Forest Stewardship Council-US Announces Third Annual Designing & Building with FSC Award

Dovetail Partners Inc. receives Honorable Mention for the “Aitkin House”


Minneapolis, MN November 5, 2007 - The Forest Stewardship Council-US (FSC-US) has announced that the Aldo Leopold Foundation, based in Baraboo, WI, will receive the third annual Designing & Building with FSC Award for their Aldo Leopold Legacy Center headquarters building. The Designing and Building with FSC Award recognizes building projects that have furthered responsible forest management through their use of FSC-certified wood products.  The award will be presented in a reception in conjunction with the U.S. Green Building Council's “GreenBuild” Conference and Expo in Chicago, IL, on November 8, 2007.

Project entries were judged by an independent selection panel on the use of wood, inclusion of FSC-certified wood products, efforts to incorporate certified forest products market transformation, overall wood design, and appropriate wood use.  

Dovetail Partners Inc., a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis, MN, earned this year's “Honorable Mention” Designing & Building with FSC Award for the “Aitkin House.”

The Aitkin House is a single-family home in Aitkin, MN that was built as part of Dovetail Partner's Eco-Affordable Housing program.  The program aims to meet local housing needs while incorporating green building practices, including a focus on sustainable and local materials. Approximately 67% of all wood products in the 1,300 square foot home were FSC-certified, including flooring, stairs, millwork, siding, cabinets, and ceiling components.

“Not only is 67% of the wood in the home FSC-certified, but those materials also came from forests located within 80 miles of the house,” says Alison Lindburg, Director of the Eco-Affordable Housing Program for Dovetail Partners.

In addition to the home's use of locally produced FSC-certified wood, it also features a passive solar design, energy-efficient in-floor radiant heating, energy-efficient appliances and fixtures, and a floor plan that minimized site disturbance and impact.
 

“The success of the Aitkin House came about from the collaborative efforts of many partners including Dovetail, the Aitkin County Land Department, Aitkin County Economic Development, and many other public and private organizations and individuals in the community,” said Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

Dovetail Partners is developing additional Eco-Affordable Housing projects with several other communities in the region.

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