The 2003 Greenbuild Expo was host to a variety of new sustainable products. Several exhibitors launched new materials, concepts and systems. Here’s a few products you shouldn’t miss.

BlueBolt Online Library adds Green Options

BlueBolt (Durham, NC) announced the addition of industry-standard environmental information aligned with leading green building systems and practices to its online library of more than 60,000 products. Scheduled to launch in Spring 2004, the new “green search” feature, sponsored by ANTRON® carpet fiber, will enable specifiers to quickly find interior materials and finishes that meet their environmental specifications. A preview of the green search function was available in the ANTRON booth.

“Finding ways to support the industry in its move toward green building has been among our core values as a company since day one,” commented Lori Eichel, BlueBolt founder and executive vice president. “BlueBolt’s extensive, standardized online product library puts us in an ideal position to help specifiers by giving them free access to accurate environmental data.”

One of the biggest obstacles to specifying green has been finding accurate, credible product environmental information, and BlueBolt is making it available to the entire industry for free. Researchers and green building practitioners working with the company have identified environmental attributes that are needed to assess each of the 47 types of interior products found in BlueBolt’s library. These attributes include product performance against LEED indoor environmental quality and materials and resources credits, environmentally preferable product certifications, and other industry-accepted standards. Data is now being collected and will be searchable at www.bluebolt.com when the feature launches early next year. To learn more, visit www.bluebolt.com.

CertainTeed Introduces MemBrain

CertainTeed Corporation’s (ValleyForge, Pa.) Insulation Group has introduced a first of its kind vapor retarder in the U.S. that breathes and allows excess moisture to escape from wall cavities. Called MemBrain, this patented new smart vapor retarder is a polyamide film that changes permeability from less than 1 perm at low humidity (such as during winter) to greater than 20 perms at high relative humidity.

“MemBrain is used in place of traditional polyethylene vapor retarders with unfaced fiber glass insulation to provide an insulation system that’s ideal for areas with season changes in temperature and humidity,” explains Glenn Singer, manager of building science for CertainTeed’s Insulation Group.

MemBrain is a nylon-based material. A two-mil sheet of the material has equivalent performance to a 6-mil sheet of polyethylene. MemBrain is also impermeable to organic pollutants and gases. For more information on MemBrain , contact your local CertainTeed territory manager or call CertainTeed at 1-800-233-8990. Or visit www.certainteed.com. CertainTeed is the 2003 ED+C Road Show Sponsor.

CCW MiraDRAIN Provides Drainage Solution

Carlisle Coatings and Waterproofing (Wylie, Texas), manufacturer of waterproofing products, demonstrates its commitment to the building industry by providing customers with a complete line of superior, prefabricated drainage composites, CCW MiraDRAIN. This complete line includes: CCW MiraDRAIN 2000, 5000, 6000, 6200, 6000XL, 6200XL, 8000, QuickDRAIN and HC Drain for cost-effective, below-grade drainage solutions; MiraVENT and GR9200 for above-grade applications; and, CCW MiraDRAIN 9000, 9800, 9900, which were designed for both above and below-grade applications.

This complete line of drainage systems is comprised of versatile products that can protect vital underground areas such as foundation walls, planters, trench drains, retaining walls, shoring/lagging, plaza decks and underground structures. Without the use of these critical drainage systems, structures can be stressed by earth and water seepage, and hydrostatic head pressure, resulting in major interior and exterior damage in below-grade structures. For more information, visit www.carlisle-ccw.com.

Philips Introduces Tool to Help End-Users

Royal Philips Electronics' North American lighting division unveiled its Sustainable Lighting Index, an online tool that helps end-users calculate the mercury content/lumen hour ratio of their lamp operations and provides lamp alternatives to reduce the environmental impact of their buildings. Expected to be available in early 2004, the Sustainable Lighting Index rates end-users' lamp performance against standards set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) program.

"From the compact fluorescent lamp to our proprietary low-mercury ALTO technology, Philips has led the lighting industry toward a model of sustainability," said Steve Goldmacher, director of corporate communications, Philips Lighting Company. "With our Sustainable Lighting Index, we are extending that model to our end-users, encouraging them to consider the environmental impact of their lighting operations."

