Feb 1 2009
Greenblock Worldwide Corporation announced that its Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) wall system has been selected for use in the Athena Marie Ocean Front Southern Plantation located on North Hutchinson Island in Vero Beach, Florida. Athena Marie Plantation will be the largest green home in the United States and Florida's first 100-percent renewable energy home. Athena Marie Plantation will also be the first U.S. home to have wind powered electric turbines mounted on the roof.
"This is a remarkable project," said Robert Cenk, vice president of Homecrete Homes, the Stuart-based homebuilder that is constructing this home. "We've built several large custom homes in the area, but this will be a one-of-a-kind with some unique engineering and design challenges. The owner's decision to go with ICF construction will not only save energy and reduce the homes carbon footprint but will insure the home stands up to the next hurricane that decides to come through here," continued Cenk.
Athena Marie Plantation has an 8,000 square foot west wing which is an attached guest carriage house with triple stacked 180-degree curved cherry wood stairways and an elevator from the ten-car garage to the roof top pool/bar.
The second level has open curved balconies overlooking the main foyer with three 1,000 square foot oceanfront guest suites and a 400 square foot exercise room for Athena's guests and family. The 90-degree black walnut suspended curved stairway leads to the 6,000 square foot third floor master suite, with a 360-degree circular balcony and a 20 foot skylight. The master suite has ten mile views of the gorgeous Treasure Coast beaches of Florida.
The Greenblock Insulated Concrete Form wall system and the Lite-Deck® steel-reinforced, insulated concrete floors are being installed by Insulated Concrete Walls Inc. of Stuart, Fla. The owner reports that ten weeks into the project they are ahead of schedule and below budget.
"We would not have been able to attain 100% + renewable energy, especially in a project of this size, if we didn't use insulated concrete forms", says Lewis Barton, representing Mary C/Barton family, the home's owner. "We chose Greenblock because they offered a total, turnkey energy efficient building solution, under one roof. The combination of Greenblock and ICW provides us with an experienced, professional group of ICF experts who are bringing this project in under budget and ahead of schedule", continues Barton.
The entire construction may be watched via real time video streamed on www.athenamarieplantation.com, with wind and solar data gathered from the wind turbines to be incorporated into a U.S. weather station and ocean front reporting station television weather reporting information.