Environmental Design & Construction articles from January 2006

Environmental Design & Construction archives from January 2006

Renovating for a greener future.(EDITOR'S NOTE)
January 1, 2006... In the New Year, I've decided to focus more on the three Rs... no, not "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle" (though those are good ones indeed!). I'm talking about Renovate, Retrofit and Reclaim. Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines these words this...

SBIC's 2005 Best Sustainable Practice Award winners honored.(Sustainable Buildings Industry Council )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Washington, D.C. -- The Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC)'s 2005 Best Sustainable Practice Awards, which recognize projects and efforts that best establish a substantial and sustainable impact on America's buildings, have been...

AIA now accepting submissions for 2006 Top Ten Green Projects.(Americal Institute of Architects)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Washington, D.C. -- The AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) has begun accepting online submissions for the COTE Top Ten Green Projects 2006 awards program. All project submissions must be received by January 31, 2006. Since 1996, this...

USGBC launches first Web-based training course.(NEWSLINE)
January 1, 2006... Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has partnered with Turner Construction to launch the USGBC's first Web-based training course designed to educate building industry professionals about Leadership in Energy and...

Schott enables first solar thermal power plant in 14 years.(Partnered with Solargenix Energy LLC )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... New York -- SCHOTT announced they are partnering with Solargenix Energy LLC on construction of a 64-megawatt solar thermal plant project in development near Boulder City, Nevada. The parabolic trough power plant represents the first...

Web site launched for energy efficiency tax credits.(NEWSLINE)
January 1, 2006... Washington, D.C. -- A new Web site from the Tax Incentives Assistance Project (TIAP) aims to help individuals and businesses cut their federal tax and energy bills in 2006 and 2007 by becoming more energy efficient. The site,...

Study predicts 100 percent increase in green design practices by 2010.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Atlanta -- Autodesk, Inc. announced that respondents to the first annual Autodesk Green Index study estimate that use of sustainable design techniques will increase to 100 percent by 2010. The Green Index study, commissioned to evaluate the use...

Milestone solar array dedicated in Chicago.
January 1, 2006... Chicago -- The Department of Energy (DOE) and Social Security Administration (SSA) officials dedicated the new solar array atop SSA's downtown Chicago office building, making it one of the largest solar electric systems in the Midwest. SSA...

International Roofing Expo 2006.(NEWSLINE)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Las Vegas -- The International Roofing Expo (www.theroofingexpo.com), formerly the NRCA Annual Tradeshow, will be held in Las Vegas February 14 through 16, 2006, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. The show covers market directions, trends,...

RBRC's Call2Recycle program fosters compliance with new recycling bill.(NEWSLINE)
January 1, 2006... New York -- The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a non-profit public service organization dedicated to recycling rechargeable batteries, announced its Call2Recycle nationwide rechargeable battery and cell phone recycling...

Green products releases aMAIZEing Biobased Stripper and Solvent.(NEW + NOTABLE)
January 1, 2006... 1 Romeoville, Ill. -- Green Products, LLC's (www.greenproducts.net) aMAIZEing Biobased Solvent & Stripper is 100 percent derived from a proprietary blend of U.S. grown corn and soybean esters designed to lift from the surface, strip and remove...

Nycore's tile backerboard named top-10 building product.(NEW + NOTABLE)
January 1, 2006... 2 Atlanta -- NYCORE, Inc.'s (www.NYCORE.com) tile backerboard, NyBacker, is a building product produced from recycled carpet. NyBacker is made of both post-consumer and post-industrial recycled material and creates no waste, the company says....

Johnson Controls launches software to expedite green building certification.(NEW + NOTABLE)
January 1, 2006... 3 Milwaukee -- Johnson Controls, Inc. has developed software intended to simplify building certification. Leedspeed (www.leedspeed.org), a Web-based software application navigates the user through the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in...

Toto introduces Aquia Dual Flush Toilet.(NEW + NOTABLE)
January 1, 2006... 4 Morrow, Ga. -- Toto (www.totousa.com) announced the Aquia Dual Flush Toilet. The high-efficiency Aquia toilet enables users to select the level of water used each time the toilet is flushed--1.6 gallons for heavy or bulk waste, or 0.9 gallons...

