Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

When Wilmington, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes decided to build a LEED home in Landfall, they aimed for the highest LEEDS Certification possible. Low or No-VOC products are required to build according to LEED specifications. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) come from carpet, cabinet stains and tile waterproofing but most commonly in paint. Sherwin Williams created GreenSure Harmony paint as their Green alternative. But what makes No-VOC Paint “Green”?

First we must go into detail what VOCs are and why they are harmful. Typical household paint contains up to 10,000 chemicals, of which 300 are known toxins and 150 have been linked to cancer. Some of the most harmful chemicals found in paint are VOCs.  

VOCs are unstable, carbon-containing compounds that readily vaporize into the air. When they enter the air, they react with other elements to produce ozone, which causes air pollution and a host of health issues including breathing problems, headache, burning, watery eyes and nausea. Some VOCs have also been linked to cancer, as well as kidney and liver damage.

As paint dries, these harmful VOCs are released into the air at high levels. Indoor VOC levels are routinely 10 times higher than outdoor levels and up to 1,000 times higher immediately after painting. Although VOC levels are highest during and soon after painting, they continue seeping out for several years. In fact, only 50 percent of the VOCs may be released in the first year.

Armed with this information, consumers have begun to demand safer alternatives. Low-VOC and No-VOC paints, which are now widely available and sold by most major paint manufacturers, have become the Green solution.

In an effort to build a LEED home, Mark Johnson Custom Homes, Inc used the TerraGuard Rapid Flow Curb Drain Filter to protect the storm sewer inlets on site. It is a strict LEED requirement to install such erosion control products, which can be made of silt fencing, silt sacks or rock filters.

The TerraGuard Rapid Flow Curb Drain Filter is a flexible tune containing lightweight, plastic rocks encapsulated in a high strength knitted fabric. It conforms to any shape and can be manufactured in many lengths or diameters.

The plastic rocks are specially designed with multiple flow channels that allow water to flow from all directions, while leaving the soil and debris behind. The plastic aggregate has more than five times the flow rate of typical gravel and are tough enough to withstand heavy wheel loads.

Each Rapid Flow Curb Drain Filter comes with pre-engineered weight belts that will keep the filters firmly in place. These belts can easily be filled on site with any common material such as sand or rock.

The Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders Association’s Green Building Council met last month at the Mark Johnson Custom Homes’ project in Landfall. The Wilmington, NC Green home is currently in the final stages of the LEED certification process. As one of the few Southeastern North Carolina residential projects that are pursuing LEED certification, the new Landfall home proved to be an educational experience for those that attended. Kevin Johnson of Mark Johnson Custom Homes, Inc led the tour at the new Wilmington, NC home. “The Green Building Council shares our passion for Green initiatives and this is perhaps the most Green home in Wilmington, NC. We were more than happy to give them a tour of the home and see these technologies in action.” 

To view construction photos, details and technical specs information, click here and enter the Username “51” and Password “2009”.

Wrightsville Beach home builder, Mark Johnson Custom Homes, encourages our locals to take advantage of the first-ever Wrightsville Beach Farmers Market! Buying from these local farmers and businesses is just another simple way you can “Go Green.” By supporting the local production of goods, your products create less stress on the environment, as these goods are brought to you via limited transportation.

On June 22, 2009, local farmers and businesses were able to showcase their goods at the first Farmers Market in front of the Wrightsville Beach Post Office on Old Causeway Drive. Wrightsville Beach has been anticipating the opportunity to support local businesses for some time, and products from local organic gardens will also be available to the health-conscious customer. The market will be open Mondays from 8:00am-1:00pm.