Environmental Design & Construction articles from February 2007

Environmental Design & Construction archives from February 2007

Happy 10th anniversary, ED+C!(EDITOR'S NOTE)(Environmental Design and Construction )(Editorial)
February 1, 2007... It's hard to believe that ED+C has been around for a decade! Do you remember the premier issue in 1997? Or, maybe you're new to the industry and this is your first copy. Either way, we've come a long way--along with the industry--and we are...

Environmental Design + Construction turns 10!(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)
February 1, 2007... TOASTING A DECADE OF GROWTH AND SUCCESS Congratulations on 10 years of ED+C. As a reader since the first issue, I am very pleased with the growth and expansion of the magazine over the years. ED+C has definitely become a valued addition to...

Whiteboards receive international MBDC Cradle to Cradle certification.(NEW + NOTABLE)
February 1, 2007... Suwanee, Ga. -- PolyVision Corporation, a Steelcase Company, received international Cradle to Cradle certification for its e3 environmental ceramicsteel surface. According to the company, e3 is an ecologically friendly whiteboard writing...

Template-based interactive educational kiosk educates, informs.(NEW + NOTABLE)
February 1, 2007... Ames, Iowa -- Quality Attributes Software's (QAS) Essential Kiosk--a template-based interactive educational kiosk solution--features real time and historical data monitoring, a real time energy system animation, information about...

Light shelf product for energy savings.(NEW + NOTABLE)
February 1, 2007... Terrell, Texas -- Vistawall Architectural Products' Solar Shelf is an architectural light shelf for use with its CW-250 and Reliance curtain wall systems. According to the company, Solar Shelf is comprised of extruded aluminum struts with...

Fluorescent fixtures yield high-performance with low energy cost.(NEW + NOTABLE)
February 1, 2007... Wilmington, Mass. -- Lightolier's HP90 (high-performance) direct/indirect recessed fluorescent luminaires are suitable for offices and other interiors. The HP90 utilizes two 28-watt lamps and features a ballast that is accessible on the room...

Broadloom backing with post consumer recycled content.(NEW + NOTABLE)
February 1, 2007... City of Industry, Calif. -- Bentley Prince Street's standard backing line for its broadloom products, High Performance PC, contains post-consumer recycled content from a sustainable derivative of the global paper recycling industry, the company...

Website highlights new generation of Energy Efficient panels for Building.(NEW + NOTABLE)
February 1, 2007... Las Vegas -- kama Energy Efficient Building Systems has upgraded its website for owners, architects, designers and contractors aiming to build walls, floors and roofs as green as possible with high-performance panels. According to the company,...

GREENGUARD-certified fabrics offered on window shades.(NEW + NOTABLE)
February 1, 2007... Spiceland, Ind. -- Draper offers GREENGUARD-certified fabrics on the company's entire line of FlexShade Solar Control Shading Systems. According to the company, the Phifer SheerWeave series SW2000/SW2100 and series SW2900/2600/2400 meet...

Solid surface materials receive GREENGUARD certification.(NEW + NOTABLE)
February 1, 2007... Wilmington, Del. -- The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) has designated DuPont's Corian solid surfaces, DuPont Zodiaq quartz surfaces, as well as the sealants and adhesives from DuPont Surfaces, as GREENGUARD Indoor Air...

Dates changed for 2007 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in L.A.(NEWSLINE)(U.S. Green Building Council)(Ashkin Group, LLC's Green Cleaning Champion Award to Adobe Systems Inc. and Cushman & Wakefield Inc.)(new green construction legislation in the district of columbia )
February 1, 2007... Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) have announced a date change for the 2007 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Los Angeles. The dates of the conference have been moved to Nov. 7-9, 2007, with USGBC Member...

ED+C: a great idea that nearly wasn't.(Editorial)
February 1, 2007... If you've subscribed to Environmental Design + Construction for the last few years, you'll find it hard to fathom that this dynamic magazine nearly disappeared six years ago. Today, with monthly frequency, a robust web-site, a highly read...

Refining the vision.(Editorial)
February 1, 2007... It is hard to believe that Environmental Design + Construction (ED+C) magazine is only 10 years old. The amazing acceptance of green building and the magazine have developed hand-in-glove very quickly, indeed. My own journey toward...

The energy challenge: efficiency, conservation and alternative sources.(ENERGY)
February 1, 2007... Welcome to a special section on energy efficiency and alternative energy sources. At ED+C, we have been learning much more about zero-energy homes, Living Buildings (www.cascadiagbc.org) and the 2030 Challenge (www.architecture2030.org). ED+C...

Whole Foods, Renewable Choice share Beacon Prize for pioneering wind power efforts.(U.S. The annual Green Power Leadership Awards)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... San Francisco -- Whole Foods Market, Vail Resorts and Renewable Choice Energy (www.renewablechoice.com) received awards given by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the Center for Resource...