Universal announces Biocel green backing.(NEW + NOTABLE)
January 1, 2006... 5 Dalton, Ga. -- Universal Textile Technologies' (www.universaltextile.net) Biocel is an environmentally-sensitive polyurethane backing for carpets and artificial turf that replaces a portion of the petroleum-based polymers in polyurethane with...

Panel Source launches Pyroblock Veneer-Grade panel.(NEW + NOTABLE)
January 1, 2006... 6 St. Albert, Alberta, Canada -- After nearly three years of research and development, Panel Source International (www.panelsource.net) launched its new Pyroblock Veneer Grade panel at Greenbuild in November. While Pyroblock is already...

Osram Sylvania introduces DRAGONstick LED system.(NEW + NOTABLE)
January 1, 2006... 7 Atlanta -- OSRAM SYLVANIA (www.sylvania.com.) introduced the DRAGONstick to the DRAGON family of hi-flux LED modules. Two versions of the DRAGONstick system are available, with either six or 12 Golden DRAGON hi-flux LEDs mounted on a metal...

Special report: the success of Greenbuild 2005.
January 1, 2006... The 2005 Greenbuild Conference and Expo in Atlanta, Nov. 8 through 11 provided a platform for the green industry to learn, share, and participate in educational sessions, show floor demonstrations, and networking functions. [ILLUSTRATION...

A study in sustainable adaptive reuse: developers and tenants embrace green strategies while renovating an abandoned Montgomery Ward Catalog Building in Baltimore into a sustainable business center.
January 1, 2006... The 1925 art deco-style Montgomery Ward Catalog Building in Baltimore is one of seven regional distribution warehouses around the country that were built following the expansion of the company's catalog business. Alike in design and...

Green remodeling is Second Nature for Madison Area Company.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Madison, Wis. -- Green Built Home (www.greenbuilthome.org), a voluntary program of Wisconsin Environmental Initiative (WEI) in partnership with the Madison Area Builders Association, announced that certification was initiated at a ceremony for...

Suncadia home is first resort showcase certified at 5-Star Built Green level.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Roslyn, Wash. -- The Built Green Home at Suncadia will be the first resort showcase home to be certified at the 5-Star Built Green level, and will include Built Green components, such as site development, energy efficiency, health and air...

A better home; An inside look at the BASF "Better Home, Better Planet: Near Zero Energy Home" in Paterson, N.J.(Builders Association of South Florida)
January 1, 2006... Early in 2005, a very special residential project began to take shape in Paterson, N.J. After several years of discussion, brainstorming and planning by a team of experienced sustainability experts, a concept started down a path towards...

2006 manufacturer editorial spotlights.
January 1, 2006... ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN + CONSTRUCTION MAGAZINE PRESENTS 2006 MANUFACTURER EDITORIAL SPOTLIGHTS. THESE SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE NEWS, GREEN PRODUCT INFORMATION AND SERVICES, AND COMPANY PROFILES FROM SOME OF THE LEADING SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT...

Penn State: blue and white, and green; The university's environmental initiative adds ceiling recycling to its roster of sustainable practices by reclaiming old ceilings from renovation projects rather than dumping them in a landfill.
January 1, 2006... Pennsylvania State University's colors are blue and white, but it is the school's commitment to "green" building practices and other environmental strategies that is causing other colleges and universities to take notice. [ILLUSTRATION...

Antimicrobial cork product protection.(PRODUCT FOCUS: CORK, BAMBOO AND HARDWOOD FLOORING)
January 1, 2006... Augusta, Ga. -- Natural Cork (www.naturalcork.com) introduces cork products with built-in Microban antimicrobial product protection. When microbes, such as bacteria, mold and mildew that can cause stains, odors and product deterioration come in...

Flooring features post-industrial waste cork.(PRODUCT FOCUS: CORK, BAMBOO AND HARDWOOD FLOORING)
January 1, 2006... Fostoria, Ohio -- Roppe Corp. (www.roppe.com) has added solid vinyl tile to its SafeTcork product line, which provides added safety against slip hazards. SafeTcork products, available in rubber and vinyl, contain a cork content that improves...

Hardwood for flooring and paneling.(PRODUCT FOCUS: CORK, BAMBOO AND HARDWOOD FLOORING)
January 1, 2006... Portland, Ore. -- Collins' VersaWood (www.CollinsWood.com) is a multi-purpose tongue-and-groove hardwood that can be used for flooring on one side, or paneling on the other. Choices of product come in soft maple, cherry, or red oak, and...

