Saks unveils 50 giant snowflakes featuring 72,000 Philips LEDs

Saks Fifth Avenue unveiled its new Holiday Snowflake program at its flagship Fifth Avenue store (New York) on November 23rd, 2004 at a special launch event. The event focused on the premiere of the high-tech Snowflake Spectacle – a sound and light show on the flagship’s façade featuring 72,000 Philips LEDs that illuminate 50 giant snowflakes choreographed to a modern version of ‘Carol of the Bells’. Philips Electronics in a partnership with Saks made the holiday fantasy a reality by providing the technology for the snowflake display, which will dazzle crowds every half-hour throughout the season.

“As the company that lights some of the world’s preeminent landmarks, including The Eiffel Tower and Big Ben, Philips is delighted to partner with Saks to bring a world-class lighting experience to such a renowned New York landmark,” said Erik Bouts, CEO of Philips Lighting. “Our LED technology used to illuminate the snowflakes, while being technologically advanced, will provide New Yorkers and tourists alike with a spectacle that truly reflects the simplicity and beauty of a snowflake.”

The Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday 2004 SNOWFLAKE SPECTACLE includes 50 fully programmable, unique snowflakes reaching 10 stories high (36-8’-0”; 14-20’-0”) inspired by Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley’s snowflake photos from the 1920’s. The project required 8,000 feet of steel, five miles of lighting, 72,000 LED modules, 15 multicolor changing uplights, 40 strobe lights, 13,000 feet of cable and more than 5,000 hours of production. Visit http://www.philips.com and http://www.saks.com

Schlitz Audubon’s Dorothy K. Vallier Environmental Learning Center Earns Gold LEED Award

The Dorothy K. Vallier Environmental Learning Center at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center in Milwuakee was awarded a Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in Washington, D.C.

The Audubon learning center is the only new construction Gold certified LEED building in Wisconsin, and one of just 28 gold certified buildings in the United States. Located just 15 minutes north of downtown Milwaukee, the learning center is situated on 185 acres of unspoiled natural beauty along the shores of Lake Michigan. The Center is a privately funded, non-profit nature preserve dedicated to environmental education and land stewardship. Each year more than 37,000 children experience the magic of nature through hands-on nature education programs. More than 70,000 people visit the Center each year for learning, hiking and connecting with nature.

During the early planning stages for Schlitz Audubon’s environmental learning center six years ago, the Center’s board of directors made a decision to “walk the environmental talk” and build the “greenest of the green” sustainable facility, despite the fact that it would be a more costly and challenging alternative to traditional building techniques.

Using LEED’s rating system as an environmental quality-control yardstick, Schlitz Audubon‘s Building Committee, The Kubala Washatko Architects, Inc., and the Jansen Group construction contractors created integrated sustainable building systems and processes from day one that touched every aspect of the building’s design and construction.

Some of the “green” highlights of the Dorothy K. Vallier Environmental Learning Center include:
(1) A 10-kilowatt photovoltaic solar power system, donated by We Energies, which supplies a significant portion of the building’s electricity and lessens future energy use by the Center;
(2) Extensive use of natural light that reduces energy needed for lighting
(3) Specially designed and placed window systems, donated in part by Johnson Controls;
(4) A geothermal heat system that uses 90 groundwater wells and the earth’s temperature to provide heating and cooling, thereby lessening dependence on fossil fuels, and;
(5) Low-fl ow plumbing that helps protect the environment by reducing water usage.
(6) Pine logs, which were harvested from Aldo Leopold’s nature preserve in Sauk County and donated by his family for use as external structural supports, provide tangible and symbolic representations of the building’s inter-connectedness with the natural world.

According to Elizabeth Cheek, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center executive director, the learning center’s construction process was an “environmental labor of love” that employed a wide range of earth-friendly building materials and techniques. The Center’s new building provides much needed space for more classrooms, an enlarged auditorium, new exhibits, a nature-focused preschool, the first of its kind in Wisconsin, a nature store and improved accessibility for persons with disabilities.

Founded in 1971, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center educates more children than any other nature center in Wisconsin, and more children than any other center in the National Audubon network. Visit http://www.sanc.org.

