BuildingGreen Announces 2004 Top-10 Products

As publisher of

Environmental Building News and the

GreenSpec®

Directory, we announced our annual list of Top-10 Green Products at the U.S. Green Building Council’s Greenbuild conference in November. The Top-10 awards represent the most exciting products added to the

GreenSpec Directory during 2004.

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ECO I™ Paver

from the E. P. Henry Corporation. This regionally available interlocking concrete grid paver, designed for porous-paving applications, includes protrusions on the sides to ensure space for rainwater infiltration. The gaps are typically filled with fine crushed stone or a mix of stone and topsoil that is then planted with turf. (See

EBN

Vol. 13, No. 9.)

TimberSIL™ Nontoxic Pressure-Treated Wood from Timber Treatment Technologies, LLC. TimberSIL pressure-treated wood relies on a mineralization process rather than toxins to prevent infestation and decay. Sodium silicate is infused into the wood, followed by a heat-treatment process that forms protective microscopic glass “crystals” throughout the wood. The process provides a permanent, insoluble, noncorrosive treatment that the manufacturer guarantees for 40 years. (See

EBN

Vol. 13, No. 10.)

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Photovol Glass PV Glazing Panels

from MSK Corporation. This semitransparent, building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) glazing element allows visible light transmission while generating electricity. The roughly 1-meter-square glazing panels are available in three transmissivity and electrical-output options. (See

EBN

Vol. 13, No. 11.)

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Ethos™ Carpet-Cushion Backing from Tandus – C&A Floorcoverings. Ethos is made from nonchlorinated polyvinyl butyral (PVB) safety-glass film collected when auto windows and other safety-glass panes are recycled. Ethos is 96% post-consumer recycled, resulting in carpet with a total recycled content of 40–62%. Ethos can be specified for most C&A carpet products at no added cost. (See

EBN

Vol. 13, No. 8.)

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EcoVeil™ TPO Interior Shade Screening

from MechoShade Systems, Inc. Made from a thermoplastic olefin (TPO) yarn called EarthTex™, EcoVeil is infinitely recyclable, and MechoShade encourages customers to return it to the company when its useful service life ends. This non-PVC product is the first shade screen reviewed by the Cradle-to-Cradle manufacturing protocol and earn an approval rating from McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, LLC. (See EBN

Vol. 13, No. 10.)

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Winston Series CPC Solar Collectors

from Solargenix Energy. Each of these collectors is comprised of 12 small compound parabolic collectors (CPC)—inside an insulated, glazed housing—that focus sunlight onto absorber tubes through which heat-transfer fluid is circulated. They can be used in active-solar or passive thermosiphoning installations; one to three panels are typically used for each residential solar water-heating system. (See

EBN

Vol. 13, No. 5.)

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FSC-Certified Framing Lumber, Plywood, and Cedar from Potlatch Corporation. Potlatch produces chain-of-custody 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. Potlatch is the first publicly traded U.S. timber company to certify timberland according to FSC standards. Their land is also SFI-certified. (See

EBN Vol. 13, No. 5.)

FlushMate IV Pressure-Assist Toilet Flush Mechanism from the Sloan Valve Company. The FlushMate IV provides very good flush performance (based on independent MaP testing) using only 1.0 gallon of water per flush. It is currently used in toilets manufactured by Mansfield, Capizzi, Mancesa, St. Thomas Creations (Vitromex), and Vortens, with more expected in 2005. (See

EBN Vol. 13, No. 1.)

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EcoSpace®

Elevator

from Kone. The EcoSpace can be installed more quickly and easily than a hydraulic elevator, and it offers a smoother, quieter ride. Its EcoDisc

® motor, which uses up to 60% less energy than a conventional elevator, mounts in the hoistway, eliminating the need for a machine room. Because hydraulic oil is not used, the risk of environmental contamination from leaks is eliminated. (See

EBN

Vol. 13, No. 8.)

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Cold Climate Heat Pump™ from Nyle Special Products, LLC. With an average coefficient of performance (COP) of 2.7, this multiple-stage, air-source heat pump rivals many geothermal heat pumps in performance, and it can operate efficiently at much lower temperatures than conventional air-source heat pumps. (See

EBN

Vol. 13, No. 7.)

All of these products are listed in

GreenSpec online, available by subscription as part of BuildingGreen Suite. They will also be included in future print editions of the

GreenSpec Directory. The press release about this year’s Top-10 awards, with more extensive product descriptions and manufacturer contact information, is posted at www.buildinggreen.com/press/.