Hanley Wood Business Media Introduces EcoHome Designs, House Plans for Sustainable Living

Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) May 1, 2009 -- Hanley Wood Business Media's consumer house plans (http://www.eplans.com) team announces the launch of the premier issue of EcoHome Designs, House Plans for Sustainable Living (http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/hanleywood/ecohomedesigns_2009summer/). This semi-annual consumer newsstand magazine is the first of its kind in the home plans industry and is now available for sale at over ten thousand retail locations. EcoHome Designs is the only publication fully dedicated to promoting sustainable design and includes a who's who in green certification and the latest reviews of green building products.

The premier issue of EcoHome Designs features 117 hand-selected plans that meet at least five of six quantifiable criteria including: energy-saving passive design, compact footprints, flexible spaces, modest square footages, and efficient use of interior spaces. In addition, all plans in EcoHome Designs must be available in digital format, to reduce wasteful printing and shipping of blueprints. The issue's feature home is a Prairie-style design by Scott Rodwin of Skycastle Homes (http://www.skycastlehomes.com/), selected for its smart pairing of passive solar design with efficient mechanical systems, as well as strategic use of off-the-shelf sustainable materials.

"We realize that sustainable building processes go far beyond the actual architectural design of the home," said David Rook, General Manager for Hanley Wood's Home Plans group, "but without good design as a starting point, meeting green certification standards becomes more difficult."

This issue's cover story, "Proving Grounds" outlines the three leading national green-certification programs to help consumers understand and gauge which is best for their new home. Also featured is, "Second Time Around," highlighting the sustainability and design benefits of building a new home with reclaimed and salvaged construction materials.

Every issue of EcoHome Designs is printed exclusively on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) paper, meaning that all recycled or virgin fiber content come from sources that meet the FSC's international standards. The FSC is the only certification system supported by environmental organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund, Rain Forest Alliance, Greenpeace, Woodland Trust and Friends of the Earth.

To learn more about EcoHome Designs, Hanley Wood's consumer Web sites, ePlans.com (http://www.eplans.com/) and dreamhomesource.com (http://www.dreamhomesource.com/), and the wealth of advertising opportunities available, visit HanleyWoodConsumerMedia.com (http://www.hanleywoodconsumermedia.com).

About Hanley Wood

Hanley Wood, LLC, is the premier media and information company serving housing and construction. Through four operating divisions, the company produces award-winning magazines and Web sites, marquee trade shows and events, rich data and custom marketing solutions. The company also is North America's leading publisher of home plans. Hanley Wood Business Media (Washington, D.C.), publishes 30 award-winning residential and commercial construction titles, including BUILDER, REMODELING, CUSTOM HOME, CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION and residential architect. Hanley Wood Business Media also offers the construction industry's foremost collection of Web sites, including BUILDER, REMODELING, and ebuild, the comprehensive online guide to building products, as well as the largest collection of house plans online through ePlans.com and Dream Home Source.

Founded in 1976, Hanley Wood is one of the ten largest B-to-B media companies in the United States. Hanley Wood is owned by affiliates of JPMorgan Partners, which uses CCMP Capital Advisors to manage this investment.

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