Sustainable Industries magazine (or as I still think of them, the Sustainable Industries Journal) has announced its top 10 green products for 2008. Descriptions are from the magazine (which in full disclosure I also write for).
Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB), produced by Midwest Earth Builders with a CEB machine manufactured by Powell & Sons. This block-building system, typically fed with local clays and soils, creates blocks uniform in size and density that can be "drystacked" to form durable, energy-efficient walls.
EcoTop, manufactured by KlipTech. The first countertop on the market to use both paper and wood fibers certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as well as rapidly renewable bamboo fibers.
Lamberts Channel Glass, manufactured by Glasfrabriks Lamberts. (Pictured above installed at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.) Self-supporting columns made of 40% post-consumer recycled glass that can be used to make exterior or interior walls. The channel glass is manufactured in a low-polluting oxygen-fired furnaces.
Masa Cabinet Hardware, manufactured by Eleek. Cabinet hardware made of 100-percent post-consumer recycled aluminum sourced from Portland's Rebuilding Center.
MetroPaint, Metro. An interior and exterior paint made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled interior and exterior latex paint collected from Portland's hazardous waste centers and some retail locations.
Resource Monitor, manufactured by Agilewaves. Monitor collects data from electric, water and gas lines and sends it to a password-protected Web page where building occupants can find detailed information about the cost of a building's consumption in both dollars and carbon weight. Agilewaves bests similar products on the market by aiming to prove the benefits of modern technologies such solar photovoltaics and green roofs.
Solar Tracking Skylight, manufactured by Solar Tracking Skylights Inc. The Solar Tracking Skylight is a completely self-contained, self-managed skylight with mirrors. Unlike typical skylights, which only provide light to occupants when the sun crosses its opening, Solar Tracking Skylight's mirrors provide coverage throughout the entire day.
Straw Wall, manufactured by Green Design Systems. Straw Walls are infill panels similar to straw bale wall systems made of just three materials: rice straw and hulls (an agricultural crop waste), wood framing (certified by the Forest Stewardship Council) and steel mesh (made of 100 percent recycled metal).
Thermastrand Radiant Barrier Sheathing, manufactured by Ainsworth Engineered. Thermastrand is the industry's first radiant barrier foil that is adhered directly to oriented-strand board (OSB) during the manufacturing process. The OSB is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
Salvaged Hardwood Tables, made by Urban Hardwoods. Over the past 10 years, Urban Hardwoods has salvaged about 3,000 trees from Seattle homeowners and turned the wood into tables and other furniture. The company has gone to great lengths to reduce waste and resources in its drying and milling process.
Does anyone reading this have any experience using any of these products? Or what might be some green products and materials not on this list that people would like to recommend?
Referred to this post here
http://www.djc.com/blogs/BuildingGreen/2008/06/24/the-best-green-products-of-2008-but-are-they-really-the-best/
Posted by: Katie Zemtseff | June 24, 2008 at 04:13 PM
All interesting products. The first, CEB, or compressed earth blocks seems very interesting. Beaverton seems to have enough clay, for sure. It could be worth checking out the cost effectiveness of such a building material for our area. Cobb is a useful material too, but this CEB looks as though it might be more readily usable and appealing to people interested in a more conventional looking house than cobb seems to favor.
Posted by: ws | June 24, 2008 at 10:32 PM
May we add that our company, Active Ventilation Products (roofvents.com) produces a self powered solar attic fan that has been approved for LEEDs points in New York State for energy efficient buildings. We also produce tubular skylights, skylight vents and other innovative products using renewable energy and recycled aluminum.
Posted by: Martin Kolt | April 28, 2009 at 12:44 PM