Environmental Design & Construction articles from June 2008

Environmental Design & Construction archives from June 2008

Former bank keeps the gold.
June 1, 2008... SmithGroup sought high-performance sustainability in a $4.3 million tenant improvement of its new San Francisco office in the Bently Reserve, opened in 1924 as a Federal Reserve Bank. The architecture firm occupies nearly 36,000 square feet on...

Cream of the crop.
June 1, 2008... It's not always easy being green in modern-day construction. But somehow Dave Young, serial entrepreneur and developer, has managed to make it look easy--especially now that his latest project, restoring a prominent five-story building in Fort...

All the news that's green enough to print.(EDITOR'S NOTE)
June 1, 2008... The overabundance of e-mail in my inbox is simply evidence of the progress I've witnessed in green building. Based on the amount of correspondence I receive and the continued growth of the industry, you may wonder how we determine what makes it...

Missing news: Ohio schools mandate green.(LETTER)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2008... I just received my March 2008 issue with the cover story "The New K-12 Curriculum." As I have come to expect, the magazine is filled with good stories and beautiful pictures documenting achievement from coast to coast. However, little was noted...

AIA releases study of three green building rating systems.(NEWSLINE)
June 1, 2008... Washington, D.C. -- The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has released a study of three green building rating systems (Green Globes, SBTool 07, and LEED NC 2.2) and assessed their effectiveness in supporting the goals of the AIA...

GBI recognizes first building in U.S. using new Green Globes module for Existing Buildings.(NEWSLINE)
June 1, 2008... Wallingford, Conn. -- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company was recognized by the Green Building Initiative (GBI) for assessing the energy-efficient and high-performance sustainability practices at its Wallingford research facility using the new module...

Greenguard makes Sustainability Award.(NEWSLINE)
June 1, 2008... Marietta, Ga. -- The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute sponsored its first annual GREENGUARD Sustainability Award, which was part of Georgia Tech's Business Plan Competition. In its eighth year, the highly successful competition attracts...

LEED-EB: O&M templates now available Online.(NEWSLINE)
June 1, 2008... Washington, D.C. -- Improved submittal templates are now available for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED-EB: O&M) in LEED Online. The new submittal templates reportedly...

North America's largest solar event.(NEWSLINE)(Conference news)
June 1, 2008... San Diego -- Solar Power Conference & Expo 2008, October 13-16, San Diego Convention Center. Top vendors presenting the state-of-the-art in solar energy technologies and services; 60-plus conference sessions and workshops; world-renowned CEO...

Global Solar joins Dow in Solar America Initiative.(NEWSLINE)
June 1, 2008... Tucson, Ariz. -- Global Solar Energy, a manufacturer of thin-film solar cells for glass modules or flexible material products, announced that Dow Building Solutions has invited Global Solar to participate in its U.S. Department of Energy Solar...

First condominium designated LEED platinum.(NEWSLINE)
June 1, 2008... Portland, Ore. -- The Casey condominiums have been certified LEED platinum, making it the first high-rise condominium residence in the country to do so. The Casey combines green features with luxury design. Homes range from 1,000 to 3,600...

SCA Tissue forges ahead on alternative energy, green initiatives.(NEWSLINE)
June 1, 2008... Neenah, Wis. -- SCA Tissue North America officially dedicated its newly installed system of 115 solar panels at the company's Service Excellence Center as a learning laboratory for alternative energy while also pursuing green certification for...

Ten Communities selected for program to promote long-term sustainability.(NEWSLINE)
June 1, 2008... Washington, D.C. -- The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Center for Communities by Design has selected Detroit, Tampa, New Orleans, Fort Worth, Windsor, Calif., Morristown, N.J., Parma, Ohio, Fellsmere, Fla., Kauai, Hawaii and Leon...

2008 Energy Star award winners.
June 1, 2008... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR program showcases cost-effective energy efficiency solutions across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors, and provides training, technical assistance and recognition for...

