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.
Torzo Tiikeri Brings Sustainable Style into University Dining Facility
Torzo Tiikeri was just used in a new dining facility at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. The project was a combined effort by food service provider, Chartwell’s Higher Education Dining Services, designer, Vision Builders, project manager, designSMART and custom millworker, American Foodservice. The project was designed as a LEED core and shell project, but they wanted to go beyond that and make the interiors green. The overall look is a marriage of modernity and sustainability. TorZo Tiikeri was selected because to the eye it is apparent that it’s composed of natural materials. “It really helped us achieve the green look we were going for” said Dustin Webb of Vision Builders. Tiikeri was used in both the Fresh Market and My Pantry stations for cabinetry. For samples or more information on TorZo Tiikeri, contact us.
Introducing Monthly Material Vignettes - November Rain
This palette soothes the senses with its cool aqueous tones and restful grays.
It combines materials that could be used for flooring, casework, and countertops.
Materials from back to front:
-EcoTimber EcoBamboo Woven flooring, Silver Lining
-Meld Micro recycled glass and concrete countertops, Concrete
-TorZo Tiikeri recycled sorghum straw sheets for casework or flooring, Emerald
-Bio-Glass 100% recycled glass sheets for horizontal or vertical surfaces, Oriental Jade
-Durat recycled solid surface for horizontal or vertical surfaces, color 202
For more information on these materials, contact us.
Durat, Meld, and TorZo Surfaces Used In EMD Chemicals’ Building As They Pursue LEED Gold
EMD Chemicals’ new corporate office in Philadelphia, PA, designed by L2Partridge architecture and interiors, is seeking LEED Gold certification. The space features a number of sustainable finishes, including Durat solid surface, Meld Micro concrete, and TorZo Tiikeri panels. Durat color 540, a warm gray, was used in a café and was fabricated by Giffin Interior & Fixture. Meld Micro Natural #70 was used for tops in the main lobby and was fabricated by BC Stone. And, Torzo Tiikeri Onyx was used for both pocket doors to the main conference rooms off the lobby and prominent cabinetry and was also fabricated by Giffin. These progressive materials were selected for their strong sustainability profiles, contribution to LEED, durability, and modern aesthetic. Our Philadelphia rep, Ethos Sustainable Finishes, worked closely with the architect and contractors on the space and shared these pictures with us.
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