Culligan Outfits World's First LEED Platinum Certified Remodeled Home With "Green" Water Treatment Systems.Live Green, Live Smart[TM] Sustainable House Boasts Eco-Friendly Softening and Filtration Technology that Saves Salt, Soap, Water, Electricity - and the Environment CHICAGO -- The world's first LEED for Homes[TM] Platinum Certification for a home remodel re·mod·el tr.v. re·mod·eled also re·mod·elled, re·mod·el·ing also re·mod·el·ling, re·mod·els also re·mod·els To make over in structure or style; reconstruct. - a 1948 rambler ram·bler n. 1. One that rambles: tourists and Sunday ramblers on the village streets; a conversational rambler. 2. A type of climbing rose having numerous red, pink, or white flowers. - is also home to an innovative water management system from Culligan. Platinum is the highest level of certification awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC USGBC United States Green Building Council ) for residential Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. (LEED). The home (based in Minnetonka, Minnesota For other uses, see Minnetonka (disambiguation). Minnetonka is a suburban community located eight miles west of Minneapolis in Hennepin County. Its 2000 population of 51,480 makes it the fourteenth largest city in Minnesota. ) is a product of the environmental organization, Live Green, Live Smart green housing project, with virtually every square foot devoted to energy efficiency, water conservation and healthy occupancy. Culligan's water softener water softener n. 1. A substance used to reduce the hardness of water. 2. A device that monitors and reduces the hardness of the water. and drinking water drinking water supply of water available to animals for drinking supplied via nipples, in troughs, dams, ponds and larger natural water sources; an insufficient supply leads to dehydration; it can be the source of infection, e.g. leptospirosis, salmonellosis, or of poisoning, e.g. systems were instrumental in converting the water management processes of the aging abode One's home; habitation; place of dwelling; or residence. Ordinarily means "domicile." Living place impermanent in character. The place where a person dwells. Residence of a legal voter. Fixed place of residence for the time being. to a global role model for contemporary sustainable living Sustainable living might be defined as a lifestyle that could, hypothetically, be sustained without exhausting any natural resources. The term can be applied to individuals or societies. . Culligan Water Conditioning - the Minnetonka-based flagship dealer of the largest independent Culligan franchise with 20 locations throughout Arizona, Iowa, Minnesota, New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , Pennsylvania and Missouri - donated the solutions necessary to upgrade the home's existing water treatment systems to meet LEED standards. The equipment donation involved a Culligan Smart-Sensor[TM] water softener and The Culligan Good Water Machine[R] reverse osmosis reverse osmosis n. The movement of a solvent in the opposite direction from osmosis in such a manner that the solvent moves from a solution of greater concentration through a membrane to a solution of lesser concentration. (RO) filtration unit for drinking water. "Culligan Water Conditioning of Minnetonka wanted to support the Green Movement and participate in this project because we believe in the environmental direction that the home is trying to promote, and we know that our products support this type of initiative. It is the wave of the future. Culligan has some of the most environmentally friendly Environmentally friendly, also referred to as nature friendly, is a term used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal harm on the environment.[1] water conditioners and filters available on the market today, and our involvement was a testament to the quality and capabilities of our products," said John Packard, president. Smart Home, Smart-Sensor Culligan's water softener technology was, in fact, not a "new" resident of the rambler. Prior to the home's remodel, the previous owners had left a 15-year-old Culligan rental unit in the utility room. When the new owner - Live Green, Live Smart founder and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. Peter Lytle - moved in, he discovered the softener and decided to give Culligan an opportunity to contribute to the Live Green, Live Smart project. Lytle met with Steve Lazarski, Culligan Territory Representative, and the two shared an instant passion for the potential of this environmentally redesigned home and how Culligan could play a role in water quality and conservation. "Renovating an existing structure with 'good bones' is much greener than building new, and water is a critical resource in that effort. Every drop matters - both inside and outside the home - and we looked to Culligan to advise us on solutions that would best meet the stringent water management guidelines of LEED certification," Lytle recalled. The area in Minnetonka where the house is built is known for very hard water (up to 20 grains per gallon). This is problematic because hard water can produce scale build-up build·up also build-up n. 1. The act or process of amassing or increasing: a military buildup; a buildup of tension during the strike. 