People in the United States today spend the vast majority of their time either in buildings or vehicles, and the materials surrounding us in these built environments directly impact our health and comfort.
Within Watershed Row, we saw an opportunity to create a healthy community space that extends to materials most people never see: the insulation in our walls and roof.
Insulation is a big part of the Watershed Row remodel. Beefing up the building envelope (exterior walls and roof) enables us to heat and cool the space with far less energy. Every material choice matters as we pursue the Living Building Challenge.
When faced with purchasing half an acre of petroleum-based foam for the Watershed Row roof, we looked to the building scientists at Nopal for guidance.
We decided to make a last-minute pivot that took our building to the next level — exceeding the already rigorous standards of the Living Building Challenge.
We sourced seven shipping containers of cork insulation for the roof. The logistical challenge of sourcing seven shipping containers of cork insulation in a hurry was no joke, but our amazing suppliers EcoSupply and Amorim Cork Solutions stepped up to support the effort.