Environmental Design & Construction articles from November 2006

Environmental Design & Construction archives from November 2006

Green trade shows thrive.(EDITOR'S NOTE)
November 1, 2006... Greenbuild is coming, and I hope to see (or meet) many of you in Denver this month at my fifth Greenbuild Conference and Expo (www.greenbuildexpo.org). Bumping into friendly familiar faces, seeing innovative new products, experiencing...

Needing more in-depth information.(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2006... Michelle, I began reading the latest ED+C on the subway today, and I felt like a junkie jonesing for bigger fix. And I cannot believe I am alone. Two or three years ago a brief synopsis of a project was probably enough to provide some...

ENERGY STAR Challenge: improve energy efficiency of buildings by 10 percent or more.(NEWSLINE)
November 1, 2006... Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with business and community leaders, has challenged building owners to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings by 10 percent or more. The ENERGY STAR Challenge...

Ginsberg awarded first-ever Alliance to Save Energy lifetime achievement award.(NEWSLINE)
November 1, 2006... Washington, D.C. -- The first ever Alliance to Save Energy lifetime achievement award was given to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE) Mark Ginsberg for his contribution to energy efficiency over the course of his career. Ginsberg,...

USGBC announces new board members.(NEWSLINE)(U.S. Green Building Council appoints Charles Allen, Tony Gale and Don Horn)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced the appointment of 15 new members to their Board of Directors for 2007. In addition to the directors recently elected by the USGBC membership, the current board has also...

Wells Fargo commits to largest-ever corporate purchase of renewable energy in U.S.(NEWSLINE)(Environmental Protection Agency)(Wells Fargo & Co. to follow renewable wind energy standards)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... San Francisco -- Wells Fargo & Company announced it will buy renewable energy certificates (RECs) to support generating 550 million kilowatt-hours of clean, renewable wind energy a year for three years, thereby becoming the largest corporate...

World's first LEED-certified automotive manufacturing plant.(NEWSLINE)(leadership in energy and environmental design certificate awarded to General Motors Corp.)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... St. Louis -- St. Louis-based Vertegy, a sustainability-consulting firm, added General Motors' (GM) Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant to its roster of LEED-certified projects. The GM plant in Lansing, Mich., has earned recognition as the...

GBI recognizes first green Materials Recovery Facility in U.S.(NEWSLINE)(Materials Recovery Facility recognised by U.S. Green Building Council)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Summit County, Colo. -- The Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) has become the first recycling facility in the country to be recognized by the Green Building Initiative's (GBI) Green Globes environmental assessment and rating system for...

SCS launches Sustainable Choice certification program for building products.(NEWSLINE)(Scientific Certification Systems Inc.)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Emeryville, Calif. -- Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) has launched SCS Sustainable Choice, a new certification program that recognizes sustainability achievements and offers manufacturers a path of continuous improvement in...

Governor: World Trade Center will use green building design.(NEWSLINE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... New York -- New York Governor George E. Pataki announced a new package of energy and environmental measures that will be incorporated into the design of the World Trade Center redevelopment. The Freedom Tower, World Trade Center Office Towers...

GMC to promote Green Mechanical practices.(NEWSLINE)(Green Mechanical Council )(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Milwaukee -- The Green Mechanical Council (GMC) has been launched to promote energy saving, sustainable practices in the mechanical room. "The USGBC's LEED program is a great success," said Dan Chiles, vice president of sales and marketing...

Structure to be world's largest built with recycled industrial materials.(NEWSLINE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Washington, D.C. -- A major commercial development in Syracuse, N.Y., will be the world's largest sustainable structure to be built with recycled industrial materials, incorporate energy efficient features, and reduce vehicle emissions. The...

Fireman's Fund first to introduce green building insurance coverage.(NEWSLINE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Novato, Calif. -- Fireman's Fund Insurance Company announced Certified Green Building Replacement and Green Upgrade coverages; the first and only insurance company to offer coverage specifically for green commercial buildings and address the...

BNP Media announces launch of Site Prep Magazine.(NEWSLINE)(BNP Media )(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Troy, Mich. -- ED+C parent company BNP Media announced Site Prep Magazine's launch as an independent publication effective January 2007. Site Prep will be published six times annually, and joins BNP Media's family of 40+ trade magazines,...

Vinyl Roofing Division of CFAA launches comprehensive website on cool roofing.(NEWSLINE)
November 1, 2006... Cleveland -- The Vinyl Roofing Division of the Chemical Fabric and Film Association has launched a new website that will provide information on cool roofing, and will be updated on an ongoing basis. The comprehensive website includes an...

