Green Homes & Building Series

AUDUBON GREENWICH’S
Green Homes & Building Series
For Spring 2010

March 2, March 23, April 20, May 18
7:00 – 9:00 pm

Back by popular demand, the Green Homes & Building Series returns for a third season of lectures for homeowners and professionals who want to create an environmentally-friendly home or office space. Whether building new or retrofitting an existing structure, these informative sessions will explain design elements and innovative materials that are helping people invent new ways of going green. Each presentation will be followed by an in-depth Q&A session.

FIRE: Building Fireplaces With Environmental Quality In Mind
Tuesday, March 2
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Audubon will host a fireplace design expert who will present an informative session about wood stoves, pellet stoves, and the environmental costs and benefits of these and other alternative heating appliances. The program will also explore design elements for traditional fireplaces that can improve the efficiency and air quality inside the home while reducing the heat loss that is common with older fireplace designs. Advance registration is recommended. Suggested donation: $10 for adults. To RSVP please email: jcordulack@audubon.org or leave a message at 203-869-5272 x239. NEW: Advance questions for the presenters can be sent to the RSVP email address.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER: This presentation will be led by Michael Van Buren, P.E from Blazing Design, Inc. Michael started his career in a family run plumbing heating and air-conditioning business. He went on to a mechanical engineering degree at the University of Vermont after which he worked as an engineer designing mechanical systems for buildings and earn his Professional Engineer’s license. In the early 1990’s he made a career change into the fireplace industry accepting a position with Hearthstone Stoves as their head of product development. In 1994 he left to serve as the Technical Director for the Hearth Products Association and the Pellet Fuels Institute where oversaw hearth product related issues with government agencies as well as product standards and building code development. In 2000, Michael moved back to Vermont and started his own business, Blazing Design, Inc., providing fireplace and fire feature design services manufacturers, architects and builders. He specializes in using the right product for the job at hand, and if one does not exist, creating it to provide form, function and safety.

LIST OF EVENTS:

AIR: Safe Caulks, Paints, Fabrics and Cabinetry
Tuesday, March 23
7:00 – 9:00 pm
A chemical-free home & work space is important to our health since that is where we spend a majority of our time. Creating one is easier and more affordable than it was five years ago so come learn about safe choices and how to avoid unsafe products for remodeling or new buildings. Come learn about the safest products from experts who use them daily.

WATER: Ways to reduce use and harvest water
Tuesday, April 20
7:00-9:00 pm
It may seem that the Northeastern region of the United States is water-rich, but we often experience water shortages and droughts. Before your ‘well runs dry’ come learn about the many easy ways to reduce water use in our homes and how we can collect the rain, too. Topics will include efficient garden irrigation, rain barrels and storage, and also explore practical rain harvesting systems for our region.

EARTH: All about ‘Green Roofs’
Tuesday, May 18
7:00-9:00 pm
The sun beats down on nearly everyone’s roof so why not cover it with vegetation that can absorb the heat and cut down on cooling costs in summer? This program will feature a panel of experts with experience installing live plant materials on roofs and show examples of green roof projects that would be suitable for existing and new homes and buildings in the region.

This series will be held in the Kiernan Hall Nature Arts Gallery at Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, CT 06831

http://greenwich.audubon.org