Environmental Design & Construction articles from October 2008

Environmental Design & Construction archives from October 2008

Commercial buildings, parking lots and photovoltaics: large, efficient and pretty?
October 1, 2008... When Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) brought five of California's largest solar installation and integration companies to one of its San Francisco buildings, its plan was simple: Show them the roof, point to the parking lot and find out what kind...

A tasty treat.
October 1, 2008... PROVIDED BY GROUP 41 INC. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Initially, the thought of green ice cream is not appetizing--unless of course by "green," you mean fully sustainable and organic!

Thinking green?
October 1, 2008... What is installed beneath the floors, unseen in a finished structure, can be important to meeting not only building codes but also to satisfying owner and tenant interests in green construction.

On display.
October 1, 2008... PROVIDED BY DRS & ASSOCIATES ALNO's first showroom entry in Los Angeles' San Gabriel Valley puts more than just its kitchen environments in the public eye.

Green brick.
October 1, 2008... One product that has not had to tweak its formula to be green is brick. Brick has (and always will be) made from all-natural ingredients--clay, shale and water. As such, there are virtually no harmful emissions or byproducts that result from...

Above and beyond.
October 1, 2008... Architect GS&C is taking Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s (AMD) new Lone Star campus to the next level. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR WHITE PAPER SECTION ON WWW.EDCMAG.COM! FEATURED THIS MONTH ARE: MODULAR BUILDING AND THE USGBC'S LEED...

Surfing the web.(EDITOR'S NOTE)
October 1, 2008... Why do you use the Internet? Looking for green products? Research? Networking? I'm online every day. And according to research, most of you are, too. An "Internet Usage Study" conducted by Clear Seas Research in partnership with ED+C, July...

Elementary school recognized for sustainable design, construction achievements.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2008... Timnath, Colo. -- The Green Building Initiative (GBI) recognized Poudre School District's Bethke Elementary School, a 63,000-square-foot, two-story building, for its achievements in sustainable design and construction, which were identified...

New ventilation design requirements for healthcare facilities.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2008... Atlanta -- Requirements to ensure high-quality ventilation can be found in a new standard written by ASHRAE and the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE). ANSI/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170-2008, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities,...

Green building research grants announced.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2008... Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the recipients of its 2008 Green Building Research Fund grants. The Green Building Research Fund was created to spur research that will advance sustainable building practices...

Energy-savings survey announced.(NEWSLINE)(Survey)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Bethesda, Md. -- FMLink, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Association for Facilities Engineering (AFE), and the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International have launched what purports to be the largest-ever survey...

Project receives LEED ND Platinum.(NEWSLINE)(Leadership in Energy and Environment Design for Neighborhood Development)(TMG Partners)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... San Francisco -- TMG Partners has received the first national Platinum certification under the LEED ND (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Neighborhood Development) pilot program. The certification went to the Emeryville Marketplace...

Plumbing company certified as 'eco-effective' for cradle-tocradle manufacturing.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2008... Franklin Park, Ill. -- Sloan Valve Company has become the first plumbing company in the to receive the Cradle to Cradle Design certification for its products. MBDC, the product process and design firm that evaluates companies and their products...

First products certified with new sustainability criteria.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2008... Adairsville, Ga. -- NSF International and Beaulieu Commercial announced the first carpet products to be certified to the new NSF/ANSI 140-2007 sustainable carpet assessment standard. The standard establishes performance requirements for public...

Energy star changes.(NEWSLINE)
October 1, 2008... ENERGY STAR, THE NATIONAL ENERGY PERFORMANCE RATING SYSTEM SPONSORED BY THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA), HAS UNDERGONE A SIGNIFICANT REVISION EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 2007. COMMERCIAL BUILDING OWNERS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS WHO...

New + notable.
October 1, 2008... 1 RESILIENT FLOORING BLENDS PERFORMANCE, RECYCLED CONTENT [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Salem, N.J. -- Relay RE resilient sheet flooring is a hard surface flooring that blends Mannington Commercial's performance with a revolutionary recycled...

2008 Excellence in Design Awards: commercial, office, industrial, corporate building category winner.
October 1, 2008... RIVEREAST CENTER / RIVERS EAST LLC (GROUP MACKENZIE) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Earning a 2008 Excellence in Design Award from ED+C in the commercial buildings category, the RiverEast Center is at the forefront of sustainable design,...

Roofing system installed on LEED platinum project in NAPA valley.(Cool Roofing News/Product Roundup)
October 1, 2008... SAGINAW, Mich. -- The Duro-Last roofing system has been installed on the Bardessono Inn & Spa in Yountville, Calif. The spa is scheduled to open in February 2009 and will be submitted for LEED Platinum certification. The spa consists of five...