Steelcase Workplace Index Survey Reveals Corporate Environmental Concerns

(PRNewswire-FirstCall) -- The most recent Steelcase Workplace Index Survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) provides a glimpse at environmental perceptions in the workplace. Through this survey of over 675 office workers in the United States, Steelcase, a global office environments manufacturer whose offerings help individuals to work more effectively and organizations to use space more efficiently, revealed that issues surrounding environmental sustainability are of great importance to workers and companies alike. However, the study also found a conflict of thought: the incentive motivating companies into action is the same barrier keeping them from doing so.

According to the survey, more than half of those surveyed believe environmental and sustainability issues are a "high priority" for their company. And, around 74% of Americans say their company "always" or "often" takes steps to improve its environmental standards, such as using less paper, recycling, and shutting off lights and other electrical devices when not in use.

"It is promising that a high percentage of companies are actively taking steps to improve environmental standards," said David Rinard, director of corporate environmental performance at Steelcase. "Protecting the environment is one of Steelcase's founding principles, and it is reassuring to see that this value is shared among a rising number of companies and employees."

The Workplace Index Survey went a step further to examine the incentives and barriers that encourage or discourage companies from taking action. According to the survey, Americans believe cutting cost is the primary incentive encouraging their company to be more environmentally responsible. On the contrary, the survey reveals that the majority of Americans believe cost is the primary barrier keeping companies from minimizing their impact on the environment.

"Interestingly, the incentive motivating companies to be more responsible is also the primary barrier," explained Rinard. "Companies are looking for solutions that help cut costs while also acting in an environmentally responsible manner. In response to this need, Steelcase recently launched an environmental program to help companies determine how best to dispose of office furniture in a cost-effective and environmentally-sensitive manner."

Additionally, the Steelcase Workplace Index Survey examined the importance of environmentally-friendly products and furniture in offices. Among the findings:

* 54% of Americans say their company purchases recyclable or sustainable products and furniture

* 77% of respondents under the age of 55 say they would prefer that their employer purchase environmental products instead of other products;

while only 50% of respondents over the age of 55 say they would prefer that their employer purchase environmental products

* 61% of Americans say they are more likely to buy an environmentally-friendly product even if it cost more than another product

* 95% say they would be more likely to buy a product with environmental attributes when the price remains the same.

Steelcase conducts the Workplace Index Survey to uncover pertinent issues in today's work environment. This continual workforce feedback is essential to the development of Steelcase's information and expertise in the workplace, and to the company's product development and corporate ventures aimed to increase effectiveness, productivity and environmental responsibility.

Past surveys have been conducted on productivity in the workplace, technology used in meetings, lighting in the workplace and alternative postures in the workplace. Further information on workplace issues and on the Steelcase environmental program can be found on Steelcase's Web site at http://www.steelcase.com.

Frank Endrenyi Receives Joseph J. Smrekar Memorial Award

Frank Endrenyi, head of Technology Development and Sustainable Development for Mohawk Industries, was presented the prestigious Joseph J. Smrekar Memorial Award at the Annual Meeting of the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) December 1. The award was conceived by Milliken & Company for the Carpet and Rug Institute as a memorial to Dr. Joseph J. Smrekar who passed away in 1998. Through the generosity of Milliken & Company, "Dr. Joe" was able to serve CRI on numerous technical committees and boards as chairman, representative, and member. The award states, "Many of the technical achievements in the carpet industry can be attributed to the leadership of this exceptional individual, scholar, scientist, respected researcher and teacher." This award recognizes individuals who have similarly shown unusual and exemplary service to the carpet and rug industry. Russell Grizzle, President of the USA Carpet Division of Milliken & Company, presented Endrenyi with the distinguished award saying, "Dr. Joe set the standard for service to CRI and the industry. Today, we want to show our esteem for another individual for his unusual dedication and exemplary service to the industry and to CRI. This year, this award is being presented to Frank Endrenyi, a man who has worked tirelessly for the carpet industry."

Werner Braun, president of CRI, said the award "represents the dedication and depth of understanding of industry issues exemplified by Dr. Joe Smrekar. Frank Endrenyi epitomizes that dedication and understanding. He has given generously of his own time for the overall benefit of this industry. It is an honor to recognize him for his service.'' In addition to serving on numerous committees, Mr. Endrenyi currently plays a major role on the Sustainability Issues Management team and serves as vice chair of the Market Issues Committee.

