Can This Home Be Greened? Condo Conversion
(Page 3 of 4)
July/August 2006
By Carol Venolia
Moving into the living areas, Golden found high levels of EMFs at the computer, projector and two-wire low-voltage lighting system in the stairwell, but the fields dropped off quickly with distance from the source. So, unless Alex and Patrick spend hours snuggled up to these electronic devices, they’re probably safe. Marriage crisis averted!
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COST: Screening was included in Golden’s overall home testing fee ($295). No remediation required.
PRIORITY #4 A bathroom of their own
PROBLEM: A previous tenant remodeled the bathroom in ways that were aesthetically odd and functionally awkward for the couple. They want to replace plumbing fixtures with water-efficient models, remove the black tile that’s hard to keep clean, and use more sensuous, eco-friendly finish materials. Patrick wants a tub to soak in.
SOLUTION: Delair recommends Forbo’s Marmoleum natural linoleum for the floor. “It’s not cold to the touch, and it’s made of linseed oil, wood flour, pine rosin, natural pigments and limestone powder,” she says. In addition, she suggests a dual-flush, water-conserving toilet from Toto and a low-flow, water-filter showerhead. Alex and Patrick will reuse the existing sink (“nothing wrong with it”) and install it in a vanity custom-made from recycled barn wood. I suggest they replace their standard-issue bathtub with a small soaking tub such as the Greek model by Kohler, which uses much less water than larger styles. To surround the tub, Delair recommends Richlite—a surface product made with paper, often used for countertops. Richlite’s earthy colors will go well with the Marmoleum palette.
Cost: Marmoleum: $7 to $9 per square foot, installed. Toto toilet: $400. Vanity: $1,500. Kohler Greek tub: $1,300. Water-filter showerhead: $40. Richlite surround: $80 per square foot, installed.
PRIORITY #5
To sleep, perchance to breathe
PROBLEM: Alex and Patrick like to sleep with a window open for fresh air, but their bedroom overlooks a courtyard that brings them the sounds of their neighbor’s late-night parties, arguments, you name it.
SOLUTION: Golden suggests installing an exhaust fan on a programmable timer in the bedroom. (He recommends Panasonic for quality and quietness.) As the fan pulls air out of the bedroom, it would suck fresh air in from elsewhere. In this case, the best bet is to keep the bedroom door open and a window on the other (quieter) side of the apartment cracked open at night. If Alex and Patrick prefer to keep the bedroom door closed, Golden suggests installing a “return air path,” which has a grille on either side of the wall and a membrane in the middle that blocks sound and light, but allows air in.