Kebony and CustomBeach Partner on Green Construction for Miami Science Barge
MIAMI (PRWEB) April 21, 2016 -- Kebony and CustomBeach recently supplied and installed more than 900 square feet of environmentally friendly wood decking for the Miami Science Barge, a floating urban ecological laboratory and public environmental education center. The barge, which launches Friday, April 22 in Biscayne Bay, will provide STEM students with opportunities to explore new green technologies and marine life. CustomBeach, a Florida-based design and construction company, also used Kebony, the sustainable alternative to tropical hardwood, as the primary building material for the barge’s learning center, including four multipurpose tables and eight benches. Furthermore, Kebony product was provided for a retail station, hostess stand and recycling bins.
Developed in Norway, the Kebony technology permanently modifies the properties of sustainable softwood, giving it the same characteristics as the most durable tropical hardwoods. This modification process allows the wood to stand up to extreme weather conditions and moisture found in marine settings. Due to the barge’s commitment to educating the Miami area on eco-friendly initiatives, Kebony wood was the perfect choice for CustomBeach’s construction efforts.
“We were incredibly pleased to team up with Kebony on this project and excited that they were able to provide us with a durable, low-maintenance and natural building material,” explained Thomas Bache-Wiig, owner and head of operations at CustomBeach. “At CustomBeach our mission is to enhance the outdoor experience by creating cutting-edge sustainable products. Kebony helps us do just that. The wood’s ability to withstand unpredictable tropical weather conditions makes Kebony the ideal material especially for this project, complementing the barge’s sustainability efforts,”
“Our team works to provide high-quality wood that is durable, beautiful and sustainable. We were happy to be a partner on this project and feel it truly encompasses our commitment to green design and an eco-conscious future,” said Andy Hehl, manager for Kebony U.S. “Our close relationship with the CustomBeach team has introduced us to incredible opportunities, and we hope to continue working with them on more projects to come.”
The Miami Science Barge welcomes students K-12, providing guided field trips, tours and workshops. Kebony will give away 250 wooden plant stakes and seeds to celebrate the grand opening and encourage students to think sustainably long after their time at the barge.
“We are thrilled to partner with CustomBeach, because we share the goal of showcasing innovative sustainable materials that will have broad application in tropical climates,” said Ted Caplow, designer of the Miami Science Barge.
To learn more about Kebony technology and products, click here. Follow the design efforts of CustomBeach here. For more information on the Miami Science Barge, visit the website.
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Media Contact:
John Everette
Walker Sands Communications
T: 312-964-9102
E: john.everette(at)walkersands.com
About Kebony Technology:
The Kebony technology is a patented process which enhances the properties of non-durable wood species to give them similar characteristics to the best performing woods. Through a sustainable process wood species such as pines and some non-durable hardwoods are impregnated with a bio-based liquid derived from agricultural crop waste. With the addition of heat, the furfuryl polymer is permanently grafted into the wood cell wall, resulting in greatly improved durability and dimensional stability.
About Kebony Wood:
Kebony is suitable for both internal and external applications that demand high performance and great aesthetics including: decking, flooring, cladding, roofing, windows, indoor and outdoor furniture. Over time Kebony acquires its characteristic silver-grey patina while not losing its performance characteristics. With improved durability and dimensional stability Kebony is becoming increasingly the choice of leading architects and developers enabling them to use wood in projects without causing environmental degradation. Kebony has been used both internationally and in the U.S. on many projects from commercial, public, residential and marine, a few examples of these would be; Hunter’s Point South Waterfront Park in New York, The Inn at Harbor Shores in St. Joseph Michigan, an award-winning residential “Wedge House” in Palo Alto, California. A recent study by Norwegian environmental consulting firm Bergfald & Co. demonstrated that Kebony has a substantially lower carbon footprint than its tropical hardwood equivalents.
About Miami Science Barge:
Miami Science Barge is a floating environmental innovation center that catalyzes local the effort to build a sustainable Miami. Launching in Museum Park April 22, 2016, Miami Science Barge aims to create a society of optimistic problem solvers through science. For more information, visit miamisciencebarge.org.
John Everette, Walker Sands Communications, +1 (312) 964-9102, [email protected]
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