New + Notable.
June 1, 2008... 1 WEB-BASED TOOL EVALUATES PRODUCTS Lancaster, Pa. -- Armstrong Commercial Flooring's EcoScorecard is a time-saving, Web-based tool for the green building industry that allows users to quickly search, evaluate and document Armstrong...

Renovating for the future: Michigan furniture manufacturer stakes its claim to sustainability with a new, world-class headquarters.
June 1, 2008... When plans were made several years ago to renovate its aging Holland, Mich., headquarters to achieve LEED-NC (New Construction) Gold certification, furniture manufacturer Haworth Inc. envisioned a modular design that would organically integrate...

The commercial home office: the 21st century sustainable alternative to the suburban office building.
June 1, 2008... What if your commute to the office felt like a drive into a National Park? Your walk to the front door was through a canopy of trees rather than a sea of parking? Your view from your desk was better than the view at home? And, your office...

Restoration innovation and integration: a century-old blighted building is transformed into a showplace for sustainable strategies.(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
June 1, 2008... The William A. Kerr Foundation transformed a historically significant building in a blighted area of downtown St. Louis, Mo., into an educational showplace for sustainable strategies. In so doing, the award-winning 21 O' Fallon St. project has...

Value engineering meets effective user office space: Aardex LLC creates speculative leed platinum building with worker productivity and budget in mind.(CASE STUDY)
June 1, 2008... Real estate developer Aardex LLC challenged itself to change the way real estate is developed. The company set out to construct a distinct building--which would also house its corporate headquarters--that showcased the company's years of...

A new lease on sustainable building: triple-net leasing supported by utility sub-metering, measurement and verification make green multi-tenant lab development feasible.
June 1, 2008... Rising energy costs, coupled with the growing volume of data on the financial paybacks associated with high-performance buildings, make a strong business case for owner-occupants to invest in sustainable design and construction. It's more...

Interior movable walls.(WALL SYSTEMS, ICFS AND SIPS)
June 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.(WALL SYSTEMS, ICFS AND SIPS)
June 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...

Cement-bonded wood fiber ICF.(WALL SYSTEMS, ICFS AND SIPS)
June 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...

Recycled content SIP.(WALL SYSTEMS, ICFS AND SIPS)
June 1, 2008... Georgetown, Texas -- Ultra Frame, from Transcon Steel, is a structurally insulated metal stud panel. It is comprised of modified expanded polystyrene (EPS) and thermal structural metal studs. Transcon Steel created the Ultra Frame insulated...

Stylish, recyclable seating.(OFFICE SYSTEMS AND FURNITURE)
June 1, 2008... San Francisco -- Castlemark's new Edge1 seating collection is designed and tested to exceed Ansi BIFMA quality and safety standards and/or European EIN ergonomic standards. Created by U.S. designers Gardner Klassen and David Valdiserri of...

Lounge seating receives GREENGUARD certification.(OFFICE SYSTEMS AND FURNITURE)
June 1, 2008... Toronto -- Keilhauer announced that it has earned GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality certification for all its lounge seating. The company also reports that all of its facilities were old factories that have been completely gutted and converted to...

Multiple seating collections achieve SCS certification.(OFFICE SYSTEMS AND FURNITURE)
June 1, 2008... Wayland, N.Y. -- Gunlocke announced that three of its seating collections have achieved SCS (Scientific Certification Systems) Indoor Advantage certification. This includes its Attract Conference and Executive seating, Contura stacker seating...

Ceramic thermal barrier coating.(EXTERIOR CLADDINGS AND COATINGS)
June 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. The company...

Clear and acrylic concrete stain sealers.(EXTERIOR CLADDINGS AND COATINGS)
June 1, 2008... Pittsburgh -- PPG announced a product expansion to the PPG Perma-Crete line of masonry coatings to include a full line of water-based clear and acrylic concrete stain sealers, which are not only friendly to the environment, but provide the...

Exterior paint reformulated.(EXTERIOR CLADDINGS AND COATINGS)
June 1, 2008... Cleveland -- Sherwin-Williams has reformlated its SuperPaint Exterior Latex and A-100 Exterior Latex to provide even better flow and leveling, increased hide, contractor-friendly application and lower volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the...