FSC 2006 green building market report cites ED+C as 'most preferred'.(NEWSLINE)(Forest Stewardship Council)
November 1, 2006... Portland, Ore. -- In a report developed by Forest Products Solutions and the Forest Stewardship Council--US (FSC-US), "FSC in the Green Building Market 2006," the focus was to survey green building professionals at the Greenbuild Expo in...

Don't miss ED+C at Greenbuild!(NEWSLINE)(Conference notes)
November 1, 2006... Denver -- Environmental Design + Construction magazine is excited to participate in the 2006 Greenbuild Conference and Expo | Denver, Nov. 15-17, 2006. This year marks the fifth anniversary of Greenbuild, as well as the fifth time for ED+C...

GSA report concludes LEED "most credible" rating system.(NEWSLINE)(General Services Administration)(Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Washington, D.C. -- A recently completed report by the General Services Administration (GSA) comparing five different green building rating systems concludes that the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Environmental and Energy...

Natural Cotton Fiber Insulation available in R-21.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 1 Chandler, Ariz. -- Manufactured by Bonded Logic, Inc., UltraTouch Natural Cotton Fiber Insulation is a non-itch insulation made from natural cotton fibers with no formaldehyde or harmful chemical irritants used. The insulation provides a...

Solar builder's supply catalog helps green builders, contractors and architects.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 2 Saint Louis -- Solar Night Industries' "The Solar Builder's Supply Catalog" provides contractors, builders, architects, and homeowners with a turnkey solution to determining which solar panels and supporting applications are necessary to...

Floorcovering emulates natural look of grass.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 3 Dalton, Ga. -- Nood Floorcovering's Spork is a new category of cut-pile, broadloom soft flooring. Made of tufted nylon (the same component as carpet), Spork has a natural look like flokati or grass, according to the company, but due to its...

Medium-voltage Variable-Speed Drives reduce chiller energy costs.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 4 York, Pa. -- Johnson Controls' has expanded its line of York OptiSpeed Variable-Speed Drives (VSD) with the introduction of a medium-voltage VSD for model YK centrifugal chillers. According to the company, the drive enables building owners to...

Wood ceiling tiles made from renewable, recycled material.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 5 Minneapolis -- Available in light, medium, dark and custom wood shades, illbruck acoustic, inc.'s line of wood ceiling tiles, Bioline, are composed of 70 to 80 percent recycled, post-industrial material (by weight), the company reports....

Urethane two part low rise Foam Adhesive.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 6 Romeoville, Ill. -- Launching at the 2006 USGBC Green-build expo | Denver, Green Products, LLC's Naturalock Biobased Urethane Foam Adhesive is designed to replace petroleum-based adhesive fastener products for bonding approved roof...

Cool roof cap sheet is Title 24 compliant.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 7 Denver -- ENERGY STAR-qualified, Johns Manville's GlasKap CR cool roof cap sheet is a white, mineral-surfaced, white acrylic coated, fiber glass cap sheet used as the uppermost finish ply in a variety of built-up and hybrid SBS roofing...

Website: promoting the triple bottom line.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 8 Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Board of Directors has launched a website articulating the organization's Guiding Principles to acknowledge their commitment to the essential values of: Sustainability; Equity;...

It takes a dedicated team to launch a green facility: NASA'S Johnson Space Center teaches lessons in sustainable design performance and productivity.(National Aeronautics and Space Administration )
November 1, 2006... A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. --Antoine de Saint-Exupe'ry It seems that the French aviator and author has something in common with the...

Mta gets green and clean: dD+P sets new green standards for facility design in New York.
November 1, 2006... Transforming a gritty New York neighborhood, di Domenico + Partners, LLP (dD+P) is providing architecture and landscape design services for a 560,000-square-foot new central maintenance facility and bus depot on Grand Avenue in Maspeth, Queens....

Inspired by Arizona: the green Phoenix Convention Center expansion was designed with themes motivated by the environment.
November 1, 2006... The Phoenix Convention Center ushered in an exciting era when it opened its doors on July 15, 2006. That day marked the public debut of the West Building, built over the previous three years, and the completion of Phase One in a multi-year,...

Sustainable[R] home.
November 1, 2006... Welcome to this November 2006 edition of Sustainable Home. This is a "sneak preview" of this retooled, focused separate special section in ED+C, which, beginning in January 2007, will go to residential architects, designers and custom...