Mr. Endrenyi began his career in the research department at Milliken & Company and has spent the last 35 years in the carpet industry. He has also worked at Salem carpets, Coronet Industries and Collins & Aikman Floor Covering prior to joining Mohawk Industries where he has worked for the last 14 years.

Selection of the recipient is made annually by the Carpet and Rug Institute. The recipient will receive an individual award. A plaque listing the names of annual recipients is displayed at CRI. Mr. Endrenyi is the eighth recipient of the award and joins a distinguished group of previous honorees.

Past winners of the prestigious award include Carey Mitchell, Howard Elder PhD., Robert Cannon, Alan Luedtke PhD., Dr. E.P. "Rusty'' Willimon, Jim Jolly and Dan Frierson.

Visit The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) at http://www.carpet-rug.org.

Armstrong Honors Nike For Its Ceiling Recycling Efforts

Armstrong Ceilings has presented a special environmental award to Nike, Inc. and the architectural firm of Thompson Vaivoda & Associates of Portland, Oregon in recognition of Nike’s ceiling recycling efforts.

The award was presented on behalf of Armstrong to Nike by David Vant Hof, Sustainability Policy Advisor to Oregon Governor, Ted Kulongoski. Nike participates in the Armstrong Ceiling Recycling Program and recently recycled over 100,000 square feet of old ceiling tiles at its Beaverton, Oregon campus. The discarded tiles were shipped to the Armstrong ceiling plant in nearby St. Helens, Oregon. The St. Helens plant is the destination point for all ceiling tiles collected on the west coast.

“The recycling program is designed to help our customers reduce their impact on the environment by redirecting used ceiling tiles from landfills back to Armstrong,” explains Joann Davis Brayman, Vice President of Marketing. “It offers a valuable end to what typically would have been thrown away.”

“Environmental consciousness guides all aspects of our business, including facilities,” adds Jim Petsche, Director of Corporate Facilities at Nike. “As a result of our commitment to implement green design and environmentally friendly practices, we believe we are helping our community and the world by building with nature in mind.”

Other organizations around the country currently participating in the ceiling recycling program in order to reduce landfill disposal of building materials include Microsoft, Pfizer, Food Lion, the World Bank and the School District of Philadelphia.

Since it introduced the recycling program in 1999, Armstrong has reclaimed 20,088,000 square feet of discarded ceiling tiles, or enough tiles to cover 349 football fields. This total also represents 14,062,000 pounds, or nearly 7,100 tons, of construction waste that would have normally been dumped in landfills.

The program, which is still the only one of its kind, enables building owners to ship old ceilings from renovation projects to an Armstrong ceiling plant as an alternative to landfill disposal. Under the program, the company even pays freight costs for shipping the old ceilings, which it uses as raw materials in the manufacture of new ceilings. The old tiles do not have to be Armstrong products to qualify for the program.

To obtain additional information on the Ceiling Recycling Program, call 1-877-ARMSTRONG (1-877-276-7876) or visit armstrong.com/environmental.

BSU 2005 Greening of the Campus - Call for Papers

Ball State University's 2005 conference (September 15-17, 2005 - Muncie, Indiana) theme is "Extending Connections." Seeking paper, poster, and workshop presentations that illustrate the important role colleges and universities play in cultivating the awareness, understanding, and/or ability of students, faculty, professional staff, and their many public constituencies to enhance the health, integrity, and long-term sustainability of the places where they live and work. The Submission Deadline is February 11, 2005. Visit http://www.bsu.edu/greening

Surprise Energy Savings Of $11,000 In One Day Prompts UB To Tell Students, Faculty And Staff To 'Turn It Off'

One hot summer's day in 2003, a couple of days after the big blackout, the University at Buffalo was quick to respond to an emergency request from the regional grid to cut back its electricity use.

Maintenance personnel took steps to turn off equipment and lights that were not absolutely necessary.

When the university got the bill, it found that those steps, taken in a single day, had saved UB a lot of money: $11,157.36 to be exact. UB's electricity provider confirmed the savings.

"Any savings we can realize is positive," said Kevin Seitz, UB vice president for university services. "But we were surprised at the magnitude of these savings."

That's money that can be used to support the university's academic and academic-support plans, he explained.

Furthermore, the cutback in use happened to occur over a weekend. UB facilities staff point out that had it occurred during regular business hours, the savings would have even been greater.

