Environmental Design & Construction articles from February 2008

Environmental Design & Construction archives from February 2008

Butterfly kisses.
February 1, 2008... As part of the Strong National Museum of Play's $33 million expansion, the new Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden in Rochester, N.Y., not only impresses with the colorful wings inside of the garden, but also the graceful wing-like shape of the...

Energy efficient building achieves net-zero energy status.
February 1, 2008... When IDeAs bought a 7,200-square-foot former bank branch to retrofit for its new headquarters, IDeAs principal David Kaneda saw an opportunity to bring the concept of a net-zero energy building to life. Coined the Z2 building, the combination...

Solar energy and architecture.
February 1, 2008... Without the sun, life as we understand it on our planet would not be possible. We all take for granted that there will be a sunrise the next day, and it has been so since humans first appeared on Earth. What if we were to harness and harvest...

Seeing green.
February 1, 2008... Many of the sustainable features of the new 15,830-square-foot Queens Botanical Garden Visitor & Administration Center in New York City might have gone unnoticed if not for the interactive Web-based display and kiosk from Fat Spaniel...

Illuminated Sentry.
February 1, 2008... When Sentry Equipment Corp. decided to build its new 60,000-square-foot facility, a major concern was energy efficiency. The company went to great lengths choosing everything from window glass to office ceiling materials to create an energy...

Impacts, big or small ... it's time to build a sustainable future.(EDITOR'S NOTE)
February 1, 2008... Is the sky falling? Hopefully not today or tomorrow. But it could happen, right? Global warming concerns are real, according to most scientists, politicians, environmentalists and celebrities. But believe it or not, some still question the...

Acceptance OF PEFC certified lumber.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... Dear Editor, In today's green building movement, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system is the most successful program in the world. Administered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the LEED system...

Vinyl/PVC green merit.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... Dear Editor, Just because it is a common element of floor coverings doesn't mean it should be walked all over. The August 2007 issue of Environmental Design + Construction highlighted several articles on vinyl/PVC, debating its usage--and...

AIA launches "Walk the Walk".(NEWSLINE)
February 1, 2008... Washington, D.C. -- The American Institute of Architects (AIA) announced the launch of "Walk the Walk," a multi-faceted campaign to educate, promote and encourage sustainable design among consumers, business owners and architects. The purpose...

Envision Solar to provide NREL with Solar Tree.(NEWSLINE)
February 1, 2008... Long Beach, Calif. -- The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has selected Envision Solar's Solar Tree design for its first on-site renewable recharge station for electric (EV) and plugin hybrid...

Lutron working display model shows energy savings.(NEWSLINE)
February 1, 2008... Coopersburg, Pa. -- Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. has introduced an educational energy savings display that digitally shows customers how much energy they are saving as they dim the lights in a room. Featuring a working Skylark dimmer and a room...

LEED Innovation & design points online.(NEWSLINE)
February 1, 2008... Washington, D.C. -- Building project teams pursuing certification under the USGBC's LEED Green Building Rating System now have the opportunity to view the Innovation & Design Credit Catalog--a listing of proven green building strategies that...

SBIC announces winners of Beyond Green awards.(NEWSLINE)(Awards list)
February 1, 2008... Washington, D.C. -- The Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) announced the winners of the Beyond Green 2007 High Performance Building Awards Program. Three first-place winners presented their projects on Wednesday, January 16, at the...

Big Ass Fans donates to ASHRAE research.(NEWSLINE)
February 1, 2008... Lexington, Ky. -- Ceiling fan manufacturer, Big Ass Fans, made donations totaling $22,757 to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) research. The donations have been earmarked for research on...

USGBC opens nominations for Building Curriculum Program.(NEWSLINE)
February 1, 2008... Washington, D.C. -- The USGBC announced a call for submissions and a call for proposals for the Excellence in Green Building Curriculum Recognition Awards and Incentive Grants Program. The program recognizes pre-K through college-level...

City of Riverside adopts Clean and Green Action Plan.(NEWSLINE)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Riverside, Calif. -- Riverside has adopted the Clean and Green Sustainable Riverside Action Plan. The plan is the result of meetings by the city's Clean and Green Task Force. The plan addresses seven broad categories encompassing all aspects of...

IBM software powers greenhouse gas meter Evergreen's C-Lock, measures carbon output.(NEWSLINE)
February 1, 2008... Armonk, N.Y. -- IBM, Enterprise Information Management, Inc. (EIM), and Evergreen Energy Inc. announced a greenhouse gas meter called GreenCert developed on IBM Websphere Portal-based software, which can calculate carbon reductions across...

SSOE research, white paper promotes best practices.(NEWSLINE)
February 1, 2008... Toledo, Ohio -- SSOE, a national architecture and engineering firm, recently conducted a national survey of companies regarding their sustainability goals and initiatives. In response to these survey findings, SSOE has authored a white paper...

Greensburg becomes first city to commit to LEED Platinum certification.(NEWSLINE)
February 1, 2008... Washington, D.C. -- The city of Greensburg, Kansas' resolution to certify all city-owned buildings under U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED Platinum standard, makes it the first city in the U.S. to pass such a resolution. Greensburg,...

