Press Releases
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Save Money and Energy with Home Insulation:
Educational Seminar to Focus on Natural Insulation Options
Ithaca NY, Worried about the rising costs of heating your home
this winter? Want to make sure your heating dollars don't slip
through the cracks of your home? Interested in finding an insulation
system that uses healthy and environmentally safe products?
The Green Resource Hub of the Finger Lakes and Tompkins
County Cooperative Extensions Energy $mart Communities Program
will present Save Money and Energy with Home Insulation's
on Thursday, December 13 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Home Green
Home, 215 The Commons, Ithaca. There is a $5 suggested donation,
and light refreshments will be provided. With rising energy
costs and concerns around global climate change, many people
are interested in improving their home insulation. Most of the
older houses in the Finger Lakes region were built with very
little insulation, which allows a significant amount of heat
to escape from the walls and attics of homes. This wasted heat
can cost homeowners hundreds of dollars a year. This consumer
education program will review the many options for insulating
your home that can help reduce energy costs.
Mark
Pierce, Project Manager for the Consumer Education Program for
Residential Energy Efficiency at Cornell Cooperative Extension,
will provide an overview of how to buy and properly install
home insulation. All homeowners should understand that the single
most important factor in increasing a homes energy efficiency
is the creation of continuous, contiguous, and complete thermal
and air barriers surrounding the homes living spaces said Pierce.
Jim Coler of Coler Natural Insulation, Alwyn John of Performance
Systems Contracting, and Sarah Highland of Holistic Homebuilders
will discuss the many different types of home insulation materials
now available from renewable and recycled resources including
cotton, soy-based foams, cellulose, and straw bales. These alternative
solutions to traditional fiberglass insulation offer many benefits
to homeowners and to the environment. Ice damming and mold/mildew
issues related to insulation and vapor barriers will also be
discussed.
The Green Resource Hubs winter seminar
series also includes classes at Home Green Home on heating with
biomass (November 29) and on small hydropower systems for rural
landowners (January 17).
The Green Resource Hub of
the Finger Lakes is a non-profit organization that aims to expand
the regional marketplace for sustainable living through consumer
education and workforce training in green building, energy efficiency,
renewable energy and green purchasing.
Press Release
Contact Information:
Gay Nicholson, Ph.D.
607-533-7312 (home office)
607-279-6618
(cell)
1 Maple Avenue Lansing, NY 14882
gaynicholson@aol.com
Sustainable Tompkins Program Coordinator
www.sustainabletompkins.org
Natural Insulation firm hires alumnus Carr as project manager
Coler Natural Insulation of Ionia recently hired Gil Carr '06 to provide project management and estimating services. The company, founded in 2004, distributes a line of soy-based and other green, energy-efficient insulation products to clients in Upstate New York.
Carr, originally from Allegany, N.Y., graduated with a B.A. after double-majoring in architectural studies and environmental studies and minoring in history. He was among a group of students and faculty who proposed installing a geothermal heating system in the Finger Lakes Institute quarters on South Main Street.
He also worked on a project to convert used cooking oil into a clean-burning alternative fuel “biodiesel,” organized week-long activities leading up to Earth Day, and worked as a counselor for the Environmental Science Summer Youth Institute, an interdisciplinary summer program run by HWS for rising high school juniors and seniors.
Carr, who lives in Geneva, was also a member of Campus Greens, volunteered for America Reads, worked as an admissions senior intern and tour guide, and led trips for the Outdoor Recreation and Adventure Program. He studied in Denmark and received a Melley Scholarship and the Ashmun Prize.
Details on the company are available by visiting
Coler calling (585) 624-2499 or e-mailing jim@coler.com.
