Environmental Design & Construction articles from November 2007

Environmental Design & Construction archives from November 2007

Singapore--the global hydrohub.(THIS MONTH'S WEB EXCLUSIVE FEATURES INCLUDE:)
November 1, 2007... The issues of fresh-water supply and environmental conservation are becoming increasingly important. Building on years of capable water and environmental management, Singapore is poised to grow a vibrant industry that can tap the vast...

Minimizing the spread of infectious disease through lavatory design.(THIS MONTH'S WEB EXCLUSIVE FEATURES INCLUDE:)
November 1, 2007... Proper architectural and engineering design is an art and a science. A professional designer should consider many aspects when specifying how a lavatory should be built. Functionality, aesthetics, availability and feasibility have all been...

A call to recycle.(THIS MONTH'S WEB EXCLUSIVE FEATURES INCLUDE:)
November 1, 2007... On average, six or more wireless products are likely used each day by individuals, according to a recent survey of American households conducted by the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC). So what can be done about all of the...

On the path to sustainability.(THIS MONTH'S WEB EXCLUSIVE FEATURES INCLUDE:)
November 1, 2007... Less than a year after opening last February, Shaw's Evergreen Nylon Recycling facility in Augusta, Ga., is successfully achieving the company's vision of producing a truly sustainable product--carpeting that can be recycled back into the same...

Mike Buono--recycling in the trenches.(THIS MONTH'S WEB EXCLUSIVE FEATURES INCLUDE:)
November 1, 2007... In today's world of shrinking throwaway options, a reuse, recycle approach is rapidly becoming practical, and construction professionals are being forced to focus on this idea by a combination of growing popular support for green, plus dollars...

Turnkey recycling solution brightens future of real estate firm.(THIS MONTH'S WEB EXCLUSIVE FEATURES INCLUDE:)
November 1, 2007... Finding a recycling solution for a major real-estate firm would've been a daunting task were it not for the help of a customized, dedicated Web-based program that allowed corporations to refer to and manage their vast waste management needs.

Nitrogen removal for cluster residential and commercial developments.(THIS MONTH'S WEB EXCLUSIVE FEATURES INCLUDE:)
November 1, 2007... Due to concerns about eutrophication and public health limits for nitrate in drinking water, many states require wastewater nitrogen removal in water supply recharge and ecologically sensitive areas. Centralized wastewater treatments plants can...

Recycle, recycle, recycle.(EDITOR'S NOTE)
November 1, 2007... According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, recycling and composting activities prevented about 64-million tons of material from ending up in landfills and incinerators in 1999. Today, this country recycles 32 percent of its waste; a...

New + Notable.
November 1, 2007... 1 EXTERIOR SUN LOUVERS AND SCREENS ENHANCE ENERGY SAVINGS Norcross, Ga.--Made from aluminum with a minimum of 70 percent recycled content, Hunter Douglas Architectural Products' fixed sun louvers and exterior screening products--Aerobrise,...

USGBC launches "Green Schools Advocates" program.(NEWSLINE)
November 1, 2007... Washington, D.C.--Some 64 "Green School Advocates" from U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) chapters nationwide visited Washington, D.C., to receive training to go back to their communities and organize green school committees. Local Chapter...

IPCC and Al Gore Jr. share nobel peace prize for 2007.(NEWSLINE)
November 1, 2007... Oslo, Norway--The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 is to be shared, in two equal parts, between the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore, Jr. for their efforts to...

Green for all launches at Clinton Global Initiative.(NEWSLINE)
November 1, 2007... New York--Green for All, a campaign focused on bringing "green collar" jobs to urban areas, launched Sept. 26, 2007, at the Clinton Global Initiative. The group, created by Van Jones, co-founder of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, seeks...

GBI recognizes first green state government office building in Arkansas.(NEWSLINE)
November 1, 2007... Little Rock, Ark.--The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and state of Arkansas celebrated a sustainable construction milestone when the ADEQ's headquarters was recognized by the Green Building Initiative's (GBI) Green Globes...

Small businesses and congregations honored by EPA for energy savings.(NEWSLINE)
November 1, 2007... Washington, D.C.--The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the winners of the 2007 ENERGY STAR Award for Small Businesses and Congregations. Together, the winners saved more than $1.2 million in annual energy costs and reduced...

Candlewood suites completes bedding renovations, conserves resources.(NEWSLINE)
November 1, 2007... Atlanta--IHG's (InterContinental Hotels Group) midscale extended-stay hotel brand, Candlewood Suites, diverted nearly 260 tons of material from landfills during bedding renovations at 55 hotels in summer 2007, the company reports. Candlewood...

MCAA unveils green contractors website.(NEWSLINE)(Website overview)
November 1, 2007... Milwaukee--At the Green Opportunities Conference, hosted by the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCCA), a new website initiative was unveiled to assist industry contractors in going green. Green-Contractors.us is a site for MCAA,...

Green offices achieve 90 percent reuse.(NEWSLINE)
November 1, 2007... Portland, Ore.--Built with 90 percent recycled content--and created by green architecture firm, Communitecture--non-profit organization Our United Villages' expansion project, The ReBuilding Center, celebrated its tenth anniversary and provided...

AN acorn becomes a tree: recycling challenge drives innovation and sustainability for carpet industry; new technology is based on nature.(STUDIO)
November 1, 2007... When faced with a challenge, the easy solution is to look at the tools and resources in front of you to solve the problem. But what if a solution does not yet exist? Do you abandon the challenge and wait, or do you go out and create a solution?...

