May 01, 2019 | Schenectady, New York USA

Saint-Gobain and YouthBuild Schenectady, Operated by SEAT Center, Complete First Sustainable Ground-Up Home Construction Project

The home, designed to Saint-Gobain’s Multi Comfort building concept and net zero standards, is aiming to achieve United States Green Building Council’s LEED Platinum certification

Schenectady, N.Y., May 1, 2019– Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest building materials companies and manufacturer of innovative material solutions, in partnership with YouthBuild Schenectady, operated by SEAT Center, today announced the completed sustainable ground-up construction of a single-family home at 99 Prospect Street in Schenectady, N.Y. Since Oct. 2017, approximately 56, YouthBuild Schenectady students and the Saint-Gobain Corporation Foundation have worked to construct this home to Saint-Gobain’s Multi Comfort building concept, which takes a holistic approach to the importance of comfort, health and well-being, as well as net zero standards. The home is also aiming to achieve United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED Platinum certification. 

The Prospect Street home is the first sustainable ground-up construction project completed in Schenectady under Saint-Gobain’s national partnership with YouthBuild USAin support of the nonprofit’s national green-building and job-training program in areas where the company has business concentrations, including Schenectady, N.Y.; Worcester, Mass.; Philadelphia, Pa.; and Canton, Ohio.  YouthBuild programs help unemployed and out-of-school young people ages 16 to 24 attain their High School Equivalency (HSE) or high school diploma. During that time, they also learn career skills by building affordable housing and other community assets in their neighborhoods while engaging in community service and leadership training. Graduates leave prepared for success in post-secondary education, careers and registered apprenticeships — and as a part of a strong and supportive global community. 

“By working closely with Saint-Gobain on this sustainable construction project, our students have had the unique opportunity to discover how building material selection can strongly impact the overall comfort of a home while gaining valuable hands-on construction skills,” said Jennifer Lawrence, Executive Director, SEAT Center/YouthBuild Schenectady. “Now, the completed home can serve as a reminder for these students of the positive impact they have been able to make in the community they are proud to call home.” 

The completed modern home is designed to Saint-Gobain’s Multi Comfort concept, which is based on the idea that buildings can be designed for comfort and positively contribute to occupants’ health and well-being. Homes built with the Multi Comfort approach deliver the highest levels of energy efficiency and savings for homeowners by providing relatively stable temperatures, offering the right type and amount of light, blocking out unwanted noise, enhancing the sounds occupants want to hear and keeping indoor air fresh and clean while reducing pollutants. The completed home includesthree bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, dining room, living room and first-floor laundry room as well as Energy Star® appliances and Universal Design® concepts that promote accessibility for all. 

 The Saint-Gobain family of companies, led by CertainTeed Corporation, the company’s largest building and construction brand in North America, provided approximately 50 sustainable building materials to help the project achieve its Multi Comfort, sustainability and affordability goals. In addition, Saint-Gobain employees spent nearly 80 hours working alongside YouthBuild students to install building materials, like gypsum board, and ensure the sustainability of the home.

“Saint-Gobain’s partnership with YouthBuild USA provides the opportunity for us to build tomorrow’s workforce today by helping students develop the next generation of talent in manufacturing and construction,” said Mark Rayfield, CEO, Saint-Gobain North America. “Through these experiences, YouthBuild students learn from our employees about sustainable building materials and construction techniques while our employees come to understand the true value of volunteerism and what it means to become part of a project bigger than themselves that impacts an entire community.”

Saint-Gobain applied a systems approach to the design and construction of the Multi Comfort home by featuring high-performance solutions that have been carefully orchestrated to work together to provide exceptional comfort, air quality, energy efficiency, thermal performance, light, beauty, durability and sustainability.