New fuel cell and hydrogen database.(ENERGY)
February 1, 2007... Washington, D.C. -- Fuel Cells 2000 and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Program have launched a searchable database that documents fuel cell and hydrogen activity in the U.S.--stationary installations, vehicle demonstrations,...

Congress extends federal solar energy tax credits.(ENERGY)
February 1, 2007... Washington, D.C. -- In December 2006, The 109th Congress passed legislation that would extend the 30 percent solar energy investment tax credit for homeowners and businesses for one additional year, through the end of 2008. The Solar Energy...

Solar power installation unveiled at Staples.(Solar Power Installation Unveiled at Staples Distribution Center)(SunEdison finance)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Rocky Hill, Conn. -- The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF), Staples and SunEdison unveiled a solar power installation at Staples' 300,000-square-foot retail distribution center in Killingly, Conn. The 433-kilowatt DC solar power...

SunPower SunTile powers all-solar neighborhood.(ENERGY)(PowerLight Corp.)(Lennar Corp.'s contract for solar electric systems)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... San Jose, Calif. -- SunPower Corporation, a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells and solar panels, and its subsidiary PowerLight Corporation, announced the opening of a 650 home solar-powered neighborhood. Built by...

C & A floorcovering uses renewable energy.(ENERGY)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Dalton, Ga. -- C & A Floorcoverings, a Tandus company, is replacing diesel used in its commercial boilers with 100 percent biodiesel; a renewable energy source manufactured by Soymet, LLC, the company reports. Since C & A began using biodiesel...

City of Palo Alto designated 1st EPA green power community in California.(ENERGY)
February 1, 2007... Palo Alto, Calif. -- The City of Palo Alto was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the first city in California to be distinguished as a Green Power Community. Visit www.epa.gov/greenpower and www.cpau.com.

REEEP introduces benchmark for carbon offset.(ENERGY)(The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership )(Gold Standard )(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Vienna -- The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) has joined forces with the Gold Standard to eliminate confusion and irregularities from the voluntary carbon offset market. Verified Emissions Reductions (VERs) are carbon...

World record achieved in solar cell technology.(ENERGY)(Spectrolab Inc.)(Department of Energy)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Washington, D.C. -- On December 5, 2006, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Alexander Karsner announced that with DOE funding, a concentrator solar cell produced by Boeing-Spectrolab...

Corn plus, John Deere power ethanol plant.(ENERGY)(Corn Plus Cooperative in partnership agreement with John Deere )(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Winnebago, Minn. -- Corn Plus Cooperative, a farmer-owned ethanol plant in Winnebago, Minn., has entered into a co-development relationship with John Deere to harness wind energy to help power their plant. When running at capacity,...

Google adds solar to headquarters.(ENERGY)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Mountain View, Calif. -- Google Inc. has announced a rooftop solar-powered generation system at its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters capable of generating 1.6 megawatts of electricity, the company reports. According to installation engineers...

Willie Nelson introduces biodiesel fuel.(ENERGY)
February 1, 2007... San Diego -- Country singer Willie Nelson has developed "BioWillie," his brand of clean-burning fuel made from soybeans. The BioWillie brand, known as B20, is a blend of 80 percent petroleum diesel and 20 percent biodiesel, and is made from...

SolarWorld group expands module recycling to U.S. market.(ENERGY)
February 1, 2007... Camarillo, Calif. / Bonn, Germany -- The SolarWorld Group has expanded its solar module recycling program to include the U.S. market. The California-based subsidiary SolarWorld Industries America now offers customers the opportunity to return...

Pioneering green pays off: an efficient model for K-12 education, renewable energy and High-Performance building in Massachusetts.(ENERGY)(Berkshire Hills Regional School District )
February 1, 2007... Monument Valley Middle School established Berkshire Hills Regional School District (Berkshire Hills) as a K-12 leader in sustainable design. During the planning process, the district committed to participate in the Massachusetts Technology...

Is your building an Energy Star?(STUDIO)
February 1, 2007... Commercial buildings use about 17 percent of the total energy consumed in the U.S. each year (1), and consequently emit 17 percent of greenhouse gases (2). We know there are significant opportunities to reduce energy use; the most efficient...

All eyes on the bottom line: financial markets take note of the burgeoning bull market in sustainable design.
February 1, 2007... Having a background in derivatives trading, I have seen markets, and their participants, accomplish remarkable things. Socio-economic and political realities are evidenced in fractions of a second. Popular opinion is redefined in a matter of...

Purchasing power: RECs keep renewable energy competitive in the marketplace.(STUDIO)
February 1, 2007... Studying the environmental impact of buildings, we cannot ignore the environmental footprint of their energy demand. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), 98 percent of our nation's energy supply is generated from the combustion of...

A bright idea for a brownfield: Brockton, Mass., brightfield photovoltaic array facilitates city's transformation to a clean energy future.(Case study)
February 1, 2007... Brockton, Mass., located about 25 miles south of Boston, is a proud city with a rich industrial history. Unfortunately, some aspects of this industrial past pose significant challenges for the city today, such as a 27-acre brownfield located...