Press Release
Contact Information:
Contact: Cynthia L. McVey, APR
Cindy Lee Associates; 585-746-4154
mcveycla@earthlink.net
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NYS Certifies Coler as Woman Owned Business Enterprise
Ionia, N.Y. (October 20, 2006)— Coler Natural Insulation has
been certified as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise. The company’s
application for that status was reviewed and approved by the
New York State Department of Economic Development, Division
of Minority and Women’s Business Development (DMWBD). Coler
was founded in 2004 and distributes a line of soy-based and
other green, energy-efficient insulation products to clients
in all of Upstate N.Y. In its first year, it had net sales exceeding
$200,000 with projections to triple that figure this year. Among
the products Coler distributes is BioBased, a natural soy-based
spray foam insulation. The product can be installed as either
an open- or closed-cell foam, unlike the more common petroleum-based
spray foam products. Coler also has recently purchased a ultraviolet
(UV) camera for use in identifying voids in wall cavities that
indicate a lack of insulation – and a place for heat to escape
a home. For more information about Coler Natural Insulation’s
products and services, visit http://www.coler.com,
call 585-624-2499 or e-mail jim@coler.com.
Press Release
Contact Information:
Contact: Cynthia L. McVey, APR
Cindy Lee Associates; 585-746-4154
mcveycla@earthlink.net
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Coler Natural Insulation Gets BCB Award of Excellence
Ionia, N.Y. (October 20, 2006)— Coler Natural Insulation has
earned the “Award of Excellence” from the Better Contractors
Bureau, Ltd (BCB). Coler was founded in 2004 and distributes
a line of soy-based and other green, energy-efficient insulation
products to clients in all of Upstate N.Y. In its first year,
it had net sales exceeding $200,000 with projections to triple
that figure this year. “We were so happy to be notified about
this award because a founding principle of Coler Natural Insulation
is that we treat our customers as we’d want to be treated while
providing them with a unique and quality product for their home
or business,” says Jim Coler, president of Coler Natural Insulation.
“Having the BCB, who seeks to protect consumers, give us their
nod of confidence is very gratifying.” According to the BCB,
the award recognizes “businesses that maintain a solid commitment
to conducting their business practices in an ethical, professional
manner and demonstrates to the community their concern for consumer
satisfaction.” ”The home improvement industry is always at the
top of the list of most complained about businesses and the
image of the contractor is really bad,” wrote Carmen Santora,
CR, CHI, CREA, executive director of the BCB, in a letter notifying
the Colers of the award. “Your high standards help to better
the image of the contractor and the industry.” For more information
about Coler Natural Insulation’s products and services, visit
http://www.coler.com,
call 585-624-2499 or e-mail jim@coler.com.
Contact Information:
Contact: Cynthia L. McVey, APR
Cindy Lee Associates; 585-746-4154
mcveycla@earthlink.net
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOY BEANS HEALTHY TO BREATHE, TOO
Soy-based spray foam insulation improves indoor air quality,
naturally
Ionia, N.Y. — The health benefits of eating soy-based foods
and using soy as a substitute for other food sources (i.e.,
tofu) has been touted for some time. What’s lesser known, however,
is how a product made from U.S.-grown soy beans can also help
people breathe a little easier in their own homes and work environments.
The BioBased 501 spray-in-place foam insulation system, made
from soy beans, is an effective way to seal out dust, allergens
and outdoor pollutants that eventually reduce indoor air quality
because it creates a wind-proof barrier. The BioBased foam expands
100:1 when it is sprayed into place, sealing holes, cracks,
rough-in openings, perimeter joists, and other areas that conventional
methods can’t touch. “The product actually contributes to the
overall health of occupants where it is used because there are
no loose fibers or inherent dust used and it prevents the condensation
that promotes mold and mildew growth,” says Jim Coler, co-owner
of Coler Natural Insulation, the upstate N.Y. dealer for BioBased
and other energy efficient, green insulation systems. Of course,
because it creates such a tight building envelope, it also helps
reduce energy costs—something many people are looking to do
as this season approaches. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) recently rated indoor air pollution as one of the
five most urgent environmental issues, accounting for more than
$1 billion in direct health care costs each year. The EPA, American
Lung Association and Envirodesic Certification Program all believe
that the air in most homes is 10 times more polluted than outside.
