JRL Design, Inc. just completed this custom guest bath room in a beautiful home in Bryn Mawr, PA. The space posed many challenges that included the shape of the space, customer’s requirements for multiple items including both a toilet and bidet, and a space that was poorly insulated. Using Universal Design, Green/Sustainable Design and our unique design techniques, we were able to overcome these challenges and accomplish our customer Sarah’s goals.

Universal Design techniques included:

1) Comfort height Toto Toilet and Custom Vanity

2) Faucets with a lever controls

3) Dormer custom cabinet with full extension rollout drawers

4) Vanity with interior rollout drawer

5) Clearance between the specially design, Cambria Quartz vanity top and the shower.

Green/Sustainable Design techniques included:

1) Spot heating using warm floor heating

2) Air infiltration issues resolved with spray foam polyurethane insulation in the exterior wall

3) New attic insulation

4) New Attic Solar Power fan

5) Caulking of all penetrations into the room

6) Redguard Moisture Barrier on shower walls behind tile

7) New bathroom exhaust fan directly vented to the exterior of the home

Combined two devices (toilet and bidet) into one using a specially controlled Toto Toilet Washlet (http://www.totousa.com/Washlet/WashletE200.aspx)

9) Combination Smoke, Fire and Carbon Monoxide Alarms in the two adjacent bedrooms

Architectural Digest Home Design Show 2012

James Lebair and Yuliya Polishchuk will be attending the Architectural Digest Home Design Show, Pier 94, New York City, March 23, 2012. Gerhard’s Appliances will be hosting the trip that will include a stop at the Eastern Marketing Show Room in Roseland, NJ. This is a New State-of-the-Art Showroom featuring Lynx, Marvel and Bertazzoni appliances. Our second stop at the architectural Digest Home Design Show. We look forward to exploring and bringing back new and create design solutions that will include Green, Sustainable products and processes and Universal Design Products and techniques as well. Here is the link to the Architectural Digest Home Design Show website http://www.archdigesthomeshow.com/

JRL Design, Inc., James Lebair, GCP, Owner and Designer

When we discuss green/sustainable remodeling, just few considerations to contemplate include:

1)     Carbon Footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change.  It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc. (http://www.carbonfootprint.com/carbonfootprint.html)

2)     Chain-of-Custody (COC) is the path taken by raw materials harvested from an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) – certified source through processing, manufacturing, distribution, and printing until it is a final product ready for sale to the end consumer.  The FSC website (http://www.fscus.org/productsearch/retailers/) has a great resource for finding companies that are FSC.

 3)     Cradle-to-Grave: A term used in life-cycle analysis to describe the entire life of a material or product up to the point of disposal.  Our selection process of the materials we use contractors we hire and disposal of materials from our projects all have bearing on the sustainability benefits and savings.  As a contractor, I address these challenges by:

1)     Carbon Footprint

1. Purchase products locally.  Geppert Lumber is directly across from us.
2. Team up in vehicles when possible when  more than one carpenter is going to a jobsite
3. JRL Design, Inc. has added a smaller, more fuel efficient truck, Ford Ranger, to our fleet.
4. We practice what we preach at our office including separate recycling, energy setback thermostats, CFL bulbs, paperless office system that includes scanning all paperwork into our
   server with no file cabinets, uses of scrap wood for other projects.
5. Us GPS in our trucks for routes to work sites

2)     Chain of Custody (COC)

1. JRL Design, Inc. seeks out suppliers that are FSC certified
2. We offer FSC options when producing our custom cabinetry
3. Products on display in our showrooms offer FSC options

3)     Cradle to Grave

1. JRL Design, Inc. works with Habitat for Humanity to repurpose kitchen cabinetry from our projects.
2. We recycle old radiators and copper
3. JRL Design, Inc. has one of our appliance suppliers; Gerhard’s, remove and dispose of the only appliances.

These are just three green/sustainable practices that JRL Design, Inc. considers with our customers during a remodeling project.  It can be a complex and overwhelming process.  Although impossible to succeed every time, we and our customers are taking efforts in our remodeling projects to be green and sustainable.  Let’s keep saving  money, enhancing one’s health,  and improving the esthetics of our home and improving the environment in the world around us.

 JRL Design, Inc., James Lebair, GCP, Owner and Designer

There are many choices when it comes to countertops for your kitchen and bath projects.  One Green/Sustainable offering, PaperStone (http://paperstoneproducts.chttp://www.countertopreview.com/countertop-materials/paper) appears to be a viable option.  PaperStone uses a recycled paper content and binders which can be a petroleum-free phenolic resins made from raw materials like cashew nut shell liquid to a completely water based binder.  It is extremely high, impact and heat-resistant,  and easy to clean.  Some downsides are that it scratches easy, can show stains on light colors and may be susceptible to UV light.  More information can be found on a web site called Countertop Review (composites_countertop_review/om/docs/PSbrochureelectronicdistformat030211.pdf).   Although I have not incorporated this product into any of my projects, I am doing my due diligence and plan on procuring and installing a sample in our show room.  I’ll keep you posted.

Wyndmoor Flourtown Kitchen Remodeling

Green/Sustainable Remodeling can bring many thoughts to mind.

1) I am not a “tree hugger” and am more concerned with the esthetics and functionality when remodeling my home.

2) I have a budget that will not allow me to use green/sustainable remodeling practices with regards to my material selection and methods.

3) I want to invest in using green/sustainable practices when ever possible in all phases of my project.

Over the coming months, I will present a series of blogs discussing the use of Green/Sustainable Remodeling practices and how they will save you money, enhance your health, improve the esthetics of your home and improve the environment in the world around us.  I will refer to many resources including the City of Seattle’s Remodeling Guides.  I have included the link to their website below.  If you have any questions or specific topics you would like me to include, please add a comment to the blog.  Let’s add some green to our world and to our pockets.

http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/greenbuilding/singlefamilyresidential/resources/remodelingguides/default.asp

Daylight Savings is this weekend, November 6th, 2:00 PM .  Don’t forget to set your clocks back when you go to sleep.  It’s a good time to change the batteries in your fire and smoke detectors, Carbon Monoxide detectors, water pads in your humidifiers and air filters for your heating system.  These add to your health, safety and pocket book.

Custom Cherry Vanity, Blue Bell, PA

JRL Design, Inc. can design, construct, finish and install your custom vanity to meet both your design and space requirements.  Check out this custom cherry vanity with a Granite countertop.