Kingston Block & Masonry Supply, LLC is a New Rochelle-based manufacturer of architectural blocks, concrete bricks, and other wall systems dedicated to creating and promoting sustainable building construction and design. Their line of Pozzotive bricks are made from post-consumer recycled glass and consume less energy in production than traditional clay bricks. Pozzotive can also be utilized in paints and coatings, industrial fillers and extenders, and polymers. (I admit that I can offer clear definitions for only about half of those words.)
Last month, Kingston was honored with an Environmental Quality Award by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. These awards are given out annually by the EPA to help celebrate Earth Day.
The EPA press release announcing the award has more details: “Kingston Block & Masonry Supply, LLC (KBMS) is an authorized manufacturer of Pozzotive sustainable concrete products, a new post-consumer Supplementary Cementitious Material (SCM) derived from post-consumer recycled glass. Through the dedication of managing partner Louis P. Grasso, Jr. KBMS has saved over 1,250,000 pounds of CO2 emissions from being released into the atmosphere to date by replacing up to 30% of Portland cement in their concrete mix design with Pozzotive.”
The EPA could have added that Pozzotive’s use of post-consumer recycled glass also saves space in landfills.
Lou Grasso, the managing partner mentioned above, is a LEED-AP and an active member of the New Rochelle community. (His family is also quite well known. Among other things, they own the Chase building downtown.) When Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited New Rochelle a few months ago to discuss sustainability challenges, Mr. Grasso was among the panelists chosen to share ideas with the Senator.
Kingston’s success is evidence that sustainable practices can go hand-in-hand with good business. And it’s great to see a local boy like Lou Grasso receive the national recognition he deserves.
For more information on Kingston’s sustainable bricks, visit their website.