Seattle, WA, May 21--Environmental Home Center, a Seattle-based retailer of sustainable building materials, brought together its suppliers to donate materials, time and services to help construct the first Built Green certified Habitat for Humanity home in Washington State.
Materials donated include reclaimed fir flooring and floor finish, linoleum and cork flooring, water saving dual-flush toilets, and recycled glass garden pavers. Ranging from Germany to Seattle, Environmental Home Center's suppliers that provided materials included Craftmark, Inc., OSMO Holz und Color GmbH & Co., Forbo Linoleum, Inc., Caroma Industries Ltd. and Dogged Enterprises.
The six bedroom, two-story home on Miller Street in Olympia, WA will provide a new, "healthy" home for a single mother and her eight children. This home demonstrates the possibility of building a healthier house and stronger community with the assistance of national and international corporate sponsors. The home is scheduled for completion this June.
Environmental Home Center joined in this project with Lumbermens, based in Olympia, WA; Lumbermens provided additional funding and products to the project. Through advanced planning, the Environmental Home Center/Lumbermens partnership achieved the goal of staying within the Habitat for Humanity budget. Environmental Home Center and Lumbermens have a strategic partnership to expand the market for green building materials, especially certified forest products.
Members of the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters, an Olympia based union, donated their time to build the home. The participation of the union was in line with its mission of promoting sustainable employment practices including hourly wages, health care, ongoing training and career development.
Diane Glenn, owner of The Construction Consultants, a third party certifier for Built Green, donated her services to certify the home. Ms. Glenn helped direct the process and reviewed specific items counted towards the certification.
