Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest building materials company and manufacturer of innovative material solutions, in partnership with YouthBuild of Greater Stark County, operated by Project REBUILD, today announced the completed sustainable home renovation at 1714 Frazer Ave. NW, has achieved the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED Platinum certification. Over three years, approximately 100 Greater Stark County YouthBuild students and the Saint-Gobain North America Foundation transformed this home into a model of affordable, sustainable living.
The Frazer Avenue home is the first sustainable renovation completed in Canton under the national partnership between Saint-Gobain and YouthBuild USA in support of the nonprofit’s national green-building and job-training program. The YouthBuild-Saint-Gobain partnership provides opportunity youth—young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither in school nor employed—with the resources to build sustainable, energy-efficient and healthy homes in their communities, while gaining industry-recognized credentials and earning their high school equivalencies.
“YouthBuild USA’s partnership with Saint-Gobain provides our students with the opportunity to transform their own community through sustainable renovation projects while learning the skills needed to transform their lives,” said Joanna James, Executive Director at YouthBuild Greater Stark County/Project REBUILD. “With the completion of this home, the students now have a tangible example of the positive change they can create with their own two hands and leave this experience with the education and training to secure a career.”
The Saint-Gobain family of companies, led by CertainTeed, the company’s largest building materials subsidiary, provided over 15 different building and safety products to achieve the project’s energy efficiency, sustainability, and affordability goals. In addition, Saint-Gobain employees spent dozens of hours ensuring the sustainability elements of the home.
“For more than a decade, Saint-Gobain’s partnership with YouthBuild USA has helped build tomorrow’s workforce, today, by helping young people harness valuable manufacturing and construction skills,” said Mark Rayfield, CEO, Saint-Gobain North America and CertainTeed Corporation. “In areas like Canton, we are especially proud of the young people who worked on this project and learned about sustainable, innovative building materials and construction techniques. We look forward to continuing to evolve this program, using lessons learned from projects like Canton.”
Products selected to help YouthBuild Canton achieve its energy-efficiency, sustainability, indoor environmental quality, affordability and comfort goals include:
Roofing solutions from CertainTeed:
Shingles Landmark® Solaris is the cool roof version of CertainTeed’s popular Landmark shingle, Landmark Solaris® is ideal for sunny climates or locations where solar heat is a challenge. The wood shake-inspired, solar-reflective asphalt shingle reflects solar energy and radiant heat far better than traditional roofing shingles, keeping your home cooler in hot months and your roof looking great all year long.
DiamondDeck® shingle underlayment provides best-in-class performance in terms of both weather protection and contractor safety.
WinterGuard® waterproofing shingle underlayment is a self-adhering ice and water barrier made from polymer-modified asphalt. Vapor-tight and elastic, WinterGuard stretches and seals around nail penetrations to protect your roof against water penetration in its most vulnerable places.
Siding solutions from CertainTeed:
Cedar Impressions® Shingles are the industry’s first polymer shingles that feature an innovative, blended color throughout. Each shingle reflects the texture of real cedar and installs in the same manner as individual cedar shingles.
Monogram® siding offers the rich look of natural cedar without the expense and heavy maintenance. Choose from a designer palette of over 40 siding and trim colors.
Restoration Millwork trim offers a complete selection of virtually maintenance-free vinyl trim options to accent your home.
CertaWrapTM siding weather resistant barrier provides an added layer of protection against air and moisture damage.
CertatapeTM seals seams and edges on window flanges, corners, joints, rips, punctures and tears with a high-strength coated polypropylene film that won't break down over time.
Insulation solutions from CertainTeed:
OPTIMA® Blow-In Insulation System gives each home a custom-designed, seamless, thermally efficient sound-reducing blanket that completely fills any void. No other product installs or performs better than OPTIMA. OPTIMA fiberglass insulation is blown behind a special OPTIMA fabric, or equivalent, in new construction.
Drywall solutions from CertainTeed:
M2Tech® Moisture and Mold resistant drywall features a unique technology that combines moisture and mold resistance and is specially engineered to provide enhanced protection against mold growth.
Green Glue is a viscoelastic damping compound that, when sandwiched between two layers of rigid material such as CertainTeed Drywall, greatly reduces the amount of sound transmitted through walls or ceilings, and reduces the amount of noise generated from impacts on floors.
In addition, flooring and masking products from Saint-Gobain subsidiary Norton Abrasives:
- Sandpaper
- Sanding dollars
- Red oak wood filler
- Sanding sheets
- Norton Line tape and sheeting
- Norton disposable gloves and micro fiber cloths
The Saint-Gobain Corporation Foundation’s partnership with YouthBuild USA also supports green home renovation projects in three other communities where Saint-Gobain has business concentrations, including: Philadelphia, PA; Worcester, MA; and Schenectady, NY For more information about Saint-Gobain Corporation Foundation’s partnership with YouthBuild USA, please visit www.buildingourfuturetogether.com.
Editor’s Note: Product images and a fact sheet can be provided upon request.
About Project REBUILD/YouthBuild Greater Stark County
Project REBUILD, Inc., the YouthBuild USA Affiliate in Stark County Ohio, was created as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) in July 1999. The purpose of Project REBUILD is to re-engage out-of-school youth and support them as they work to obtain their high school diploma or GED and become job-ready while also constructing housing for low and moderate income individuals and families. Project REBUILD’s long term goal is to transform the lives of at-risk youth through education and job training so they may become educated, working, productive contributors to the community.
About YouthBuild
With love and respect, YouthBuild partners with opportunity youth to build the skillsets and mindsets that lead to lifelong learning, livelihood, and leadership. At nearly 300 YouthBuild programs across the United States and around the world, students reclaim their education, gain job skills, and become leaders in their communities. To date, YouthBuild has partnered with more than 180,000 young people to dedicate over 50 million hours of service benefitting urban, rural, and tribal communities. YouthBuild strives to create a world where all young people are seen for their potential, and power to transform themselves and their communities. YouthBuild USA – the support center for the YouthBuild movement – strengthens YouthBuild programs through technical assistance, leadership development, innovative program enhancements, and advocacy. YouthBuild programs located outside of the United States are supported by YouthBuild USA’s international division, YouthBuild International.
For more information about the YouthBuild movement, YouthBuild USA, and YouthBuild International, visit YouthBuild.org.
About Saint-Gobain in North America
Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest building materials companies and manufacturer of innovative material solutions, helps create great living spaces by combining comfort and sustainability. For more than three-and-a-half centuries, Saint-Gobain has been enhancing the wellbeing of people everywhere, whether it’s by addressing climate change, delivering true sustainable development, advancing the information revolution, participating in medical breakthroughs or playing a vital role in space exploration.
In North America, Saint-Gobain has approximately 160 locations and more than 15,500 employees. Learn more about Saint-Gobain North America by visiting www.saint-gobain-northamerica.com and connect with Saint-Gobain North America on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Media Contacts
Saint-Gobain in North America:
Lia LoBello
Director of Business Communications
610-893-5783 (office)
484-757-4549 (mobile)
Lia.T.LoBello@saint-gobain.com
Cara Corridoni
Manager of Community Relations and Reputation
610-893-5510 (office)
484-502-3711 (mobile)
Cara.A.Corridoni@saint-gobain.com