Products selected to help the Schenectady home achieve its overarching Multi Comfort and sustainability goals include: 

  • Roofing solutions from CertainTeed:
    • CertainTeed's Solstice®solar system (7.8 kW array) combines the efficiency and affordability of traditional solar products with the unique value of CertainTeed's comprehensive warranty, which covers the full system, as well as its professional installation, for up to 25 years when the system is installed by a CertainTeed-credentialed solar installer. The system includes the highest quality system components paired with CertainTeed’s solar modules for a seamless solar experience.
    • Landmark®Shingles are the high-quality, reliable choice for beautifying and protecting a home. With a dual-layered design that emulates the dimensionality of true wood shake, Landmark asphalt shingles offer the heaviest weight and widest array of color options in their class, providing peace of mind and allowing you to create or re-create the ideal look for your home with confidence.
    • WinterGuard®waterproofing shingle underlayment is a self-adhering ice and water barrier made from polymer-modified asphalt. Vapor-tight and elastic, WinterGuard stretches and seals around nail penetrations to protect your roof against water penetration in its most vulnerable places.
       
  • Siding Solutions from CertainTeed
    • Cedar Impressions® Double 7” Straight-Edge Perfection Shingles recreate the timeless appeal of freshly sawn wood using authentic patterns and textures to offer exceptional beauty plus versatility to design your home to your distinctive taste. 
    • Encore™ Double 4” Woodgrain Clapboard siding combines high quality with proven features to help you achieve the look you desire. In 15 low-gloss colors with coordinating Vinyl Carpentry® trim and accessories, Encore provides great looks and affordability. 
    • Restoration Millwork® Exterior Trim provides superior quality and excellent dimensional accuracy in a broad range of profiles. Low-maintenance, long-lasting and UV-resistant, this is a great alternative to wood with durability to match its dynamic curb appeal.
       
  • Insulation Solutions from CertainTeed:
    • InsulSafe®SP is a premium fiberglass blowing insulation specifically designed for open-blow applications, like the attic space of a home. Because it is blown in, InsulSafe SP fills in even the most hard-to-reach areas, providing consistent coverage for the life of the home. In addition to providing superior thermal performance, InsulSafe SP also provides excellent sound control for a quieter, more comfortable home.
    • Sustainable Insulation® is made of fiberglass that consists of rapidly renewable content, a high percentage of recycled glass, and a plant-based binder that contains no added formaldehyde, harsh acrylics, dyes or unnecessary fire retardants. Providing long-lasting comfort through thermal, acoustical and air quality performance, Sustainable Insulation also minimizes environmental impacts and improves energy savings.  
    • MemBrain™ Continuous Air Barrier & Smart Vapor Retarder is the industry's most advanced technology to create a better performing home. This patented, revolutionary solution can sense and adapt it permeance to varying humidity levels, helping wall cavities stay dry year round. When installed with standard tape and sealing practices, MemBrain provides a continuous indoor air barrier, creating a better performing building envelope. 
       
  • A variety of drywall solutions from CertainTeed and Saint-Gobain:
    • Easi-Lite®Lightweight Gypsum Board is up to 30% lighter than standard gypsum boards and can be used for both interior ceilings and walls in residential and commercial applications. The lightweight board is easy to score and snap and enables quicker and easier installation, reducing strain and fatigue for the do-it-yourself homeowner or contractor.
    • M2Tech®Moisture & Mold Resistant Drywall features a unique technology that combines moisture and mold resistance and is specially engineered to provide enhanced mold and moisture resistance. It is designed for use on interior walls and ceilings in standard residential, commercial, and institutional applications where enhanced mold resistance is preferred.
    • AirRenew®Essential Drywall offers enhanced indoor air quality in residential construction and remodeling projects. AirRenew Essential is part of the AirRenew Indoor air quality (IAQ) drywall family featuring industry-first formaldehyde-scavenging technology. 
    • Green Glue®Noiseproofing Compound is a unique damping product that is ideal for new construction and renovation projects. As the most cost-effective soundproofing material on the market, the Green Glue’s distinctive properties dissipate the vibrations caused by sound waves as they travel through ceilings, walls and floors.
    • SilentFX®Noiseproofing Sealant is an acoustical caulk used to fill gaps between walls and floors and around electrical outlets, light fixtures, windows, and doors to stop sound from traveling through an open gap.
    • AirRenew®M2Tech®Indoor Air Quality Gypsum Board is for use in interior walls and ceilings and is specially designed to offer a healthier living and working environment by improving indoor air quality. AirRenew takes formaldehyde out of the air and converts it into a safe inert compound. Once captured in the board, they cannot be released back into the air. M2Tech® technology also improves indoor air quality by providing enhanced moisture and mold resistance.
    • The ADFORS FibaTape®  family of products (joint tape and metal corner tape are used in this home)  includes a complete range of innovative drywall joint tapes and cracks repair products, each offering strength, flexibility, easy installation and considerable cost savings.
       