Exterior version added to line.(EXTERIOR CLADDINGS AND COATINGS)
June 1, 2008... Montvale, N.J. -- Aura Exterior paint from Benjamin Moore, the latest in its Aura line of paints, reportedly goes on like two coats of traditional paint, dries faster, and delivers a smooth and durable lasting finish. Aura Exterior is also a...

"Green" added to the mix.(EXTERIOR CLADDINGS AND COATINGS)
June 1, 2008... Cincinnati -- The Shepherd Color Company introduced Dynamix Green 30C612, and Dynamix Green 30C678, two "stir-in" inorganic color pigments. Both new Green pigments arepart of the Arctic range for coatings and can be used widely in color matches...

BIPV installation option.(SOLAR SYSTEMS)
June 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...

Light commercial solar inverters.(SOLAR SYSTEMS)
June 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...

Skin-integrated solar system.(SOLAR SYSTEMS)
June 1, 2008... San Francisco -- Suntech's MSK Design Line of building integrated photovoltaic products enables can be used to create visually stunning building designs and deliver cost-effective, sustainable solar energy to the tenants, the company reports....

Hip to be square: through a desire for sustainability, a shipping container building--made of 50 percent recycled material by weight--impacts the art community and real estate market.(PARTING SHOT)
June 1, 2008... As part of the 337 Project, more than 150 artists transformed a 20,000-square-foot, century-old office building into one big piece of art... shortly before its ultimate demolition. The building was deconstructed earlier this year (scrap...

Sustainable Flooring.
June 1, 2008... Welcome to the 6th annual Sustainable Flooring section. When asked, "Which environmentally considerate or green products do you specify, recommend or purchase," 68 percent of ED+C readers responded "Carpeting" and 67 percent chose "Flooring...

Healthy flooring can affect air quality.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Hanover, Md. -- New research gives evidence that the type of flooring selected can make a difference in the quality of indoor air. A study supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) shows that there are...

FSC-certified bamboo architectural plywood and flooring.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... San Francisco, Calif. -- Smith & Fong Co., manufacturer of Plyboo bamboo architectural plywood and flooring, announced it has secured certification according to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and established a responsibly...

Bissell partners with the EPA's design for the environment program.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Grand Rapids, Mich. -- BISSELL Homecare, Inc. announced that the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Design for the Environment (DfE) program has recognized BISSELL as a DfE Partner. All BISSELL full-size deep-cleaning formulas have been...

Tandus recognizes Cleveland clinic for commitment to recycling.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Cleveland -- Tandus, has recognized Cleveland Clinic with its Environmental Stewardship Award for its commitment to recycling. Tandus collaborated with the hospital to reclaim 143,518 pounds (13,863 yards) of carpet through the carpet...

Tile product for multiple commercial interior applications.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Adairsville, Ga. -- BOLYU Contract introduced Savvy, a commercial carpet tile manufactured with Zeftron's premium nylon 6ix fiber systems, which carries Zeftron's Enviro6ix designation. This designation guarantees a minimum of 25 percent...

Collection produced with alternative energy.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... LaGrange, Ga. -- Milliken Contract's Persian Dynasty Collection takes its design cues from beaded saris, hand-woven shawls, vintage fabrics and colorful, embroidered costume items. Persian Dynasty comprises four designs, Knot Sari, Moroccan...

Brochure addresses flooring in LEED.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Salem, N.J. -- Mannington Commercial's "Learn to LEED" brochure explains how flooring choices may contribute to LEED points on a project. It includes formulas and examples of how Mannington products fit in. For example, Mannington's LOOP carpet...

Greenhouse gas emissions down 82 percent from 1996 baseline.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Atlanta -- Interface, Inc. released its ecometrics for 2007, reporting that net absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are down 82 percent from the 1996 baseline, while total energy intensity (use per unit of output) is down 45 percent from...

Nike partners with ecore international.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Lancaster, Pa. -- ECORE International has partnered with the Nike Corporation through its Nike Grind recycling program. Nike Grind is the raw material resulting from the recycling of athletic shoes through Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe initiative....

