Environmental Design & Construction articles from November 2004

Environmental Design & Construction archives from November 2004

ED+C honored for sustainable practices.(EDITOR'S NOTE)
November 1, 2004... I am pleased to announce that our hard work reaching the green building industry has really paid off this year. Last month, ED+C was honored with the 2004 Best Sustainable Practice Award for Special Achievement in Communications from the...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... Dear ED+C, I have long been interested in insulating concrete forms (ICF) for residential and commercial design but was very concerned by a claim in the article "Commercial Building Take on a New Form" about IFC wall systems in ED+C's...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2004... Correction: Page s4 of the Concrete special section in ED+C's September/October issue states "Domestic cement production accounts for only 33 percent of U.S. energy consumption..." Indeed, the correct figure should have been written as "only...

Environmental Design + Construction magazine honored with SBIC Best Sustainable Practice Award for Special Achievement in Communications.(NEWSLINE)
November 1, 2004... Washington, D.C. -- The Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) recently announced its 2004 Sustainable Practice Award Winners. Environmental Design + Construction (ED+C) has received the honor of Best Sustainable Practice Award for...

GSA releases LEED cost study.(NEWSLINE; General Services Administration, Leadership in Energy and Enviromental Design Building Rating System, Version 2.1)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) commissioned a study, completed in October 2004, to estimate the costs of developing green federal facilities using the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)...

CHPS launches a low-emitting products database.(NEWSLINE; Collaborative for High Performance Schools)
November 1, 2004... San Francisco, Calif. -- The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) officially launched a low-emitting products listing to ensure healthy schools for future generations. The Low-Emitting Materials Table is a free resource available...

Haworth looks to Archeworks to curb industry contribution to landfill.(NEWSLINE; green design for office furniture)
November 1, 2004... Holland, Mich. -- Haworth, Inc., a Holland, Michigan-based manufacturer of office environments, and Archeworks, Chicago's alternative design school, have joined forces to devise a strategy for extending the life of office furniture and create...

Armstrong Ceiling Recycling Program reclaims 20,000,000 square feet of tiles in first five years.(NEWSLINE)
November 1, 2004... Lancaster, Pa. -- Armstrong Ceilings has announced that its Ceiling Recycling Program has already diverted more than 20-million square feet of old acoustical ceiling tiles from landfills since the inception of the program five years ago. ...

Wood casegoods earn Greenguard Certification.(NEWSLINE; Teknion wood casegoods earns Environmental Institure certification )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Atlanta, Ga. -- The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute awarded GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification to Teknion's wood casegoods. Now products from Teknion's six wood casegood lines will be offered with the GREENGUARD finish and materials...

EPA status report shows U.S. air cleanest since 1970.(NEWSLINE)
November 1, 2004... Washington, D.C. -- Total emissions of the six principal pollutants identified in the Clean Air dropped again in 2003, signaling that America's air is the cleanest ever in three decades, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported...

Waste carpet-to-energy project developed.(NEWSLINE; Shaw Industries and Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.'s waste conversion project)
November 1, 2004... Atlanta, Ga. -- Shaw Industries and Siemens Building Technologies, Inc., have developed a process for converting carpet and wood manufacturing waste into steam energy and, as a result, will lower plant emissions, greatly reduce the amount of...

Greenbuild 2004: you're invited to attend the year's biggest green building event in Portland this month.(Nov 9-12, 2004 trade show )
November 1, 2004... WHO: Green building professionals including: architects, building owners, contractors, developers, educators, engineers, facility managers, government agencies, home builders, interior designers, landscape architects, nonprofit organizations,...

Formaldehyde-free insulation system.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2004... 1 Denver, Colo. -- Johns Manville (JM), has introduced Spider spray-in formaldehyde-free, fast-dry insulation system. Spider is made from specially designed glass fibers that are naturally white like cotton. During the installation process, the...

Green Seal certified towel and tissue products.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2004... 2 Middletown, Ohio -- Wausau Paper has achieved Green Seal certification for 29 of its Bay West brand 100 percent recycled EcoSoft towel and its sue products. To achieve and maintain the Green Seal certification, the selected towel and tissue...

Bulletin focuses on UVC and Schools.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2004... 3 Cerritos, Calif. -- Steril-Aire, Inc. has published a new application bulletin describing how ultraviolet-C or "UVC" technology can protect schools while reducing costs. The bulletin, titled "UVC and Schools," explains how UVC devices...

