XCR is a wonderful flooring product from the company Expanko.  It is made of a mixture of recycled rubber and cork including recycled tires and post-industrial waste.  XCR is a colorful, waterproof, durable flooring option.  It is also slip-resistant, fire-resistant, and quiet and comfortable to walk and stand on.  There are 27 standard colors to choose from including earthy neutrals, jewel tones, and brights and bolds.  XCR is available in 24"x24"x1/8" tiles and rolls that are 48" wide in a variety of lengths — a great option for a range of commercial and residential projects.  XCR can be expected to last more than 20 years, even in a commercial setting, and when removed, it can be recycled. 

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It looks like Michelle Kaufmann is extending her successful prefab business into green interior products.  Her newly designed website now lists a couple green surface designs that are pretty stunning.  In collaboration with Concreteworks, MKD is offering mkPURE, a super-modern sink, and mkISLAND, a modern island/table.  Both the mkPURE and mkISLAND come in three finishes: (1) WHITE, made of concrete with fly ash and recycled porcelain, (2) LINEN, made of concrete with rice hull, and (3) GRAY, made of concrete with fly ash and rice hull. 

Pricing on the mkPURE starts at $1,950, unless you buy in bulk.  Similarly, the mkISLAND starts at $5,250.

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Lee Industries, a high quality, custom furniture company has introduced an impressive eco line: naturalLEE.   The beauty of Lee has always been that you can choose one of their fabrics and one of their furniture designs and have a custom piece made to fit your style.  Now, with naturalLEE, you can still choose any one of their furniture design and they will make it naturally! 

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Many of you already know of FLOR, the carpet tile company that sells carpet squares that you piece together to make your own unique rug.  But did you know that FLOR is an eco-conscious company.  The company has a mission to eliminate any negative environmental impact by 2020.  Already, their waste sent to landfills has been cut by 63% and their absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 56%.  Many of their tile collections are made with recycled content, such as Fedora, which is made of 80% post-consumer fibers.  Another product, Terra, is made of 34% PLA, which is a renewable corn-based resource. 

FLOR has a great range of styles, texture, colors, and patterns.  FLOR even has a reclaim program where they take back your old tiles and recycle them into new products.

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This is The Zody Chair by Haworth.  It’s an incredible chair.  Best chair I’ve ever used.  It gives you this feeling that’s hard to explain.  It’s kind of like when you get a new pair of shoes at the age of 8 or 9.  Those shoes make you run faster, jump higher, and do more.  Well, this chair is that for business people.  It helps you do more when you’re doing a lot of sitting around.  I feel different in this jet black, super modern, eco-friendly, award-winning chair. 

Today’s that big shopping day with all the crowds:  it’s Black Friday.  If you’re in the market for a quality gift, I honestly think you should just ring in an order for one of these and call your Christmas shopping done.  I’m serious.  I recently toured the offices of a green renovation and they had a room full of Zody chairs.  When they were looking for chairs, they felt the Zody chair was superior in green benefits and had a reasonable price.   

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This is a quality video by Wall Street Journal’s Dana Mattioli featuring Andrew Shapiro, founder and CEO of GreenOrder.  GreenOrder is a sustainable marketing and strategy firm that’s been called the "Green McKinsey" on occasion.  Shapiro takes Mattioli through 7 World Trade Center, explaining the building’s several green aspects, including the rainwater reclamation system, floor-to-ceiling windows, design for natural lighting, and white roof.  You’ll notice also the layout of employees, which is a little more collaborative and fluid.  Experts laud these open layouts as a way to do more with less space, and thereby, save materials.  I’m still unsure as to whether tighter quarters can be more effective, especially with the extra noise and commotion — I definitely think it depends on the job type.  It probably reduces internet usage, though.