For the first time, the Toronto Green Awards are this year recognizing individual homeowners' efforts to reduce their environmental impact.
John Tabone, one of the first finalists, submitted the 800 square foot East York bungalow he tripled in size over the past two years, while incorporating every green measure he could think of, and several he had never heard of.
"The flooring in our house is
FSC certified bamboo called
plyboo," he says of one of his new discoveries, "sourced from one particular place in China, done a sustainable way." The plyboo is processed without urea-formaldehyde, and is grown and harvested in a panda-friendly fashion, according to Tabone.
The project cost him $350,000, and included digging 180-foot holes in his driveway to facilitate the home's
geothermal heating and cooling system.
One of the reasons Tabone is especially proud of the work on his
Woodbine Gardens-area home is that he did it on a relatively reasonable budget.
"I see some of the huge eco houses in the more affluent areas, and clearly without a budget you can do more than we did," he says. "We tried to keep it in with a manageable budget."
The winners of this year's award will be announced on April 15.
Writer: Bert Archer
Source: John Tabone
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