By harvesting antique timber from buildings scheduled for demolition, Liberty Valley Doors helps conserve existing forests  - and keeps the valuable wood out of landfills. Each piece of seasoned, reclaimed lumber used to create their line of Rediscovered Wood Doors is unique, with lovely deep colors and a character all their own. This historic reclaimed lumber is used for both interior and exterior entries.

Rediscovered Wood Doors are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and may earn LEED Credits. Liberty Valley Doors also offers custom designs using the 100% reclaimed lumber. Other options include recessed square molding, pre-machining, pre-finishing and pre-hanging.

Photos courtesy of Liberty Valley Doors

Filed under: eco decor, green building products, recycling on August 17th, 2008 | No Comments »

Through the use of a proprietary process, PowerFilm is the first – and only – company that “manufacturers and sells monolithically-integrated solar panels on plastic using a true roll-to-roll manufacturing process”. Former 3M research physicists, Dr. Frank Jeffrey and Dr. Derrick Grimmer, founded the company in 1988 with a goal to “develop and manufacture thin film solar panels in high volume and at low cost”.  The two scientists have a combined 65 years of experience in the semiconductor and solar energy research and development fields.

 The benefits of this product are numerous.  Roll-to-roll manufacturing decreases material handling costs, printed interconnects enable automated connection of individual cells, and the production of the PowerFilm solar panels requires as little as 1% of the amount of silicon used in rigid crystalline solar panels. In addition, the sunlight absorber layer is cadmium free (environmentally friendly), as well as a commercially viable, low cost technology. PowerFilm panels are 13 inches wide and can be up to 2,400 feet long.

Photos courtesy of PowerFilm

Filed under: alternative energy on August 17th, 2008 | No Comments »

At greenphone.com, you can now sell those unused (but still functional) cell phones that have been stashed in the junk drawer. The amount of cash you will get varies a great deal – from $1 to $60 - depending on the model. If the phone is not in working condition, greenphone.com will recycle it free of charge. In addition, the company has instituted TheGreenPhone Planting Project, an operation that plants one tree for every cell phone purchased by greenphone.com. The project teams with Wildfire ReLeaf and Sustainable Harvest International to plant trees in America and Central America. 

Filed under: recycling on August 7th, 2008 | No Comments »

This can be a difficult question to answer, especially given the amount of greenwashing around today.  One way to get some assurance a product is what it claims to be is to check for well-respected, third-party green-certification.  Here are some organizations that can provide assistance:

Energy Star: Energy-efficient guidelines are set by U.S. Department of Energy for appliances, heating and cooling systems, lighting, roof products, windows and doors. www.EnergyStar.gov

FSC: Forest Stewardship council that sets standards for responsible forest management and certifies materials from specific woodlands. www.FSC.org

Green Seal: Maintains environmental standards for many products, including adhesives, paints, windows, cleaners, papers and alternative-fuel vehicles. www.GreenSeal.org

LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The U.S. Building Council rates buildings in categories such as water conservation, energy-efficiency, materials used and indoor air quality. Products themselves do not earn LEED points – only a complete project can be certified. Some materials can help a building qualify for certification. www.USGBC.org

SCS: Scientific Certification Systems certifies environmentally preferable products and services. Among them, carpet, cabinetry, paint, doors and flooring. www.SCScertified.com

Cradle to Cradle (C2C): Sets rigorous standards for “environmentally intelligent” design by examining the entire lifecycle of eco-friendly materials. www.C2CCertified.com

In addition to identifying false or exaggerated claims, factors such as the distance and manner in which a material is transported need to be considered. Not to single any particular material out for inspection, but an example is “sustainable” bamboo flooring.  Sustainable rocks, but for those of us living in the U.S., this material traveled a great distance. Bamboo flooring is frequently used in LEED certified projects, but having been shipped so far - it really “green”? That would depend on whom you ask. (This is a tough one for me – I love bamboo flooring.)

Other questions to ponder are:

Is the material produced in an environmentally responsible manner? Example:  IceStone makes use of day lighting in their facility and recycles gray water.

Does the product contain a percentage of recycled materials? Example: Vetrazzo uses 100% recycled glass and EcoTop is composed of a FSC certified fiber that is a 50/50 blend of sustainable bamboo and post consumer recycled paper.

Can the material be recycled at end of its lifespan? Example: Earthweave, Flor and Vetrazzo offer programs that take back used product from customers and recycle it.

With all of this to consider it seems to me that “green” is on a continuum, just like the rest of life. No material is perfect, and there may still be a lot of gray (area) in green. However, as our collective eco-conscious continues to grow, environmentally responsible decisions are bound to follow.

Filed under: is it really green? on August 6th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Enter the OASys air conditioning system from Speakman Co. of Delaware.  Not an AC unit in the traditional sense, the OASys is more a relative of the evaporative cooler (some may know of the old swamp cooler), but with a much higher tech approach.

A glance at a schematic diagram may help understand how the system works:

“The OASys produces up to 3.5 tons of cooling while using less than 600 watts for an energy efficiency equivalent to better than 40 SEER. Switching to OASys cooling will result in an 80% energy savings without sacrificing comfort.”

OK, it’s a swamp cooler, you say.  Those of us who have experience with the old time swamp cooler know that it’s not the same as Freon-based AC.  But, OASys is not exactly the same.  We looked at the “testamonials” link for some user feedback.  Frequently the information available here is proprietary, but in this case we found someone with some good data:

“Hello all.  Following are sample readings from a 1600+ sq.ft. residence in Las Cruces, New Mexico (though 440 sq.ft. is the attached garage/workspace, since I usually keep access to the residence open for comfort in the workspace, it can be considered part of the building envelope).

