Environmental Design & Construction articles from May 2005

Environmental Design & Construction archives from May 2005

Green progress report.(green building survey)
May 1, 2005... Sometimes it feels like the push for green building is an uphill battle and other days its smooth sailing. So the real question is, "are we making progress?" According to recent survey results, heck yeah! Earlier this year, we completed our...

GBI formed, Green Globes tool promoted in United States.(establishment of Green Building Initiative, a national organization, to promote green building concept)
May 1, 2005... Portland, Ore. -- A new national organization, the Green Building Initiative (GBI), has been created to promote green building approaches for builders, architects and others who want practical and affordable options for creating environmentally...

Corrections.(NEWSLINE)(Correction Notice)
May 1, 2005... The photos of new panel systems from All-steel Inc. and Herman Miller Inc. on page 19 of the March issue were incorrectly identified. The top photo was provided by All-steel; the bottom photo was provided by Herman Miller. In ED+Cs March...

ASTM publishes sustainable building standards.(NEWSLINE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... West Conshohocken, Pa. -- The second edition of ASTM International Standards on Sustainability in Buildings is now available on CD-ROM. The compilation, which includes 111 standards, addresses environmental problems and challenges related to...

Scottsdale adopts Gold standard for environmental design.(green building policy)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Scottsdale, Ariz. -- On March 22, 2005, Scottsdale City Council unanimously approved Resolution No. 6644 establishing the Green Building (LEED) Policy for new city buildings and remodels. This action makes Scottsdale the first city in the...

Ecotone Publishing announces expansion plans.(NEWSLINE)(Ecotone Publishing LLC)(Fellow American Institute of Architects)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Kansas City, Mo. -- Ecotone Publishing LLC, the first exclusive green architecture and design book publisher, has announced that Bob Berkebile, FAIA, has become an investor in the company, and that the company will add five new titles this...

New retail center features sustainable landscape architecture.(The Crossings at Corona, largest retail center opens)
May 1, 2005... Corona, Calif. -- The Crossings at Corona, one of California's largest retail centers incorporating sustainable landscape architecture, recently had its grand opening. Owned and developed by Castle & Cooke Corona, Inc., the 1.2 million...

Washington state law requires green building.(NEWSLINE)
May 1, 2005... By Glen Gilbert, CEO, Cascadia Region Green Building Council, and Joan Crooks, Executive Director, Washington Environmental Council Olympia, Wash. -- High performance green buildings got a big boost on April 8, when Washington Governor...

New tool for energy efficiency in business released.(NEWSLINE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Washington, D.C. -- "Energy Management and Shareholder Value," an executive briefing recently released, offers businesses increased evidence on and successful practices for linking energy efficiency and shareholder value. The document's...

California design competition focuses on recycled tires.(NEWSLINE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Sacramento, Calif. -- The California Integrated Waste Management Board is sponsoring the "Tire-Derived sustainable building product design competition," presented by the California Exposition and State Fair. The competition provides companies...

Fifth annual LEED Guide to be published in ED+C.(NEWSLINE)(Environmental Design and Construction)(United States Green Building Council )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Troy, Mich. -- For the fifth year in a row, Environmental Design + Construction will publish The LEED Guide, an exclusive section published with the U.S. Green Building Council in the July issue. In this year's edition, the guide will...

Particleboard panels.(NEW + NOTABLE)
May 1, 2005... 1 Portland, Ore. -- Columbia Forest Products introduces EcoColors, a new line of tinted, FSC-certified particleboard panels designed as an environmental alternative to melamine and other decorative surfaces. Visit Columbia Forest Products at...

Energy-efficient washing machine.(NEW + NOTABLE)
May 1, 2005... 2 Huntington Beach, Calif. -- Bosch introduces the Nexxt Laundry System, featuring a front-loading washer. The Nexxt Laundry System can clean a full load using as little as 10.6 gallons of water due to a horizontal drum which lifts and drops...

Mosaic glass tiles.(NEW + NOTABLE)
May 1, 2005... 3 Carlsbad, Calif. -- Oceanside Glasstile introduces Tessera, their new line of hand-cut mosaic tiles. Tessera glass tiles are made from up to 85 percent recycled glass bottle content and raw sand. Applications include interior and exterior...

Concrete kitchen sink.(NEW + NOTABLE)
May 1, 2005... 4 Sonoma, Calif. -- Sonoma Cast Stone Corp. introduces its new line of handcrafted concrete kitchen sinks. Made out of all natural materials, Sonoma Cast Stone concrete is durable and highly resistant to staining, the company reports. ...

Recycled surfaces.(NEW + NOTABLE)
May 1, 2005... 5 Brooklyn, N.Y. -- IceStone Durable Surfaces introduces surfaces made from recycled glass and concrete. Heat and scratch resistant, IceStone contains no VOCs and produces no harmful indoor air pollutants. IceStone is made without...