New + Notable.
February 1, 2008... 1 REMOTE ENERGY MONITORING SYSTEM Bourne, Mass. -- Onset Computer Corporation's HOBO Remote Monitoring System combines data logging hardware with built-in GSM cellular communications and HOBOlink, the company reports. HOBOlink allows users...

Connecting the DOTS: 2030 Challenge promotes energy-efficient buildings to impact climate change.(Cover story)
February 1, 2008... Experts give us 10 years before there is irreversible climate change. That's not much time to alter global conditions that have been building for hundreds of years. The kind of change needed to affect our planet's climate takes a serious,...

Setting our sights on solar: Brook Warehousing Systems looks to minimize its carbon footprint and reduce energy costs.
February 1, 2008... The global storage facility and warehousing industry is full of untapped potential for renewable energy initiatives as a significant portion of their operating budget is allocated to managing energy costs. With billions of square feet of unused...

Energy costs drive sustainability: re-examine past ROI assumptions and make the retrofits and procedural/maintenance changes, including green cleaning practices, necessary for a more efficient future.(STUDIO)
February 1, 2008... We've been seeing even more on environmental issues lately, precipitated largely by the run-up in energy prices. Energy conservation is top news and it's bringing the broader topic of sustainability along for the ride. There's no question we're...

The green building revolution accelerates: are you up for the challenge?(STUDIO)
February 1, 2008... If you're an architect, engineer, builder or supplier to the green building industry, 2008 needs to be the year you get your business and professional act together. If you're a building owner or developer, every future project should be a green...

ICE storage: planning for a new cooling system in a high-performance financial institution.(PRODUCT PROFILE)
February 1, 2008... Air-conditioning systems are responsible for up to 9 percent of a building's energy consumption in all U.S. office and professional buildings (U.S. Department of Energy, Annual Energy Use of Commercial Office Buildings). [ILLUSTRATION...

Horizontal joint and crack sealant.(ADHESIVES, CAULKS AND SEALANTS)
February 1, 2008... Hampshire, Ill. -- SAFE-SEAL 3405 is a high-performance, polymer-modified asphalt emulsion horizontal joint and crack sealant. It is a one-component, self-leveling material that can easily be poured into openings 1/8-inch up to 1-inch wide. At...

Wood flooring adhesive.(ADHESIVES, CAULKS AND SEALANTS)
February 1, 2008... Fontana, Calif. -- Taylor developed an ultra-high performance wood-flooring adhesive, Taylor MS Plus. This product combines patented Meta-Tec technology with modified silane polymer to create a true 100 percent solids adhesive that surpasses...

Clear and acrylic concrete stain sealers.(ADHESIVES, CAULKS AND SEALANTS)
February 1, 2008... Pittsburgh -- PPG's product expansion of the PPG Perma-Crete line of masonry coatings includes a full line of water-based clear and acrylic concrete stain sealers, which are not only friendly to the environment, but provide the concrete...

Biodegradable cleaning agents.(GREEN CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE)
February 1, 2008... Pleasanton, Calif. -- Get Clean products use biodegradable cleaning agents, which break down easily instead of a period of hundreds of years, the company reports. They also have no phosphates, borates or nitrates. By making Get Clean products...

Neutral floor cleaner.(GREEN CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE)
February 1, 2008... Burlington, Vt. -- According to the company, Enviro-Solutions' ES 83 removes the white film of ice melt chemicals deposited at entranceways. It demineralizes salt deposits on floors and reduces slip hazards by eliminating the ice melt film,...

Wax-free flooring.(GREEN CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE)
February 1, 2008... Lawrence, Mass. -- nora floor coverings help promote green facilities by providing wax-free floors that reduce labor and maintenance costs (no waxing, buffing or stripping), eliminate the need for harsh chemicals associated with maintaining...

SCS-Certified surface protectants.(GREEN CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE)
February 1, 2008... New York -- TioxoClean Inc.'s air cleansing TioxoFresh coatings for fabrics and self-cleaning Tioxo-Clean surface treatments for walls and other rigid surfaces have both been certified SCS Indoor AdvantageT Gold. According to the company, one...

Green-Focused autoscrubbers.(GREEN CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE)
February 1, 2008... Springdale, Ariz. -- The new Focus II models are the first 20-inch autoscrubbers available with Clarke's BOOST technology. BOOST technology offers a 70 percent reduction in water and chemicals, a 40 percent increase in pad life, a 25 percent...

Hydrogen peroxide-based cleaner.(GREEN CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE)
February 1, 2008... Sturtevant, Wisc. -- Oxivir Tb Cleaner Disinfectant is based on patented hydrogen peroxide technology. This patented science is a blend of commonly used ingredients, that when combined with low levels of hydrogen peroxide, its germicidal...

New website to assist building professionals.(STRUCTURAL SHEATHING AND FRAMING)
February 1, 2008... Chesterfield, Mo. -- Aegis Metal Framing's new website is aimed to assist building professionals.The website was redesigned with the entire building team in mind to provide valuable tools such as case studies, an interactive detail library, and...

