Environmental Design & Construction articles from September 2006

Environmental Design & Construction archives from September 2006

Back to school.(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design )(Editorial)
September 1, 2006... September is reminiscent of back-to-school time, and whether you're new to green building or have been involved for years, you might want to consider some options for education this fall. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Opportunities for...

President Clinton, Mayor Ken Livingstone announce partnership between Clinton Climate Initiative and Large Cities Climate Leadership Group.(Bill Clinton)
September 1, 2006... Los Angeles -- On August 1, 2006, President Clinton launched the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), a Clinton Foundation initiative dedicated to making a difference in the fight against climate change in practical and measurable ways. ...

USGBC approves BIFMA Emissions Standards.(NEWSLINE)
September 1, 2006... Grand Rapids, Mich. -- The U.S. Green Building Council has approved a third alternative in its LEED for Commercial Interiors EQ 4.5 low-emitting furniture credit. Called Option C, it is based on the Business and Institutional Furniture...

Johnson Controls launches energy efficiency blog.(NEWSLINE)
September 1, 2006... Milwaukee -- Non-promotional in nature, Johnson Controls has launched an energy efficiency and sustainability blog that covers virtually any facility-related energy issue applicable to residential users, as well as large commercial and...

Doe announces winner of the first Jeffrey a. Johnson Award.(Bill Pennington will receive the award from Department of Energy)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced Bill Pennington, manager of the Buildings and Appliances office at the California Energy Commission (CEC), as the first recipient of the Jeffrey A. Johnson Award for Excellence...

Sustainable Condo Tours greater Toronto area.(NEWSLINE)
September 1, 2006... Toronto -- Presented by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and EcoSmart, the Sustainable Condo--a full-size display suite that demonstrates how human comfort and environmental responsibility can be achieved by combining smart design...

ACE Mentor Program partners with USGBC.(NEWSLINE)(U.S. Green Building Council)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Stamford, Conn. -- Officials of the ACE Mentor Program of America (ACE) and the U.S. Green Building Council have partnered to align the high school mentoring program focusing on the construction program with USGBC members, who will have the...

Focus on Energy releases Multi-Family New Construction Best Practices Guide.(NEWSLINE)
September 1, 2006... Madison, Wis. -- Focus on Energy, a public-private partnership offering energy information and services to energy utility customers throughout Wisconsin, has released the Design & Build for Energy Efficiency: Multi-Family New Construction Best...

ED+C Webinar series focuses on green school design considerations and challenges.(NEWSLINE)
September 1, 2006... Troy, Mich. -- ED+C is proud to announce a new green series of web-based educational events: Green School Series--Fall. These EduCasts, focused on environmentally friendly schools, are part of ED+C's Green Design Solutions commitment to...

Tile goes for green with products, manufacturing.(NEW + NOTABLE)
September 1, 2006... 1 Bloomfield, N.J. -- Imagine Tile, manufacturers who use high-resolution imagery in ceramic tile, use only natural components in their products, including clays, minerals and ores. According to the company, all glazes are water-based,...

Flooring solution uses earth's resources.(NEW + NOTABLE)
September 1, 2006... 2 Toronto -- Flooring manufacturer Estrie Products International's, a division of American Biltrite Canada Limited, Stonescape is a flooring alternative made from naturally abundant resources, including limestone. Stonescape is free of...

Recessed downlight fixtures save maintenance time, money.(NEW + NOTABLE)
September 1, 2006... 3 Twinsburg, Ohio--Accessmount, LLC's newest addition to its "Ladderless" product line, Recessed Down-lights, includes a removable subassembly containing the lamp, ballast and reflector. According to the company, these energy-efficient compact...

Healthcare industry products focus on patients, caregivers and partners.(NEW + NOTABLE)
September 1, 2006... 4 Grand Rapids, Mich. -- Nurture by Steelcase is a new company focused on healthcare environments and how products within these environments can help make them more comfortable, efficient and conducive to the healing process. Nurture debuted at...

ED+C's 2006 Excellence in Deign Awards.(Environmental Design + Construction magazine)(Cover story)
September 1, 2006... CATEGORY: MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DOMINICAN SISTERS MARYWOOD CENTER IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. Environmental Design + Construction magazine's Fourth Annual Excellence in Design Awards recognize commercial spaces and offices, institutional...

