Hoboken Brownstone Co 

5/25/10 Visit 

Adam Zeller (President of Greener by Design) kicked off the meeting. 

HB Co was represented by Daniel Gans and George Vallone. Both are developers. 

EPA staff present: Bob Dellinger, Frank Behan, John Sager, Jesse Miller 

Hoboken Brownstone Co (HB Co) is a New Jersey based company, and they visited EPA to 

educate management/staff on a product (Autoclave Aerated Concrete – AAC). 

HB Co plan for the meeting was to: 

1. Provide a history of AAC and their company 

2. Explain where HB Co intends to go as a company 

3. Get some advice for future actions from the EPA 

History 

There are 350 AAC plants worldwide, yet only 2 in the United States. The two plants in the US 

are independent of each other and are located in Georgia and Florida1

. 

- Xella Aircrete located in Georgia 

- AERCON located in Florida 

HB Co believes that AAC is being underused. 

AAC composition consists of 70% sand. This percentage can be substituted with coal ash. 

Thus, this represents a beneficial use for coal ash. HB Co believes using coal ash to offset the 

sand percentage in AAC is a win/win situation. It provides a market for coal ash, while also 

creating jobs in a distressed economy. 

Where HB Co is going: 

HB Co is pursuing 2 avenues at the same time: 

1. They intend to build a Demonstration Project (Van Leer Place) 

2. They intend to build an AAC Factory 

Demonstration Project (Van Leer Place):

- HB Co was awarded a $3.5 million grant from New Jersey 

- The project is planned to be 221 Units to be completed in 8 phases 

o Only 20 units are dedicated to the Demo Project 

- This is a predominately a residential project 

 

1

 A Google search of AAC companies generated a list of 6 companies. HB Co did not list any specific AAC 

companies; instead, they stated that one company exists in Florida and one company exists in Georgia. 
o HB Co is not going to get money upfront;, hence, they are looking for 

additional funding 

- This will be the first demonstration project under the NJ Master Plan 

o The NJ Master Plan has a component that stipulates a reduction in energy 

consumption in building construction by 2020 

- HB Co has not broken ground yet on construction 

o They intend to begin construction in the fall of 2010 

- Van Leer is a Brownfields site 

o HB Co has been in contact with the NJ Brownfields office 

o HB Co is in the Brownfield Clean-Up Program (Revolving Loan Program) 

- The project will be constructed primarily with the AAC product. 

ACC Factory

- AAC can be constructed into blocks and/or planks 

- HB Co plans to proceed with the factory construction regardless of whether or 

not CCRs are considered a beneficial use after the CCR rule is finalized. 

- HB Co provided conservative estimates that the factory could beneficially reuse about 

30,000 tons of CCRs per year.

- HB Co plans to break ground on the factory in the Spring/Summer of 2011 

EPA Advice 

Bob Dellinger suggested that HB Co contact the Brownfield Office. Bob also provided an EPA 

contact in Region 2 who has an excellent record of building coalitions for projects that involve 

beneficial use of industrial by-products. 

John Sager suggested that HB Co become familiar with the American Coal Ash Association 

Additional Notes 

AAC is currently struggling to find a US market because it is not easily available. There are 

very few plants in the United States. Most building constructors are primarily concerned with 

the R Value of material. AAC is unique in the sense that it should be looked at as a holistic 

approach. AAC provides buildings with better insulation so that smaller HVAC units are 

required. HB Co stressed that AAC saves money over the long haul. 

A major drawback to AAC is that it is more expensive upfront than traditional concrete. For 

example, if 10 blocks of traditional concrete cost $10, then 10 blocks of AAC will cost $15.