Environmental Design & Construction articles from December 2008

Environmental Design & Construction archives from December 2008

Walking the talk in environmental stewardship.(WEB TOC)
December 1, 2008... 1 GGLO recently added 7,300 square feet to its three-floor headquarters facility in downtown Seattle's Harbor Steps. After having achieved LEED Silver certification, the design firm is proving that it practices what it preaches. ...

15 practical strategies for environmental marketing.(WEB TOC)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... 2 Developing a green marketing plan that results in revenue growth and greater market share can be difficult. It requires sound strategy, creative thinking and hard work. Still, there are 15 practical strategies that can help any company in our...

Sustainable design and water quality.(WEB TOC)
December 1, 2008... 3 The American Institute of Architects (AIA) advocates the extensive use of "green infrastructure" to reduce stormwater runoff during heavy rainfall events. The AIA also supports the creation of incentives to build and retrofit buildings and...

New year's resolutions.(WEB TOC)
December 1, 2008... 4 The head of Melaver, Inc.'s Sustainability Initiatives and Sustainable Facility columnist Tommy Linstroth shares a few of his thoughts addressing the good, the bad, the ugly and the hopeful of the past year, and looks into his crystal ball...

Election results are in: an optimistic perspective.(EDITOR'S NOTE)
December 1, 2008... There's no doubt that November's historic presidential election was exciting. But is our future promising? At this time of economic disability, we need hope, we need optimism and we need action in 2009 from our future leader, Barack Obama. ...

FSC-US announces winner of Designing & Building with FSC Award.(NEWS LINE)(Green Hammer, Inc. awarded for its green design)
December 1, 2008... MINNEAPOLIS -- The Forest Stewardship Council-US (FSC-US) announced that Green Hammer, Inc., based in Portland, Ore., will receive the fourth annual Designing & Building with FSC Award for its single-family custom-built house. The award...

New ASTM standards initiative to support goals of global sustainability.(NEWS LINE)
December 1, 2008... W. CONSHOHOCKEN, PA. -- ASTM International, one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world, announced the formation of ASTM Committee E60 on Sustainability. This new standards development initiative results from...

EPA announces winners of the second annual green building design competition.(NEWS LINE)
December 1, 2008... ATLANTA, GA. -- The U.S. EPA recognized the winners of the second annual Lifecycle Building Challenge 2 (LBC2) competition. EPA acknowledges award winners for their innovative green building ideas that will help to reduce environmental and...

Relationship for identifying and accelerating innovation in green building established.(NEWS LINE)
December 1, 2008... BERKELEY, CALIF. AND SAN MATEO, CALIF. -- Navitas Capital and Webcor Builders announced a strategic relationship for future collaboration in driving sustainability in the built environment. Per the agreement, Webcor will assist Navitas in...

ISO guide to help reduce environmental impacts of products.(NEWS LINE)(International Organization for Standardization)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... GENEVA, SWITZERLAND -- ISO has published an updated edition of its guide to reducing the potential environmental impact of products by taking environmental aspects into account in product standards. Every product has an impact on the...

Design for the environment program continues to grow.(NEWS LINE)
December 1, 2008... ANN ARBOR, MICH. -- NSF International, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting and improving public health, recently announced that the Design for the Environment (DfE) Product Recognition Program has passed a significant...

DOE reaches 50 percent milestone toward commercial zero-energy buildings.(NEWS LINE)
December 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have released the first technical support documents to show 50 percent energy savings in commercial retail buildings. The two reports...

Georgia Department of Natural Resources partners with Mannington Commercial.(NEWS LINE)
December 1, 2008... CALHOUN, GA. -- The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has named Mannington Commercial a Gold Level Partner in its Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia Program. The state's initiative is to not only recognize businesses with...

First LEED Platinum hotel.(NEWS LINE)
December 1, 2008... GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels announced that The Proximity Hotel and Print Works Bistro have been awarded LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council. Opened in late 2007, the Proximity is the first hotel to...

Partnership provides solutions for old office furniture.(NEWS LINE)
December 1, 2008... MUSCATINE, IOWA -- Allsteel Inc. has become the first U.S. manufacturer to partner with Green Solutions North America, Inc. The newly formed alliance allows Allsteel to connect its clients with Green Solutions' Revive program, which removes...

