Aspace-saving elevator system and carpet-cushion backing manufactured from recycled safety-glass film are among the winners of BuildingGreen's 2004 Top 10 Green Products awards. The Brattleboro, Vt.-based publisher of the GreenSpec product directory and Environmental Building News evaluated hundreds of new products to compile its third annual list, which will be announced this month at the U.S. Green Building Council's Greenbuild Conference in Portland, Ore. Here's a sneak peak at three products that made the list:
Ethos carpet-cushion backing from C&A Floorcovering Inc. is made from non-chlorinated polyvinyl butyral safety-glass film collected when automobile windows and other safety-glass panes are recycled. Recycled glass is added as filler, along with a small amount of aluminum trihydrate as a flame retardant. This Ethos backing material is 96% post-consumer recycled, resulting in carpet products with a total recycled content of 40–62%. The backing is available for all of C&A's carpet products at no added cost, but it must be specified. www.ethosfloor.com
What makes this product green? Recycled material; releases minimal pollutants; alternative to PVC.
LEED credits: MR Credit 4, Recycled content.
The KONE EcoSpace elevator brings the efficiency, environmental benefits, and space savings of the KONE EcoSystem MonoSpace elevator into a smaller, less expensive package for two- to seven-stop applications. It has a passenger capacity of up to 2,500 pounds, and travels up to 60 feet at speeds of up to 150 feet per minute. The key to its space-saving quality is its EcoDisc motor, which mounts in the hoistway, eliminating the need for a machine room. The EcoDisc results in energy savings of up to 60% over conventional hydraulic elevators, and because hydraulic oil is not used, the risk of environmental contamination resulting from a leak is eliminated. www.kone.com
What makes this product green? Uses energy efficiently; reduces pollutants or waste from operations.
FSC-Certified wood — In 2004, Potlatch Corp. became the first publicly traded U.S. timber company to certify timberland according to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards. In April 2004, Scientific Certification Systems, Emeryville, Calif., completed the FSC certification of 668,000 acres of land in Idaho. Potlatch is producing FSC-certified Hem-Fir and Douglas Fir-Larch framing lumber, inland red cedar decking and siding, and Douglas fir and white fir plywood from three mills in Idaho. www.potlatchcorp.com
What makes this product green? Certified wood.
LEED credits: MR Credit 7, Certified Wood.
Carpet Made for Beamer Drivers
Carpet line designed by BMW's design consultancy catches the essence of the German automaker's reputation for sleek aesthetics, technological innovation, and quality craftsmanship. The MotorSport Collection is available in broadloom and tile, three patterns, and a variety of colors. Composed of 20% post-consumer recycled content, the carpet is certified as an Environmentally Preferable Product with third-party certifier Scientific Certification Systems.
Lees Carpets.
Reader Service No. 204
Green on Top
Roofing membrane that incorporates post-consumer recycled crumb rubber tops the 115,000-sf Rogers High School in Elk River, Minn. — one of the first projects completed under Elk River's high-performance school initiative. StressPly EUV modified-bitumen roof system also features a highly reflective surface to help reduce cooling costs in the summer months.
Garland Co.
Reader Service No. 210
Greening the Ceiling
Ceiling panels made from melamine are free of off-gassing and do not shed fiber as they age. EuroFoam panels also feature 87% light reflectance to optimize lighting efficiency in open-plan spaces, such as offices, hospitals, and schools, and are mold- and mildew-resistant.
Chicago Metallic Corp.
Reader Service No. 209
Insulated Roof Panels 'LEED' the Way
More than 19,000 sf of polyurethane foam insulated panels form the roof of the new Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection office building in Washington, Pa. The 4-inch-thick, CFR-42 panels contributed to the building's LEED-Gold rating by reducing the urban heat island effect, by being a regionally manufactured material, and by containing recycled content. The "all in one" nature of the panels also minimized the amount of materials involved in the project — an important component of LEED compliance, according to John Boecker, partner with design architect 7 group, Kutztown, Pa.
Metl-Span.
Reader Service No. 201
Clearly Green
To reduce heat load in a 90-foot-tall, 7,600-sf glazed atrium at Grand Valley State University's Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences, architect Design Plus specified a curtain-wall system and interlocking sunshade assembly. The combination of the high-performance glass and airfoil-shaped sunshades significantly reduces heat gain in the space, helping to manage energy demands and maintain occupant comfort.
Wausau.
Reader Service No. 203
Recycling Program Reaches Milestone
Since June 1999, more than 20 million sf of old acoustical ceiling tiles have been diverted from landfills, thanks to the Armstrong Ceiling Recycling Program. The five-year-old program invites Building Teams to ship old ceiling tiles from renovation projects to an Armstrong plant, where they are used as raw material in the manufacture of new ceilings.
Armstrong World Industries.
Reader Service No. 208
Smart Vapor Retarder
Vapor retarder made from polyamide film changes permeability according to the relative humidity, varying from less than one perm at 20% relative humidity, to more than 10 perms at 70% relative humidity and over 20 perms at 95% relative humidity. This capability allows the vapor retarder to protect against condensation in the winter while allowing for the drying of the building envelope in the summer, when humidity levels are typically much higher.
CertainTeed Corp.
Reader Service No. 207
Soy on the Roof
Designed to LEED-Gold standards, the 50,000-sf home for the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago will feature several soy-based products, including roof coating and insulation. ELMS soy-based roof coating is highly reflective, thereby reducing heating and cooling loads and minimizing urban heat island effect. BioBase 501 soy-based foam insulation used in the building's walls is a low-density, open-cell polyurethane spray-foam insulation with an R-value of 3.7. It costs less than conventional open-cell polyurethane insulation because soy oil is less expensive than the petroleum-based polyol it replaces, says its maker.
Green Products LLC.
Reader Service No. 212
Green Resource
Literature from PPG walks architects and specifiers through each of the six LEED categories and explains which PPG glass, coatings, and paint products can be used to earn specific LEED credits. The "Glass, Coatings, and Paint USGBC LEED Specification Summary" identifies each product's green characteristics, including recycled content and local sourcing.
PPG Industries.
Reader Service No. 213
From Cars to Curbs
If the next parking curb you drive up to suddenly brings back fond memories of your last car, there's good reason. A Canadian manufacturer of recycled products has released a new line of parking curbs, multipurpose posts and bollards, and landscape ties made from recycled automobiles. XPotential Products are manufactured with 100% recycled materials.
Universal Forest Products.
Reader Service No. 205