Average 10 ft. ceilings in residence, 8 ft. garage, 2 upducts, turbine ceiling vent and insulated garage door, cold (flat) roof w/ 2 ft. separation coated with reflective foam.

Readings:

5/25/08; 1438 MST; Outdoor Temp 98.2 F.  Outdoor Hum. 17%(relative).  Indoor Temp 74 F.  Indoor Humidity 37%.  Plenum Temp low speed 65.2 F.; high speed 68.3F

5/29/08; 1519 MST; Outdoor temp 102.8 F; Outdoor Humidity 17%; Indoor temp 73.6F.; Humidity 51 %; Plenum temp low speed 68.1 F.

6/1/08; 1450 MST; Outdoor temp 108F; Outdoor Humidity 16%;Indoor temp 74F; Indoor Humidity 40%; Plenum temp 68.1 F.

Wattmeter w/ time base installed, initial reading 476 watts, low speed/pump/solenoid/controls; no low-flow water meter so far available, specs indicate less 2 gallons per hour at average purge settings.  Best Wishes, Dan Townsend”

Seems the OASys is a good option even in places where summer heat is to extremes.

Photos courtesy of  http://www.oasysairconditioner.com 

Filed under: products, green building products on August 5th, 2008 | No Comments »

The lively, adventurous circles used in Habitus recycled cork mosaic tiles bring a whole new dimension to cork flooring. Using remnants from the wine cork stopper industry, the company recycles the most attractive chips and hand-mounts them onto paper mesh sheets. Naturally moisture repellent, this unique product is suitable for use in showers, bathrooms and kitchens.

And installation couldn’t be easier: Habitus recycled cork mosaic tiles are installed just like any typical ceramic, glass, or stone mosaic product. Simply adhere with a thin-set adhesive and grout.

Grout color selection plays a dramatic role in the final design. Monochromatic choices provide a harmonious appearance, in comparison to high-contrast designs with dynamic impact. Tiles are available in two chip sizes; 1″ diameter chip on a 12″ x 24″ sheet or 1-3/8″ diameter chip on a 24″ x 24″ sheet. Prices start at $12 per sq.ft., and the product is  available in stock, with  delivery averaging 3-5 days. Habitus, Inc. 

Photos courtesy of Habitus, Inc.

Filed under: eco decor on July 31st, 2008 | No Comments »

“I would say that the truth is that everyone living in North America could be more green, and it’s important that when people start doing this work they focus on what they can accomplish without getting too guilty. People need to feel like they are making positive contributions moving forward.” Amy Wakeland

Filed under: quotables on July 31st, 2008 | No Comments »

5^th and Madison, an elegantly eco-friendly condo tower in downtown Seattle, offers gracious living without a guilty conscience. The wide, shallow homes are built with expansive, operable windows that bathe rooms in natural light and provide ventilation; thereby reducing energy costs.  Bathrooms are equipped with energy-efficient dual-flush toilets and low flow showerheads. In the kitchen, refrigerator-filtered water and ice make it easy to break the plastic water bottle habit. Low or no VOC paints and finishes were used throughout.

This eco-friendly condo tower is estimated to be 20% more energy efficient than industry standards and 75% of the construction waste was recycled. A lushly landscaped half-acre with a small stream is irrigated with rainwater collected from roof runoff and stored in underground cisterns. This lovely natural setting is open to the public during the day, while providing a private refuge for residents in the evening. The builders of 5^th and Madison are currently seeking LEED certification. 

Photos courtesy of 5th and Madison (there’s lots more below)

Filed under: green homes on July 31st, 2008 | No Comments »

While insulation doesn’t exactly provide the big bling factor, it is a fundamentally important component of a green home design. Bonded Logic recycles denim from worn blue jeans to create their eco-friendly insulation products. UltraTouch Natural Cotton Fiber Insulation is a high performance option that can contribute toward LEED credits with 85% post-recycled industrial content. The product is also composed of rapidly renewable cotton and doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals or irritants, which means no VOCS or off-gassing concerns. This is terrific news to anyone who has ever come in contact with scratchy, old-school insulation.

Bonded Logic’s eco-friendly insulation has also attracted the attention of Building Green TV host Kevin Contreras, who used the product in his own green dream home. “Insulating your attic with an eco-responsible product like Bonded Logic’s blue jean insulation is one of the simplest, easiest things you can do to increase your comfort in your home and save energy,” says Contreras. This socially responsible company has also donated product to Habitat for Humanity. There’s lots more news on the company web site. Bonded Logic, Inc.

Filed under: green building products on July 31st, 2008 | No Comments »

A Solarsheat heating solar panel package makes it possible to retrofit an existing heating system with PV power. The Solarsheat Furnace Retrofit consists of (a minimum of) four panels, a solar fan and a solar thermostat. When installed with additional R12 insulated duct, the system boosts – or replaces - an existing heating system with pre-heated air produced by the solar heating panels.

The retrofitted insulated ducts attach to the furnace’s cold air return. When the solar thermostat calls for action on a sunny day, solar and furnace fans activate and blow solar heated air through the existing ductwork. The result: a substantial decrease in energy costs due to retrofitting an existing heating system with solar panels. Solarsheat is Energy Star and SRCC certified.

Photos courtesy of Your Solar Home, Inc. 

Filed under: alternative energy on July 31st, 2008 | No Comments »