NBM presents blueprint for affordable, green American dream house.(NEWSLINE at home)(National Building Museum )
November 1, 2006... Washington, D.C. -- The growing mandate for green design in home building is explored comprehensively by the National Building Museum (NBM) in an exhibition titled: The Green House: New Directions in Sustainable Architecture and Design. The...

Global Green USA and Brad Pitt announce winners of Sustainable Design Competition for New Orleans.(NEWSLINE at home)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... New Orleans -- Global Green USA President Matt Petersen and design jury chairman Brad Pitt announced the winner of the Sustainable Design Competition for New Orleans. GREEN.O.LA, designed by Andrew Kotchen and Matthew Berman, Workshop/APD, will...

Prescriptive Method for building with SIPs released.(NEWSLINE at home)(structural insulated panels)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Gig Harbor, Wash. -- After nearly a year of testing and evaluation, the Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA) and the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) have released a Prescriptive Method for structural insulated...

USGBC, Newland Communities announce commitment at Clinton Global Initiative.(NEWSLINE at home)(U.S. Green Building Council)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... New York -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), supported by Newland Communities, has committed to launching a campaign to educate consumers about the benefits of green building. This comprehensive yearlong campaign was announced in New...

C2C begins construction on competition entry home.(NEWSLINE at home)(Cradle to Cradle )(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Roanoke, Va. -- Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Home will begin construction of the competition entry submitted by Stephen Feather, AIA (The Interactive Design Group) and Richard Rife, AIA (Rife + Woods Architects) in Roanoke, Va. The home will be...

NAHB reports home technology, materials, products bring green to mainstream.(NEWSLINE at home)(National Association of Home Builders)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Washington, D.C. -- As part of a continued emphasis on bringing green building to the mainstream, members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) are increasingly specifying products, supplies and technologies that can lower gas,...

Living homes: anatomy of a Platinum-rated green residential home building project.
November 1, 2006... Residents in the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica, Calif., gathered on a neighbor's stoop under clear blue skies and the blazing April sun to watch as a 175-ton crane laid 11 prefabricated modules into place. Those neighbors who left...

Green building on green acres: resort development promotes green building practices through five-star Home at Suncadia.
November 1, 2006... Back in the nineties, in the popular television series Northern Exposure, a moose casually ambled down the main street of a tiny town supposedly in Alaska. In the real, small town of Roslyn in rural Washington where it was filmed, residents...

Wood-burning fireplaces provide safe, efficient heat.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 1 Charlottesville, Va. -- Tulikivi's Linea Alternativa line of EPA-certified, soapstone clad wood-burning stoves provide heat not only while the fire burns, but the ceramic-lined steel firebox also generates warmth for up to six hours after the...

Indirect-fired domestic water heater.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 2 Lebanon, Tenn. -- Lochinvar's Squire is a stainless steel indirect-fired water heater for use with the Knight Heating Boiler, which offers a recovery rate up to three times faster than conventional gas or electric water heaters, the company...

Concrete manufactured with recycled materials.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 3 Atlanta -- The Quikrete Companies announced a joint venture with Charah Dry Mix, LLC to manufacture and distribute selected products under the Quikrete brand. Charah Dry Mix LLC produces a patent-pending concrete mix made with bottom ash, a...

Tankless water heater combines form and function.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 4 Peachtree City, Ga. -- Rinnai Corporation's tankless water heater model for residential applications, the Designer Plus Series, features the capability to deliver continuous, on-demand hot water at up to 8.5 gallons per minute (GPM),...

Small 13 seer unit uses lowered refrigerant charge, piston metering device.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 5 Norman, Okla. -- Johnson Controls' Coleman [mc]2 MicroChannel MiniCube 13 SEER air conditioner now features a microchannel coil with enhanced heat transfer characteristics, enabling the unit to achieve the desired performance levels, and a...

Mdf-core green laminate countertops are moisture resistant.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 6 Marion, Ind. -- Hartson-Kennedy Cabinet Top Co., Inc. offers a green countertop option that uses Medex, a moisture resistant, no-added formaldehyde medium density fiberboard (MDF) as its core, the company reports. The Medex board's moisture...

Efficienct home appliances selected for prefabricated LivingHomes.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 7 Huntington Beach, Calif. -- Bosch home appliances have been selected to equip the kitchen and laundry of the LivingHomes model home, a prefabricated residence located in Santa Monica, Calif., which has received a Platinum rating under the...

Dry shelled corn used as fuel source for whole house heating systems.(NEW + NOTABLE)
November 1, 2006... 8 Roger, Minn. -- Bixby Energy Systems' MaxFire home heating stove uses dry shelled corn instead of fossil fuels or ethanol-to cut home heating costs by more than 50 percent, the company reports. The stoves, which can be used instead of...

