Yes, We'll be Energy Star Rated too...

Meet Jason Fisher.

Jason Fisher is the new Account Manager for the PSO ENERGY STAR Homes Program. He is a Certified Home Energy Rater. Jason wrote the technical and training curriculum for a building supply company training program and conducted training in the US and Canada. Jason serves on the board of directors as a founding member of the US Green Building Council's Oklahoma Chapter. He is a committee member on the LEED for Schools Task Force, and a committee member on the Insulating Concrete Form Association's New Membership Committee. Mr. Fisher served as the ICF Technical Advisor and Crew Leader during an episode of ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition filmed in Oklahoma. He has appeared as a green building expert on KTOK 1000 AM, OKC Metro TV News Show, and Home Talk USA with the Cajun Contractor. Jason looks forward to working with ENERGY STAR Homebuilders across the state. Jason currently lives in Midwest City and will relocate with his family to Tulsa soon. You can reach Jason at jfisher@icfi.com or 918-519-0214.

Tulsa Cabinet Manufacturer Sells Sixth Sense

It’s not often that you can say custom cabinetry and ESP in the same sentence but I recently figured out how. In fact, I found a local cabinet manufacturer that embeds ESP into its products. Okay, not the Extra-Sensory Perception kind of ESP but another type that also gives you a pretty good feeling. More on that in a moment. I had an opportunity to view the Jay Rambo Company through an industrial ecology lens, taking into consideration its processes, product life cycles and how it approaches sustainability, pollution prevention and waste management.

The Jay Rambo Company is a cabinet manufacturer based in Tulsa that specializes in handcrafted custom cabinetry. Jay Rambo also provides custom closet systems, stand-alone armoires and outdoor grilling solutions. A wide range of options and product combinations differentiates Jay Rambo from other cabinet manufacturers. However, these options bring additional challenges to remain efficient. This is where ESP comes in handy.

Jay Rambo was awarded the Environmental Stewardship award in 2007 and expects to receive the award again for 2008. The Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP) is a voluntary standard for cabinet manufacturers administered by Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association. There are 146 ESP certified companies and brands but only one in Oklahoma – Jay Rambo. ESP certification is awarded annually and is based on 5 categories: air quality, product resource management, process resource management, environmental stewardship and community relations.

To reduce waste and increase the efficiency of their raw materials, “We use sophisticated computer-aided equipment systems for planning, cutting and sanding. Most equipment is supported by vacuum ventilation systems to take away sawdust and waste to holding stations located outside the building,” says Jay Rambo Plant Manager, Ron Gniech. Ron was right – the 80,000 square foot facility was practically sawdust free.

The ESP requires that particle board, plywood and medium density fiberboard (MDF): meet established formaldehyde emission levels; finished products must be finished domestically; and finishes used shall emit no greater Hazardous Air Pollutants than allowed by local plant operating permits. Particleboard and MDF must meet standards for recycled/recovered fiber content.

Most of Jay Rambo’s hardwood is purchased through the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program. SFI forest certification promotes responsible forestry practices. SFI chain-of-custody certification tracks wood from certified lands through production and manufacturing to the end product. This element may qualify your project for the National Association of Home Builders’ National Green Building Program (NAHB Green) or for LEED Credits. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a certification process by the U.S. Green Building Council that provides standards for environmentally sustainable construction.

Jay Rambo recycles saw dust waste, cardboard waste, hazardous waste, and paper waste. The company routinely gives to Habitat for Humanity, including one time when it donated over $15,000 in hardware to Habitat’s building materials re-use operation. The Company has provided free cabinets to churches and other charitable organizations around Tulsa. Jay Rambo also volunteers time and staff to Tulsa Tech’s Architecture and Construction classes as panel judges and guest speakers.

So if you’re thinking about greening your next cabinet project, try using ESP and tap into your sixth sense.

Design Charrette -- A Success!! (Thanks TulsaTech)

Mid-Town Residential Retrofit Goes Through Hands-on Brainstorming Session
Mid-town Tulsa home renovation seeking rare, dual green building certification.

It was a meeting of the minds this month, as team members in charge of key building systems met at TulsaTech to discuss a “green” home renovation aimed at saving energy, water and using local product manufacturers and service providers when possible. The meeting, also called the Design Charrette, is an important first step in the planning process and an effective tool for developing strong, successful designs and communicating the project goals to the critical players. Charrettes serve as a way of quickly generating a design solution while integrating the aptitude, interests and fresh viewpoints of a diverse group of people.

“Lorrie has been a strong proponent of a dual-certified (NAHB/LEED) home from the start,” says Chad Burden, owner and OSU Tulsa graduate student studying environmental science with an emphasis in green building and sustainable construction practices. The home will be the main focus of Chad’s master’s thesis project through OSU Tulsa’s Environmental Science graduate program.

Standards for rating a building's "greenness" have been established by several organizations, using point systems to rate energy, water use, materials, design and more. The largest and most recognized green building codes are The National Association of Home Builders' Model Green Building Guidelines and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. The home will be dual certified upon completion (LEED-H/NAHB National Green Building Standard).

“We are excited to see this home go for dual certification,” says Lorrie Hoefling. The LEED and NAHB are well thought out standards for Greening a home and making it the most energy efficient as possible. Builders like to have a choice and they will get a highly energy efficient home from either one of these standards.

Key product manufacturers and service providers associated with the project are below. Those bolded attended the Design Charrette.

-- Lorrie A. Hoefling, Residential and Commercial Green Consultant and PM
-- Metal Seams & Tile, a Tulsa-based roof installer
-- TAMKO Building Products, a Joplin, MO-based product manufacturer
-- EnviroGLAS, a Plano, TX-based recycled glass countertop manufacturer
-- Tulsa Granite, a Tulsa-based counter top fabricator
-- Pella, a door and window product manufacturer located about 500 miles from Tulsa
-- Perk Inc., premier local SolaTube dealer in Tulsa
-- Air Solutions, a Sand Springs-based HVAC service provider representing Carrier and others
-- Jay Rambo Company, a Tulsa-based custom cabinet manufacturer
-- Kohler, a maker of fine plumbing fixtures and products
-- M&S Plumbing, a Tulsa-based professional plumbing service provider
-- Ozark Foam InSEALators, Missouri-based service provider, representing Demilec Foam Insulation
-- Todd Stephens, a Tulsa-based professional drafting and design service provider
-- Jim Belden, a Tulsa-based general contractor
-- Colburn Electric, a Tulsa-based electrical service provider
-- Anchor Paint, a Tulsa-based coatings product manufacturer
-- Temple-Inland, an gypsum board product manufacturer with a facility in Oklahoma
-- M&M Lumber, a Tulsa-based lumber company and supplier of Tech Shield, the premier manufacturer of laminated oriented strand board (OSB)
-- Triple "C" Companies, an Oklahoma based lighting sales and design firm for over 30 years
-- HeatWave Supply, a locally owned and operated premier plumbing supply company
-- Broken Arrow Electric Supply, Inc., supporting electricians and contractors for over 25 years

About The Home Renovation Located at 3530 E. 21st Place Tulsa, OK
Details about this project can be found at www.obgreen.blogspot.com. The project began in February and should be completed by September, followed by eight weekends of open houses aimed at public education.

Contact Information: Chad Burden 3536 E. 21st Place Tulsa, OK 74114 918-629-5498 chadbb@okstate.edu

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