A little sunshine on Chicago's South Side: earth-friendly and people-focused, Wentworth Commons' affordable housing blends sustainability and non-profit development into a larger mission ... of hope.
September 1, 2006... It can easily be said that environmental concerns and the need for quality affordable housing are two of the most important issues of our time. In the future, the architecture that will be remembered as expressing the zeitgeist from our...

A High Point for sustainable redevelopment: Seattle's award-winning neighborhood plan attracts national attention.
September 1, 2006... Atop a ridge overlooking Seattle's downtown skyline, Elliot Bay and the Cascade Mountain range, sits the West Seattle neighborhood of High Point. Until recently, it was clearly one of the low points among the city's 21 neighborhoods. More than...

The new look of school systems: two LEED Gold projects blend architecture and energy conservation.(Lewis and Clark College and Oregon State University)(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design )
September 1, 2006... Inside the halls of higher learning, students receive encouragement to expand on proven principles and stretch their imaginations. It makes sense that the design of these facilities should follow suit. When Lewis & Clark College in Portland,...

Sustainable strategies on campus.(green design for schools)
September 1, 2006... These days, sustainability is a popular buzzword for all kinds of developers, architects, landscape architects, and civil engineers, et al. in the built community. But where this design approach is most likely to gain ground is in the...

CRI + CARE.(Carpet and Rug Institute and Carpet America Recovery Effort)
September 1, 2006... Welcome to Environmental Design + Construction (ED+C) magazine's special section about The Carpet and Rug Institute and the Carpet America Recovery Effort. The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) is the national trade association representing...

Carpet: the floorcovering of choice: IAQ, comfort concerns calmed by including carpet.(Carpet and Rug Institute)(indoor air quality)
September 1, 2006... The reasons people continue to put carpet on their floors are almost as varied as the choices of colors, patterns and textures of the carpet itself. But make no mistake--carpet is often the floorcovering of choice for a variety of reasons....

Diversionary tactics: annual reports show impressive increases in carpet diverted from landfills.(CRI + CARE)
September 1, 2006... Landfills across the country no longer have to roll out the red carpet (or green carpet, or blue carpet, or any colored carpet for that matter) for its visitors. That's because more and more of the soft floorcovering is finding its way back...

Carpet: the final frontier; CRI's Seal of Approval program employs NASA space technology.(Carpet and Rug Institute)
September 1, 2006... Carpet is found in most homes, workplaces, hotels, schools and other public facilities across America. People choose carpet for its limitless decorating possibilities, safety and comfort, insulation and noise absorption, but while people love...

"The Change Function" and green buildings.(STUDIO)
September 1, 2006... I've been reading a great new book on why some technologies succeed in the marketplace while others never get off the ground, "The Change Function," by Pip Coburn. While the book is primarily concerned with the fate of new computing and...

Glass tile plays a key role in Colorado sustainable home.(NEWSLINE at home)(Hakatai Enterprises Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Boulder, Colo. -- Hakatai Enterprises, Inc., importers and distributors of glass tile, played a major role in a home building effort by sustainable builders Joseph Vigil and Brandy LeMae of VaST Architecture in Boulder, Colo. The...

Website redesign helps builders find technical information faster.(NEWSLINE at home)
September 1, 2006... Upper Marlboro, Md. -- The NAHB Research Center's--a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)--ToolBase Services website has been fully redesigned and re-launched to help building professionals navigate comprehensive...

Comprehensive Design Guide AIDS in efficient home HVAC system design process.(California Residential New Construction HVAC Design )(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Sacramento, Calif. -- Conducted by the California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program, the California Residential New Construction HVAC Design Guide, produced by the consulting firm ConSol, consolidates the...

LEED for homes in the Big Apple.(SUSTAINABLE HOME)(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)(U.S. Green Building Council)(Habitat for Humanity)
September 1, 2006... What comes to mind when we hear "green home"--Five years ago, it may have been straw bales and windmills. A New York City apartment would have been the furthest thing on the minds of most Americans--until now In today's energy and...

Documenting a Sustainable Home: supporting the green building movement by incorporating LEED into a family's new home in Pennsylvania.(SUSTAINABLE HOME)
September 1, 2006... Following the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) release of its inaugural LEED for Homes (LEED-H) pilot program last year, documentation verifying a home's level of sustainability has finally been established. Pennsylvania's first home...