School plumbing brochure.(NEW + NOTABLE)
May 1, 2005... 6 Franklin Park, Ill. -- Sloan Valve Co. explains how educational facilities can conserve water and reduce operating costs in its new brochure "How Green is Your School's Plumbing?" The brochure highlights Sloan's full line of water...

Anti-reflective Glass.(NEW + NOTABLE)
May 1, 2005... 7 Toledo, Ohio -- Pilkington North America introduces OptiView Anti-reflective Glass. According to the company, OptiView Glass reduces visible light reflectance to less than 2 percent, while blocking nearly 100 percent of UV rays. Being a...

Looking through glass: today's technologically advanced glass designed for daylighting and energy efficiency means architects have plenty of options to weigh.
May 1, 2005... Today's glass is not your grandfather's--or even your father's--glass. Today's glass can do so much more. There's glass that is energy efficient, allows high daylight transmittance, reflects light, self-cleans, available in an array of...

Restrooms go green: a variety of water conserving options and plumbing products enhance Chicago's Social Security Center, and educational facilities like Washington's IslandWood, Michigan's Bunker Interpretive Center, and California State Northridge's Student Union.
May 1, 2005... BUILDING GOES WATER FREE The Harold Washington Social Security Center occupies a full city block in Chicago's West Loop business section. The 10-story edifice is the Regional Headquarters for the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA)....

C2C Home competition moving toward construction.(NEWSLINE at home)
May 1, 2005... Roanoke, Va. -- The mainstays in home development in Southwest Virginia are moving quickly toward construction on several of the C2C Home designs. Community Housing Partners, Blue Ridge Housing Development Corporation, Habitat for Humanity,...

Henry Condominiums receive gold LEED rating.(NEWSLINE at home)(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Portland, Ore. -- The Henry Condominiums has received gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, becoming only the third residential building in the United States to achieve...

National Green Building Awards honor green homes.(NEWSLINE at home)
May 1, 2005... Atlanta -- The 2005 National Green Building Award winners were announced during The National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) seventh annual National Green Building Conference in March 2005, which highlights environmentally friendly, cost...

REHAU, Amvic partner with Design Basics to present home plans for better living.(NEWSLINE at home)
May 1, 2005... Leesburg, Va. -- Building product manufacturers REHAU and Amvic have teamed up with Design Basics Inc., a home plan design service, to provide builders with a variety of home plans featuring their integrated, leading-edge building solutions....

High-performance home: the Moriartys utilized structural insulated panels and other environmental products to create an energy-efficient timber-frame home in Colorado.
May 1, 2005... After visiting Colorado on several vacations, Joan and Brian Moriarty knew they'd relocate from western Connecticut to build a timber frame home there. Timber frame construction fit in naturally with their desire to build a mountain home with...

Going home: NAHB unveils residential green building guidelines.(STUDIO)(National Association of Home Builders)
May 1, 2005... Though green building pioneers have made tremendous strides in the field, green building has until now remained the domain of a relatively small number of niche builders. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In response to increasing demands by...

Steeped in green: developing the PCBC's Pacific Heights showhouse.(Pacific Coast Builders Conference)
May 1, 2005... As a testament to the expanding market for residential green building, the Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC) will premier its first green remodeled showhouse during the annual convention, May 31 through June 3, 2005. PCBC, named one of...

A passion for reclaiming: the extraordinary things people are doing with reclaimed wood.
May 1, 2005... Reclaimed wood refers to wood that has been salvaged from a previous use. Oftentimes, reclaimed wood and lumber come from old barns and warehouses. According to The Old Barn Wood Co. (Baraboo, Wis.), they are the source for massive wood beams,...

Green edge; Computer modeling: forge ahead with care.
May 1, 2005... Using computer models to predict a building's energy use before it has been built has been perhaps the single most important advancement in building energy efficiency in recent years. Today modeling helps us design better buildings. Modeling is...

SBIC's annual meeting reveals broad benefits.(STUDIO)(Sustainable Buildings Industry Council )
May 1, 2005... Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) members and colleagues came together in mid-October for their annual member meeting and topical FORUM at the national headquarters of the American Institute of Architects. Their goal was to educate,...

Traction elevator system.(PRODUCT FOCUS: ELEVATORS AND ESCALATORS)
May 1, 2005... Morristown, N.J. -- Schindler introduces the 400A machine room-less traction elevator system that uses up to 30 percent less power than traditional elevator systems and uses high-efficiency equipment for clean, quiet and environmentally...

Energy efficient elevator.(PRODUCT FOCUS: ELEVATORS AND ESCALATORS)
May 1, 2005... Farmington, Conn. -- Otis Elevator Co.'s Gen2 machine room-less elevator system uses flat, polyurethane-coated steel belts to lift the elevator car and is completely lubrication free. The system is up to 50 percent more energy efficient than...

Soy hydraulic fluid.(PRODUCT FOCUS: ELEVATORS AND ESCALATORS)
May 1, 2005... Defiance, Ohio -- Agri-Lube Inc. introduces a soy hydraulic elevator fluid that is readily biodegradable, thereby having little negative environmental impact. The soy-based elevator grease comes from a renewable resource, is economical,...

