Posted by Damien Cabral on Tue, Jan 12, 2010
Today everyone is concerned with what chemicals are in their food and if there is lead in their child's toys. However, there isn't as much attention paid to the
chemicals and composition of the building materials in our home. A recent start up, the
Pharos Project, seeks to change that. The Pharos Project is a network of building professionals and manufacturers committed to transparency. Pharos is a subscription based service, similar to Consumer Reports, that allows consumers to evaluate the chemical composition of building materials as well as the process used to manufacture the material. This allows consumers to be informed on the
environmental effects,
health effects, and
social benefits of building materials used in their home.
Right now Pharos offers ratings on three products: MDF-Particle Board-Wheatboard, Resilient Flooring, and Batt Insulation with plans to expand their product mix in the future. If you are interested in taking a look around sign up for the trial here or become a fan on Facebook. The Pharos project will bring more transparency to an industry that is suffering from rampant green washing. Here at Moonworks, we are anxiously awaiting the for the Pharos Project to expand their product mix and act as a resource to our homeowners across the Northeast.
Moonworks is proud to offer several green and energy efficient products including: Energy-Efficient Renewal by Andersen Replacement Windows, Blown-in Insulation, and Solar Hot Water Systems.
Posted by Damien Cabral on Mon, Dec 21, 2009
It seems like everyday new and exciting green options are emerging in home
improvement. Recently, I was listening to
NPR on my drive into the office and was intrigued by a segment on a new type of insulation,
Greensulate. Greensulate is constructed from organic materials,
including mushrooms. To create the green insulation,
Ecovative Design utilizes agricultural waste products like
cotton gin trash and rice husks. They add mushroom roots, or mycelium, to act as glue and let the products form into strong bio-composites over time.
Greensulate features a class 1 fire rating offering the upmost protection for your home and family during a fire. The material will not allow any growth in your walls 
and should last the life of the structure as long as it is not exposed to moisture. Greensulate offers similar R-values to conventional insulation materials and can be used in a variety of applications. This novel idea is setting a new standard for the green home improvement. Greensulate is still in it's prototype phase, but I know at Moonworks we are eagerly awaiting it's release.
The past few days have definitely
felt like winter here in the North East.
Moonworks wants to make sure you and your families stay warm this winter and
save money. Be sure to book your
free insulation estimate and find out just how much we can save you in yearly energy costs. We currently offer both
Fiberglass and Cellulose blown-in insulation in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.