Metal roof tops Solar Decathlon house.(PRODUCT FOCUS: METAL AND STEEL)
September 1, 2006... Follansbee, W.Va. -- Team Pittsburgh Synergy topped their entry house in the 2005 Solar Decathlon with a Follansbee TCS II metal roof. According to the company, TCS II, an architectural stainless steel coated with Follansbee's patented ZT...

Insulated metal composite panels enable quick installation of exterior walls.(PRODUCT FOCUS: METAL AND STEEL)
September 1, 2006... Moon Township, Pa. -- The first building envelope product to receive Cradle to Cradle certification, Centria's Formawall Dimension Series insulated metal composite panels have a one-piece design that permits a complete, thermally-efficient,...

Embossed hard-use textile designed for myriad settings.(PRODUCT FOCUS: FABRICS AND TEXTILES)
September 1, 2006... New York -- Carnegie, a manufacturer of textiles and wallcoverings, announced the introduction of Xorel Embossed to its line of Xorel textiles. Xorel, which is woven from 100 percent polyethylene single-strand yarns, is antifungal,...

Recyclable fabric is C2C Gold-certified.(PRODUCT FOCUS: FABRICS AND TEXTILES)
September 1, 2006... Saint-Georges, Quebec -- A true "technical nutrient" textile, Eco Intelligent Polyester (EIP) from Victor Innovatex, in partnership with Momentum, is polyester produced and dyed with all environmentally safe ingredients, the company reports....

Stacking chair provides ergonomics, comfort.(PRODUCT FOCUS: OFFICE SYSTEMS AND FURNITURE)
September 1, 2006... New York -- Made of a steel tube frame, Santoprene belt and injection molded polypropylene seat and back, all of which are designed for quick and easy disassembly Humanscale's Cinto chair is 100 percent recyclable, the company reports....

Recyclable chair allows for easy disassembly.(PRODUCT FOCUS: OFFICE SYSTEMS AND FURNITURE)
September 1, 2006... Grand Rapids, Mich. -- Made with only seven screws for quick and easy disassembly in less than five minutes with common hand tools, Steelcase's Move Chair is up to 99 percent recyclable at the end of its life, the company reports. Move is...

Office wall system provides enhanced acoustical privacy.(PRODUCT FOCUS: OFFICE SYSTEMS AND FURNITURE)
September 1, 2006... Green Bay, Wis. -- Made with more than 70 percent recycled aluminum, KI's Genius architectural walls provide acoustic privacy. According to the company, Genius walls are 99 percent reusable and 96 percent recyclable; paint selection can be made...

Moisture resistant MDF is FSC-certified.(PRODUCT FOCUS: WALL SYSTEMS, ICFS AND SIPS)
September 1, 2006... St. Albert, AB, Canada -- Panel Source International has announced a new addition to its selection of PureKor Environmental Panel Products: PureKor Platinum MDF (Medium density fiberboard). According to the company, PureKor Platinum MDF offers...

ICF manufacturer launches new corner forms.(PRODUCT FOCUS: WALL SYSTEMS, ICFS AND SIPS)
September 1, 2006... Toronto, Canada -- ICF manufacturer Amvic announced that their 6" and 8" 90 degree corner forms now have a new 1 1/2" x 5" corner attachment piece on each side, top and bottom of the forms. According to the company, when the corner blocks are...

Fiberboard product contains recycled wood fiber.(PRODUCT FOCUS: WALL SYSTEMS, ICFS AND SIPS)
September 1, 2006... Roseville, Calif. -- EPP and SCS certified for 100 percent recycled fiber content, SierraPine's Arreis SDF is a medium density fiberboard panel containing no added formaldehyde, the company reports, and is manufactured at the company's Medford,...

Tankless water heater line offers new, exclusive features.(PRODUCT FOCUS: WATER HEATERS)
September 1, 2006... Montgomery, Ala. -- Rheem Water Heating has launched their 2nd generation tankless water heater product line. According to the company, Rheem has expanded its tankless product line by adding 7.4 GPM direct vent models and 5.3 GPM models, while...

Steam-fired water heater features state-of-the-art control system.(PRODUCT FOCUS: WATER HEATERS)
September 1, 2006... Northvale, N.J. -- Compatible with low or high steam pressure, Aerco's Water Wizard offers +/-4[degrees]F temperature control, longevity and low-maintenance for commercial applications, the company reports, and has a self-descaling helical heat...