GreenBuildingTalk Blog says...

Several cabinet companies showcased beautiful bamboo and other sustainable materials. A highlight was Koch & Co.’s Wheat Board cabinetry. Wheat board is a particleboard that is manufactured from wheat stalk fiber instead of tree fiber. Koch's wheatboard cabinets also use low or no VOC finishes, making their product one of the greenest. Koch also offers cabinetry made from German Beech wood, a sustainable wood product from the forests of Germany. When I spoke with Doug Martin, a Pollmeir rep marketing German Beech wood, he impressed upon me that the Beech wood coming from Germany is quite sustainable. Pollmeir’s German Beech wood meets sustainable forestry standards, including the Programme for the Endorsement of Forestry Certification (PEFC) and makes up 57% of Germany’s hardwood forests.
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KBIS 2008 Report

The KBIS (Kitchen - Bath Industry Show) held here in Chicago last weekend was a great success. In spite of the soft housing market, it seemed to be a good turnout for the event. I spent most of the weekend in the Koch & Co booth presenting the line to prospective clients and dealers, as well as acting as their spokesperson for an HGTV interview. HGTV was in the booth three different times on Friday for the initial interview and follow up footage on the Koch GREEN Series product.

The Koch GREEN Series features construction of the cabinet box and drawer boxes with a wheat core particleboard without any added urea formaldehyde and is available in an array of wood species and finishes. Bamboo carries some buzz as a fast growing resource but when you factor in the plant’s initial incubation period, the distance it has to be transported, and the question of the chemicals involved in the binders, wheat core particleboard wins hands down on the rapidly renewable and environmentally friendly scales. The wheat core is manufactured from the post harvest leftovers of wheat stalk and stubble that is typically plowed under or burnt off. This is fabulous considering it creates an additional source of revenue for the Midwest farmer for a waste by-product as well as preventing additional pollutants from the burn offs.

Koch GREEN Series Wheatboard Box

Kitchen Village granted Green Cabinet contract on PAR Craft project.

PAR Craft, Ltd of Arlington Heights, Illinois placed their recent contract for Green Cabinets on the Altman Residence remodeling project with Kitchen Village. Paul Rogner, owner of PAR Craft, a design build firm based in the Chicago suburbs, has a strong requirement that his work meet or exceed the NAHB’s Model Green Home Building Guidelines.
As stated at the NAHB web site, "The exploding market for sustainable, environmentally friendly and recycled building products, along with the greater availability of educational opportunities for builders, has accelerated green building’s acceptance rate. By the end of 2007, more than half of NAHB’s members, who build more than 80 percent of the homes in this country, will be incorporating green practices into the development, design and construction of new homes."

Rogner's involvement with implementing the Green Home Building Guidelines goes beyond the 9-to-5 business commitment. He serves on the HBAGC's (Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago) Regional Green Building Committee, working with other Chicago premier builders to implement these national guidelines on the local level. And bring it down to the local level he does as evidenced in his emphasis with Kitchen Village's award-winning designer, Jim McDonaugh, CKD that we provide Green Cabinets for the Altman residence in Palatine. The Koch Green Cabinet series was selected mainly due to its affordable Wheat Board Construction, wide variety of door styles, and Low VOC finishes.

WheatBoard is an engineered panel manufactured from sustainable, annually renewable agricultural fibers (wheat straw) and a formaldehyde-free, emissions-free synthetic resin.

WheatBoard is:
Environmentally Friendly – Premium Wheat is the particleboard of choice for architects and manufacturing engineers whom design truly “green” buildings and/or products. Because Premium Wheat is made ”tree free” with annually renewable agricultural fibers, users are capable of producing sustainable components and finished products.

Emission Free – Premium Wheat is ideal for interior applications where air quality is of concern. Because Premium Wheat utilizes emissions-free synthetic resins, in place of traditional resins containing formaldehyde, this board produces no Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s).

High Performance – Premium Wheat exceeds all ANSI A208.1-1999 requirements for M-3 particleboard. Better Modulus of Elasticity, Surface Hardness, Modulus of Rupture, Internal Bond, Face and Edge Screw Holding, Thickness Tolerance and Moisture Resistance, are features users realize.

Lighter Weight - Premium Wheat is often lighter weight than other engineered particleboards and MDF. The result is a high performance panel that is easier to handle and reduces transportation costs.

Processing – Premium Wheat is handled and processed in a similar manner as other particleboards and MDF. Because Premium Wheat is a high performance product, it will readily accept all common hardware and fastening applications.


For additional information on PAR Craft Ltd and the Altman project go here. For additional information on Wheat Board go here.

Kitchen Village selected supplier for Chicago premier Green Home development project - Solar Verde.

Kitchen Village Contractor Sales division won the cabinet contract for the esteemed Solar Verde Green Home project located in South Chicago. Kitchen Village will be providing Koch GREEN cabinetry with Beech Door and Drawer fronts for the 20 unit development currently underway with expected completion in 2008.

Solar Verde is a Net Zero Energy Green Home and Community. Koch's GREEN series cabinet are a natural fit for the Green criteria Schmidt and Associates have dictated for the project. Koch's wheat board construction is formaldehyde free and the finishes are also low VOC for improved personal comfort and safety of the end user providing a healthier indoor environment. Furthermore, the wheatboard casework is a superb application of sustainable and rapidly renewable construction components. The wheatboard utilizes the waste and chaff leftover from wheat harvesting - an annually renewable source traditionally left to rot.


For additional information on Kitchen Village go here.
For additional information on Koch GREEN Cabinetry you can email me.
For additional information on the Solar Verde development go here.

Kitchen Village is now Green!

Kitchen Village now offers GREEN cabinetry! Our Koch Cabinets brand now offers a formaldehyde-free, sustainable source construction. Utilizing rapidly renewable wheatboard for the case construction and certified managed forests' Beech hardwood for doors and drawer fronts the Koch product follows all specifications as set forth by Leed Certification!

Why we’re GREEN!

Wheat Board Box – Instead of using particle board to construct our cabinets a wheat board core is used.

Formaldehyde Free – All of the wood products and wheat board used are formaldehyde free.

Non VOC Adhesives - The adhesives used are non VOC (volatile organic compounds) adhesives and are formaldehyde free.

Low VOC Finish – The finish used is low VOC and formaldehyde free.

Certified Hardwood – Rustic and clear German beech are PEFC certified.

Wood Species – Other wood species available include: red oak, hickory, rustic hickory, maple, cherry, knotty alder, clear alder, and ash. While these species are not FSC or PEFC certified, they are drawn from domestic forests utilizing sound forestry practices.

Leed Certified – All specifications set forth by Leed Certification are followed.