New stains expand design options.(PRODUCT FOCUS: CORK, BAMBOO AND HARDWOOD FLOORING)
January 1, 2006... Saint-Georges, Quebec -- Mirage's (www.miragefloors.com) "Sweet Memories" series offers a variation on the Mirage Engineered collection and features three new stains, including Creme Brulee, Truffle and Toffee. The new stains are available on...

Bamboo end grain block.(PRODUCT FOCUS: CORK, BAMBOO AND HARDWOOD FLOORING)
January 1, 2006... San Francisco -- Smith & Fong's Plyboo (www.plyboo.com) is made from 100 percent rapidly-renewable bamboo, ideal for all hard surfaces in a home or commercial space, the company says. The end grain block is available in amber and natural. ...

Wheat or chestnut bamboo flooring.(PRODUCT FOCUS: CORK, BAMBOO AND HARDWOOD FLOORING)
January 1, 2006... Bainbridge Island, Wash. -- Teragren's (www.teragren.com) SYNERGY strand renewable bamboo flooring is 18 percent harder than Santos Mahogany and 43 percent harder than Teragren's standard bamboo flooring. SYNERGY is available in wheat or...

FSC laminate with underpad.(PRODUCT FOCUS: CORK, BAMBOO AND HARDWOOD FLOORING)
January 1, 2006... Rexdale, Ontario -- Kronopol's (www.kronopol.com) Sonic Floor, a new laminate flooring with sound-deadening and environmental properties made with wood from Forest Stewardship Council certified forests, is equipped with an underpad made of felt...

Integrated heating and cooling.(PRODUCT FOCUS: EFFICIENT HVAC)
January 1, 2006... Indianapolis -- Carrier's (www.carrier.com) Infinity System is a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system that uses a single control to integrate and manage all six-comfort functions: temperature, humidity, airflow, ventilation,...

Control system facilities regulated environment.(PRODUCT FOCUS: EFFICIENT HVAC)
January 1, 2006... Phoenix -- Trane (www.trane.com) introduced the Tracer Summit Critical Control System, which automates control and regulation of a facility's environmental parameters and related electrical, mechanical and environmental controls through a...

Chillers to offer highest tonnage in a single-piece unit.(PRODUCT FOCUS: EFFICIENT HVAC)
January 1, 2006... York, Pa. -- YORK International Corp. (www.york.com) has expanded the range of its YORK Latitude air-cooled chiller line from 260 tons to 515 tons with the introduction of new three- and four-compressor units. According to the company, these...

New condensing boiler line.(PRODUCT FOCUS: EFFICIENT HVAC)
January 1, 2006... Lebanon, Tenn. -- Lochinvar Corp.'s (www.Lochinvar.com) KNIGHT heating boiler is available in seven models with inputs from 80 to 500 MBH. The KNIGHT condensing boiler can reduce its heat output as much as 80 percent, and according to the...

CNG/LPG Safety Shutoff Valve.(PRODUCT FOCUS: EFFICIENT HVAC)
January 1, 2006... New Britain, Conn. -- Parker Hannifin Alternative Energy Systems/Fuel Cell Business Unit (www.parker.com/Markets/Fuel-Cells), introduced its compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas (CNG/LPG) Safety Shutoff Valve. According to the...

Advancements in concrete recyclability creates more sustainable building material.(PRODUCT FOCUS: CONCRETE)
January 1, 2006... Skokie, Ill. -- The Portland Cement Association (PCA at www.cement.org) offers market research and various educational assistance for sustainable development through the use of concrete. The PCA reports that in 2005, 39 Portland Cement plants...

High-gloss sealer.(PRODUCT FOCUS: CONCRETE)
January 1, 2006... St. Louis -- Seal-Krete's (www.seal-krete.com) Showroom Finish is a clear, urethane-fortified acrylic sealer developed to provide a high-gloss premium finish to painted, stained or bare concrete. Showroom Finish is water-based, low odor, with...

Plus-FS ICFs panels lend to higher R-Values.(PRODUCT FOCUS: CONCRETE)
January 1, 2006... Surrey, B.C. -- Quad-Lock Building Systems Ltd.'s (www.quadlock.com) Plus Panel Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) now includes a fastening strip (FS Strip). The company's new 4.25-inch Quad-Lock Plus Panel is 2 inches thicker than their regular...