Indoor air quality: a prevailing factor in school construction.
November 1, 2006... Schools have long played an integral role in the development of our country. One-fifth of the total American population consists of K-12 public school students. If you count teachers and administrators, nearly one quarter of the country's...

Greenguard takes on IAQ in schools.(Greenguard Environmental Institute)(indoor air quality)
November 1, 2006... Since its inception less than five years ago, GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) has established a prominent and well-recognized certification program for low-emitting products. The GREENGUARD Certification Program is particularly used in...

What is safe? A look at indoor air quality in schools.
November 1, 2006... For those of us with school-aged children, the daily routine is generally the same. We start each morning preparing our kids for the upcoming day--serving a healthy breakfast, driving carpool, or sending them to the bus stop to make sure they...

What makes the building green? Unique features earn LEED Platinum Core & Shell pre-certification for McKinney Green Building.
November 1, 2006... Set amid the fast-growing community of McKinney, Texas, and just 18 miles north of Dallas, the McKinney Green Building is a 61,000-square-foot three-story commercial office building with a distinctive Texas flavor. One cannot help but notice...

Elegant design combined with sustainable design: new Como Park Visitor and Education Center integrates modern architecture with common-sense sustainable design strategies.
November 1, 2006... The new Visitor and Education Center (VEC) for the Como Park Zoo and adjacent Marjorie McNeely Conservatory located in St. Paul, Minn., sets a new aesthetic standard for sustainable architecture. The innovative design, by HGA Architects and...

New sports facility brings the outdoors in with Advanced Glazings.(CASE STUDIES)
November 1, 2006... For sports enthusiasts, participating in a game in a well-lit environment can make all the difference. Bringing daylight into sports facilities is challenging; finding solutions, however, has made all the difference for one small town. When...

Polysteel ICFs address sustainable design issues for university tennis and Soccer Facility.(CASE STUDIES)
November 1, 2006... The new 14,983-square-foot Tennis Center / Soccer Facility at the University of Oklahoma, designed by LWPB Architecture, PC, provides new spectator seating and a press box for the existing soccer field, as well as locker facilities for soccer...

Biohaus achieves Passivhaus certification with REHAU.(CASE STUDIES)
November 1, 2006... The energy-efficient BioHaus Environmental Living Center at Concordia Language Villages in Bemidji, Minn., is part of the educational facility's German language village of Waldsee, and is the first-ever certified German Passivhaus in North...

Environmental carpet recycling innovations offered by Tandus.(ED+C ON TOUR)
November 1, 2006... Tandus invited ED+C's publisher Diana Brown and I to visit the company's environmental innovation facilities in Dalton, Ga., in August. So, we headed off to the Carpet Capital of the World--recognized as such because of the number of leading...

Duro-Last Roofing, Inc. celebrates their new corporate headquarters.(ED+C ON TOUR)(Column)
November 1, 2006... TOURING DURO-LAST'S FACILITIES When Duro-Last Roofing, Inc. Marketing Director Fred Sitter announced they were hosting a grand opening celebration and plant tour on May 31, 2006, for their new corporate headquarters in Saginaw, Mich.,...

Progress by every means: waste gasification project Partnership with Siemens Technologies is latest innovation from Shaw.(ED+C ON TOUR)(Shaw Industries Inc.)(Siemens Building Technologies Inc.)
November 1, 2006... More than a decade ago, Shaw Industries realized that to ensure a thriving business in the future, it would have to start changing right away. That meant progress by every means possible. At Shaw, progress means believing deeply in the...

Costs, savings and value; Green building: what we have learned about costs, savings and value. Part one of a three-part series.(STUDIO)
November 1, 2006... The momentum of green building in the commercial construction industry is progressing at a remarkable pace. Many industry watchers say the industry is at a tipping point when early green building innovators are followed rapidly by a much larger...

Taking it to the next level: envisioning fully sustainable buildings.(STUDIO)
November 1, 2006... Earlier this fall, the National Academy of Sciences published new data confirming that the Earth's average surface temperatures now exceeds anything seen since before the last ice age, about 12,000 years ago. Only the most ideological skeptics...

A manufacturer's perspective: identifying sustainable products and specifications through lifecycle analysis.(STUDIO)
November 1, 2006... Navigating the universe of green products can be a daunting task, in part due to the green building industry's wide range of goals and targets. There are now more than 70 different 'eco-labels' worldwide, many claiming to represent the...

