Kennedy Green House: Designing an Eco-Healthy Home from the Foundation to the Furniture [Hardcover]

Robin Wilson (Author), Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (foreword by) (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2010

Foreword by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Kennedy Green House is a chronicle of the eco-healthy remodeling and redesign of Bobby and Mary Richardson Kennedy's Westchester County home--with information on how you can incorporate the same environmentally responsible and health-conscious changes into your own home.

After a summer flood, the beautiful, historic home of Mary Richardson and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., was ravaged by mold black mold. Concerned by the potential effects of their home on their family's health and the environment, the Kennedys partnered with Robin Wilson Home and committed to turning their ''sick home'' into an eco-healthy home--one that promotes both the health of the family and the Kennedys' commitment to the preservation of our planet.

Kennedy Green House documents the transformation of the home by a ''Green Dream Team,'' from the drawing of architectural plans to the selection of eco-friendly building materials and power sources to the retooling of the home with health-promoting, energy efficient appliances and furnishings. Along the way, author Robin Wilson provides information and tips on how these changes can be implemented by any homeowner, whether it's a broad renovation or simple, affordable replacements of common household items. The book provides:

• A wide variety of color photographs documenting the entire process
• Side bar advice that shows you the ultimate, mid-range, and low-cost/easy solution to every upgrade
• A focus on maximizing energy, water efficiency, and indoor air quality

The LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), renovated Kennedy house will also showcase the latest in green technologies, sustainable building practices, and healthy home initiatives. Kennedy Green House aims to inspire others to take action to improve the quality of their environment and health, and to serve as an educational tool for homeowners, builders, and interior designers.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robin Wilson is a nationally known eco-friendly and healthy home interior designer focused on sustainable, reusable, recyclable and non-toxic options. Her style is classic with a modern touch, with a focus on unique textures, organic fibers, with background in LEED requirements due to her work on other projects. She has been regularly featured in news (CBS, ABC, PBS, NBC) and print as an expert on eco-friendly options for residential and commercial projects.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press; 1 edition (April 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1608320308
• ISBN-13: 978-1608320301
• Product Dimensions: 0.9 x 9.8 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #373,749 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars An ecofriendly home as part of a not-so-ecofriendly lifestyle August 7, 2011

By Arthur Digbee VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., had a problem. Black mold took over his house and caused significant health problems for his kids. They attempted extensive renovations, but that didn't fix the problem. So they decided to rebuild their house using the best available green technology.

Though better for the environment, green technology is still worse for the pocketbook. The project went over budget, just as the economic crisis was putting strains on the Kennedy family income. In addition, this is a very large project to begin with. The original original building was a summer home for the Scribner family. The residence includes many outbuildings on twelve acres, not counting a pond and woods. When finished, the project cost a million dollars - - not counting the contributions of many sponsors and discounted services from many professionals.

Those professionals expected to get something in return for that investment, and this book is apparently part of that something. It showcases consultants, architect firms, producers and the ecofriendly lines of some global corporations. Some of them, such as a well-known plumbing fixtures company, apparently have some very nice ecofriendly product lines. Even if you don't have a Kennedy family budget, you could learn something about what's available from this book.

Still, the project struck me as a monument to consumerism. Branding matters to the client and certainly to the project team. This isn't a particularly ecofriendly project. The client has elegant design tastes and an opulent lifestyle, all of which burns energy and raw materials. The family has a very large house in the countryside. Presumably they do not have access to public transportation, and they presumably drive everywhere.... Their housekeeping staff also has to drive to them, as does the package delivery truck and whatever other services the house receives. Would they have been better off applying all this expertise to an urban townhome?

As this suggest, it's easy to pick apart the "ecofriendly" choices in the family's lifestyle and embedded in the house. The family travels a lot, so they have a separate luggage closet near the elevator for their luggage and other travel supplies. I'll let the reader estimate the carbon footprint of the travel, the luggage, and the separate room just to store the luggage. For what it's worth, the elevator uses recycled vegetable oil as its hydraulic fluid. The house is huge, so it uses a lot more of all materials than the average American home.

