Guest Blog: Build Green and Save - Featured on FiLife.com

By Brian Burris

Saving the environment may be the best reason to be green, but it's no longer the only reason.

The cost of both building materials and home heating fuels is rising, which makes going green a smart investment for anyone building or upgrading their home. There are many ways to accomplish energy efficiency, from new windows and siding to insulation and high-efficiency heat sources. But there are also obstacles -- some builders claim to be green when they really aren't, while others cut corners on installation practices. An important part of being green means doing the homework that will pay off down the road.

Knowledge of green products will allow you to have a better idea of what to expect before the contractor ever comes to your home. 

Petersen Engineering to track retrofit of their "old new" home office on blog

Already knee-deep in a full-on green renovation of their new digs at 335 Maplewood Avenue in Portsmouth, the crew at Petersen Engineering are keeping the public updated on their progress through a new, regularly updated blog.

Ryan Lacey, who came to Petersen as an intern in June 2007 before moving to full-time status with the company a few months later, will be spearheading the blog, which already includes plenty of photographs detailing the incredible project.

According to James Petersen, renovation of the new space will include a dual focus: preservation and sustainability. “We want the building to retain its historic charm and not be compromised in any significant way,” says Petersen. “And we don’t feel we have to compromise that goal in light of the greater goal, which is to make the building as sustainable as possible.”

Specifically, Petersen cites the pressing need for significant repair work on the surface, or envelope of the building. This includes everything from the roof to the outdated windows and siding. Petersen estimates that, by installing a continuous layer of insulation between the building frame and the clapboards – either in the form of spray-foam or board stock insulation – energy costs could be reduced up to 75 percent. Not bad for a building beginning its third century of use. Other ideas for improving the building include: replacing and tightening up the windows, lengthening the roof’s overhang to stop water from running down the building and damaging the siding, putting a floor over the dirt basement to prevent mold, and updating the entirety of the building’s energy system to make it more efficient at its core. 

To get a firsthand look of how even old New England homes can be rendered green, check out the blog by clicking here!

National building supplies classifieds site goes local

By Jim Cavan

In less than a month, Seacoast businesses will find themselves featured on a brand new national classifieds site.

The site, DiggersList, is going local with the launch of a New Hampshire DiggersList, offering Seacoast residents a chance to buy and sell quality recycled building materials and supplies.

A California-based website launched last summer, DiggersList specializes in building materials, supplies, and services – all at cut rate cost, and all tailored to specific regions and cities. The website already houses individual sites for over a dozen cities across the country, and is currently gearing up to add a New Hampshire DiggersList in the coming weeks, partnering with Dover’s Habitat for Humanity ReStore and Green Alliance, a local green business union and discount co-op, to help bolster its inventory.

Aside from the familiar sounding name, the site looks and works much like craigslist; the main page is broken down into states, with cities and towns listed below. Once you click on a city, you get a lengthy list of projects, services, and materials – everything from fill dirt to fireplaces, cabinets to carpet, patios to paints and pools.

Waterline Industries Corporation "Goes Green" - Solar Installation at Corporate Headquarters

Waterline Industries Corporation’s intitiative to “go green” commenced with much fanfare on Monday, December 14th with the installation of an American-made solar system to their corporate headquarters in Seabrook, NH.

Completed four days later on December 18th, the installation was conducted by Waterline’s Alternative Energies affiliate staff of electricians and installers. To build the system, two eleven-foot pole mounts – supplied by Power-Fab of New Mexico – were ground-mounted at the headquarters location, with 6 panels connected on each. The total solar array of each pole stands at 15 feet tall.

An inverter provided by Solectria Renewables of Lawrence, MA will allow Waterline to view the power output numbers on a daily, weekly, monthly and lifetime basis. The system is estimated to produce 3,600 KW hours/year, equivalent to 36% of the average American family’s household electricity usage.

While traditionally an expensive system, government incentives and rebates for renewable energy projects helped Waterline Industries receive 30% of the total project cost in grant money from the federal government – in this case equivalent to $6,000 in savings. Similar rebates and tax credits are still available to both businesses and homeowner’s.