Project goals: is it really worth it to invest in an expensive LEED plaque for your building?(STUDIO)(Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design )
November 1, 2006... With the growing interest in "building green," clients new to the LEED rating systems certainly pose a great initial question of "Why should I seek LEED certification for my project?" Their real question is: "Why spend all that money just...

Green product certification: programs like Ecologo assist in the selection of environmentally preferable materials.(STUDIO)
November 1, 2006... Cheryl Bradley, manager of Vancouver's Pacific Palisades, has been part of the hotel's transformation to begin incorporating several environmentally preferable measures over the past year. Making this transition is easier today because...

Dear Mister GreenWidget ... "REVERB" green essays let leaders sound off. Read chapter 3.(EXCERPT)
November 1, 2006... Dear Mister GreenWidget (formerly known as MisterWidget), I know I've been a difficult client. I've put pressure on you to make really cool, high-quality products that don't cost much and that will get to me by yesterday. And for a few...

Cool roofing system promotes the five E's.(PRODUCT FOCUS: GREENBUILD PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2006... Saginaw, Mich. -- Duro-Last Roofing, Inc.'s Cool Zone roofing system is implementing a new campaign showcasing what the company has dubbed the "Five E's," which will be highlighted at Greenbuild. According to the initiative, for a roofing...

Mold-resistant wood provides protected framing.(PRODUCT FOCUS: GREENBUILD PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2006... Smyrna, Ga. -- Arch Wood Protection, Inc.'s FrameGuard mold-resistant wood is coated with FrameGuard chemicals to enable wood in interior locations to resist mold, termites, and fungal decay the company reports. The FrameGuard coating--which is...

Multi-wall polycarbonate systems.(PRODUCT FOCUS: GREENBUILD PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2006... Canton, Mich. -- Translucent Illuma Wall by Duo-Gard projects diffused daylighting as well as programmable LED color at night, the company reports. High-performance single or double-glazed multi-wall polycarbonate systems feature aluminum...

Certified carpet products.(PRODUCT FOCUS: GREENBUILD PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2006... Kennesaw, Ga. -- Numerous Mohawk Group carpet products have achieved SCS Sustainable Choice Platinum and Gold / EPP certification under the national Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard. Several product platforms were also certified by SCS to...

Glass building integrated panels reduce glare.(PRODUCT FOCUS: GREENBUILD PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2006... Elmsford, N.Y. -- ASI Glass building integrated photo-voltaic panels (BIPV) by SCHOTT Solar are thin-film silicon solar panels, which are semitransparent for use in skylights and windows, as well as facades. The company reports that this...

Natural hardwood plywood panels.(PRODUCT FOCUS: GREENBUILD PRODUCTS)
November 1, 2006... Portland, Ore. -- Columbia Forest Products' PureBond line of hardwood plywood panels are manufactured with a formaldehyde-free processes, using a patented adhesive cooperatively developed by Columbia, the College of Forestry at Oregon State...

Non-toxic waterproofing/air barriers.(PRODUCT FOCUS: WATERPROOFING MEMBRANES)
November 1, 2006... Atlanta -- Sto Corp.'s EmeraldCoat is a water-based spray-on, readymixed, flexible waterproofing material specially formulated for use under cement stucco and other claddings. EmeraldCoat is vapor permeable, so moisture does not get trapped in...

Energy saving Basement Waterproofing systems.(PRODUCT FOCUS: WATERPROOFING MEMBRANES)
November 1, 2006... Reynoldsburg, Ohio -- Tremco Barrier Solutions' below-grade Tuff-N-Dri Basement Waterproofing System membrane uses a non-flammable, water-based carrier that meets VOC limits in all states, and has been thoroughly tested by independent labs...

IAQ-certified entrances.(PRODUCT FOCUS: DOORS)
November 1, 2006... Decatur, Mich. -- Special-Lite, Inc. has released two training video programs presenting tips and techniques for proper installation of their Tube Frame with Applied Stops and Storefront Framing products. Special-Lite's entrance products are...

Durable doors reduce solar heat gain.(PRODUCT FOCUS: DOORS)
November 1, 2006... Wausau, Wis. -- Kolbe's K-Force impact doors offer the strength and durability to withstand hurricane force winds and flying debris, the company reports, and are tested to meet or exceed the building codes of the high-wind zones. K-Force's...

AAMA-rated Terrace Doors.(PRODUCT FOCUS: DOORS)
November 1, 2006... Wausau, Wis. -- Wausau Window and Wall Systems' TD-4250i Series Terrace Doors are engineered for high-performance durability. According to the company, the doors meet or exceed testing for forced entry, air infiltration, water and condensation...