Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

Being a Green home builder, Mark Johnson Custom Homes, Inc understands the Green efforts made by organizations around the world. Not familiar with FSC certified wood? Read on to learn about the formation and mission of the Forest Stewardship Council.

HISTORY of the FSC: Although wood is one of our most renewable resources, by the late 1900s, environmentalists were concerned with overuse of the earth’s forests. The world’s appetite for wood, wood products and forest land took a toll. Drastic deforestation threatened to deplete resources, damage forest wildlife and contribute to global warming.

As environmentalist groups gained supporters, certain forest management companies sought a way to demonstrate their commitment to well-managed harvesting. Various groups, including environmental groups and timber traders, worked together to find a way to evaluate forests and wood products for responsible, envir­onmentally friendly management. In the early 1990s, these groups established the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an international organization dedicated to regulating and maintaining accreditation standards.

­The FSC’s main purpose is to provide a way for consumers to know that wood and its byproducts come from responsibly managed for­ests and supply chains. The council maintains a set of principles and criteria to make sure that wood products don’t destroy natural resources or threaten wildlife.

The council lays out the standard for two different certifications: Forest Management (FM) and Chain of Custody (CoC). FM certification is granted to a well-managed forest. On the other hand, CoC certification is granted to products that are appropriately manufactured and tracked from the forest to the consumer. With a CoC certification, companies that package and trade forest products can brand their products with the FSC logo. Consumers know that when they buy products with this logo, they’re buying green goods.

Mark Johnson Custom Homes was featured in the Lumina News article “A New Shade of Green.”  Here is a short excerpt of the article written by managing editor Marimar McNaughton. To view the complete article, click here.

“Last fall, on a dreary September afternoon, Mark Johnson, custom home builder, was breaking ground on a new home in Landfall’s Birkdale community. Breaking ground was a relative term for the construction pioneer who stood on the threshold of experimenting with a new technology for framing homes with Styrofoam. That’s right. Johnson had Styrofoam cubes stacked on the lot at the corner of Kenilworth and Gunston lanes.”

To view the Landfall custom home during the construction process, visit here and enter the Username: 51 and Password:2009.

Hurricane Season began this week and Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share with your our Hurricane Preparation Plan we require our trade partners and vendors to implement should our area be subject to  a hurricane.

Hurricane Conditions Predicted Within Five Days

• Clean job site daily
• Inspect and secure tie-downs for all construction trailers
• Reschedule material deliveries that have little impact on your production
• Make sure your staff is aware of important phone numbers and your contingency plan
• Contact your trade partners and outline your expectations for securing job sites, explain your contingency plan, and give them phone numbers where they can reach you
• Make sure your vehicles have flashlights and drinking water
• Make sure your computers are surge-protected and the UPS functions properly
• Obtain printer cartridges, paper, and computer disks or Read/Write CDs

Hurricane Watch is Issued

• Police the job site and reasonable area around the construction zones to assure all loose debris is removed
• Arrange to have dumpsters removed
• Halt material deliveries
• Stop production of any work that is highly vulnerable to damage
• Complete tasks such as concrete work if it may prevent damage to the job site
• Have your trade partners secure or remove unnecessary materials or equipment from job sites
• Prepare to cover windows and glass doors
• Plan for the next day as if a hurricane warning will be issued, make sure there is enough time to complete the tasks necessary for a hurricane warning

Hurricane Warning is Issued

• Make sure the dumpsters have been removed or are empty
• Remove scaffolding
• Secure or remove all building materials
• Turn off power at circuit breakers to any temporary electric service and to homes under construction
• Close and cover all windows with plywood
• Back-up all computer records
• Make sure your office is secured
• If authorities call for evacuation, leave immediately, tell your employees to leave

MJCH would like to introduce our readers to the new Velux Sun Tunnel skylight - the most innovative tubular skylight in the industry!

The new product design delivers brighter and whiter natural light along with easier and faster installation than ever before. Velux Sun Tunnel skylights are ideal for smaller rooms such as closets, hallways, laundry rooms and second baths. You can now add natural light to places you thought were impossible.
 
The model used at our Green home in Wilmington, NC is the TMF Model. It is a flexible skylight that can be installed quickly around attic obstructions. The TMF Velux Sun Tunnel skylight meets ENERGY STAR approval guidelines for energy efficiency in all climatic regions of the United States.  

The skylight features a ring with a mirror finish just below the dome to reflect light from all angles. The flexible design of the tunnel makes the Model TMF the easiest tubular product to bend around attic obstructions and great for sunny areas.
 
It also features an innovative one-piece pitched metal flashing that is designed to keep out the elements while providing the optimal angle for gathering light from all directions.

The skylight comes with a pre-assembled ceiling ring and paintable ceiling trim ring to complete any look. Featuring a dual diffuser that reduces the chance of condensation and increases energy efficiency, the skylight provides even light distribution through a frosted diffuser. 

 For more information on this and more Velux products, visit their website!

For the latest on our Green home in the Landfall Community in Wilmington, log into our Progress Portal with the Username “51″ and Password “2009″

The Velux Sun Tunnel was installed by Flores & Foley Roofing, LLC of Wilmington, NC.

Courtesy of: veluxusa.com