Dow Building Solutions acquires Stevens Roofing Systems.(Cool Roofing News/Product Roundup)
October 1, 2008... MIDLAND, Mich. -- Dow Building Solutions, a unit of The Dow Chemical Company based in Midland, Mich., announced that it has agreed to acquire Stevens Roofing Systems and Geomembrane Systems, a business of JPS Industries Inc. Stevens...

Study shows green roofs differ in building cooling, water handling capabilities.(Cool Roofing News/Product Roundup)
October 1, 2008... AUSTIN, Texas -- The first study to compare the performance of different types of green roofs has been completed by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin and suggests that buyers shouldn't assume these...

10-inch tiles added to line of synthetic roofing products.(Cool Roofing News/Product Roundup)
October 1, 2008... CARLISLE, Pa. -- EcoStar announced the addition of 10-inch Majestic Slate Traditional tiles to its line of recycled, synthetic roofing products. A narrower version of EcoStar's existing 12-inch tiles, these 10-inch Majestic Slate tiles are...

BIPV system designed to meet architects' NEEDS.(Cool Roofing News/Product Roundup)
October 1, 2008... MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- EnergyPeak's pre-designed and system integrated building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) laminate technology for standing seam roofs is designed to make solar energy attainable for projects of all sizes. Beginning with...

Green roof research project announced.(Cool Roofing News/Product Roundup)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... SURREY, British Columbia -- Quad-Lock Building Systems, Ltd. has announced the start of a two-year research project in partnership with the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) Centre for Advancement of Green Roof Technology (CAGRT)....

Designing vegetative roof systems: NRCA manual details design considerations for green roofs.(Cool Roofing)
October 1, 2008... Green roofs, garden roofs, vegetative roofs, landscaped roofs--no matter what you call them, they are here to stay. The movement toward energy savings and environmental stewardship is legitimate, and green roofs are a big part of it. Green...

Photovoltaic cells: selecting the right solar technology for your roof.(Cool Roofing)
October 1, 2008... Just like roofing systems, solar solutions come in a variety of types, sizes, efficiencies and price points. Before investing in a rooftop solar system, it is important to understand the types of photovoltaic (PV) cells available and which...

A growing marketplace: prospect Waterproofing keys on installation and maintenance of garden roofs.(Cool Roofing)(Prospect Waterproofing Co.)
October 1, 2008... As the United States becomes more ecology conscious, Prospect Waterproofing Co. of Sterling, Va., is keeping up with advancements in green technology and securing its position as a leader in the installation and maintenance of vegetated roofs....

Redefining radford: new fabric roofing membrane provides athletic center with enhanced insulation, energy efficiency and durability.(Cool Roofing)
October 1, 2008... Radford University has signed on for another season with fabric membrane roofing. Dedmon Center--the Radford, Va.-based university's multipurpose athletic arena--is currently undergoing retrofit roofing construction, to be completed in November...

Maintenance and life-cycle considerations: six essential elements to a green roof's success.(Cool Roofing)
October 1, 2008... The long-term success of a green roof revolves around two main objectives: water tightness and vegetation. A quality seamless waterproofing membrane should be the foundation of every green roof. This article addresses the six essential elements...

What about a green roof? Modular systems have been developed.(Cool Roofing)
October 1, 2008... Instead of a traditional cool roof--or in tandem with one--many facilities are installing green roofs, especially now that modular systems have been developed that have helped reduce installation costs. With modular systems, soil and plant...

Get ready for green build.
October 1, 2008... VISIT ED+C AT BOOTH #1833 IN BOSTON NEXT MONTH. Greenbuild 2008 is on the immediate horizon. This key industry conference and expo produced by the U.S. Green Building Council will be held in Boston, Nov. 19-21, 2008. Register now, and if...

Dual LEED: historic landmark achieves two LEED Platinum certifications.(CASE STUDY)(Landmark overview)
October 1, 2008... According to Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO, Founding Chair, of the U.S. Green Building Council, "The best-practices case of The Christman Building has helped expand the boundaries of what's possible in high-performance, energy-efficient...

Going green after groundbreaking: 555 mission street takes the road less traveled to achieving LEED certification.(CASE STUDY)
October 1, 2008... Creating a green building begins on the drawing board. That's where plans are first made for everything from the use of recyclable materials to water-efficient landscaping to energy-saving lighting. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When the...

Silver office: the story behind Dunham's new LEED-CI space.(CASE STUDY)(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)(Dunham Associates Inc.)
October 1, 2008... With the end of an existing lease approaching, Dunham (a mechanical and electrical engineering service provider) decided to look for a new office space in downtown Minneapolis to take advantage of mass transit options for employees and to be...

2008 excellence in design awards: single-family residential home category.(SUSTAINABLE HOME)
October 1, 2008... THE MCCULLOUGH RESIDENCE DESIGNED BY SOPHIE PIESSE ARCHITECT, P.A. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The McCullough residence is a green, healthy home that was commissioned by an EPA scientist for her private residence. The objective was to...