Renewable wheat straw panels benefit Fort Hood.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2004... 4 Electra, Texas -- Agriboard Industries offers environmentally engineered building panel systems using renewable agricultural resources. Compressed wheat straw products from Agriboard include: Agri-Panel for structural walls, curtain walls,...

Silk-screened glass uses lead-free ceramic enamel frit.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2004... 5 Westville, N.J. -- Glass fabricator J.E. Berkowitz is offering a new, in-house silk-screened glass called EnviroScreen Glass. EnviroScreen Glass is made using a lead-free ceramic enamel frit, which eliminates harmful environmental effects...

Machine-room-less elevator is available for low-rise market.(NEW + NOTABLE )
November 1, 2004... 6 Moline, Ill. -- Machine-room-less (MRL) elevator pioneer KONE Inc. introduces EcoSpace, the first MRL elevator designed specifically for two to seven stop applications. EcoSpace fits in a hydraulic hoistway, unlocks 36 to 136 additional...

Wine barrels recycled into unique flooring.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2004... 7 Corona Del Mar. Calif. -- Fontenay Wood offers The Vintage Barrel Collection of flooring constructed from the heads of wine barrels. The barrels are a combination of clear grade, quarter-sawn French and American white oak, all used and...

Online at www.edcmag.com.
November 1, 2004... THIS MONTH'S WEB EXCLUSIVE ARTICLES INCLUDE: * BUILDING HEALTHY HOMES--AS IS SEE IT, A COLUMN BY ANDREW J. PACE, CSI, PRINCIPAL OF SAFE BUILDING SOLUTIONS. * FEDERAL TAX CREDITS INADVERTENTLY BOOST GREEN BUILDING BY STUART COWAN AND...

Space exploration: "green spaceship" launches latest sustainable techniques in Northern Illinois.(Lake Zurich, Illinois Elementary/Middle School)(Cover Story)
November 1, 2004... In January 2004, a 222,000-square-foot structure touched down in Lake Zurich, a tight-knit community of 18,000 that lies 30 miles northwest of Chicago. School Board President Jan Putbress says the new Lake Zurich Elementary/Middle School (EMS)...

Sustainability with a view: Seattle's new City Hall and Justice Center garden roofs represent the city's environmental initiatives.
November 1, 2004... Visitors to Seattle's new City Hall and Justice Center probably don't spend much time considering the sustainability, energy savings and ecological benefits of these new civic buildings' high profile garden roofs. They're too busy enjoying the...

Welcome to the Carpet and Rug Institute's focus on sustainability.(A Special Section in: THE CARPET AND RUG INSTITUTE)
November 1, 2004... ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN + CONSTRUCTION MAGAZINE IS PLEASED TO INTRODUCE THE CARPET AND RUG INSTITUTE'S SPECIAL SECTION FOCUSED ON THE SUSTAINABLE ATTRIBUTES OF CARPET, NOT ONLY HAVE CARPET INDUSTRY MANUFACTURERS EMBRACED SUSTAINABILITY, THEY ALSO...

Sustainability is here to stay.(A Special Section in: THE CARPET AND RUG INSTITUTE)
November 1, 2004... Sustainability is one of those popular buzzwords we hear bantered about a lot, but oftentimes it is not fully grasped in the context of an overall scheme of things. Too many times, the term sustainability is linked exclusively with...

Care facilitates cost-effective and efficient recycling and re-use of carpet.(A Special Section in: THE CARPET AND RUG INSTITUTE)
November 1, 2004... The carpet industry has a long and credible track record of being in the forefront among industries in dealing with environmental issues and meeting challenges head-on. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION...

Green Label Plus testing program for carpet contributes to good indoor air quality.(A Special Section in: THE CARPET AND RUG INSTITUTE)
November 1, 2004... Responsible products are a major focus of the industry. Even though carpet is already one of the lowest-emitting products as far as indoor products go--it should be noted carpet is the lowest VOC emitter among such indoor products as paint,...

Carpet: dispelling indoor air quality misconceptions.(A Special Section in: THE CARPET AND RUG INSTITUTE)
November 1, 2004... Today, more than ever before, Americans have become indoor creatures. They spend 90 percent of their time indoors, so indoor air quality has come under great scrutiny over the last several years. While many people struggle with general...

