Living Stone Construction of Asheville, N.C. has partnered with CertainTeed Gypsum to incorporate AirRenew Indoor Air Quality drywall as the standard wallboard in every home they build. For each custom home, the Western North Carolina builder uses a strict nine-category green checklist that includes local sourcing, water conservation, landscape and draining, and energy conservation. The formaldehyde-absorbing drywall helps fulfill one of their top categories–the promise of improved indoor air quality inside the home for decades after construction is complete.
For 20 years, Living Stone Construction has specialized in constructing nature lovers’ dream homes in the Asheville area’s lush forests and stunning mountain landscapes. Their “Design Green, Build Green, Live Green” concept is applied to an average of 15 Energy Star, NC Green Built certified homes a year. The Certified NAHB Aging-in-Place Specialist finds most of their relocating clients are ready to retire to gorgeous views in a beautiful, universally designed home that showcases quality, healthy green finishes and energy efficiency.
“Sustainable building is important for a number of reasons, and our mission is to educate our clients about the statistics that prove what truly matters–that people living in green homes are healthier, happier and more productive,” said Sean Sullivan, president of Living Stone Construction. “A lot of homes don’t ‘breathe’ the way they should. Along with proper ventilation, AirRenew ensures that we deliver a comfortable home that promotes the best indoor air quality possible.”
Living Stone Construction maximizes energy efficiencies and controls indoor air quality with a uniquely streamlined, team design and build process, recommending materials and finishes that provide a more functional and healthy home. While every step is taken in the construction and interior design process to thwart introduction of interior toxins, formaldehyde can still be introduced by the off gassing of new furniture, household cleaners and more. It is often the highest concentration VOC in indoor air.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exposure to formaldehyde can result in respiratory symptoms, and eye, nose and throat irritation. Industry-only AirRenew features proprietary technology that captures formaldehyde from indoor air, converting the unsafe chemicals into inert compounds that remain permanently trapped safely within the board.
To guarantee a high performance home with strict air tightness and proper controlled ventilation and mechanical systems, Living Stone Construction has also partnered with building scientists who perform a design evaluation before construction begins. Professionals then perform duct blaster and blower door tests, energy modeling and process the documentation to obtain energy discounts for new homeowners after the home is complete.
Living Stone Construction’s first homes built with AirRenew were part of the Asheville Home Builders Association Parade of Homes event this past fall. For more information about Living Stone Construction, go to livingstoneconstruction.com.
AirRenew IAQ Gypsum Board products offer a cost-effective solution for healthier interior environments in residential construction and remodeling projects. AirRenew products are GREENGUARD Gold certified and can contribute to indoor environmental quality, recycled materials, and innovation in design credits for green projects. The products contain up to 99 percent total recycled content and may provide regional materials, depending on project location. And, most importantly, they handle the same as regular gypsum boards and do not require special tools to install or finish. The entire portfolio of AirRenew products has received Environmental Claims Validation (ECV) from UL Environment for permanent formaldehyde absorption.
Offering a broad range of gypsum and finishing products for interior and exterior needs, CertainTeed Gypsum has served the North American building industry for more than 80 years and is a subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, the world’s leading producer of gypsum products. This, in combination with the full range of affiliated CertainTeed Corporation building products, provides architects, contractors, builders and dealers one partner to provide service and support for commercial and residential building projects.
