Transmineral

subsidiary of Saint-Astier®

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Lime Plaster

Source: Fine Homebuilding

limeplaster“What makes TransMineral USA’s lime-based plaster, mortar, and paint green? Most notably, their products contain no VOCs and no polymers, so there’s no off-gassing. The plaster Fine Homebuilding editor Chris Ermides reports on comes premixed (just add color) and applies in two coats. The result is a durable, smooth wall finish sealed with an olive-based sealant. The cost is $1 per sq. ft. for materials or $8 per sq. ft. for materials and application by a contractor-well worth it if you’re one of the millions of Americans with chemical sensitivities.”

View article and video.

Santa Clarita Transit Maintenance Facility Receives Award

January 2007

Santa Clarita Transit Maintenance Facility awarded LEED® Gold certification, sports Saint Astier® Natural Hydraulic Lime exterior finish

Just awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the new Santa Clarita Transit Maintenance Facility in Santa Clarita, CA, sports a Saint Astier® Natural Hydraulic Lime (NHL) plaster exterior and interior finish over a straw bale construction.

Completed in May 2006, and touted as a first for a government building—being constructed of straw bales—this LEED certification has attracted the attention of the press, including the Aug. 9, 2006 edition of the Wall Street Journal, and honorable recognition for the architectural firm of HOK Sustainable Design, making this their 12th project to earn a LEED recognition from the USGBC.

Among many of the building’s redeeming LEED qualities is that the lime plaster-straw bale combination allows for efficient, effective insulation, and a healthier environment due to a considerable reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared to cement stucco.

“We were able to exceed California Energy Efficiency Standards by over 40 percent,” notes HOK Senior Project Manager, Charles Smith.

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Lime & Straw: A Symbiotic Relationship

Source: The CASBA Journal, Spring 2005

“Ancient structures still in existence throughout the world today, as well as the oldest known straw bale buildings, all owe their longevity to several factors: the appropriate use of materials that function well together, and designers’ understanding that an integral relationship between a building and its environment is a vital consideration.”

Click to read the CASBA article by Michel Couvreux

House Uses Limestone Plaster

Sonoma Index-Tribune, December 14, 2004

“The first house in Sonoma County to be built using a natural limestone plaster is near completion in Glen Ellen.”

Read this article via PDF.

About TransMineral

TransMineral, USA was established in 1997 by Michel Couvreux, an architect in France and the U.S. His familiarity with traditional “old world” building techniques and materials have been instrumental in their revitalization in the U.S. along with his stewardship of implanting Saint Astier® Natural Hydraulic Lime in the North American building sector.

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