BUILDING IN HARMONY WITH THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Momentum Builders begins each project with our clients by advising them on the best location of the building to maximize its energy efficiency, as well as on how to incorporate the advantages of the natural environment into their living space.

As graduates of SUNY College of Environmental Studies and  Forestry, we promote its mission to provide leadership in the stewardship of the natural and designed environments.

Recycled  Water Uses  in the Home 

Recycled rainwater represents a sustainable source of water ideal for uses inside and outside the home, for laundry and gardening purposes.  We integrate roof and drainage systems that may provide either primary or supplemental water for these purposes.  As an inspiration for our decisions to use recycled water,  Australians are using rainwater for toilet flushing, laundry and gardening to reduce mains water requirements of a typical household by 70%. 

Native Plants

We work collaboratively with local nurseries and agricultural landscapers when our clients prefer to use local, native plants in their surroundings.  To learn more...

Resources

The Plantsmen  a locally-owned nursery specializing in native species and plants adapted to the geography of Upstate New York

Cold Climate Gardening  Online magazine with a thorough section dedicated to Upstate NY

SUNY College of Environmental Studies and Forestry Has a resourceful video series on local wildlife, forestry, the outdoors, and natural phenomena

Cornell Cooperative Extension  Gardening Resources  Your portal for gardening information at Cornell University

Homegardening  A supplement to the Cornell gardening site

Harvesting Trees

We take great care in siting our homes on the property with the intent of minimizing disruption to the land and maximizing the use of natural features to enhance the value of the home and property.  In the event that it is necessary to harvest trees, we do so in a responsible manner.  Wherever possible, we incorporate the lumber generated from these trees into the finished home as trim or structural or accent timbers.

We enjoy working with our clients to utilize the trees from their property for any number of purposes in building their homes - from honing beams for timber framing, to milling trims and flooring.

Resources

Harvesting Trees A publication from Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension

Livable Landscape Design 64-page, spiral-bound publication explains how to apply basic principles of design to home landscapes. Topics include landscape and the environment, landscape traditions, and design strategies to prevent environmental damage. Only available as .pdf

Baker-Miller  Locally-owned and operated lumber mill

Ithaca Urban Timber Salvage  Locally owned and operated company dedicated to reducing the amount of timber that enters waste stream by harvesting and milling it to produce useful, high quality lumber.