Sustainability
At Grothouse, we constantly integrate eco-friendly solutions into our business model. Our facility is located on a 50-acre farm and the majority of the land is still farmed today. Wildlife that includes deer, turkey, and hawks freely roam the premises. This beautiful property is our inspiration for eco-friendly living. Grothouse has completed installation of a solar energy system composed of 78 fixed photovoltaic solar panels. The 18.33kW solar system will produce approximately 30% of Grothouse’s annual energy. According to the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Association, the system will reduce Grothouse’s carbon dioxide emissions by 17 tons per year, or the equivalent of 2.8 cars per year. The reduction would be the same as the amount of carbon sequestered by a 3.5 acre forest each year.In conjunction with the solar system, the additional facility has been designed using a range of energy-efficient materials and systems intended to reduce energy consumption. Highly efficient pre-formed insulated concrete forms have been used to construct the exterior walls of the building. The ICFs feature an insulation rating of R50 to minimize potential heat loss and reduce both cooling and heating costs. The resulting heating requirements for the 12,000 square foot building are equivalent to those necessary to heat a 2,500 square foot home.Wood scraps produced during the manufacturing process are repurposed to operate a radiant heat system circulating throughout the facility. The 80 truckloads of sawdust produced each year are donated to local livestock farmers for use as animal bedding.The Grothouse facility has the first working prototype for the Intelli-Phase automatic phase converter. Unlike traditional phase converters, this cutting-edge technology saves energy by running only while equipment is in use.Grothouse wood countertops were a featured product in the book, Whole Green Catalog: 1000 Best Things for You and the Earth. The book, published by Rodale, provides advice and reviews to help readers live in an environmentally friendly manner. Grothouse wood surfaces were called “the original green countertop,” and listed as an environmentally friendly alternative to other countertop surfaces.After all, unlike many of the raw materials used today, wood actually does grow on trees.
Pricing
The costs of the products were considered to ensure a mass market appeal. The offering included a Pewter countertop alternative. Pewter countertops are traditionally extremely expensive and we developed a product that offered a similar look at a 75% cost reduction.Individual samples are available with credit to the purchase of a countertop. Special pricing is available for trade dealers.
Notes
This new product line allows metal surfaces to be produced in any shape at a fraction of the cost of traditional metal surfaces.
Grothouse is the leading innovator in the wood countertop industry. Led by a visionary team of expert craftsmen, Grothouse painstakingly handcrafts sophisticated wood surfaces from a wide selection of hand-curated and responsibly harvested wood species. With elegant design, powerful technology and innovative manufacturing techniques, Grothouse delivers quality made in USA products that last a lifetime. Visit www.glumber.com or call 610-767-6515.
