My Two Cents

Jul 1 2009 12:42PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |
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By Susan Bady

Talk about resource efficiency! The Big Dig House reuses materials salvaged from Boston's Big Dig highway project. The result is an attractive 3,400-square-foot contemporary home.

The Big Dig House was the brainchild of Single Speed Design in Cambridge, Mass. Its structural system is made of steel and concrete discarded when portions of Interstate 93 were demolished to create a new underground tunnel. Interesting point: the recycled materials can carry much higher loads than standard building materials, so large-scale roof gardens aren't a problem.

What I take away from this story is that leftover materials from highway improvement projects could be put to good use in new schools, libraries, multifamily apartments and other large projects all over the country. Less waste, less energy, less cost.

A reminder ...

We are now accepting entries for the 2009 Custom Builder Design Challenge. The deadline is September 15. Visit www.custombuilderonline.com/challenge for details.