Note from the Editor: we heard you!(NEWS LINE)
December 1, 2008... According to ED+C readers, energy efficiency products are hot. By way of reader service number requests, you've voted for ED+C's 2008 Top Products. Solar and lighting products garnered the most attention this year. In case you missed them the...

DOE solar codes board releases three new reports.(NEWS LINE)(Report)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Solar America Board for Codes and Standards (Solar ABCs), funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), has released three new reports of importance to the solar industry on the topics of interconnection and net...

Living lab: CAS advances scientific literacy, engages the public, documents and conserves earth's natural resources.
December 1, 2008... Known as one of the country's more progressive cities in terms of implementing sustainable strategies across all levels of government, it should be no surprise that the California Academy of Sciences (CAS), in San Francisco, is one of the...

Sustainable perspectives: industry leaders address the past, present and future of green building issues from green building to living buildings.
December 1, 2008... When Gerding Edlen Development began to focus on green building 10 years ago, many of our peers thought we were wasting money and time--that sustainable development was a fad with little chance of being profitable. We had a different view,...

Be the change you want to see in the world ... be it now!(PERSPECTIVES)
December 1, 2008... Fear and pessimism propagated by the world financial crisis continues to monopolize the headlines, ever more pointed now that the elections are over. And when it comes to green building, many in the media and elsewhere would have us believe...

Increase focus on goals and measurement.(PERSPECTIVES)
December 1, 2008... While the green building movement has a great deal to look forward to, there is an elephant in the living room--downplayed in some quarters as the product of worrying minds--that we need to address head on, and that's the risk of liability. ...

Welcome to the 2009 green book: sustainable product + resource guide.(RESOURCES)(Directory)
December 1, 2008... AEC Store (248) 244-1275 Fax: (248) 786-1404 www.AECStore.com weingartzs@bnpmedia.com Stephanie Weingartz The AEC Store serves architecture, engineering and construction professionals, including many subcategories....

Products.(Directory)
December 1, 2008... 000000--Procurement and Contracting Requirements SCA Tissue [black circle] 010000--General Requirements Garland Company, Inc., The [black circle] * Headwaters Resources [red circle] [green circle] [black circle] iBEAM...

Trade names.(Directory)
December 1, 2008... #15 Weather Barrier Coating[R]--RCD Corp. #404 SEBS Modified Emulsion[TM]--Thermo Mfg. Sys. LLC #5 Ductliner Adhesive[R]--RCD Corp. #6 Mastic[R]--RCD Corp. #7 Mastic[R]--RCD Corp. #8 Mastic[R]--RCD Corp. #9...

Suppliers.(Directory)(Company overview)
December 1, 2008... 3Form [red square] 2300 S. 2300 W., Ste. B Salt Lake City, UT 84119 (801) 649-2500 Fax: (801) 469-2699 www.3-form.com Residential, Commercial 3form's ecoresin[TM] product utilizes at least 40 percent...

Skin-integrated solar system.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Suntech's MSK Design Line of building integrated photovoltaic products can be used to create visually stunning building designs and deliver cost-effective, sustainable solar energy to the tenants, the company reports. Suntech's...

Certified Insulation.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... ROGERS, ARK. -- BioBased 1701s Insulation is the first spray polyurethane foam insulation to meet GREENGUARD Certification guidelines for indoor air quality, according to the company. BioBased Insulation's soy-based, water-blown, closed cell...

Bamboo Ceiling Tiles.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... MINNEAPOLIS -- BIOLINE Wood Ceiling Tiles, from pinta acoustic, inc., are available in natural and caramel finishes, perforated or unperforated. The Solid-Finish tiles are made from a real wood veneer with a recycled (70 percent, by weight),...

Efficient "indoor sunshine".(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... JACKSON, MICH. -- Patented EverLast lighting technology from Full Spectrum Solutions is essentially a fluorescent lamp without electrodes. With the absence of electrodes, the lamp relies on the fundamental principles of gas discharge and...

Cement-bonded wood fiber ICF.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... HAMILTON, ONT. -- The Durisol Wall Form System is the only reinforced insulated concrete form that does not use foam or polystyrene, the company reports, and is made from Durisol--a proprietary cement-bonded wood fiber material. Durisol wood...

Interior movable walls.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... SOLON, OHIO -- Environmental Wall Systems, LLC's IrisWall is a full-height movable wall system that features eco-benefits including SCS-certified recycled content, 100 percent reusability, and a full range of environmentally preferable...