Painting green: with recycled-content latex paint.(STUDIO)
November 1, 2007... Most environmentally conscious architects and designers have specified recycled-content products, like carpet, furniture or steel framing, but what about recycled-content paint? In a casual survey conducted via e-mail among a handful of green...

Wasting away: Massachusetts creates model for construction waste reduction and recycling.(CASE STUDY)
November 1, 2007... When the state of Massachusetts began evaluating the impact that construction waste debris was having on its landfills, it realized that new, stricter laws would have to be enacted to limit the amount of construction-related materials entering...

Water management: the solaire boasts the nation's first residential wastewater reuse system in an urban high-rise.(WATER CONSERVATION + TREATMENT)
November 1, 2007... Considered the nation's first green residential high-rise, the Solaire in Manhattan, New York City, has garnered attention from around the world since it opened in 2003. The 293-unit in Battery Park City has received LEED Gold certification...

Flowing in the right direction: a commercial building in Portland, Ore., saves water and money.(WATER CONSERVATION + TREATMENT)
November 1, 2007... In office buildings, domestic water use (the use of toilets and faucets) accounts for roughly one-half of the building's total water consumption, making it a primary place to realize water savings. Commercial building owners and managers seldom...

One drop at a time: saving water saves energy, and the watersense program can help.(WATER CONSERVATION + TREATMENT)
November 1, 2007... At its core, sustainable design is about producing homes and buildings that conserve natural resources, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and protect human health. During the last decade, a large focus in this pursuit has been on energy...

Porous paving system.(PRODUCT PROFILE)
November 1, 2007... Major renovations are underway at Los Angeles International Airport's (LAX) South Airfield. The world's fifth-busiest passenger airport demonstrates the use of permeable pavement design as a stormwater runoff mitigator, including a porous...

Certified SMART[c] products for LEED credit.(STUDIO)
November 1, 2007... Certified sustainable products were recently approved for a Credit Interpretation Ruling (CIR) to earn an "Innovation in Design" credit within the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system using products certified with...

Paperless mold-resistant drywall.(DRYWALL)
November 1, 2007... Atlanta--DensArmor Plus Abuse Guard from Georgia-Pacific Gypsum is an abuse-resistant panel designed as a replacement for paper-faced panels in commercial building interiors. DensArmor Plus Abuse Guard has glass mat facings and a...

Self-adhered waterproofing membrane.(WATERPROOFING MEMBRANES)
November 1, 2007... Canton, Mass.--Sika Sarnafil Inc.'s Sarnafil G476 waterproofing membrane is now available in a 6.5-foot-wide self-adhered format. The Sarnafil G476 SA waterproofing membrane is a 120-mil-thick composite sheet composed of a 60-mil vinyl...

Improved reflective roof coating system.(WATERPROOFING MEMBRANES)
November 1, 2007... ERSystems, Inc.'s reflective roof coating system consisting of Erakote, a moisture cure aliphatic polyurethane top coat, and ET 300 Base Coat have undergone formula enhancements to improve spray-ability and in-can stability, among others, the...

Membrane offers durability.(WATERPROOFING MEMBRANES)
November 1, 2007... Spokane, Wash.--ELASTUFF 310 is an elastomeric, 100 percent aromatic polyurea coating specially developed to provide a durable, waterproofing membrane over vertical and horizontal concrete and masonry substrates, the company reports. ELASTUFF...

Building Science DVD for building professionals.(SOFTWARE AND WEB-BASED TOOLS)
November 1, 2007... Valley Forge, Pa.--CertainTeed Corporation's Commercial Building Science Concepts and Practices is a self-study workshop DVD for builders, architects, designers, engineers and contractors, the company reports. The DVD illustrates how natural...

Amvic Design Software.(SOFTWARE AND WEB-BASED TOOLS)
November 1, 2007... Toronto--Amvic Design Software (ADS) is integrated engineering software for checking the structural adequacy of Amvic ICF walls, lintels and the AmDeck Floor & Roof System. The company reports that the visually interactive software can...

Web-based monitoring system.(SOFTWARE AND WEB-BASED TOOLS)
November 1, 2007... Boise, Idaho--iBEAM's mounted construction camera system includes either a browser-based or software interface for viewing live video. Portable Construction Camera Systems include a lightweight, wireless camera that can be carried around the...

Commercial Flooring Catalog.(RESILIENT FLOORING)
November 1, 2007... Lancaster, Pa.--Armstrong's 2007 Commercial Flooring Catalog highlights those Armstrong products made from renewable materials, abundant natural resources and those that contain recycled content. The entire Commercial Flooring catalogue, as...

Hybrid sports floor.(RESILIENT FLOORING)
November 1, 2007... Atlanta--The Taraflex Evolution System by Gerflor is a hybrid sports floor with a durable, resilient vinyl surface and a stable DIN-certified Birchwood substructure. Taraflex Evolution combines a synthetic surface with a 15-ply Birchwood...

Rubber Tile + Tread Program.(RESILIENT FLOORING)
November 1, 2007... Tuscumbia, Ala.--The Distinct Designs Rubber Tile & Tread Program allows for a number of color and design choices. The program lets users choose any rubber tile pattern in the company's line and choose a color from four different color...

What's the greatest green product?(PRODUCT FOCUS)
November 1, 2007... READERS: SHARE YOUR FAVORITE "GREEN" PRODUCTS WITH US. IS THERE A PARTICULAR CARPET OR FLOORING PRODUCT THAT YOU REGULARLY SPECIFY IN GREEN PROJECTS? HOW ABOUT A PREFERRED ROOFING MANUFACTURER THAT IS NOT ONLY EASY-TO-WORK WITH BUT ALSO...