Marshall Homes joins forces with Boomerang Recycled Paint to offer greener decor

Developer leads way with eco-friendly paints

From Friday's Globe and MailMay 30, 2008 at 12:00 AM EDTGREEN BUILDING - SectionAuthor: ELIZABETH RAND-WATKINSONRegular readers will know what a freak I am about anything eco-friendly.Whenever I hear about something environmentally innovative or someonedoing the responsible thing, I like to share.This is one of those times, and it's a double whammy, acollaboration between a visionary Ontario subdivision builder and aproducer of eco-friendly paints and stains. The paints and stains, made by Canadian company Boomerang RecycledPaint, are eco-friendly because they're recycled and they have areduced carbon footprint (the company says it takes 88 per cent fewercarbon dioxide emissions to produce a can of its paint than to producea can of non-recycled paint).I'm not suggesting this is new; Boomerang has been recycling paintfor more than 15 years. I'm excited because the concept of usingrecycled paint is garnering more mainstream attention.Enlarge ImageStarting June 1, Marshall Homes houses can be finished with environmentally friendly paints and stains at no extra cost. (Marshall Homes)Boomerang uses leftover domestic paint and stain to make newproducts. Its reclamation process allows the company to recycle 84 percent of everything it collects, including the can. Anyone who has usedpaints and stains knows how important quality is, as well as ease ofuse, how many coats you need, the level of odour and off-gassing fromthe product, and how it responds to cleaning and wear and tear.Consumers can feel reassured. Recycled paints are subjected toextensive testing for lead and mercury content and VOCs (volatileorganic compounds); they meet and exceed all Canadian industry andgovernment specifications and standards, including Health Canadastandards for low-VOC emissions. It also translates into greatcoverage, easy application and a durable, washable finish.As you may suspect, Boomerang offers fewer colours than non-recycled paint manufacturers.But, as someone who has worked in interior design for almost 20years, this can be an advantage, especially for consumers who areflying solo, without the guidance of a designer to narrow things down.We've all seen those poor souls at the paint store, staring helplesslyat the colour display like deer caught in the headlights.Boomerang offers 16 latex, four alkyd and six stain colours. Thisincludes two floor paints (one latex and one alkyd) and two primers (awhite and a deep-tone grey). While buyers won't find 196 differentreds, blues and greens, they will find small families of each primarycolour as well as a calming range of co-ordinating neutrals. And, at$15 a gallon, it's cost effective.So that's a triple whammy: economically priced paints and stains ina manageable range of colours that allow you to be environmentallyresponsible to boot.Ontario developer Craig Marshall of Marshall Homes has embraced this recycled product and put his money where his mouth is.While other builders are getting on the eco-bandwagon to a lesserextent, he is leading the way as the first subdivision builder in theprovince to offer recycled paint finishes to buyers at all of hiscompany's sites.Recycled paint costs builders slightly more than standard builderpaint. But starting June 1, Marshall Homes will offer it to buyers atno extra cost, for homes built in Ajax, Oshawa and Bobcaygeon. Isuspect this may spur other builders to similar action.Marshall Homes' use of Boomerang paint is part of a new initiativethat will be launched on July 1 by Stewardship Ontario, a programdesigned to encourage companies to recycle potentially hazardousmaterials.Mr. Marshall says there was another contributing factor, namely theawareness raised in his company through the building of a homecertified under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and EnvironmentalDesign) program.Today, the fruits of this awareness are evident throughout his company's work.For example, in its Copperfield development in Oshawa, housesfeature high-efficiency, dual-burner furnaces with variable-speed fansthat improve air circulation by 20 per cent; heat recovery ventilators(environmentally improved air exchangers); and low E-coated windows.Water is heated via roof-mounted solar heat collectors.Talk about great leadership for the development and builder community!