Succeed at LEED: an integrated look at water; An ongoing series presenting useful LEED tips and tricks.(STUDIO; Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
November 1, 2004... This month we look at strategies to improve building projects and capture Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system points through strategies that either reduce the consumption of potable water, a scarce and valuable...

Sneak preview! Green communities work: Terramor Village homes set a new benchmark for design.(a special section in: SUSTAINABLE HOME)
November 1, 2004... Welcome to a sneak preview of Sustainable Home, a new section in ED+C dedicated to the design/build/remodel of the residential building market. In this issue, you will find: [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Setting a New Benchmark for...

Setting a new benchmark for sustainable building: Southern California's Terramor village at Ladera Ranch is a great example of what the future might hold in green design and development.(a special section in: SUSTAINABLE HOME)
November 1, 2004... Throughout the western states, the building and community development sectors of the real estate industry are looking more seriously at incorporating "green" solutions into their projects. Southern California has not historically practiced...

Making green communities work: a step-by-step approach to designing, developing and marketing communities that are tuned into the environment and a new breed of conscientious homebuyer.(a special section in: SUSTAINABLE HOME)
November 1, 2004... Throughout the nation, the building and community development sectors of the real estate industry are looking more seriously at incorporating "green" solutions into their projects. Of course, all of these programs cost money to implement, but...

Sarah Susanka's Not So Big Showhouse.(2005 International Builders Show in Orlando, Florida )
November 1, 2004... Architect and author Sarah Susanka wants builders to "build better, not bigger" houses, and her design approach has clearly struck a nerve with homebuyers. Her Not So Big House book has sold over a million copies, and TV appearances include...

Evaluating green: the role of performance.
November 1, 2004... How do we become sustainable in a throw-away society where mass consumption and waste prevail? Despite familiar claims by manufacturers like long-lasting, never needs replacing, guaranteed for a lifetime, are there really products that perform...

JM Johns Manville.
November 1, 2004... Choosing JM is building responsibly Every day you're responsible for making tough building decisions. At Johns Manville, we don't think the insulation you choose should be one of them. That's why we're committed to developing building...

IAQ monitoring for occupant health: questions to ask when pursuing LEED IEQ Credit 1.(STUDIO; monitoring carbon dioxide)
November 1, 2004... As the necessity for managing buildings' ventilation increases, the use of carbon dioxide (C[O.sub.2]) monitoring has become more widespread. Now that more people are installing monitoring to obtain feedback on ventilation performance in their...

On tour: INVISTA shares its fiber company's environmental mission.(Antron carpet fiber seminar)
November 1, 2004... I had the privilege of attending an Antron[R] carpet fiber seminar and plant tour, held at the beautiful historic Barnsley Gardens (seen in the background) in Adairsville, Ga., in mid September. It was a pleasure to join more than 40 other...

A holistic approach: looking at Indoor Environmental Quality from all angles in LEED.(STUDIO; Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design )
November 1, 2004... Many factors contribute to a building that meets environmentally friendly standards. The goal is to meet program objectives for the building while reducing the consumption of non-renewable resources, minimizing waste and creating healthy,...

Lead in water: an old enemy gets new press; The problem of lead in the water in Washington, D.C. could occur (or may already be happening) in a number of other U.S. cities.(STUDIO)
November 1, 2004... Most of the U.S. public is well educated on the effects of lead in the human body--particularly its effects on young children. With the ongoing Washington, D.C. lead saga continually in our nation's news, it is only appropriate to discuss...

Making wastewater productive: maximizing your building's LEED credits.(STUDIO; Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
November 1, 2004... Wastewater is one of the primary sources of nitrogen and phosphorous in watersheds and excess nitrogen and phosphorous are degrading many of our coastal and inland waters. Nitrogen and phosphorous are fertilizers that cause excess algae growth...

Wetland restoration: Building Nature, Inc.(STUDIO; Wetland Studios in Virginia)
November 1, 2004... Mike Rolband and I walk into Sunrise Valley Nature Park, made to compensate for wetlands destroyed when town homes were built, not far from downtown Washington, D.C. Mike, in a blue fleece and jeans, eyes hidden by dark sunglasses, leads the...

Vinyl under crossfire: navigating fact from fiction in the debate over PVC and the environment.(ADVERTORIAL)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2004... For the second time in five years, the US Green Building Council (USGBC) is bravely wading into the controversy surrounding vinyl. (1) At the request of certain parties in the Green community, USGBC is trying to determine whether vinyl (from...

