I really know nothing about construction or renovation, that’s Arcadia’s area of expertise, but I wanted to show you this great video sent to me by Will at RiverWired.

The video shows the materials and methods used by a green builder in New York renovating an abandoned brownstone into a family home.

I much prefer older houses to new builds because of the attention to detail and character that they hold but they are often much less efficient when it comes to saving energy.

Here the builder, Blake Holden, takes an already beautiful building and uses reclaimed wood and other natural materials - which seem to be more in keeping with the house’s original style - with the aim of creating a less toxic living environment and a sustainable home.

I would love to see how the house turned-out and have asked Will if there’s a follow up video.

Take a look at how Blake did it:

Greening a Brownstone
Uploaded by RiverWired