The Philips calculator measures lamp mercury in picograms per lumen hour. This measurement uses a ratio of mercury content over lamp life multiplied by mean lumen output, thereby rating mercury content against the performance of the lamp, which is among the considerations for sustainable design. For example, a low-mercury lamp with long life and low lumen output would reduce mercury in the lamp itself but would call for more lamps, which adds up to more mercury and greater energy consumption. The tool ensures that end-users consider all three factors in their lighting decisions.

Pending approval of the specification, the mercury calculator will be made available free on Philips Lighting's Web site: http://www.lighting.philips.com/nam>.

ECOrocks Flooring Launched at Show

ECOsurfaces Commercial Flooring (Lancaster, Pa.) launched ECOrocks at the Greenbuild show, with the look of Terrazzo with the cushioned comfort of resilient rubber flooring. Made from high-quality, medium and jumbo-sized reprocessed EPDM rubber granules, ECOrocks features five sophisticated color blends in two geometric designs.

ECOrocks supports the ASTM Sustainability Assessment (ASTM E2129-01), enabling specifiers and designers to celebrate the green properties and sustainability of ECOsurfaces products. It is made from 100% post-consumer SBR tire rubber & 30% post-industrial EPDM, has low VOC emissions and is easy to install and maintain. Visit www.ecosurfaces.com.

EnviroGLAS Uses Recycled Bottles For Flooring

In a press conference on Thursday, Nov. 13, Tim Whaley of EnviroGLAS (Plano, Texas) introduced EnviroGLAS Terrazzo. Whaley says EnviroGLAS is the latest terrazzo innovation — instead of marble, EnviroGLAS uses 100% post-consumer recycled glass. Discarded beer, soda and wine bottles are turned into sustainable, economical flooring and countertop solutions. Find more information at www.americanterrazzo.com.

McConnell Releases Solar Module Mounting Solution

McConnell Energy Solutions LLC (Wilmington, Del.) announced the release of their patent-pending SolarDock solar module mounting solution. The solar dock incorporates several improvements over previous products for the mounting of photovoltaics modules on flat-roofs and can also be used for ground applications.

The angled design of the SolarDock allows it to improve efficiency — making it up to 15% more efficient in generating electric power than standard solar systems and up to 30% more economical. The SolarDock is constructed of aluminum and can be made to fit any size solar panel. Aluminum construction makes the SolarDock stackable, lightweight and easy to ship. Visit www.mcconnellenergysolutions.com.

The Invironmentalists Announce EPP Certification

SCS Booth at Greenbuild

The Invironmentalists’ total life-cycle solutions approach has been certified as the first and only Environmentally Preferable Product or Service (EPP) Flooring Management System by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS).

The Invironmentalists help customers select the most responsible flooring products, and install them efficiently and safely, reducing waste and lowering the environmental impact. Their Interior Vitalization service keeps products looking better longer - maximizing life expectancy. And, at the end of the product's useful life, a reclamation program accepts all types of carpet, diverting these materials away from landfills and into new products. Copies of the EPP Flooring Management System pilot standard are available at www.scscertified.com/epp.

Owens Corning Earns GreenGuard Certification

Owens Corning (Toledo, Ohio) announced that the company has been awarded GREENGUARD Certification by the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute for their AF-FDM/flexible duct media. Visit www.owenscorning.com.

MBDC study confirms "ecological intelligence" of BASF's Styropor EPS resins

MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry), Charlottesville, Va., has announced that BASF's Styropor expandable polystyrene (EPS) resins have strong attributes of environmental sustainability in that they can be used and recycled in thermal insulation applications.

MBDC conducted a rigorous evaluation of the "environmental health and intelligence" of Styropor EPS resin used for thermal insulation applications. Based on the study, MBDC has concluded that Styropor EPS thermal insulating product from BASF has great potential for use in "cradle-to-cradle," sustainable building design. MBDC has determined that Styropor EPS is suited for circulating in a "cradle-to-cradle" life-cycle as a "technical nutrient," meaning that it is a material that can be recovered and reprocessed over and over again where such facilities are available for reuse at a high level of performance.

For more information about MBDC visit www.mbdc.com. For more information on Styropor EPS from BASF, visit www.plasticsportal.com.

More New Products To Come

Manufacturers: Please send Greenbuild product announcements to hucalm@bnpmedia.com.

Attendees: If you saw an exciting new product that should be included in our list, please send an e-mail to hucalm@bnpmedia.com.