Recycled glass terrazzo: municipal trash illuminates unique flooring and countertops.(PRODUCT PROFILE)
November 1, 2004... A glut of old glass bottles, mirrors and windows has become the source for a chic green twist to a classic flooring concept. Publicity in July 2002 about a north Texas city's overabundance of crushed recycled glass inspired a creative solution:...

Linoleum tile.(FLOORING)
November 1, 2004... Houston, Texas -- Tarkett Specialty's Linosom Linoleum is now available in the versatile tile format, providing additional design options for architects and designers interested in using linoleum flooring. This unique homogeneous,...

Renewable hardwood.(FLOORING)
November 1, 2004... Federal Way, Wash. -- Developed through a partnership between Weyerhaeuser and Aracruz Produitos De Madeira, S.A., Lyptus is a new hardwood species available in a full spectrum of industrial wood products, including lumber, plywood, veneer,...

Recycled content yarn systems.(FLOORING)
November 1, 2004... Dalton, Ga. -- Honeywell, makers of Zeftron Nylon 6ix fiber systems for the commercial floor covering industry, has launched a new environmental initiative in which Zeftron-branded products bearing the Enviro6ix logo are guaranteed to contain a...

New linoleum collection.(FLOORING )
November 1, 2004... Hazleton, Pa. -- Forbo Flooring has developed a new linoleum collection, 'Marmoleum colourful greys', containing intriguing optical effects. Marmoleum colourful greys line was developed in co-operation with the Dutch visual artist and color...

Marble design rubber flooring.(FLOORING)
November 1, 2004... Lawrence, Mass. -- nora rubber flooring, produced by Freudenberg Building Systems Inc., brings classic marble design to floor coverings with noraplan classic, available in 16 colors. PVC-free noraplan classic offers designers a tone-on-tone...

PVC-free flooring.(FLOORING)
November 1, 2004... Atlanta, Ga. -- Stratica Eco-Polymeric Flooring is chlorine-free and contains no plasticizers, minimizing undesirable emissions and improving conditions inside buildings. Available in a range of 'natural' tiles and strips, it provides an...

Handmade glass tiles.(FLOORING)
November 1, 2004... Carlsbad, Calif. -- Every Oceanside Glasstile product is hand-cast, hand-cut and hand-finished. The company offers a variety of product lines in more than 40 colors and finishes. Recycled product offerings are comprised of up to 85 percent...

PVC-free backing.(FLOORING)
November 1, 2004... Dalton, Ga. -- Shaw Industries Inc. announced in June its exit from Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) carpet backing, effective at the end of this year. Driving the decision is the growth of EcoWorx, a non-PVC carpet backing introduced in 1999. Shaw...

Rubber modular tile.(FLOORING)
November 1, 2004... Lancaster, Pa. -- Dodge-Regupol Inc.'s ECO-surfaces Commercial Flooring has expanded its line of surfacing products to include a modular, yet extremely durable, pedestal tile system. Dubbed ECO-max, the new product is designed for a variety of...

Recycled carpet.(FLOORING)
November 1, 2004... Stoughton, Mass. -- With an overall recycled content of 45 percent (post consumer textile backing), Finett recycled carpet is part of the DzynSpec Innovative Floor Covering Collection by Mats Inc. and ideal for high-traffic environments. Finett...

Natural cork flooring.(FLOORING)
November 1, 2004... Parkesburg, Pa. -- The Artistico Collection by Expanko includes Topazio (shown), Viale and Listra. Skilled European craftsmen create the three patterns in The Artistico Collection; each is artistically hand-crafted using natural cork shades....

Modular carpets.(FLOORING)
November 1, 2004... LaGrange, Ga. -- Milliken Carpet's new Centra loop-pile 36-inch modular carpets blend geometric and organic designs. All Milliken modular carpets can be redesigned and renewed using the company's Earth Square program using 100 percent...

Laminate Flooring.(FLOORING)
November 1, 2004... Temple, Texas -- Wilsonart Laminate Flooring is comprised of 1/4-inch medium density fiberboard sandwiched between two layers of Wilsonart Laminate. The wood particles that are employed in the medium density fiberboard are obtained from several...

