Golden Arches Going Green in Cary, NC
In mid-July, North Carolina’s first green McDonald’s restaurant opened at 1299 Kildaire Farm Road in Cary, NC marking it as only the third of its kind nationwide to be built using eco-friendly materials and technologies. Development of the restaurant began with McDonald’s Owner/Operator Ric Richards who wanted to refurbish the 25-year-old building. As reconstruction options evolved, Richards said the environmental impact became clear: building a structure dedicated to sustainability would mean significant cost savings and reduced energy consumption. “Even though the costs to build this McDonald’s were higher in the near term, we knew that going forward with this green initiative we would set the stage for more savings long-term, both financially and environmentally,” Richards said.
New Products Fresh From Greenbuild
With 28,000 attendees and over 1000 exhibitors at Greenbuild in Phoenix, there was much to be seen at this year's show. We had our work cut out for us making it through the crowds to see all of the exhibitors in two days, but we did it. We saw many new products that excited us, including the latest offererings from our manufacturers who exhibited there, who are continually improving and expanding their offerings. Here are some of the highlights of what is coming from them in 2010:
TorZo Surfaces
- Edge banding! These strong, durable, and sustainable sheet goods are great for tabletops, desks, cabinets, etc. With edge banding coming out for the entire line, not only will the finished product be more beautiful, but the fabrication will be more cost effective.
- ½” Seeta (sunflower seed hull) boards that are more dense (fewer voids) and less expensive than the standard ¾” sheets – a great option for this unique look.
- We got a sneak preview of some new bio-based boards currently in development. They are top secret now, but stay tuned for new unique looks from this line of surfaces.
Bonded Logic /UltraTouch
- Duct insulation and Pipe wrap: Finally! You no longer need to wrap your duct work and pipe in fiberglass. This foil laminated, r-8, cotton fiber insulation has 85% recycled rapidly-renewable cotton fibers. The duct insulation will come in 12” wide, 2” thick, and 15’ long bundles. The pipe wrap is 3” wide, ½” thick, and 50’ long.
Coverings, Etc.
- Bio-Aluminum: 100% recycled aluminum from salvaged aircraft carriers. 100% recyclable and Cradle to Cradle certified. A great new option for high-traffic flooring and high-end wall treatments.
As samples and pricing become available, we will announce these new products through our monthly newsletter and on our website.
Talon Court Project Integrates Sustainable Materials Throughout and Receives LEED Platinum
In Wilmington, NC, Talon Court has become the greenest remodel in the nation by earning LEED Platinum with 113.5 points. To achieve this, every detail of the home, from water and energy conservation, to interior finishes, was carefully considered.
When CaraGreen visited the home, the indoor air quality was obvious and we admired how every surface told a story. Floors are rapidly renewable bamboo strand. Doors are crafted from strips of reclaimed scrap wood. Countertops are locally made concrete. Feature walls are adorned with Kirei board. Torzo Seeta is used for a bar and built-ins. And, the list goes on. Sapona Green Building Center in Wilmington, NC, a retail partner of CaraGreen, provided the majority of the interior materials for the project.
The owner and mastermind behind the project, architect Jay DeChesere, also tells a great story about the home on his website. The residence was the home of his parents, Jean and John DeChesere, from 1986 until recently, when they moved to an independent living facility (they're 95 and 98 yrs old respectively). With the housing market having turned down, they were unable to sell their home. So, Jay, and his wife, Heather Smith, decided to buy the home to relieve them of the stress of selling it.
As an architect focusing on Green Design, and being on the Board of Directors of the Cape Fear Green Building Alliance, Jay envisioned a complete renovation of this home under the USGBC’s LEED for Homes rating system. This is the first project of this category (a gut-rehab) under LEED for Homes in NC and the second in the Southeast region. Jay assembled a design team and an advisory team to lend their expertise to the project. A few of the renovation highlights are the solar panel hot water system, green roof installation, water harvesting tank, geothermal air handling unit, and sustainable materials integrated into the interior design.
Flores & Associates in Charlotte Uses TorZo and Strives for LEED Silver
Overcash Demmitt Architects recently designed a new 20,000 SQFT, three-story office building for Flores & Associates in Charlotte, NC. The design featured TorZo Seeta countertops in Cocoa, from CaraGreen, which offered a unique look and sustainability. TorZo Seeta is made from 70% recycled and rapidly renewable sunflower seeds. The sheets are saturated with an acrylic resin, which make them hard and durable. The project, which has submitted for LEED Silver, integrated recycled content products, regional materials, certified wood, a green roof, and urban location to help with sustainability and to achieve their LEED goals. Tim Demmitt said that Torzo was a “unique product with a refined look that offers sustainability” which they would use again.
To get more information on TorZo or samples, contact us.
TorZo Seeta + Birds = One Clever Desk
A desk made from bamboo plywood inlaid with bird silhouettes made from TorZo Seeta was commissioned for a wild bird store, Birdhouse On The Greenway, in Charlotte, NC. Carol Buie-Jackson, the shop owner, contracted with Brian Turkalo of Turk Designs, Inc. to design and craft the cash-wrap, bump outs, and other retail displays. They had planned to use bamboo as the primary material, as Carol wanted everything to be eco-friendly. They were interested in doing some inlay work and Carol selected TorZo Seeta for it's beauty and the fact that it's made of 70% recycled sunflower seed hulls. TorZo Seeta was a clever choice for this project, as seeds are the store's primary product. The design is of a flock of doves which are several different sizes to make it look more realistic. Fabrication was tricky since the top is a single piece and they had to get the inlays flush, while not sanding the Seeta or bamboo too much. In order to give the counter the most natural look possible, and in keeping with the store's 100% green theme, they did not use any epoxy or varnish over the top. Instead, they chose a product called PNZ (imported from Germany by Hunter Coatings) which is a penetrating floor oil made of 100% vegetable-based oils. This oil pulled out the rich colors in the bamboo and Seeta while maintaining a natural matte sheen.
Brian told CaraGreen, "the project has been a great success and are working on several new jobs
to do similar custom projects for residential, retail and office spaces."
For more information on TorZo Seeta, or to get samples, contact us!
Brian Turkalo can be reached at 704-281-6923.
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