Maine Disaster Restoration Firm Completes First Green Renovation

Online, March 18, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Responding to the growing market demand for green building practices, Viking Restoration DKI announced today it completed its first major green renovation as a green risk professional.

The green apartment building in downtown Portland, Maine was rebuilt by Viking Restoration DKI using its recent Green Risk Professional certification, which gives the company superior understanding and expertise in mainstream green design and energy conservation methods.

From sustainable bamboo flooring to recycled jeans for noise reduction in common walls and ceilings, the six-unit apartment building at 274 Park Ave. significantly reduces energy costs while helping to protect the environment.

The restored, green building saves 45% in energy costs compared to pre-restoration, according to an energy audit conducted by Energy Solutions of Maine upon the building's completion.

"Consumers are becoming more conscientious about how and where they live," said Viking Restoration DKI owner Anthony Christensen. "The interest in sustainable and green building has exploded in the last few years and we are proud to now offer efficient, eco-friendly building solutions to Maine."

Viking Restoration DKI recently achieved its Green Risk Professional certification, established by Vale Training Solutions, and now offers a superior level of expertise and customer service to property owners, managers, facility directors, and insurers of green buildings.

The certification also provides Viking Restoration DKI with an understanding of the composition of green buildings, products used in green buildings, rating systems and insurance coverage. It also ensures that if a green building sustains damage, the building will be restored using the most efficient green products in the marketplace.

Property owners understand the long term advantages of "going green" and insurance carriers have responded with green coverage for new environmentally sustainable construction or renovation following a loss.

"As more [insurance] carriers offer green coverage, independent adjusters, restoration professionals, and engineers must be adequately trained and possess the expertise and professionalism necessary to understand the makeup of green construction and building products, rating systems and insurance coverage," said Jon McCreath, president of Vale Training Solutions.

Insuring green risks is new territory for the insurance industry. The range of green policies and endorsements available in the market today can raise daunting questions for customers.
Will premiums be lower on green risks compared to non-green risks? Can insurance coverage be upgraded to green coverage, which pays the cost to upgrade to green components in the event of a partial or total loss? What about sustainability coverage to upgrade a home to a green program standard such as the Energy Star Home?

With its certification, Viking Restoration DKI can help answer those questions.

And, with the successful experience rebuilding its apartment building to green standards, the company is eager to demonstrate how to both lower costs and the impact on the environment.

"The building's units are not only eco-friendly but significantly reduce the building's operating budget due to lower heating, water and electricity usage," said Christensen.

Eco-friendly features of the new green apartment building include:

• Deconstruction used reuse and recycle methods to minimize landfill waste
• Air leakage in the building has been reduced by 84%
• Energy-efficient CFL bulbs throughout building; motion detection hallway lighting
• All bathroom fixtures are low-water usage
• Energy Star Vinyl windows
• Therma Tru Exterior fiberglass insulated Energy Star-rated front door
• Triangle Tube Heating System uses Prestige heat exchanger for 95% annual fuel utilization efficiency
• Morning Star Bamboo Flooring - formaldehyde free and has a low VOC adhesive
• Closed cell spray foam insulation on attic cap and brick shell down three inches on basement walls
• Bonded Logic Comfort Touch denim (recycled jeans) noise reduction for common walls and ceilings
• Panasonic Whisper Green bath exhaust fans are up to 871% more energy efficient than Energy Star standards and provide continuous air-quality improvement
• Dal Tile Colour Scheme Tile contains over 60% pre-and post-consumer recycled material content - including post-consumer recycled glass
• ProGreen 200 Sherwin Williams Low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
• Formaldehyde-free cabinets
• Eastern White Pine Lumber for trim and framing peer-certified for the American Forestry and Products Association's Sustained Forestry Initiative
• Shaw Intermix Carpet Tile Recycled Product