 

Salvaged Cabinets 101 Workshop: 3/9

Salvaged Cabinets 101 Workshop: 3/9

Join us for a FREE Workshop on Saturday March 9 from 11-12:30 PM at Second Use Building Materials in SODO! Cabinets are one of our favorite things to salvage and our very own Doug will be teaching the ins and outs of how to shop for them, prevent common installation mistakes, identify the different types and parts of cabinets, and determine what type are the best fit for your project.

Salvaged cabinets are one of the most popular ways to incorporate reclaimed materials into a remodel. Like most salvaged material, working with salvaged cabinets presents many rewards, as well as a few challenges.

 RSVP here or to maryanne@seconduse.com

Green Pathways Provides Opportunities in Social Justice

Green Pathways Provides Opportunities in Social Justice

Got Green’s Young Leaders in the Green Movement steering committee won a resolution in 2015 to create 100 living wage green internships for low income young workers of color in Seattle. Since then, they have expanded to nonprofit and private environmental employers through the inception of the Green Pathways Fellowship Program.

The Green Pathways Fellowship Program was created through a partnership between Got Green and Rainier Valley Corps to provide opportunities in the green sector for low-income young adults in living wage entry-level positions in the environmental justice movement. With the City Council Approval of the 2019-2020 Seattle City Budget, Green Pathways Fellowship will be receiving $100,000 in 2019 and $164,000 in 2020.

If you are a community-based organization and may be interested in hosting a fellow, please visit this page. Or if you know someone who would be a great fit for this program, please recommend an applicant here.