Machine room-less elevator.(PRODUCT FOCUS: ELEVATORS AND ESCALATORS)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Moline, Ill. -- KONE's EcoSpace is a machine-room-less elevator designed to fit in a hydraulic hoistway. Created specifically to fit the hydraulic footprint, this product is highly energy-efficient, uses no hydraulic oil, and provides a 25 to...

Certified treated lumber.(PRODUCT FOCUS: ENVIRONMENTAL WOOD PRODUCTS AND SHEATHING)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Alberta, Canada -- Panel Source International has announced PureKor FSC Certified Fire Retardant Lumber and Plywood, and PureKor FSC Certified Pressure Treated Lumber and Plywood. All products offer a variety of environmental features and...

Wolmanized Wood.(PRODUCT FOCUS: ENVIRONMENTAL WOOD PRODUCTS AND SHEATHING)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Smyrna, Ga. -- Arch Wood Protection Inc. introduces Wolmanized Outdoor Wood, a brand of lumber and plywood that is pressure-treated with copper azole, which extends the wood's life. Wolmanized Wood is a renewable material that requires less...

Certified hardwood plywood.(PRODUCT FOCUS: ENVIRONMENTAL WOOD PRODUCTS AND SHEATHING)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Portland, Ore. -- Hardwood plywood manufacturer Columbia Forest Products Inc. has introduced a new line of environmentally certified hardwood plywood and veneered particleboard. This new line responds to an increasing demand for third-party...

FSC-certified lumber, plywood.(PRODUCT FOCUS: ENVIRONMENTAL WOOD PRODUCTS AND SHEATHING)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Spokane, Wash. -- Potlatch Corporation announces their newly FSC-certified lumber. Potlatch's Idaho lumber and plywood products have been third-party certified under the FSC's chain-of-custody certification. Certified Potlatch products include...

EPA-approved wood treatment.(PRODUCT FOCUS: ENVIRONMENTAL WOOD PRODUCTS AND SHEATHING)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Baltimore, Md. -- Fletcher Wood Solutions introduces Armourwood, real wood products that are pressure-treated with an organic biocide formula that prevents infestation by timber-destroying fungi and wood-destroying borers and termites. The...

Cedar Shakes and Shingles.(PRODUCT FOCUS: ENVIRONMENTAL WOOD PRODUCTS AND SHEATHING)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... British Columbia, Canada -- Fire Smart Roofing Treatment Inc. introduces Cedar Shakes and Shingles. Cedar is a renewable resource building material that can be readily absorbed back into the earth with no environmental harm, the company says....

Breathable fiberboard.(PRODUCT FOCUS: ENVIRONMENTAL WOOD PRODUCTS AND SHEATHING)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Northfield, Ill. -- Knight-Celotex Fiberboard introduces SturdyBrace, a breathable fiberboard made from 80 percent recovered hardwood fibers. SturdyBrace saves energy costs at a low cost per R-value, and meets national codes for structural...

HDPE system.(PRODUCT FOCUS: STORMWATER MANAGEMENT)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Occoquan, Va. -- HydroLogic Solutions offers StormChamber, an open bottom HDPE system that functions as a "zero discharge" system, mimicking pre-development hydrology while maintaining base flow to streams and wetlands, eliminating thermal...

Permeable pavement system.(PRODUCT FOCUS: STORMWATER MANAGEMENT)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Oswego, Ill. -- Advanced Pavement Technologies presents the Bio-Aquifer Storm System, an engineered permeable pavement system that provides post-construction run-off rates that meet predevelopment conditions without using surface detention...

Stormwater reuse system.(PRODUCT FOCUS: STORMWATER MANAGEMENT)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Taos. N.M. -- Living Machines, a division of Dharma Living Systems, Inc., has designed an integrated stormwater treatment system. The system provides the benefits of stormwater detention and reuse for irrigation and toilet flushing, while...

Subsurface water storage.(PRODUCT FOCUS: STORMWATER MANAGEMENT)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Golden, Colo. -- Invisible Structures introduces Rainstore3, a new class of subsurface water storage. Used for detention, retention or stormwater harvesting and made from 100 percent recycled plastic, Rainstore3 can reduce off-site flooding,...

Porous pavers.(PRODUCT FOCUS: STORMWATER MANAGEMENT)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Richmond, Va. -- ACF Environmental manufactures Atlantis Turf Cell, a porous paver that allows horizontal root growth. The Turf Cell grass reinforcement structure is designed to house and protect grass. It permits surface water filtration and...

Biodegradable blankets.(PRODUCT FOCUS: STORMWATER MANAGEMENT)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Evansville, Ind. -- North American Green's BioNet Series includes 100 percent biodegradable erosion control blankets. BioNet is an environmentally-friendly alternative to synthetic products for sensitive, yet tough, erosion control projects,...