2. on pipes and plumbing fixtures, which causes them to erode Erode (ĕrōd`), city (1991 urban agglomeration pop. 361,755), Tamil Nadu state, S India, on the Kaveri River. The city is located in a cotton-growing region, and its industries include cotton ginning and the manufacture of transport equipment. . Hard water also leaves laundry stiff and gray, creates spots and stains on dishes and appliances, and requires more soap for cleansing and bathing to create a decent lather. Traditional water softeners tackle these problems by "cycling" and then releasing salt into the water source, often more than is required - which causes excess waste to the environment and unnecessary consumption of electricity to power the less efficient softening units. Up to 70 Percent Salt and Water Savings Culligan's Smart-Sensor water softener is different. It offers true environmental benefits to homeowners by using a unique digital probe called Aqua Sensor[R], which sits inside the Smart-Sensor[TM] unit. The Aqua-Sensor continuously monitors water use, salt use and changing water hardness and automatically activates regeneration only when needed to ensure optimal water and salt consumption. Just $3 a year in electricity powers Culligan's Smart-Sensor technology, saving residents up to 20,000 gallons of water and two tons of salt in 10 years - up to a 70 percent savings over a standard water metered softener.(1) Using less soap, detergent and harsh chemical cleansers to remove residue caused by water hardness is another benefit of soft water to the environment. Great-Tasting Water Also Goes "Gray" Not only did Lytle replace the home's 15-year-old rental unit with Culligan's more advanced Smart-Sensor water softener, he consulted Culligan for a drinking water filtration solution. Lazarski recommended the Culligan Good Water Machine[R]. The appliance's RO filtration method improves the taste and odor of drinking water and reduces microscopic impurities. With RO, water passes through an ultra-thin, semi-permeable membrane, which filters unwanted particles such as sodium and lead. The appliance is easily installed, and the faucet mounts to the kitchen sink and comes with integral lights that indicate water quality. In the Live Green, Live Smart home, the water that is rejected by the RO system and shower is then re-used in the toilets as gray water. As the project progressed, Kyle LeMay, Culligan of Minnetonka Sales Manager sales manager n → gerente m/f de ventas sales manager n → directeur commercial sales manager sale n → , also became involved. He and Lazarski continued to work closely with Lytle, who has been living with his wife in the sustainable house since it was completed in late fall 2007. "The water management system virtually takes care of itself. We're able to enjoy clear, soft water using an approach that is energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Culligan was key to helping us obtain LEED Platinum certification with their green solutions, reliable maintenance and consistent service every step of the way," Lytle added. About Culligan For more than 70 years, Culligan has been recognized as the world leading innovator and provider of filtration systems to improve general use and drinking water in the home and workplace. Headquartered in the Chicago area, Culligan maintains offices in 12 countries, dealers and licensees in over 70 countries, and a network of 700+ franchise and company-owned dealers across North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. . Culligan offers the most extensive water treatment product line in the world, and its solutions have been awarded the Good Housekeeping Good Housekeeping is a women's magazine owned by the Hearst Corporation, featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, health as well as literary articles. Seal, highlighted as a Consumers Digest Consumers Digest is an American for-profit magazine that allows companies to use its reviews for marketing purposes. The magazine awards its Consumers Digest Best Buy seal to products its staff judges to be of the best quality for the most reasonable price. "Best Buy" and featured on the "Designing Spaces" national television show. Culligan is also a founding member of the Water Quality Association and contributing donor to the Water Quality Research Foundation, the research arm of the water quality improvement industry. For more information, visit www.culligan.com or call 1-800-CULLIGAN. About Live Green, Live Smart[TM] Live Green, Live Smart[TM] is a Wayzata, Minnesota-based organization dedicated to promoting a sustainable planet through education, linking of resources, and fostering a global, green community. The organization is formed for the benefit of those individuals concerned about the impact their housing, transportation and lifestyle choices have on the environment. For more information, press kits, photos and the construction diary on the Live Green, Live Smart Sustainable House or Live Green, Live Smart visit: www.livegreenlivesmart.org or contact: editor@livegreenlivesmart.org or by phone at: 651.253.6825. Live Green, Live Smart is a trademark of the Live Green, Live Smart organization. (1)Savings are calculated using a metered water softener over 10 years, under varying conditions, as a comparison. Note to journalists: Photos are available at www.livegreenlivesmart.org/press_kit.aspx |
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