Ralph Dumke, President of Waterline, heralded the project as logical step for a company building a reputation as a premier alternative energy provider. “As a company, we believe that it is important to get away from our dependency on foreign oil and other non renewable sources, says Dumke. “Waterline is proud to become part of the renewable revolution and to continue reducing our carbon footprint. Solar is just one of the many steps we intend to take, with the cooperation of all employees, to make a change for the environment.”

In Portsmouth, “Men in Blue” turn “green” with fleece from local outfitter

By Jim Cavan

In New Hampshire, the frigid winter temperatures can always take a toll, even on the Seacoast’s finest.

But when Portsmouth Police officers Bob Lukacz and Sean Evans came into work in late fall sporting new, black soft-shell jackets that were both super-cozy and made of 100 percent recycled plastic, Portsmouth’s finest finally had a new – and decidedly green – guard against the cold.

“The uniforms we had were starting to become pretty outdated,” says Evans, who had been an occasional customer of the Warehouse Clothing Outlet, where the jackets were purchased. “I started snooping around the Warehouse, and found the earth-tec jacket. It fit all of the criteria – it was light, it was warm, and it had a lot nicer, friendlier look than our regular jackets. And the fact that it was made from recycled plastic was really appealing too.”

Word quickly spread about the jackets. Sure it was warm, fit well and looked nice, but at less than $50, it was a serious bargain too. Made from a special yarn spun from recycled plastic bottles, the “earth-tec” line has been one of the Warehouse Clothing Outlet’s biggest sellers, and the pride of owner Dennis Randall.

“Right off the bat it was a situation where we wanted to support them, and they were very interested in supporting local businesses,” says Randall. “That really made it the great partnership it’s become.”

So far some 25 officers in the department have been outfitted with the shells, which looks, feels, and performs just like a high-end North Face or Patagonia, and at a fraction of the cost.

The jacket fervor didn’t stop there. After outfitting the Portsmouth PD, Randall has since supplied both the Newington PD and the Rockingham County Sherriff’s office with their own custom-made digs. Randall and his team even took the time to custom embroider the jackets with their respective department badges and names.

Mancusi's rise to green a family affair

The growth of Hampstead-based Mancusi Builders from traditional home construction company to local leader in green building was very much an inter-generational phenomenon. Owner Norm Mancusi’s son, Nick, had been attending the prestigious Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture for a few years, along the way learning the ins and outs of green building which he then started introducing to his father, who wound up taking a few courses at the school himself. Mancusi augmented these experiences by going to seminars, conferences, as well as conducting his own independent research, all of which culminated in the construction of the state’s first LEED certified home back in 2008. From there, Mancusi decided that making each and every home he built as green as possible would fall squarely at the top of the priority list. 

Mancusi and Company know a little something about quality home-building; they’ve been doing it for 25 years, framing and building hundreds of home in the process, along the way building a solid reputation for their quality and attention to detail. As a proud member of the U.S. Building Council, the Homebuilders and Remodelers Association of America, Build Green New Hampshire, and other groups, Mancusi plans on advocating and advancing green technologies, techniques, and services for every aspect of the home-building business.

Cuzin Richard helps GA, Pierce Island Enhancement Fund with Comedy Extravaganza

By Jim Cavan

They say that laughter is the best medicine. But for two Seacoast environmental organizations, it can also make for a great fundraiser.

On February 12th the Portsmouth Music Hall, in conjunction with Cuzin Richard Entertainment Associates (CREA), will play host to the 9th Annual Comedy Extravaganza benefit. Proceeds from the show will be split between the Green Alliance and the Pierce Island Enhancement Fund.

Mike McDonald headlines a cast of national comedians providing the night’s entertainment. McDonald has headlined the last 8 benefits, all of which were huge successes, with tickets selling out and benefactors receiving significant boosts in both revenues as well as awareness in the community.

For Richard Cuzin, owner and principal of CREA, the yearly laugh-in is something he always looks forward to. “We’ve sold out every year, so hopefully this year won’t be any different,” says Cuzin. “Every year, with the exception of Michael, whom I’ve known for over 30 years, we’ve had new comedians, and that really helps keep it a fantastic and fresh event. Not only is it a lot of fun, but every year we get to help out new organizations.”