Building 'Green' in a Big Way: The EcoManor

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed)
Mar 18th 2007 at 7:04PM

With global warming becoming such an unavoidably huge issue, pretty much everybody has a soft spot for all things "eco." But that being said, not everybody takes it quite as far as Ted Turner's daughter, Laura Turner Seydel, and her husband did when they decided to built the biggest environmentally friendly home in the United States, the EcoManor.

It wasn't cheaper to build, although with features like recycled water from the showers irrigating the drought-resistant lawn, and rainwater-filled toilets, it will be cheaper to maintain -- 80 to 90 percent cheaper than other homes of similar size in the area. And with beautiful white linen wallpaper (made of recycled newspaper, of course) and natural lighting via solar tubes, the Seydels didn't have to sacrifice any style while they were doing their part to help the environment.

Tags: building, construction, eco, eco-friendly, ecofriendly, ecomanor, environment, environmentally friendly, EnvironmentallyFriendly, global warming, GlobalWarming, LEED, mansion, recycle, recycled, Seydel, Turner

Filed under: Estates

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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)

Carol Mar 24th 2007 4:48PM

I think several of these comments show ignorance. Like the eco-snobs putting down the rich for building green and minimizing the effort. Like the person who wants tips for a "regular consumer" (are you living under a rock?) Like the one who still denies global warming. You can build green, without giving up comfort and without building a straw bale house. If she build a energy hog of a house you'd have no comments. I applaud her for her efforts -- they help -- and especially because her role in the spotlight made her the brunt of the ignorance-- and those who can stop being jealous could also applaud her.

goplies Mar 24th 2007 4:52PM

#9 Uninformed with your ignorance showing again:, must be tough. To all the Right wing deniers of global warming, more scientists state global warming is a fact. Where is the evidence it does not exist? The melting of glaciers. The coastal land eroding. Keep denying :)

As for the rest of us grounded in reality, we will do what we can to go green. Yes, we have replaced our light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs and they seem to last longer :).

Good luck to those who work on going green, while the righties melt in their untruthiness :)

goplies Mar 24th 2007 5:02PM

#19 Your ignorance is showing. Many of the celebrities are going green. Leonardo Di Caprio has a "green" home and drives a Prius. There was a tour of his home and I marveled at the wood floors that were really, made of bamboo which is The modern, environmentally friendly and durable alternative to hardwood. Being a grass, as opposed to timber, gives bamboo the edge as a not only a building product (being strong and at the same time flexible), but also as a sustainable resource: wood takes approximately 15-20 years to reach maturity, whereas the non-harmful harvesting of bamboo takes a mere 3 to 5 years.

Devynn Mar 24th 2007 5:02PM

if you click the link "biggest evironmentally friendly home," it'll take you to a site all about the 6,000 sqft home. that's a lot of "green" space. :p but at least they, like lots of other ppl on the planet, are trying. can't fault them for that.

as for there being or not being any global warming, consider this: the earth has gone through many a ice age and warming age. we're in the middle of a warming age now, thus, global warming. BUT, man isn't helping the situation any with his RIDICULOUS CO2 emissions and not recycling when he can, etc, thus, this warming age may last longer then it's supposed to. which will result in one BRUTAL ice age. so if all of us do what we can, when we can, to slow this all down a bit and hopefully get everything to equal out, we may have a planet to give to our grandkids. and i'd rather do that, then destroy earth and set out to see if all the other planets are inhabitiable, b/c we'll destroy that, too! if it doesn't get to us first........

goplies Mar 24th 2007 5:18PM

#19 Al Gore participates in a utility program that sells blocks of "green power" for an extra $4 a month. Gore purchases 108 such blocks every month, covering 16,200 kilowatt-hours and helping subsidize renewable energy sources.

The Faux news and right wing attack dogs got it wrong again, if they can't fight the message then they attack the messenger. How sad and ignorant.
Exxon has “funneled nearly $16 million between 1998 and 2005 to a network of 43 advocacy organizations that seek to confuse the public on global warming science.” The big-oil front group the Competitive Enterprise Institute has received $1.6 million from Exxon since 1998, using the funding to distort global warming research and attack any meaningful action to regulate.

Who funds the Anti-global warming #19 your right wing corporate sponsored media :)

bjssports Mar 25th 2007 8:11AM

The only thing "green" about that mansion is the walls. If they want to green, they need to tear down most of it, live in the rest and plant some friggin trees in the part they tore down.

galahad Mar 24th 2007 5:41PM

To whomever "Doc" is...please take the time to spell-check YOUR entries before you post them, and to use the correct form of "your" and "you're"...because YOU'RE a moron. At least THEY'RE making steps in the right direction. Green technology isn't cheap, and perhaps it is all a big publicity stunt, but look in the mirror, jerk.

divapsi Mar 24th 2007 6:53PM

If any of you bothered to read the entire article you will find that their home is LEED Certifide...meaning that it is as GREEN as grass! By the way it is 5000 sq ft.

They should be commended for their action even if they "added green elements"...if we all did a little it would result in a lot. But since that is not the case we should applaude them.

Anna Mar 24th 2007 6:55PM

Since most of you who a bashing this family for their 5000 st ft LEED certifide home, I suggest you read the entire article and posssibly watch the clip so you have a better understanding of what you are talking about before you go shooting you moiuth off.

These people should be commended, I urge you all the read the article in full, it is quite fascinating waht they have have and lets not forget that the cost increase pays itself off.

GREEN is a win win situation.

Ray Romano Mar 24th 2007 7:05PM

Im Ray Romano from tv's Everybody Loves Raymond

Howdy Doo

Shellie Martin Mar 24th 2007 7:12PM

Okay, so they probably built their mansion with wood, but the woman who complained about the wood floors, let me educate you. The rich are now putting in bamboo flooring, which is even more beautiful than the traditional wood floor. So yes they "may" have built with wood but they, unlike some of you out there, are trying to do their part! If you all would stop buying junk food and XBox's you could save for solar which more than pays for itself in the long run.

Karen Dooley Mar 24th 2007 7:14PM

Building green is a relative new technology. How can we predict the long term worthiness of the house? Will it biodegrade over time?

docisawanker Apr 17th 2007 10:04PM

it's a good idea i think. i want to see what it's like to live in one

Linda G Mar 24th 2007 7:51PM

Anyone doing anything to conserve is wonderful in my book!
Check out http://www.earthship.org/
now that is the way of the future!

Mallory Mar 24th 2007 7:57PM

The first two comments by keith and doc are ridiculous in themselves. They have the nerve to call others 'stupid' when in fact they spell stretch like streach and doc used the wrong spelling of your (should be you're)....It simply baffles me they can talk trash about people just because they have money. Would you rather them have a big house without trying to be eco-friendly? People are NEVER happy!

Leonine Mar 24th 2007 9:43PM

In the first place, Neutron, they weren't worshipping Al Gore -- all those Hollywood types who starve themselves to look good on camera took a gander at Gore and figured he might have snacks in his pockets.

Keith's either distorting what he does, or he's never been out of Levittown to learn what's going on in his field. Ultra-green, energy-independent "mansions" are being built throughout the country.

The global-warming deniers are indeed today's flat-earth society. Wonder if they'd stop fighting against countermeasures if everyone would pretend that it's being caused by natural processes?

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