Total energy systems take energy efficiency to new levels.
February 1, 2007... As the world seeks to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, companies are increasingly turning to PV panels. Photovoltaic (PV) cells are semiconductor devices, usually made of silicon, that enable sunlight to be converted directly into...

AeroVironment; Architectural Wind: on-site generation and green building certification.(product profile)
February 1, 2007... As energy prices continue to rise, the question arises as to how each industry can reduce the economic impacts of skyrocketing natural gas and electricity bills at their facilities throughout the country. Incorporating renewable energy into...

Urethane adhesive is solvent and VOC-free.(ADHESIVES, CAULKS AND SEALANTS)
February 1, 2007... Brooklyn, N.Y. -- Containing zero VOCs and no solvents or water, DriTac's 7500 Eco-Urethane adhesive has been specially formulated to provide high initial tack, low odor, and excellent permanent adhesion, the company reports, and once cured, it...

Low-VOC adhesives and sealants.(ADHESIVES, CAULKS AND SEALANTS)
February 1, 2007... Avon, Ohio -- Henkel Corporation's OSI Green Series brand of sealants and adhesives provides interior and exterior sealants, construction adhesives and specialty sealants that combine high-performance and low-VOC formulations, the company...

Polyurethane construction adhesive complies with the low-VOC limitations.(ADHESIVES, CAULKS AND SEALANTS)
February 1, 2007... Columbus, Ohio -- Franklin International's VOC-compliant construction adhesive, the Titebond Premium Polyurethane Construction Adhesive, offers a VOC content of 20 grams per liter. According to the company, the adhesive offers versatility in...

Adhesive line complements expanded recycled content carpet backings.(ADHESIVES, CAULKS AND SEALANTS)
February 1, 2007... Los Angeles -- Bentley Prince Street's low-VOC adhesives line complements the company's recycled content backings. According to the company, the Healthbond 1500 Ultra Green Plus adhesive, designed for broadloom applications, and Nex-Step 2300...

No-glue installation adhesive creates 'floating floor'.(ADHESIVES, CAULKS AND SEALANTS)
February 1, 2007... Atlanta -- Created specifically to work with InterfaceFLOR Commercial's GlasBac and GlasBac RE backing systems, InterfaceFLOR's TacTiles are patent-pending 3 x 3 inch adhesive squares made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic--the same...

Green cleaning program provides environmentally-friendly janitorial services.(GREEN CLEANING)
February 1, 2007... Atlanta -- OneSource GreenSweep is a green cleaning program to provide facilities of all sizes with environmentally-friendly janitorial services. The GreenSweep program includes both Green Seal-certified, environmentally-preferable chemicals,...

Setting a new standard for IAQ with cleaners and cleaning systems.(ADHESIVES, CAULKS AND SEALANTS)
February 1, 2007... Atlanta -- GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) certifies cleaners and cleaning systems for low chemical emissions. Working closely with JohnsonDiversey, a provider of commercial cleaning, sanitation and hygiene solutions, GEI's program for...

On-Demand printing service to promote environmental stewardship in buildings.(ADHESIVES, CAULKS AND SEALANTS)
February 1, 2007... Newton, Mass. -- UNICCO Service Company's online printing service for its UNICCO GreenClean customers, GreenClean Print On-Demand, enables customers to easily print materials to promote environmental messages to their tenants, building...

Website provides interactive green cleaning resource.(ADHESIVES, CAULKS AND SEALANTS)
February 1, 2007... LaGrange, Ga. -- MilliCare, a provider of sustainable commercial textile and carpet care, has launched a website to serve as a resource for industry news and trends in green cleaning. The website, MilliCare.com, is designed as a destination for...

Water seal replenishment keeps restrooms smelling fresh.(ADHESIVES, CAULKS AND SEALANTS)
February 1, 2007... Vista, Calif. -- Developed by Waterless Co, LLC, the manufacturer of No-Flush urinals, EverPrime prevents water from the floor drain's water trap from evaporating and prevents odors from escaping, the company reports. By adding one bucket of...

Project facilitates selection of environmentally preferable chemical ingredients.(ADHESIVES, CAULKS AND SEALANTS)
February 1, 2007... Charlottesville, Va. -- CleanGredients, a project of Charlottesville, Va.-based GreenBlue, helps formulators of green cleaning chemicals and products select chemical ingredients that are environmentally preferable. Founded in 2002, GreenBlue is...

Non-profit Network hopes to speed the greening of cleaning industry.(ADHESIVES, CAULKS AND SEALANTS)
February 1, 2007... Bloomington, Ind. -- The Green Cleaning Network will bring together and facilitate the sharing of information among a wide spectrum including schools and universities, healthcare facilities, government and commercial office buildings,...