News Releases
| Contact:Rebecca Wallace (608) 231-9275 E-mail: rwallace@fs.fed.us |
Distributed May 31th, 2011 MA # 20110531-01 view PDF » view Word » |
||
| Research House Tours Offered Weekly at the USDA Forest Products Laboratory | |||
| MADISON, WI.- The Research Demonstration House and Carriage House located at the USDA Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) will be open for free walk-in tours every Wednesday from 2:15 - 5:15 p.m., beginning June 1, 2011. | |||
| These full-scale structures, a 2,300-square-foot house and a 560-square-foot structure designed as a detached garage, are used by FPL for research and educational activities. Both allow researchers to conduct housing-related studies in a real-world setting. In addition to research, the structures showcase materials and technologies that demonstrate energy efficiency, sustainability, and water efficiency. |
|
||
|
Constructed in 2001, the Research Demonstration House was conceived to conduct full-scale research studies on moisture management practices in a cold climate region. Moisture and mold are significant national issues, and such research is needed to educate builders and consumers on the best recommended practices to minimize adverse moisture effects on structures and indoor living environments.
The Carriage House was constructed in 2008 to evaluate the potential for potable rainwater harvesting in a cold climate region. The framework of the structure consists of 6-inch diameter round wood posts and trusses built from forest thinnings, and technologies housed inside are capable of providing all the energy and water needs for both buildings, and more. More information on the Research Demonstration House and Carriage House is available at http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/research/centers/ahrc/research_demonstration_house.shtml. The USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory was established in 1910 in Madison, Wisc., with the mission to conserve and extend the country's wood resources. Today, FPL's research scientists work with academic and industrial researchers and other government agencies in exploring ways to promote healthy forests and clean water and improve papermaking and recycling processes. Through FPL's Advanced Housing Research Center, researchers also work to improve homebuilding technologies and materials. Information is available at FPL's Web site: www.fpl.fs.fed.us. # # # |
|||