Eco-friendly engineered wood floor.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Las Vegas -- Pioneer Millworks' engineered wood floor has an FSC-certified or 100 percent reclaimed wear layer, no added formaldehyde, a pre-finish made from all-natural ingredients, and sourced and manufactured in the U.S., the company...

Carpet recycling process wins World Energy Globe Award.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Quogue, N.Y. -- Post Consumer Carpet Processing Technologies (PCC) has been named the national winner for the United States and one of three winners in the Earth category of the World ENERGY GLOBE Award. PCC was selected out of 853 projects...

Environmentally friendly wood flooring adhesive.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Chicago -- USG's Tile and Flooring Division's DUROCK-brand wood flooring adhesive is an environmentally friendly, high-performance adhesive offering quality bond strength and troweling properties, the company reports. The adhesive is designed...

Terrazzo brought to raised access floors.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Jessup, Md. -- Tate's terrazzo floor finish is manufactured and poured at the Floorazzo factory in Silver City, N.C. Natural marble, granite or quartz aggregate or eco-friendly recycled glass is embedded in a flexible resin matrix and then...

Production of urea formaldehyde-free bamboo flooring, plywood products begins.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... San Francisco -- Smith & Fong Co. has announced it has begun converting its plants in Taiwan and China to urea formaldehyde (UF)-free manufacturing processes, and UF-free Plyboo flooring, called PlybooPure, is now available throughout the North...

Versatile textured loop carpet.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Adairsville, Ga. -- Fiesta!, from Cambridge Commercial, is a textured loop carpet designed for multiple commercial applications. Fiesta! is available in broadloom and 24-inch by 24-inch modular tile, and made of Cambridge's Avalar X nylon with...

New carpet tile backing line.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... City of Industry, Calif. -- Bentley Prince Street has launched a new carpet tile backing line using next generation thermoplastic technology. Through this technology, Bentley Prince Street plans to decrease its environmental footprint by...

Winner of sustainable flooring performance award announced.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... San Francisco -- The Antron Carpet Fiber Sustainable Flooring Performance grand prize was awarded to Ephrata Middle School in Ephrata, Wash., for carpet that has been performing beautifully since its original installation in 1984. The award...

Aluminum flooring product.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Chicago -- Aluminum flooring, from AlumaFloor, is composed of aluminum floor tiles with a wide range of applications and aesthetics, the company reports. Re-smelting aluminum can save as much as 95 percent of the original energy needed to...

New website launched.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)(Website overview)
June 1, 2008... Clifton, N.J. -- DriTac Flooring Products, LLC, has announced the launch of a brand new, user-friendly website at www.DriTac.com, the company reports. The new website, designed to offer DriTac business partners and customers access to key...

Hardsurface flooring uses less resources.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Lancaster, Pa. -- MIGRATIONS BioBased Tile is a new category of tile exclusive to Armstrong. Made possible by Armstrong's new Bio-Stride polymer breakthrough, the company reports that MIGRATIONS is an affordable, sustainable hardsurface...

Flooring from recycled porcelain.(NEWS AND PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... Plano, Texas -- Enviro-MODE, from EnviroGLAS, is made from pre-consumer recycled Kohler toilets, tubs and sinks. EnviroMODE brings the ancient craft of Terrazzo into the 21st century by combining your choice of epoxy resin or cementitious...

What exactly is sustainable flooring?
June 1, 2008... Sustainable flooring and green living are popular phrases among consumers. Property owners want to be environmentally responsible without sacrificing modern luxury in their homes. The key is understanding the viability of the materials...

Multiplicity: a variety of floors contribute credits to the first LEED Gold city hall in California.
June 1, 2008... The new City Hall in Orinda, Calif., was intended to showcase the city's commitment to civic buildings that strengthen the community fabric and protect the environment. When the pending LEED Gold status is awarded, this will be the first city...

High design for high performance with LEED-CI.
June 1, 2008... This green building adventure unfolds in the Windy City with the gathering of a design team of mixed Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) heritage. Its first collaborative project: the renovation of space in the world's largest...

