Tag Archives: Cradle to Cradle

Green Materials Report – Wall Coverings

Bark House Poplar Bark Panels

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…

Cradle to Cradle Founder Addresses PVC’s Future

PVC vinyl flooring tile

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…

Green Materials Report: IceStone Countertops

IceStone countertops in kitchen

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…

Green Materials Report: Linoleum Flooring

Samples of linoleum from Shutterstock

This post is the first in 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…

What is Life Cycle Assessment?

Life cycle assessment

Life cycle assessment (LCA) looks at the environmental impacts of a building material over the entire life of the material, from extraction to disposal.  LCA attempts to quantify these impacts for the purpose of comparing materials or buildings. What is measured? LCA is a scientific study of the environmental inputs and outputs to a building…

A Bright Beginning: U2 Adapter Campaign

There are tons of inventions that may be small in scale but are big in economical value. Simply put, finding another use for an item that will go in the trash is a huge value. There are multiple web sites available to help beginner inventors get their start, such as Kickstarter, Invent Help and Indie…

Hyatt at Olive 8 Receives LEED Silver, Gold Green Seal and Green Key Eco-Rating

LEED is discussed a lot in sustainable ratings of buildings but there are other certifications that buildings can achieve and theses certificates and ratings are achieved through many different measurements. Many buildings are discussed with new technologies like vertical gardens and a sustainable winery. These are just a few examples of other organizations that rank sustainability:…

Zero Waste Systems; A Cycle Following Nature’s Design

It is crucial that we implement more recycling and reuse programs into our everyday practice because if everyone on the earth consumed resources at the rate that Americans do, we would currently need five earths to keep up and this ratio will continue to grow as the population continues to grow. But we have the abilities and the technologies, already in existence to change this. We need to implement into our everyday lives zero waste system practices.

Sustainable Residential Combined Heat and Power Systems’ Forecast by Pike

New research is being conducted on more energy sustainable residential combined heat and power systems (resCHP). The research is being conducted by Pike Research which joined Navigant’s global Energy Practices on July 1, 2012 which provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The systems are small generation systems that produce electricity for residences while also capturing heat that would normally go to waste.

What Happens to Used Hotel Furniture?

Hotels hire liquidators to remove and re-sell their used furnishings.

Green Building 101: Originate’s Natural Material Showroom

A locally sourced place for customers and clients to go to purchase a large variety of natural materials, consult experts and experience the ‘green’ materials first hand is Originate. This is a natural building materials’ showroom located in Tucson, Arizona. “Originate specializes in interior finishes that are environmentally friendly, non-toxic, durable, and made from natural and renewable resources.”

Piezoelectric Elements Can Turn Highways into Green Zones

Astonishing new advances in clean energy production are happening worldwide with the experimentation and understanding of piezoelectric technology.

A Trash Bash’s Goal of Zero Waste, Soon to be Reached?

The events that make the biggest impact on the attendants do not have to leave an impact on the earth. Executive Director, Jan Hamilton with the CARTM Recycling Center in Manzanita, Oregon, developed an event which produces almost entirely no waste.

They started it in 1998 and on Friday, May 20, 2011 it will be their 13th annual Trash Bash. This is a community party with dancing, art and a fashion “Trashion” show all dedicated to recycling, re-using, and the non-wasting of materials.

Loblolly House on Stilts Stands Up To Traditional Architecture Processes

Kieran Timberlake Architects have been fighting for architecture to improve throughout the years. They have questioned why architecture is still done the same way that it has been done for years when professions such as ship building, automotives, and airplane engineering have bounded ahead with technological breakthroughs.

Green Building 101: Land Use, Protection and Re-use

Adaptive re-use plus brownfield reclamation are key factors in land conservation and reducing unnecessary sprawl. These are good for the economy, communities, and the environment. More plans need to be implemented and the importance stressed that this is our one chance to re-do and un-do our environmental impact so that future generations can make their choices.

Aqua Creations Uses Biomimicry to Design Lighting and Furniture

Architects, engineers and designers are now doing what scientists, naturalists and environmentalists have been doing, instead of trying to change the planet in the name of progress they are looking at the planet’s progress. Designer-Artist, Ayala Serfaty and her photographer partner, husband, Albi Serfaty created a company that mimics marine life, uses natural materials, and brings sustainability technology to the forefront of light and furniture design. Serfaty artistic abilities allowed for the business of Aqua Creations to unfold, but to enhance the design world with beautiful, nature-influenced products is what the science of Biomimicry is about.

Premier Copper Products are Sustainable, Artisanal and Recycled

Premier Copper Products is a company looking to better their surrounding world with beauty, creativity and sustainability. Today the company sells an ever-growing range of 160+ products, including kitchen, bar/prep, and bathroom sinks, bathtubs, faucets, drains, light fixtures, switch plates, and tiles.

Miranda Homes is a Company That Leads the Way of Sustainable Construction

Efficiency as a home builder is just as important as efficiency for the home owner. Miranda Homes knows how important this is and is changing the construction industry by changing their ways making more sustainable options available to the public.