"The question for us then became, how can we make it more practical for employees to save energy on a day-to-day basis, not by doing anything drastic, just by paying attention to certain things?" said Seitz.

Now the university, through its UB Green Office, has launched the "You Have the Power" energy conservation campaign in an effort to get employees to do just that. Symbolized by a simple light switch turned to the OFF position, the campaign provides numerous easy tips on how every individual at UB can "turn it off."

Using posters, lobby signs that describe each building's energy use, a comprehensive Web site http://www.buffalo.edu/youhavethepower (http://www.buffalo.edu/youhavethepower) and brochures sent last week to UB's 5,000-plus employees, the campaign is aimed at educating faculty, staff and students about how easy it is to save energy at UB.

Suggestions in campaign materials run the gamut from enabling "sleep modes" on computers, eliminating decorative table lamps, which use more energy than fluorescent lights, buying the most energy-efficient equipment and tips for fume hood operation in university labs.

In a section entitled "Green Partners," the Web site features projects voluntarily undertaken by schools and departments on campus, ranging from using 100 percent post-consumer content recycled paper and improved recycling of chemicals in laboratories to exploring the use of energy-efficient vending machines on campus.

"UB is already an energy-conscious campus but we all know we can do better," said Walter Simpson, UB energy officer and director of the UB Green Office.

"The 'You Have the Power' campaign is designed to further encourage all members of the university community to pitch in and do their part," he explained. "There are so many opportunities: Just enabling the 'sleep' modes' on all campus computers or turning off monitors when people go to meetings could literally save thousands of dollars a year.

"Collectively, the UB community does have the power to save over a million dollars a year in energy costs," Simpson continued. "What we learned from that 'experiment,' was that opportunities for more energy savings always are there. And every dollar of energy we save equates to less air pollution and other environmental benefits. This is just one way UB can serve the wider community by setting the example of fiscal responsibility while being a good environmental citizen."

Office Depot Enhances Ink And Toner Recycling Program, More than 12 Million Cartridges Recycled Since 2002

Office Depot, Inc., a world leader in the resale of products made from recycled content, today announced the latest enhancement of its ink and toner recycling program. Now through March 31, customers who return eligible used ink and toner cartridges to any Office Depot store in the U.S. will be given the choice of receiving one free ream of the company's EnviroCopy 35% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content paper or saving $2.50 on their next purchase of any ink, toner or fax product.

Since the program launched in January 2002, more than 12 million ink and toner cartridges have been recycled and the initiative has been expanded to include retail customers, business customers and Office Depot employees around the world.

"The program is part of Office Depot's ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship," noted Tyler Elm, Director of Environmental Affairs for Office Depot, "and just one of our strategic initiatives designed to both increase the use of environmentally preferable products and to educate customers as to the benefits of recycling." According to Elm, on an annual basis, Office Depot's ink and toner recycling program benefits the environment in the following ways:

The conservation of approximately 127 million BTUs of embedded energy the energy required to manufacture the plastic cartridges, and

The conservation of approximately 614 million BTUs of embedded energy the oil and natural gas resources embedded within the cartridges' styrene resin shell.

The total embedded energy conserved equates to approximately 615,000 gallons of fuel enough to allow an average midsize car to drive over 17 million miles -- while saving thousands of cubic feet of landfill space due to remanufactured cartridge usage.

In looking at the impact of Office Depot's recycling program on the environment, Elm pointed out a number of interesting facts*:

By some estimates, nearly eight ink and toner cartridges are thrown away in the U.S. every second.
According to industry sources, 98% of ink jet cartridges end up in the solid waste stream although this percentage has been decreasing the past year thanks to aggressive recovery efforts like Office Depot's recycling program.
Industry analysts estimate that a spent ink and toner cartridge can be reused between four and seven times.
Each laser printer cartridge, on average, consists of approximately 2 pounds of plastic primarily acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) along with steel, aluminum and rubber.
Manufacturing each printer cartridge requires approximately three quarts of petroleum to power the manufacturing process that converts oil and natural gas to plastic.
Each cartridge contains petroleum as "embedded" energy (i.e. the fuel value of the plastic itself). It takes the energy equivalent of approximately one-half gallon of oil to make one 2 pound cartridge.
Using five cases of EnviroCopy in place of virgin paper spares a mature tree from being cut down.