Natural wallcovering finish.(INTERIOR FINISHES)
November 1, 2004... Springfield, Neb. -- JaDecor natural wallcovering is a loose fiber cotton product that is troweled on the wall, composed primarily of cotton. Unlimited design capability is achieved by adding plant fiber, minerals, dyes, and effect materials in...

Earth Plaster.(INTERIOR FINISHES)
November 1, 2004... Albuquerque, N.M. -- American Clay--The Original Earth Plaster--is all natural and resists mold. With no VOCs, and three finishes available, the non-toxic product can create a variety of looks. American Clay offers a new, soy-based, non-VOC...

Mildew-resistant low-VOC paint.(INTERIOR FINISHES)
November 1, 2004... Pittsburgh -- Pittsburgh Paints offers Pure Performance Interior Latex, a premium paint that combines excellent durability, hiding and touch-up with zero VOC, minimal odor, and mildew resistance on the paint film, the company says. It is...

Green roof brochure.(ROOFING)
November 1, 2004... Saginaw, Mich. -- Shown is the latest brochure from Duro-Last "How to Turn Your Roof Green and Save a Mint on Energy Costs." Duro-Last Cool Zone roof system starts out with 87 percent reflectivity and is the only single-ply membrane rated by...

Cool-roof siliconized polyester coating.(ROOFING)
November 1, 2004... Southfield, Mich. -- BASF's new Superl SP II ULTRA-Cool is the only siliconized polyester system in the metal construction industry that combines energy-saving cool-roof technology with improved weathering resistance and application properties,...

Lightweight Green Roof System.(ROOFING)
November 1, 2004... Beachwood, Ohio -- Tremco Green Roof Systems provide an engineering solution for lighter weight green roofs that ensure superior resistance to root and moisture penetration of the waterproofing membrane, unsurpassed resistance to wind shear,...

Waterproofing membrane.(ROOFING)
November 1, 2004... Wylie, Texas -- Carlisle Coatings and Waterproofing offers integral waterproofing protection with CCW-525 liquid applied waterproofing membrane for both large and small planters and green roof applications. A liquid-applied elastomeric modified...

Modified bitumen roofing membrane.(ROOFING)
November 1, 2004... Fernley, Nev. -- Polyglass introduces its cool roof modified bitumen self-adhered roofing membrane, Polykool. This patent-pending APP or SBS based self-adhesive roofing membrane offers high reflectivity and emissive properties with the use of a...

Waterproofing systems chosen by winning teams.(ROOFING)
November 1, 2004... Canton, Mass. -- Two Sarnafil Inc. green roof projects--Oaklyn Branch Library in Evansville, Ind., and Life Expression Wellness Center in Sugar Loaf, Pa.--have received 2004 Green Roof Excellence Awards from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities....

Metal roofing.(ROOFING)
November 1, 2004... Perth Amboy, N.J. -- Englert Inc. stocks over 20 standard colors in Galvalume commercial roofing, and will paint Aluminum in a wide variety of colors. The company says metal roofing provides strength and versatility and is affordable. Englert's...

Rooftop garden systems.(ROOFING )
November 1, 2004... Roswell, Ga. -- GreenTech Inc.'s systems have been used college football stadiums, championship golf courses and city rooftop gardens. Each 46-inch square, high-density polyethylene module is its own complete growing environment. The GreenTech...

Insulated metal panels.(ROOFING )
November 1, 2004... Lewisville, TX -- Metl-Span manufactures energy-saving insulated metal panels for commercial, industrial and cold storage buildings. Foam core composite building panels provide the most efficient insulation values available anywhere for wall,...

Pre-painted zinc/tin roofing.(ROOFING )
November 1, 2004... Follansbee, W.V. -- Follansbee's KlassicKolors is a pre-painted Terne II zinc/tin coated roofing sheet offered in an extensive palette of designer colors. Its base sheet is coated with Follansbee's patented ZT (zinc/tin) alloy and then painted...

Tile panel system.(ROOFING )
November 1, 2004... Ontario, Calif. -- Met-Tile "tile panel" roofing system is now available in an aluminum substrate with a new Meadow Green finish. Though it looks like tile, the roofing actually consists of long-length, 3-foot-wide panels that are applied...

Green edge: the greening of education.
November 1, 2004... A renewed awareness of the environmental impact of our actions has spurred a proliferation of new academic programs, including environmental planning and design, sustainable urban design and even green MBAs. Many architecture and engineering...