  • Outdoor Living Products from CertainTeed: 
    • EverNew®Vinyl Decking comes with a lifetime limited warranty and 5-year SureStart™ protection for peace of mind. Create the space you want with CertainTeed EverNew® vinyl decking solutions: easy to install, easy to maintain, and easy to clean for busy no-maintenance lifestyles. 
    • EverNew® Oxford Vinyl Railing offers everything you need for a safe and secure railing installation. Oxford goes the extra mile with standard features like concealed aluminum rail mount brackets and stainless steel screws, for long-lasting strength and peace of mind. 

Now that the project is complete, Capital Region Land Bank, which provided funding to construct the project, will be marketing the home to potential owner-occupants interested in living in the revitalized Eastern Avenue neighborhood.  For more information on this project and Saint-Gobain Corporation Foundation’s partnership with YouthBuild USA, please visit www.buildingourfuturetogether.com

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About YouthBuild Schenectady at SEAT Center

YouthBuild Schenectady will provide a Full-Time Construction Trainer and 21 YouthBuild Trainees (young people ages 17-24) who are OSHA and LEAD certified to work on this project. In addition to learning construction through building affordable housing, students are completing their high school diploma with YouthBuild Instructors at the Schenectady Community College Campus. YouthBuild is an intense six-month program for out of school youth seeking a second chance to complete their education and gain job skills. The program provides life skills, social work services, leadership development, job and college placement, and retention services.  

About SEAT Center

Our mission is to provide transformative educational and workforce experiences that create a sense of purpose and hope in our communities and connect businesses to real-time solutions. SEAT offers a growing branch of social enterprise services that support academic and workforce development of underrepresented young people, who are underemployed, unemployed and/or have dropped out of high school. SEAT provides access to career development and academic support services, including project based, high school equivalency classes and workforce training in Green Construction, Energy Efficiency, and Healthcare. 

About YouthBuild USA

YouthBuild USA is the nonprofit support center for 300 local YouthBuild programs operating in 21 countries, with 252 programs in 46 U.S. states and 48 programs in 20 other countries. In YouthBuild programs, unemployed, low-income, and out-of-school young people ages 16 to 24 work toward their high school diploma or equivalency, while learning job skills by building affordable housing and other community assets in their neighborhoods and engaging in community service and leadership training. Proven effective by the most rigorous program evaluation research, YouthBuild’s comprehensive model gives graduates the confidence and tools they need to become strong, responsible, and ethical young leaders. For more information, visit www.youthbuild.org.
 

About Saint-Gobain in North America 

Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest building materials companies and manufacturer of innovative material solutions, helps create great living spaces by combining comfort and sustainability. For more than three-and-a-half centuries, Saint-Gobain has been enhancing the wellbeing of people everywhere, whether it’s by addressing climate change, delivering true sustainable development, advancing the information revolution, participating in medical breakthroughs or playing a vital role in space exploration.

In North America, Saint-Gobain has approximately 160 locations and more than 15,500 employees. In the United States and Canada, Saint-Gobain reported sales of approximately $6.5 billion in 2018. Learn more about Saint-Gobain North America by visiting www.saint-gobain-northamerica.com and connect with Saint-Gobain North America on FacebookTwitter and LinkedIn.

 
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Contact Info:
Brownstein Group on behalf of Saint-Gobain
Lauren Mayer
Office: 267-238-4131
Cell: 570-778-9922
lmayer@brownsteingroup.com

Lauren Howe
Saint-Gobain
Mobile: 774-262-5720
lauren.howe@saint-gobain.com