(*Content provided by GreenOrder, an information services and consulting firm that specializes in sustainable procurement and operations. Office Depot is currently working with GreenOrder on a variety of environmental projects.) Visit http://www.officedepot.com.

Lochinvar Donates to Habitat for Humanity of Wilson County

Lochinvar Corp., manufacturer of high-efficiency water heaters, boilers and pool heaters, recently sponsored Habitat for Humanity of Wilson County’s second annual Black Bag Big Bass Tournament.

As a gold level sponsor of the tournament, Lochinvar helped raise more than $5,000 for building new homes in Wilson County.

“Thanks to local business like Lochinvar, there will soon be 37 families in this area who have achieved the American dream of owning a home of their own,” said Cynthia Todd, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Wilson County. “Lochinvar donates water heaters for every home we build in Wilson County and through their support Lochinvar will help families living previously in substandard housing to realize their dream of a decent, affordable home.”

“We are excited to be in a position that allows us to give back to our community and help support the local Habitat for Humanity efforts within Wilson County,” said Bill Vallett, president of Lochinvar Corporation.

Visit http://www.Lochinvar.com.

Environmental Home Center Announces New Location

Environmental Home Center (EHC), the nation’s first sustainable building supplier, today announced a new temporary location for its business operations. The company’s previous location, which housed its offices, showroom and main warehouse, was destroyed in a fire on August 11. The new space will be located at 4121 1st Avenue South, in Seattle’s SODO district.

The move to the new location began the week of November 1st. The company will establish offices first and then will move inventory. “EHC expects that its warehouse and offices will return to normal operations very quickly after we relocate,” said Tim Taylor, CEO. “The showroom will be expanded over the next three to six months.”

During this transition, EHC customers may continue to place orders over the phone by calling 206-682-7332 or 800-281-9785. Sales representatives will direct customers to the new warehouse location when it is fully operational. Until then, customers may continue to pick up orders at the temporary warehouse. As updated information becomes available, it will be posted on the company website at http://www.environmentalhomecenter.com.

Founded in 1992, Environmental Home Center offers sustainably made building and finish materials that protect health, perform well and look stylish, but don't necessarily cost more than conventional products. Environmental Home Center operates a call center and outside sales team that respond to customers in all 50 states. Products include low-toxic paints & finishes, wool and plant-fiber carpets, sustainably harvested wood products including flooring and cabinets, true linoleum, tiles, countertops and decking.

Winners Of The Second Annual Betterbricks Awards Announced

For the second year in a row, BetterBricks honored six commercial building professionals for their commitment to sustainable, high performance building in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Steve Curwood, Executive Producer and host of National Public Radio’s award-winning weekly environmental news program Living On Earth was the event’s guest speaker. In front of a packed house at the Oregon Zoo, Curwood commended these professionals who represent the fields of architecture, development, engineering and consultants for their forward-thinking ideas.

“This is a unique awards program because it recognizes the people behind high performance building projects,” said Margaret Gardner, Executive Director of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, which manages the BetterBricks program. “We are proud to honor these people who help to make the Northwest a national leader in the industry.”

The BetterBricks Awards give special recognition to individuals who have helped create buildings that save energy; use sustainable materials; reduce operation and maintenance costs; incorporate daylighting with electrical lighting; consider climate when designing ventilation, heating and cooling systems and enhance the productivity of occupants.

The award winners were:

Rob Curry, AIA, Principal of Yost Grube Hall Architecture, won the architecture category. A LEED™ Accredited Professional, Rob is the green consultant for all design projects at his firm and he leads an in-house green committee. Rob is the past chair of the Portland Chapter AIA Committee on the Environment and some of his projects include the North Mall Office Building and Oak Creek Elementary.

Paul Schwer, Principal at PAE Consulting Engineers, won the engineering award for his 20-year commitment to sustainable design. Paul has worked tirelessly to incorporate integrated building systems into many of his projects, some of which include West Salem High School and the Washington School for the Deaf.

Mike Faha, Principal at GreenWorks, won the professional services award for his sustainable landscape architecture work. Mike’s projects include the Tigard Library, Lloyd District Sustainable Development Strategy and Gateway Station. Mike is known in the design community for his expertise in storm water restoration and many other practices.

Jim Winkler, President of Winkler Development Corporation, won the developer award for his commitment to sustainable projects. Jim’s projects include Adidas Village; Troutdale Terrace Apartments, one of the most environmentally advanced affordable housing projects; and One Waterfront Place. Jim believes that thoughtful development can actually restore the environment.

