Category: Shelter

The musician owners of a 1960s-era house are planning extensive renovations to the living spaces on the first floor. They are committed to using low-impact, non-toxic, sustainable materials. They also desire to wean themselves off fossil fuels, so energy efficiency is a high priority.

As part of a long-range master plan by Gabrielli Design Studio , the first phase was a small addition to the kitchen. Built on the existing foundation of a dilapidated screened porch, the structure is post-and-beam with infill strawbale walls and fiberglass-clad windows . The green (planted) roof drains to a chain drain and a rain barrel.

The new room brings daylight deep into the kitchen, while sweeping views upwards along a steep hillside to the sky. The straw walls are clad in lime plaster, the floor is the existing concrete, finished with a natural, plant-based stain and beeswax.

The next phase was going to be a kitchen renovation. But the new room has changed the character of the existing kitchen so dramatically, the owners may not need to renovate it for a long time.

Working with this family has been an inspiration. During the year we worked together on this project, they also chipped away at wasteful practices all around the house. Using tips from friends and from green websites such as Lime , they reduced their electricity use by 64%! What a difference a little curiosity and a lot of motivation can make in a household’s budget, as well as the health of our planet.

Klockner is a green building company out of Takoma Park specializing in design / build projects including upscale additions, renovations, and custom homes. With an extensive knowledge base on green products and construction methods, the firm offers services in budget development and project design.

Sun Mar specializes in self-contained waterless garden and toilet composing units. Baltimore has a Sun Mar dealer located off the Avenue in Hamden at 3313 Elm Ave. As fresh water becomes more scarce due to over-consumption, our treatment facilities will not be able to support the amount of water we flush everyday. Our waste is 90% water and becomes a health hazard because bacteria grows in water. By relieving that moisture through ventilation it can be returned to the earth as much needed fertilizer.

Green Roof Plants is located at Emory Knoll Farms in Street, Maryland. Proving over 100 varieties of plants Emory Knoll has extensive experience with roofing systems, soil mixes, climates, and working with manufacturers and designers. The farm also supports sustainable design by having solar pumps for all water needs in the greenhouse and photovoltaic panels for most electric needs.

GreenBuilders Inc. is a general contractor, in Maryland, specializing in straw bale additions and remodeling. Polly Bart founder of Greenbuilders has executed many commercial projects all of which are LEED certified; reducing energy costs, are non-toxic and can be recycled. 

Luke Works is owned and operated by some of Baltimore’s finest artistic craftsman. All of Luke Works employees hold degrees or have extensive experience in the arts and furniture design. Although they specialize mostly in metal and concrete some others include bedroom sets or tables made from formaldehyde free wheatboard, bamboo, and reclaimed oak and all wood finishes are water-based which are low in VOC’s and HAP’s. “We use sustainably harvested forest products as well as reclaimed or recycled products whenever possible. We are always researching and testing new green and alternative products and processes.”

Koteen Losoya is a sustainability consulting group that offers waste neutral solutions for business and institutional applications. They focus on cost-effective solutions for diverting needless waste into a reusable form, one that may serve as a business and ecological nutrient. The KL Group has provided pragmatic and technical assistance to many Baltimore area businesses and projects. Many of which have utilized innovative waste management systems that have not only maintained a healthier environment by putting less pressure on over-burdened landfills, but have been able to generate a supplemental income