Steel framing features enhanced performance.(STRUCTURAL SHEATHING AND FRAMING)
February 1, 2008... Pittsburgh -- Dietrich's UltraSTEEL Framing utilizes roll-forming technology that increases product performance, the company reports, including greater load-carrying capacity, higher limiting heights, better acoustical and fire performance, and...

Paperless drywall.(DRYWALL)
February 1, 2008... Atlanta -- DensArmor Plus paperless interior drywall is a highly mold-resistant interior gypsum panel. DensArmor Plus mold-resistant drywall carries a six-month in-place exposure warranty. DensArmor Plus panels feature a glass-mat surface on...

Amvic'S AmDeck Floor & Roof System.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... The AmDeck Floor & Roof System is a modular, light-weight stay-in-place form for the construction of concrete floors/roofs. The system utilizes 10-inch lightweight steel framing studs to carry temporary construction loads and act as furring...

Armstrong Commercial Flooring introduction.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... Armstrong Commercial Flooring introduces BioBased Tile (BBT) with BioStride, a new patent-pending polymer containing biobased rapidly renewable ingredients which reduces reliance on petroleum-based products. MIGRATIONS, the first collection...

BioBased Insulation.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... BioBased Insulation introduced quality, third-party-tested, soy-based spray foam insulation products to the market in 2003. We offer an open-cell, .5lb insulation; and a closed-cell, 1.7lb insulation that are cost competitive with traditional...

The HyTronic line of electronic faucets from Chicago Faucets.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... The HyTronic line by Chicago Faucets is specifically designed for reliability and quality. Features include solid brass construction, vandal-resistant body, an efficient twin beam system that provides a quick response time, while minimizing...

DC Power Systems' renewable energy products.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... DC Power Systems is a full-service wholesale distributor of renewable energy products. Working with our national network of qualified dealers and installers, we design and supply solar electric systems for business, residential and government...

Cool Zone delivers the five Es of high-performance roofing.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... The highly-reflective Duro-Last Cool Zone roofing system can significantly reduce building energy costs. But for a roofing system to be considered sustainable, it must deliver on the 5 Es of high-performance roofing: Energy, Environment,...

Structural precast wall systems.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... Fabcon is the industry's leading manufacturer of structural precast wall systems. Fabcon's VersaCore+Green panels deliver quick construction times, impressive R-values and are comprised of 58 percent post-consumer and post-industrial waste....

KMC Controls: creating and delivering building automation solutions.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... Our mission is building your comfort zone. Our corporate theme reflects our commitment to you: "building your comfort zone." Through our innovation in product development, expertise in production, excellence in distribution, and responsiveness...

Quantum from Lutron.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... Quantum is a whole-building light management system, which manages two revolutionary Lutron technologies: Eco-System fluorescent lighting control system, and Sivoia QED (Quiet Electronic Drive) shading system. Quantum centrally manages electric...

Building has evolved.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... NUDURA Corporation is an Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) manufacturer providing the most extensive line of ICFs available. NUDURA can successfully be used in commercial and residential applications, and provides benefits unlike any other building...

Purekor Platinum Grade MDF FSC certified, UREA formaldehyde free, 100 percent recycled content.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... Purekor Platinum Grade MDF is the world's only composite panel that is 100 percent FSC certified and urea formaldehyde free. Platinum Grade MDF also contains 100 percent pre-consumer recycled content. It is highly moisture resistant, and is...

Protective roof coatings from roofmart.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... RoofMart International, Inc. manufactures fluid applied, seamless, waterproof protective coatings. Our flagship product family, Garnite Roofing Products, can restore virtually all kinds of existing roof systems. EPDMs can be renewed, metal can...

SCA Tissue and Tork provide sustainable products and systems.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... SCA Tissue North America, a strong supporter of the green building movement and the U.S. Green Building Council, manufactures Tork brand tissue products and systems, which can contribute toward LEED credits. SCA Tissue was the first American...

Sunoptics prismatic skylights.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... Since 1978, Sunoptics has been at the forefront of passive solar daylighting as the inventor of prismatic skylights. Sunoptics Prismatic Skylights are designed to maximize light transmittance with 100 percent diffusion, providing 30 percent...

Thermo Manufacturing's liquid roof restoration products.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... Thermo Manufacturing has been producing cool roofs since 1948. An experienced full-line manufacturer of sustainable, green, environmentally friendly liquid roof restoration products that serve the commercial, industrial, and institutional...

Tile of Spain.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... Ceramic tile is a green building product made of natural materials compounded in age-old production processes. It is recyclable, bio-degradable and can even be used to enhance the performance of some solar heating systems. Durable and...

Trenwyth sustainable solutions.(information showcase)
February 1, 2008... Available with recycled content, Astra-Glaze-SW+ glazed concrete masonry units offer the beauty of ceramic tile with the durability of concrete masonry. Exceptionally resistant to staining, abrasion, impact and chemicals, Astra-Glaze-SW+...

Building for the future: a closer look at the center for Urban Agriculture, a living building challenge winner.
February 1, 2008... Sustainability is often a secondary concern in new development. How can we do better? At Mithun, we imagined a building that actually gives back to the community and natural environment. Using a vacant lot as a starting point, our design team...