Jerry Yudelson, Associate Principal and Sustainability Director for Interface Engineering, tied with Rob Bennett, Senior Manager of Technical and Financial Services with the City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development, in the advocate category. Rob is the founder and director of G/Rated, the City of Portland’s Green Building Program and is also known for his work on Stephen Epler Hall at Portland State University and the Brewery Blocks. Rob is the co-chair of the local host committee for the USGBC conference next month. Jerry is also known for his significant involvement with USGBC on a local and national level and his work on Tacoma Police Headquarters and Tacoma Police Fleet Maintenance Facility. Jerry has trained more than 1,500 people in the LEED system.

Northwest ceramic artist Natalie Warrens created the award for this year’s six winners in the form of custom-designed, 18-inch-tall sculptures. The colorful stacked forms for this year’s BetterBricks Awards remind some of a building structure, while others view the shape as a person. Warrens also created triangular-shaped ceramic awards for the five finalists, who received awards in the architecture, engineering, professional services and development categories. The finalists were:

Mike Shea, Project Manager for Fletcher Farr Ayotte (Architecture)
Andy Frichtl, Principal with Interface Engineering (Engineering)
Johanna Brickman, Environmental Coordinator for Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership (Professional Services)
Greg Hansen, Lighting Designer with Balzhiser & Hubbard Engineers (Professional Services)
Maui Meyer, Managing Partner at Argonaut Investments, LLC (Development)

Sponsors of the BetterBricks Awards were The Business Journal, Energy Trust of Oregon and Davis Wright Tremaine.

BetterBricks is an initiative of the non-profit Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance and is supported by local utilities. This free service connects building professionals with the information, tools, training and consultations needed to design and construction buildings that are better for business, people and the environment. More information about BetterBricks can be found at www.betterbricks.com or by calling 1-888-216-5357.

KokoBo Plantscapes Receives ALCA Environmental Improvement Award

KokoBo Plantscapes, Ltd. is proud to announce that it is the recipient of The Associated Landscaper Contractors of America's (ALCA) Environmental Improvement Award in the category of Residential Design/Build between $25,000 - 100,000.

The Environmental Improvement Award is presented to KokoBo for the Lefkowitz project, which transformed a baron West Village, pre-war building rooftop into a breathtaking rooftop garden. The rooftop, which is approximately 900 sq. ft., is adorned with lush, native plants, pergola-covered dining area and barbeque station, overlooking the Manhattan skyline.

"We are extremely honored that ALCA has recognized the work of KokoBo Plantscapes," said Michael Madarash, president of KokoBo Plantscapes, Ltd. "To be named a national award winning company and to be included among the other companies who have received such awards in the past is rewarding and inspirational to both my entire staff and myself."

The Environmental Improvement Award reflects ALCA's commitment to creating and preserving the beauty of exterior and interior landscapes. The program was developed to recognize independent exterior and interior professionals who have executed quality projects and to recognize the citizens who underwrite these works. Entries are judged on craftsmanship, relative contribution to the quality of the environment and overall excellence.

ALCA will be honoring the Environmental Improvement Award recipients for exterior and interior projects at its Green Industry Conference and Expo, Nov. 6, in Charlotte, N.C., and again in Jan. at the Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE) in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., where Madarash will be personally accepting the award. Visit http://www.kokobo.com.

Landscape Forms Announces Alliance With Carmanah Technologies Inc., Solar LED Lighting Technology to Enhance Selected Products

Landscape Forms announced that it has entered into an exclusive marketing alliance with Carmanah Technologies Inc., a leading manufacturer of solar-powered LED lighting solutions headquartered in Victoria, BC. Under the partnership agreement, Carmanah will provide the ability to add solar-powered, light-emitting diode (LED) lighting in the design of selected Landscape Forms products.

Collaborating with Carmanah, Landscape Forms is designing a series of security-related products that will encompass solar-powered LED lighting, which will be introduced at the annual convention of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) in Salt Lake City in late October, 2005.