My point is *not* to say that they're hypocritical. You could pick apart my environmental choices too. But this team is too self-congratulatory about the technological achievements of the house. They don't examine the overall impact of their lifestyle choices here. Again, compare the eco-friendly mansion in the book to an eco-friendly home in town.

Still, there are lots of ideas for the average middle-class family embarking on a remodeling project - - lighting choices, kitchen choices, bathroom fixtures, and so forth. The book has confirmed our choice of solatube lighting for a planning remodeling project in our house. I'm sure other remodelers can get good ideas here, and residential professionals will probably get lots and lots of ideas.

In addition, the book has excellent production values. I imagine that all the sponsors and contractors have a box of copies that they give out to showcase their achievements. They can be proud of the product, and the book will look good on the tables in their waiting rooms. It advertises their services well.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, or any review at all. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." Read more ›

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A stunning example of green living February 16, 2011

By Vicki Landes

Format:Hardcover

When Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and his family realized that their house had been infested with hazardous black mold, they were faced with an extremely difficult undertaking - tear down their beloved home. Yet in the midst of this family tragedy, they did much more than just rebuild a place to live; they ensured that meticulously high `green' standards were utilized throughout the entire process. This is a family that could have easily just constructed a monstrous and showy house that concentrated on suiting their lifestyle. But they didn't. And the result is nothing short of both amazing and admirable.

"Kennedy Green House: Designing an Eco-Healthy Home from the Foundation to the Furniture" is a stunning visual testament to the Kennedy's commitment to environmentally-friendly living. Author Robin Wilson captures the building design development and final results with unparalleled style, an upbeat personality, and obvious enthusiasm - she really puts you there! She shows just how America's royal family sets this `green' precedence for others while including tips on how the rest of us can incorporate these standards in our own homes. Her inclusion of examples, the `Green Pages' with various options, drawings, company names and contact information, and merging recycled items with the new ones give readers a place to start on their own journey towards `green living'. Wilson proves that even without a Kennedy-sized bank account, it's possible to build or renovate with dramatic style and all while respecting the fragile environment.

Beautifully written and chock-full of vibrant photography, it serves as both a quick education guide to environmentally conscious systems and an entertaining coffee table book.... The subject matter is current and seeing such a prominent and influential family put such importance on `going green' speaks volumes. Those who enjoy eco-living type books as well as photography fans will love "Kennedy Green House". And it's a fantastic way to get a sneak peek inside of a Kennedy home!

"The Kennedy Green House: Designing an Eco-Healthy Home from the Foundation to the Furniture" is not only a gorgeous book but a celebrity endorsement of eco-friendly standards. Robin Wilson entertains and informs with descriptions, photographs, and processes meant to motivate the reader into considering how they could bring `green' into their own homes. Definitely worth a look!

--Vicki Landes, author of "Europe for the Senses - A Photographic Journal" Read more ›

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceeded My Expectations March 19, 2010

By D. Frederick

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've looked at a lot of home design and renovation books over the years, and assumed this one would be just another coffee table book filled with pretty pictures. What a surprise! Kennedy Green House is actually full of useful information. It is a case study of how one home was reconstructed using state-of-the-art -- but readily available, off-the-shelf -- eco-friendly products and techniques. The book takes you through the whole process, from planning to execution to how the renovated home was furnished, step-by-step and room-by-room. I particularly like the "green pages" that lay out the eco-friendly options for specific rooms and applications (like flooring). The fact that the book is filled with useful information does not mean it is not also stylish. The photography is beautiful, and the design, dimensions and quality of production make it suitable for the coffee table if that fits with your decorating style. The Kennedy family backstory adds extra interest. I recommend this book to anyone who is considering renovating or redecorating and wants to incorporate environmentally-friendly features.

2.0 out of 5 stars the kennedy green house October 18, 2012

By k.b.

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

well i bought this book for less then 5.00.
it is interesting. some what informative on the details of building.
i noticed that MARY KENNEDY was no where in this book....
......just the widowed husband

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Green Resource Guide For Eco-Savvy Interior Designers July 11, 2010

By Gail Doby

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Robin shows that green design can be beautiful and practical. The Kennedy Green House is a living laboratory of green and eco-friendly design.Kennedy Green House: Designing an Eco-Healthy Home from the Foundation to the Furniture