High-performance wall system.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... MOON TOWNSHIP, PA. -- The accel-E Steel Thermal Efficient Panel (S.T.E.P.) wall system combines the strength and performance of cold-formed steel framing with the superior insulation properties of expanded polystyrene (EPS) using the exclusive...

Recycled glass tile.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... ASHLAND, ORE. -- Hakatai Enterprises, importer and distributor of glass mosaic tile, has improved and expanded its Ashland series, the company reports. The new Ashland-e series is comprised of between 30 and 70 percent recycled glass from...

Solar module.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... BURNABY, B.C. -- Day4 Energy Inc.'s Day4 48 MC modules have been ranked within the top five percent of the most efficient crystalline silicon products that qualify for the California Solar Initiative rebate program, the company reports. In...

Light commercial solar inverters.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... GRASS VALLEY, CALIF. -- The Sunny Boy 3000US and 4000US are the first of the new "US" series of Sunny Boy string inverters from SMA America. They have been updated with SMA America's most advanced technology and are designed specifically to...

Indoor/outdoor white LED.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... BURGAW, N.C. -- Diskuss is the newest addition to Chloride's solid state lighting family. Diskuss is designed with both a slim wall mount profile and numerous available finishes that will reportedly fit any architectural space, indoors and out....

Recycled partitions.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... MENOMONEE FALLS, WIS. -- Bradmar solid plastic restroom partitions from Bradley are now available made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE), the company reports. Colors for the partitions are offered in Moss,...

Solar water heating system.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... WEST HATFIELD, MASS. -- Stiebel Eltron manufactures components and thermal solar systems for domestic hot water, consisting basically of a well-insulated storage tank with heat exchanger(s) and flat plate collector panel(s). The company reports...

100,000-hour T5 lamp.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... LOS ANGELES -- Kumho Electric's Sequoia is a new series of T5 fluorescent lamps that reportedly last more than four times as long as other T5s. Kumho attributes Sequoia's longevity to a patented cathode design the company first developed for...

Thermal Sliding Glass Door.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... MONETT, MO. -- EFCO Corporation's 5XPT Thermal High Performance Sliding Glass Door is designed for use in high-rise condominiums and hotels, the company reports. The 5XPT incorporates the EFCO E-Strut thermal barrier, which is designed to...

Solar Shading Fabrics.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... POWAY, CALIF. -- GlacierScreen Solar Shading Fabrics from Hunter Douglas Contract help preserve indoor air quality by eliminating nearly all odors due to off-gassing, the company reports. GlacierScreen fabrics have been certified to meet the...

Single-coat, sprayable plaster.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... ALBUQUERQUE -- ENJARRE (pronounced n-har-ray) from American Clay Enterprises, LLC, is a single-coat plaster directed at the commercial and multi-unit residential markets. Sprayed on, ENJARRE contains zero VOCs, is a hard, durable,...

Thermally efficient wall framing.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... NORTHBOROUGH, MASS. -- Aspen Aerogels' Spaceloft Insul-Cap is a nanotechnology-based aerogel insulation product that adds R-value to wood- and steel-frame buildings. Spaceloft Insul-Cap is made of a 3/8"-thick strip of flexible aerogel blanket....

BIPV installation option.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... DELAND, FLA. -- MeTecno USA's METENERGY is a building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) option for MeTecno USA's metal roof systems. According to the company, METENERGY--developed in conjunction with United Solar Ovonic, LLC--combines United...

Ceramic thermal barrier coating.(TOP PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... LANGLEY, B.C. -- Envirocoatings has created a cost-effective thermal barrier that is durable and friendly to the environment utilizing its proprietary formula Cerylium, to create a Ceramic InsulCoat for exterior walls and roofs. InsulCoat can...

Shedding light on energy: new Manhattan office tower demonstrates how to cut energy usage dramatically with advanced lighting system.(CASH STUDY)
December 1, 2008... As the free flow of cash slows for corporate America and the call for green corporate behavior rises, a new Manhattan office tower stands as a stellar example of how companies can build smart to save both money and energy. [ILLUSTRATION...

Play full sustainable.(PARTING SHOT)
December 1, 2008... New York's Brooklyn Children's Museum celebrated the opening of its newly expanded building in September 2008, and simultaneously became both the world's newest and oldest children's museum. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Completely new...