Carmanah (TSX VE: CMH) is an award-winning manufacturer of proprietary LED lighting products for marine, aviation, roadway, transit, railway and industrial worksite markets worldwide. The company has over 100,000 installations in 100 companies. Carmanah occupies a leading edge position in its industry for its advancements in solar-powered LED lighting. LEDs represent the most fundamental improvement in illumination technology since the invention of the light bulb. LEDs produce light using a semi-conductor chip in a process that is extremely efficient. They are also vibration-proof, shock-proof and offer a life span over 20 times greater than that of conventional incandescent light bulbs.

Bill Main, President of Landscape Forms, stated, “We are looking forward to an exciting partnership with Carmanah and will be adding LED lighting to several existing products. We are already incorporating it into some of our new designs which will offer efficient, cost-effective, long lasting and maintenance-free lighting solutions for commercial applications.”

Art Aylesworth, CEO of Carmanah Technologies Inc., stated, “Like Carmanah, Landscape Forms is a leading innovator in its industry. With Landscape Forms’ design capabilities and Carmanah’s unique solar-powered LED lighting, the outdoor furniture market will have access to products with entirely new form and function. There is a natural synergy between our two companies that will become readily apparent with the release of our integrated products.”

Visit Landscape Forms on the Web at http://www.landscapeforms.com.

SunPower Launches High-Efficiency Photovoltaic Modules in North America

SunPower Corp., a subsidiary of Cypress Semiconductor Corp. recently announced the North American launch of its high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) module line at the Solar Power 2004 conference in San Francisco. Previously, SunPower’s breakthrough products had been available only in Europe.

“We are very excited to be launching these new products here in our home market”, said SunPower CEO Tom Werner. “Our modules offer the customer a powerful combination of industry – leading performance and superior product appearance. We believe that these products are particularly well-suited to the rapidly growing residential market where aesthetics are very important and where homeowners want to maximize installed power on their limited roof area,” Werner said.

According to the industry research group Stragetgies Unlimited, the residential solar module market has grown at a compound annual rate of 45 percent over the past five years, and is the largest worldwide segment of the $2.7 billion PV module market. “Failures in the North American power grid, the electricity crisis in California, natural gas shortages in the Northeast, depleting oil reserves in recent years, and concerns about global warming have all contributed to a renewed interest in alternative energy sources,” said Werner. “The time is right for solar because of technology advances that have significantly improved power conversion efficiency”.

SunPower’s new product line comprises three module types, all utilizing SunPower’s unique A-300 all-back-contact solar cells to generate up to 50 percent more power than traditional PV modules.

The SPR-210 is SunPower’s flagship product with total module area conversion efficiency approaching 17 percent and a power rating of 210 watts. Designed specifically for use in grid-connected applications such as residential rooftop systems, the SPR-210’s high-conversion efficiency allows customers to install more kilowatts of solar power within a limited roof area, while significantly reducing per-kilowatt installation costs.

The SPR-200 is an all-black version of the SPR-210, incorporating a unique module package that makes the individual solar cells virtually disappear. The SPR-200 represents the ultimate combination of high efficiency and superior aesthetics to meet the needs of the most discriminating customers.

The SPR-90 is a 90-watt-rated module designed to charge 12-volt batteries in remote power applications. This module delivers higher battery charging current than conventional PV modules over a wide range of weather conditions from a significantly smaller footprint. The high power density of SPR-90 modules can reduce the costs typically associated with remote power systems, including transportation, the array support structure, and installation labor. Visit http://www.sunpowercorp.com.

Formica Brand Laminates Earn GREENGUARD Certification

The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute has awarded GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification to the Formica Corporation's brand laminates and DecoMetal surfacing products. Formica brand laminate and solid metal surfacing were tested according to the stringent GREENGUARD Standards for Low Emitting Products and found to have minimal impact on the indoor environment. The laminates will continue to be tested on a quarterly and annual basis to ensure their low emitting status.

Designers and homeowners can find the details on Formica Corporation's GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® Products in the GREENGUARD Online Product Guide. Choosing low emitting products can significantly reduce the level of potentially irritating contaminates in the indoor environment. The GREENGUARD Certification Program makes it simple to create clean indoor air by providing an online guide of scientifically tested low emitting products that do not have to be special ordered or have extra cost.

Formica brand laminates also can be used as a surface on GREENGUARD Certified office furniture to obtain Credit 4.5 for Low Emitting Office Furniture in the Indoor Environmental Quality Section of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) Rating System. Visit http://www.formica.com and http://www.greenguard.org.