Green Building : Jetson Green

Koda Recycled Content Exterior Material

We first saw this 3form material, Koda XT, with the wavy transit shelters in San Francisco.  Designed by Lundberg Design, the colorful transit shelters use a custom configuration of Koda XT, a material made of 40% pre-consumer recycled content.  3form says Koda XT is the only architectural polycarbonate material available to use towards LEED MR 4.1 for recycled content. 

Elements, a New Green Surface Option

When it comes picking a green surface material, there's a lot out there to choose from.  And we're going to give you another option, Elements by Durcon.  Elements is made with 10% post-consumer recycled glass, an epoxy resin, and fine quartz.  Available in five main colors, Elements is non-porous and has inherent anti-fungal and anti-microbial characteristics.  The surface does not require sealing, and according to Durcon, it will not off-gas. 

Parasoleil Recycled Content Panels

Boulder, Colorado-based Parasoleil makes these panels from a variety of so called green materials, such as FSC-certified wood, aluminum, and steel.  The copper panels, in particular, are interesting.  Using 90-95% recycled content copper, these panels are made in a zero waste process that uses efficient waterjet manufacturing.  And they're 100% recyclable, too.  I've shown a variety of panels in this article, as well as a playful powder-coated application (above) and steel and copper patinas images (below).  

New Green Loll Outdoor Furniture

Loll Designs makes contemporary, durable outdoor furniture from recycled materials.  You've probably seen their 4-slat Adirondack chair, but the company has a number of other pieces, as well as some new ones, too. They're made from 100% recycled post-consumer HDPE, and 90% of the manufacturing waste is sent to a recycling plant (or remember when the guys from Hive Modular recycled Loll pallets to create a barn?).  Loll uses recycled packaging and does a number of other things to reduce the environmental impact associated with business.  Here's a preview of some of the new work:

EcoRock Green Drywall Gets World's First UL Environment Validation

EcoRock by Serious Materials continues to make headlines.  If you haven't heard of it, you will once the product starts to sell.  EcoRock is billed as a green replacement for gypsum drywall, and it's already received a number of awards and certifications:  Cradle to Cradle Gold Certification, GREENGUARD Certification, and ASTM D3273 for resistance to mold, etc.  In addition, Serious Materials just announced that EcoRock received the world's first validation of claims by UL Environment. 

Light, Durable, Recycled Content Pavers

There's a paver out there, the Vast Paver, that's been showing up on HGTV, the Today Show, and Renovation Nation.  It's probably because the composite paver is made from roughly 90-95% recycled scrap tire rubber and plastics -- every 1,000 square-feet of pavers saves 500 tires and 15,000 plastic containers from landfills!  These durable pavers work in a number of situations, including for low-volume traffic, driveways, walkways, rooftops, decks, and patios.  Colors include redwood, boardwalk, village, waterwheel, polo, and olive (below). 

Slate-ish Recycled Interior Design Tiles

If you're searching for something new -- maybe as a back splash, wall accent, or decorative element -- give Slate-ish a look.  Slate-ish tiles come in seven colors and are made from reclaimed scrap from the fabrication of Richlite and PaperStone countertops.  This is 100% post-industrial waste paper laminate cut into strips, squares, bars, and cubes.  Slate-ish tiles are light, non-porous, and provide an interesting alternative to stone applications. 

5-6-09 Update: Slate-ish tells us most tiles are under $20 psf loose, with a range of $15-40 psf.  Backed tiles on pre-mounted panels run about $20 psf extra.  Read more about Slate-ish ...

Eco by Cosentino Green Countertops

Cosentino, the world's largest manufacturer of quartz, has just launched a new eco-friendly countertop called ECO by Cosentino.  The new countertop is the embodiment of six million dollars of research over a three year period.  It's available nationally through Lowe's at a price of $68-$118, depending on the thickness and color.  ECO contains 75% post-consumer and post-industrial recycled raw materials, as well as 25% natural elements. 

Old 1940s Grain Silo Converted to Boutique Texas Inn

I just love this grain silo home -- it's a fantastic example of adaptive reuse.  In 2007, Gruene Homestead Inn purchased the 1940s grain silo and remodeled the interior and exterior.  The result is authentic and incredible.  Can you imagine chilling on that front porch, enjoying a little Texas summer?  The Silo includes one bedroom and one bathroom in a loft-type setup for the rental price of $175/$210 a night. 

A Clever Eco-Office Accessory

Recently, we mentioned reclaimed cardboard art, the kind of stuff that's perfect for your green boardroom, but here's another neat idea, this time from Studio Crank.  It's also a comically ironic idea: a waste paper basket made of 100% recycled cardboard.  It's called the "Chuck" Waste Paper Basket based on the notion that tons of reusable materials are typically chucked into landfills.