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Green Renovation and
Efforts at Rosewood
Gentle Guests, we'd like you to know what we administer in relation to Good Sweet Kind Mother Earth:
- All in all this building is recycled. We saved whatever we could from the original and we love and respect its age and its imperfection because of this opportunity to have it "LIVE" again. You may not know this building was condemned in 1987 and scheduled for demolition. Imagine the incredible waste and rape of history if it would have been demolished!
- Components in the building are recycled.
- All the marble in the bathrooms and fireplace hearths is from the Minneapolis Sheraton Ritz Hotel which was sadly demolished in 1988.
- The copper soaking tub in Mississippi Suite is from a century old mansion in St. Cloud. It ended up at Frank's Plumbing parts on Washington Avenue where we "discovered" it and restored it.
- The double pedestal sink in Rebecca's Room is from a barber shop in Kohler Wisconsin that was being "updated"
- All of the Commercial Kitchen equipment in our big kitchen is purchased second hand from a restaurant renovator.
- The beautiful wool carpeting in the main parlors and library and hall is from the Cotillion Ballroom at the Ritz and was only three years old when they were getting ready to tear down the hotel. The energy used in removing and reinstalling with new purpose is well worth it considering the option of a landfill for this made to last flooring.
- All light fixtures in the house are antiques rewired.
- All the windows have been reworked with new rope sashes installed and notice the old glass pretty much throughout (thicker and less perfect than what is made today).
- We buy carefully with regard to packaging - trying not to purchase with excess wrappings.
- We recycle aluminum, paper, glass, plastic and cardboard. Notice the receptacles in the halls. Please use them.
- You may have noticed the wonderful soap and shampoo and conditioner we provide. The ingredients are all natural and biodegradable. We do not offer the tiny little bottles instead we refill large ones.The reason the soap is wrapped is so you will take it with you and use all of it. It makes a wonderful car freshener if you place it in your car's unused cigarette tray.
- We honor the theory of natural in our cleaning products as well.
- We have replaced most of the lightbulbs with the more efficient ones - we especially feel good about this in the halls as these lights must legally be on at all times. Outside we have sensor lighting. Our new landscape lights are going to be solar activated.
- Our paper products are purposely not colored or fluffy. We do not use an inferior less expensive brand but rather a superior biodegradable unbleached product. We reuse the plastic bags from the grocer in the wastebaskets instead of purchasing more plastic.
- We have changed from offering bottled water to the filtered hot and cold water in the pantry in the large refillable jugs. Although there is really nothing wrong with the water from the tap in Hastings, other than it does have chlorine added.
- We buy local and use primarily organics.We have one of the best Farm Markets anywhere right here in town every Tuesday and Saturday. And we have a great local food co-op that we frequent.Our coffee is Fair Trade Organic and roasted in St. Peter Minnesota. Our apples and berries are also of course local and when we can we pick them ourselves.
- We honor and respect all ideas in this regard, so if you have some - feel free to share.
Green Renovation Details of Thorwood
An 1880 National Register building first a home(1880-1915), then a hospital(1915-1953), then a six plex (1953-1983), then a bed and breakfast inn(1983-2007) and now three condos is indeed itself one of the best examples of recycling.
The division into three condos has been done with total respect for the home’s original integrity. The formal part of the home with the original parlors and kitchen space and three second floor bedrooms is the largest and most formal of the trio and includes full basement accessible from private elevator. The servants’ quarter is another condo (also first and second floor and basement) and the third is the entire 1700 square foot attic space with 10 foot ceilings and 24inch deep window sills tucked in the impressive French mansard roof.
Insulation
Fiberglass Insulation blown into the attic, all wall cavities, and floor joists This not only prevents heat loss but provided a fire barrier for the old balloon constructions, and a sound barrier between floors and units.
Windows
We retain the original windows to preserve the historic integrity of the National Register Property, so we completely reconditioned all rails and glazing, we replaced the old anodize aluminum triple track storm windows with high efficiency single light storm windows approve by the National Park Service. The single removable lite windows require that both upper and lower windows be movable We replace the old zinc weather stripping with more sealable rubber and foam the old zinc track were also replace with foam fill flexible track providing a better seal and allowing the window to slide more easily. New antique window locking hardware was installed to provide a snug window fit between rails. We believe all this measured provided window system efficiency close to the modern triple gaze system with original 1880 windows with original thick wavy glass.
Roof
We used a very tough material called Dura last. This 40 year roofing material is light colored tan or white which reflects the sunlight. We used white on the unseen third floor roof. It reflects 60% of the sunlight cutting the cooling cost by 15%. The tan reflects 40% of the sunlight cutting cost by 10%.
Solarium/Greenhouse
The Greenhouse is built facing south on the third floor It provides unobstructed passive solar with dark tile floor that heats itself even in the dead of winter. To capture this heat we installed a boiler with a microprocessor. The boiler has a 150,000 BTU capacity but will calculate and use only the BTU required to bring the water to temperature. The boiler heats the domestic hot water and via a heat exchanger the forced air for the unit. The water from the greenhouse is already preheated thus the boiler fires at a much lower BTU level. The passive solar benefit can be a further benefit to the condo by opening the door during the day and closing it at night. The greenhouse is also equipped with a thermostat which will automatically opens ventilator windows in the summer and turns on a ceiling fan.
Mechanicals
High efficient Air Conditioners and furnaces were installed. All appliances are rated high efficiency as well.
Plumbing
Toilets were replaced with low water usage units
Driveway and Parking lots
All asphalt was removed and replaced with water absorbent pavers. Rain barrels are being used instead of in-ground sprinklers.
Tile warmers
Tile warmers for the basement floor offer a low cost heat. It also aids in keeping basement humidity levels lower
Lighting
Low wattage compact fluorescent including exterior parking lot lighting Landscape lighting is solar.
Details
Recycled materials were used throughout the project including:
- century old beams made into a fireplace mantle and also planed down for screen doors
- a perfect piece of walnut cured from a tree from the grounds that had been struck by lightening made into steps
- marble from the demolished Sheraton Ritz Hotel in Minneapolis used in the bathrooms and fireplace hearths
- Iron fencing from the Minneapolis Public Library surrounds the house
- Elevator doors from the buildings original hand crank elevator are now doors to the laundry room in one of the units.
- Antique light fixtures including an 1870 gas French newel post lamp and gas and electric fixtures now retrofitted for electricity and new LED bulbs.
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