Partnerships build Sustainable schools: the story of Fossil Ridge High School.
June 1, 2008... Poudre School District in Fort Collins, Colo., embarked on a mission: To work with designers in creating a high-performance school that not only set new standards in education facility design, but also stayed within the restraints of a typical...

Supermarket selects dry polishing concrete floors: environmentally friendly system for finishing concrete adds flair, style and smart architectural design underfoot.
June 1, 2008... Management at Reasor's, a full-service independent supermarket chain in northeastern Oklahoma, faced an interesting challenge when constructing a new upscale 77,000-square-foot store: How to create a colorful and attention-grabbing...

Laminate flooring: select a durable laminate floor without sacrificing the environment or health.(STUDIO)
June 1, 2008... Because it's on natural resources, recyclable and free of air-damaging chemicals, laminate flooring may be a natural choice for environmentally friendly building and remodeling without sacrificing durability or design. Laminate floorings...

Reclaimed wood has roots in past.(CASE STUDY)
June 1, 2008... While the debate about forest certification programs and green building continues to rage, one important fact remains true--use of reclaimed or salvaged wood from deconstructed buildings or sunken logs provides a valuable source of usable...

Greening the glue: low-VOC adhesives combine performance with green benefits.
June 1, 2008... Everyone from architects to builders are looking for simple, easy ways to become more environmentally friendly. To this end, one of the most cost-effective ways to improve your green profile is to make the simple switch from traditional...

Green cleaning starts at the front door.
June 1, 2008... One notable green "cleaning" system does not involve cleaning at all. According to Scot Case, vice president of TerraChoice Environmental Marketing and EcoLogo, any steps taken that can reduce the use of cleaning chemicals and products, green...

Resilient flooring addresses maintenance and hygiene concerns.
June 1, 2008... The University Hospital Center of Montreal expansion includes new research facilities, laboratories and an additional 700 rooms in which 150,000 square feet of new space will be created. Architects are pegging this hospital as the "hospital of...

Low maintenance, high regard.
June 1, 2008... Worldwide medical imaging technology manufacturer Medrad, of Warrendale, Pa., wanted to install a flooring system in its Pittsburgh manufacturing facilities that reflected the company's commitment to environmental consciousness. Medrad provides...

Floors test positive in new laboratories.(CASE STUDY)
June 1, 2008... The State of Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Laboratory performs thousands of analyses each month on air, water and land samples to protect and enhance Oregon's environmental quality. Meanwhile, the state's Public Health...

Do you care? ED+C and sustainable facility's coverage of the sixth-annual Carpet America Recovery Effort conference.
June 1, 2008... I had the pleasure of attending the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) sixth annual conference this year in Clearwater Beach, Fla. This group, a division of the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), has the mission of developing market-based...

Walking the floor: the Mohawk Group plant, Glasgow, Va., exhorts environmental initiatives within a grand-scale operation.
June 1, 2008... At the confluence of the Maury and James rivers in the rural town of Glasgow, Va., one of The Mohawk Group's plants is situated at the perfect "crossroads location" for a manufacturing facility. With no shortage of water supply and easy access...

Recycled-content resilient flooring mimics nature.(PRODUCT PROFILES)
June 1, 2008... Bringing the beauty and calm of serene surroundings into interior settings is an aspiration of architecture and design; yet we're increasingly challenged as an industry to echo the inspiration of Mother Nature without taking from it....

New technology improves construction environment.(PRODUCT PROFILES)
June 1, 2008... Las Vegas usually conjures images of neon lights set against a vast, arid desert landscape, but new construction techniques and products are giving the town a noticeably "green" appearance. Mer-Krete Systems, a division of ParexLaHabra, Inc.,...

Woven bamboo replicates the look of hardwood.(PRODUCT PROFILES)
June 1, 2008... To meet the needs of homeowners and professionals that want the look of hardwood in a product that is much harder than other bamboo flooring options, EcoTimber has introduced a new woven bamboo flooring product that is sustainably harvested....