Platinum education: students and faculty at Drury University hit LEED-H Platinum within the parameters of a Habitat for Humanity home.(SUSTAINABLE HOME)
October 1, 2008... In Springfield, Mo., during the summer of 2005, four Drury University faculty and staff members met with staff from the local Habitat for Humanity chapter to discuss the possibility of Drury sponsoring, designing and building a sustainable...

Three-in-one: a new Wall System improves building efficiency.(PRODUCT PROFILE)
October 1, 2008... Michigan builders, architects and contractors may be facing more-than-difficult hardships with a slowing housing situation; seeking out building solutions with new products has given some of these professionals an edge. Case in point,...

SIPs available with polyurethane or EPS foam cores.(ENERGY STAR-RATED PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2008... Mansfield, Pa. -- The Murus Company's ENERGY STAR-qualified structural insulated panels (SIPs) with either non-ozone depleting polyurethane or EPS foam cores, the company reports. Both panel types are available in a variety of sizes,...

LED wins international design competition.(ENERGY STAR-RATED PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2008... Durham, N.C. -- The Cree LR24 recessed architectural LED down light has won the top prize at the 2008 Lighting for Tomorrow solid-state lighting (SSL) competition for LED recessed down lights, the company reports. Entrants in this category must...

CFL provides bright light in a small package.(ENERGY STAR-RATED PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2008... Danvers, Mass. -- OSRAM SYLVANIA's micro-mini Twist is the company's newest addition to its line of DULUX EL compact fluorescent lamps (CFL). The micro-mini Twist compact fluorescent lamps are available in 13-watt, 20-watt and 23-watt models....

Integrated BIM solutions.(SOFTWARE AND WEB-BASED TOOLS)
October 1, 2008... Exton, Pa. -- Bentley's suite of Building Information Modeling (BIM) applications supports the gbXML format for exchanging industry standard information. Practitioners can explore, refine and evaluate the model with multiple "what-if"...

Software increases efficiency of existing HVAC.(SOFTWARE AND WEB-BASED TOOLS)
October 1, 2008... Seattle -- Optimum Energy's optimization software, OptimumHVAC, uses networked building controls and Web-based monitoring to optimize existing systems and control their flow on demand while lowering HVAC energy costs by as much as to 60...

Commercial catalog now available on CD.(SOFTWARE AND WEB-BASED TOOLS)
October 1, 2008... Des Plaines, Ill. -- Chicago Faucets' 2008 catalog, featuring the company's line of commercial products and components, is now available on CD. Like the printed version, this new interactive CD presents the products in six major categories:...

Cadence Network helps companies celebrates earth day every day.(SOFTWARE AND WEB-BASED TOOLS)
October 1, 2008... Cincinnati -- Cadence Network's Green-foot program continues to help national retailers and other U.S. companies track, monitor and reduce their carbon footprints to better address mounting social, environmental and financial challenges...

Site assists with sustainable surfacing materials.(SOFTWARE AND WEB-BASED TOOLS)
October 1, 2008... Chicago -- Italian stone and tile manufacturer GranitiFiandre has launched a website for its customers designed to provide information on its environmental efforts and assist with understanding and purchasing sustainable surfacing materials....

24/7 customer access, new online extranet.(SOFTWARE AND WEB-BASED TOOLS)
October 1, 2008... Valley Forge, Pa. -- CertainTeed Gypsum announced the launch of CertainTeed Connect, a new extranet that provides customers 24/7 access to account information and a host of new online tools. The company reports that through a secure,...

E1 formaldehyde-rated tack strip.(FLOORING ADHESIVES)
October 1, 2008... Boynton Beach, Fla. -- The Gripper Edge carpet tack strip from Southern Cross Building products has received an E1 formaldehyde rating, the best possible rating, from the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), the company...

Pressure sensitive adhesive.(FLOORING ADHESIVES)
October 1, 2008... Clifton, N.J. -- DriTac Flooring Products, LLC has launched a new pressure sensitive adhesive for professional wood and cork flooring installations: DriTac Eco-6200GR "Green" Pressure Sensitive Wood Flooring Adhesive. According to the company,...

Water-based structural adhesive with low emissions.(FLOORING ADHESIVES)
October 1, 2008... Federal Way, Wash. -- iLevel by Weyerhaeuser offers a new subfloor adhesive that helps create a solid and squeak-free floor while being simple to use and easy on the environment, the company reports. iLevel Subfloor Adhesive has a low volatile...

Radical reinterpretation: a multi-family and multi-use space links people and places centered around a unique eco-system inside and out.(PARTING SHOT)(energy efficient homes)
October 1, 2008... Located in New Delhi, India, this stunning design was customized for three generations of a family, plus an 80-person design studio. Linking in various ways, most of the spaces in the house are designed to format and reformat instantly for...