Indoor air pollutants can come from inside the home itself,
such as from building and cleaning materials, or from outside
due to air infiltration. “The products people use to build their
homes should not make them sick or exacerbate illnesses,” explains
Coler. “However, even if all of the products used in the home
are healthy, people still need to take that extra step to make
sure that the outside irritants can’t get inside.”
Among the ways BioBased improves indoor air quality:
Reduced air and dust infiltration
No food value for fungus, mold, bugs or rodents (mold and mildew
are not given opportunities to grow)
No fibers or clumps of loose insulation to contaminate indoor
air
Behaves like a petroleum-based plastic foam but with no formaldehyde
or other harmful emissions (VOCs of CFCs)
Reduced allergens and mold spore infiltrations
As a product made from organic material, it is as friendly to
the great outdoors as it is to the indoors. The National Association
of Homebuilders (NAHB) named BioBased 501 the “Outstanding Green
Product of the Year” at its Green Builders Conference in Baltimore,
Maryland.
To find out more information about the foam insulation or Coler
Natural Insulation, contact Jim Coler at 585-624-2499 or visit
www.coler.com.
Press Release
Press Release
Contact Information:
Jim Coler, Certified Dealer and Installer
585/624-2499
jimcoler@yahoo.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOY-BASED FOAM INSULATION YIELDS HEALTHIER HOMES, GREATER
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Ionia, NY - A new spray foam insulation product made from soybean
oil can save homeowners up to 50 percent on energy costs, according
to Jim Coler of Coler Natural Insulation, Inc.
BioBased Insulation has been formulated with the environment
in mind. It is water-blown and emits no VOCs (Volatile Organic
Compounds), CFCs (Chloroflouro Carbons) or HCFCs (Hydrochloroflouro
Carbons) during application - making it a healthy product that
doesn't deplete the ozone. BioBased Insulation behaves much
like petroleum-based spray foam but minimizes the environmental
side effects. It utilizes the annually renewable resource of
soybeans and contains no formaldehyde. The insulation eliminates
outside air infiltration by providing a sealed thermal envelope
in one easy step. Research has shown that outside air infiltration
is one of the major causes of heat and air conditioning loss
in homes.
"Consumers who convert from traditional insulations to
BioBased Insulation realize a cost-savings in their first month's
utility bill," said Coler, a Certified BioBased Dealer
and installer. "Because of its energy efficiency, BioBased
Insulation may also reduce the required size of HVAC (Heating,
Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems and construction materials
like using 2x4s instead of 2x6s without compromising the insulation
value of the building, another money-saver for the consumer."
Applied as a liquid, the soy foam insulation expands 100 times
its original size in seconds. As it expands, it conforms and
fills each cavity, crevice and void to create a sealed thermal
envelope. The insulation adheres to any surface and will not
shrink, settle or disintegrate.
Besides reducing utility bills, BioBased Insulation also helps
control exterior wall cavity moisture problems, seals out noise,
reduces dust and increases indoor air quality (IAQ). "BioBased
Insulation has no food value for pests or rodents," Coler
said, "and it has a Class 1 fire rating - the highest rating
you can have for residential and commercial applications."
Coler said many Americans don't realize that technology can
greatly reduce energy consumption. "This technology is
available today - it's not a promise for the future. They just
need to take advantage of it. In light of the rising energy
costs, energy and environmental conservation should be of great
importance to Americans." Every single pound of soybean
oil in BioBased Insulation represents one less pound of petroleum
used in the United States. Since there are about 1.6 million
housing starts a year, the import oil and energy savings could
be staggering if more homeowners used energy-efficient building
products like BioBased Insulation. The impact on the U.S. soybean
industry is as equally astounding. The soybean oil used in the
insulation comes from 600,000 American soybean farmers.
Coler said, "Existing homes can apply the insulation to
their roof decks which can prevent ice damming and reduce their
energy bills. The insulation is especially effective at creating
a non-vented roof system assembly that significantly reduces
extreme attic temperatures, providing conditioned space, which
allows cooling and heating systems to work far more efficiently.
To find out more information about the foam insulation or Coler
Natural Insulation, contact Jim Coler at 585-624-2499 or visit
www.coler.com.