It's validating to be recognized by the US Green Build Council not just for good design, but also for education and public outreach.
(PRWEB) October 30, 2015
The Garden State just gets greener. A new home at 45 Linden Lane, built among the tree-lined streets of Princeton, New Jersey, has been chosen as the Suburban Green Project award winner by the USGBC New Jersey Chapter. Architect Kirsten Thoft will be honored with the 2015 Emerald Award on Friday, October 30 2015 at gala that takes place at Montclair State University. 45 Linden Lane is also the first Princeton home to receive a 2014 LEED Platinum Certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
This year’s Emerald Awards are presented to recipients for their accomplishments in one of five categories: Urban, Suburban, and Non-Profit Green projects, as well as Corporate Culture, and Innovative Sustainability initiatives. The award honors projects for innovative design or construction methods, the promise of extending future developments in sustainability and the degree to which the project extends public understanding of sustainability in construction.
Kirsten Thoft, an independent architect, worked on this sustainable and energy-efficient home for her family in between her many architecture projects. "It's validating to be recognized by the USGBC not just for good design, but also for the education and public outreach that I do," said Thoft.
Site preparation and groundbreaking took place in 2012, and in 2013 the house was completed. In the following year it was awarded the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum Certification from the US Green Building Council. In the past two years Ms. Thoft has shared the knowledge she gained in designing and building her family’s home with people of all ages and interests throughout her community. House tours, school presentations and inclusion in the Trenton City Museum exhibit, “The Built Environment-Designs for Life” have enabled her to present information about the importance and feasibility of building sustainable environments.
Thoft’s home exemplifies clean aesthetics and livability for this family of five. The inviting and spacious open main floor is bathed in natural light from its many energy-efficient windows. This feature, combined with the home’s low air-leakage rate, geothermal heating and cooling system and 11-kilowatt solar photovoltaic array result in significantly lower energy costs. With the home’s spare elegance and livability, 45 Linden Lane demonstrates that exceptional design can result both in savings to the homeowner and reductions in one’s carbon footprint.
For more information about Kirsten Thoft Architects, visit http://www.kirstenthoft.com or call 609-947-8982.
