Which Is More Green – SFI or FSC Lumber?
The two main sustainable forestry certification programs (Sustainable Forestry Initiative, SFI, and Forest Stewardship Council, FSC) have been fighting for years to determine which is better. SFI has struggled to gain a foothold in the industry, and has been working to be approved by the US Green Building Council’s LEED green building rating system. In an attempt to fully understand the potential greenwashing, let’s take a look at the two wood certification systems compare, green-wise. Harvest Requirements The FSC standard…
What Is LEED? – Materials and Resources
This is the sixth post in a series on the LEED green building rating system. The first post provided an Introduction to LEED, the second looked at the Sustainable Sites credit category, the third at the Location and Transportation credits, the fourth at Water Efficiency, and the fifth at the Energy and Atmosphere credits. Materials and Resources What materials are used, where they come from, how they are made, and how they are disposed of are instrumental in determining how green a project is. Using…
Waxed Cardboard Insulation Comes From Produce Boxes
Students at Portland State University have developed a new insulation material made from shredded waxed cardboard produce boxes. The insulation helps local grocery stores sustainably dispose of the boxes and could provide low-cost energy savings. PSU assistant architecture professor Margarette Leite heard that many local grocery stores were looking for a way to sustainably dispose of their waxed cardboard produce boxes. The boxes have traditionally gone into the store’s compostable waste, but because of the wax coating it can take…
Bamboo, Plastic Bottles Make Eco-Friendly Greenhouse
Hanoi architecture firm 1+1>2, in collaboration with Action For The City, has designed an eco-friendly greenhouse that protects growing plants from the elements, provides a place for farmers to rest and a offers a creative play space for children to learn more about their environment. It also offers a break from the visual sameness of traditional rice patties. The plastic bottles were donated by students and the local community. They filter the sunlight during the day, protecting the growing plants from…
Green Materials Report – Low VOC Paint
This post is part of the Green Materials Report series. GBE is providing information on various building materials and what makes them green. Each post focuses on one material. We will be looking at the ingredients in the material, how it is used, what makes it green, and any green product certifications that it has earned. We hope to develop a database of information to help consumers make informed choices about what goes in their buildings. Enjoy the series! Low VOC Paint…
Sustainable Forestry Initiative Recognized By BREEAM
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) has been recognized by green building rating system BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) for its ability to allow the construction industry to responsibly source forest products. Their efforts to make one of the greenest building elements- wood!- even greener are definitely worth taking notice of! According to the BREEAM website, its “assessment uses recognized measures of performance, which are set against established benchmarks, to evaluate a building’s specification, design, construction, and use.” “The…
Green Materials Report – Wood
This post is part of the green materials report series. GBE is providing information on various building materials and what makes them green. Each post focuses on one material. We will be looking at the ingredients in the material, how it is used, what makes green materials green, and any green product certifications that it has earned. We hope to develop a database of information to help consumers make informed choices about what goes in their buildings. Wood, and its long…
Green Materials Report – Smog Eating Roof Tiles
This post is part of the green materials report series. GBE is providing information on various building materials and what makes them green. Each post focuses on one material. We will be looking at the ingredients in the material, how it is used, what makes green materials green, and any green product certifications that it has earned. We hope to develop a database of information to help consumers make informed choices about what goes in their buildings. A team of students…
Green Materials Report – Fiberglass Insulation
This post is part of the green materials report series. GBE is providing information on various building materials and what makes them green. Each post focuses on one material. We will be looking at the ingredients in the material, how it is used, what makes green materials green, and any green product certifications that it has earned. We hope to develop a database of information to help consumers make informed choices about what goes in their buildings. Fiberglass insulation is a…
Green Materials Report: Metal Roofing
This post is part of the Green Materials Report series. GBE is providing information on various building materials and what makes them green. Each post focuses on one material. We will be looking at the ingredients in the material, how it is used, what makes it green, and any green product certifications that it has earned. We hope to develop a database of information to help consumers make informed choices about what goes in their buildings. Enjoy the series! Metal Roofing Metal…
More Building Materials of the Future
Thanks to Gizmodo Australia for this look into seven building materials of the future. The gap between material science and actual construction is very far and very wide. It can take decades to move a breakthrough in engineering from a lab to a building site. But as architects and engineers face bigger challenges — from earthquakes to dwindling resources to sheer cost — a new generation of smart materials is emerging. Paint That Can Sense Cracks in a Structure…
Green Materials Report: Cork Flooring
This post is part of the Green Materials Report series. GBE is providing information on various building materials and what makes them green. Each post focuses on one material. We will be looking at the ingredients in the material, how it is used, what makes it green, and any green product certifications that it has earned. We hope to develop a database of information to help consumers make informed choices about what goes in their buildings. Enjoy the series! Cork Flooring Cork…
Exterior Sheathing System Improves Energy Efficiency
Composite Panel Building Systems announced the introduction of a new sheathing system that can improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings and homes, as well as new construction projects. The C-SIS exterior sheathing system combines insulation, an air/water barrier, structural components, and a water drainage plane into a compact panel that can be installed easily over traditionally framed walls. The C-SIS insulated sheathing system is designed to replace traditional plywood sheathing that is installed on the exterior of a framed…
Green Materials Report – Air Cleaning Drywall
This post is part of the Green Materials Report series. GBE is providing information on various building materials and what makes them green. Each post focuses on one material. We will be looking at the ingredients in the material, how it is used, what makes it green, and any green product certifications that it has earned. We hope to develop a database of information to help consumers make informed choices about what goes in their buildings. Enjoy the series! Air Cleaning Drywall…
Treehouse in Memorial City, Both are More than a Name Suggests
As cities re-develop and re-define themselves in new urban and sustainable ways, mixed-used mini-cities are becoming popular oasises in the midst of traditional metropolitan areas. In Houston, Texas, one of such, ‘city-with-in-a-city’ exists and is called Memorial City. It is 7.6 million SF of a place that intertwines the living, shopping, working and play parts of its population’s lives. Memorial City is, “A privately-held real estate investment, development and management company headquarters.” Part of that headquarters is a 14,700 SF,…
Urbana Creates Beautiful Experiences
When art is experienced it becomes part of a person and if the experience is grand enough it becomes part of the space it occupies. A design firm that specializes in such unique visual experiences is Urbana. Three of their projects that are beautiful, large-scale and interesting to explore are: May – September Draper Lumenscape May – September is a parking structure at Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was recently completed and fights the previous concept that a, “Parking…
Green Materials Report: Wool Carpet
This post is part of the Green Materials Report series. GBE is providing information on various building materials and what makes them green. Each post focuses on one material. We will be looking at the ingredients in the material, how it is used, what makes it green, and any green product certifications that it has earned. We hope to develop a database of information to help consumers make informed choices about what goes in their buildings. Enjoy the series! Wool Carpet Wool is…
Cradle to Cradle Founder Addresses PVC’s Future
Dr. Michael Braungart, scientific director and founder of the Environmental Protection & Encouragement Agency (EPEA) and co-founder of Cradle to Cradle (C2C) design framework, spoke recently at a seminar during the NeoCon Design Expo and Conference in Chicago. The conference, which was attended by several leading architecture and design professionals, provided a platform for Dr. Braungart to explain the C2C philosophy supporting the circular economy, as well as the importance of transparency in sharing product information, referencing the sustainable practices of many industry leaders.…