ZeroHouse generates its own electrical power, collects its own water, processes its own waste products, and is completely automatic. Conceived by architect Scott Specht, AIA, zeroHouse has everything you could ever ask for in a modern, green home.
Squak Mountain Stone is an environmentally friendly slab and tile product company based in Washington State. Their slabs are a unique offering on the green market because of their natural appearance, somewhat similar to limestone or soapstone. Squak is being used in a wide variety of applications including countertops, tabletops, tiling, hearths, signs, and stairways. It is made of 49% post-industrial materials, which include crushed glass, type f coal-fly ash, and 2.5 % post-consumer mixed waste paper, in addition to low carbon cement and iron oxide pigments, making it a great option for LEED credits.
Watch out! Second-Look is a new product that has the potential to make a splash. I’m still trying to decide how I feel about it, but Buildings Magazine gave it a Grand Prize Product Innovation Award in the Environmental Solutions category. Second-look invested 2 years in R&D to create the first recycling program for vinyl wallcoverings. The company wants your used vinyl wallcoverings and they’ll take old product from any manufacturer. Using old vinyl, they’ve developed three new collections of wallcoverings – Versa, Cirqa, and Plexus – all made of 20-percent recycled vinyl content, including 10-percent post-consumer recycled content. The low-VOC wallcovering produces fewer emissions than paint, uses water-based inks, incorporates a mildew-inhibiting agent, and can be micro-vented for additional breathability. Plus, Second-Look can be used for LEED points. Anyone have thoughts?
Varia is produced by 3form, a great company to look into for many of your green interior design needs. They produce a wide range of materials and for each of those materials, such as Varia, the application potential is practically endless. If you can dream it, you can probably make it happen with one of their products. Varia, or Ecoresin as it’s also called, is made of 40% post-industrial re-grind content and is GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified, making it a good option for LEED credits. This is the most diverse product in terms of color, pattern, texture, and application options that I have found on the green market.
There are, by the way, over 210 color, pattern, and texture options. On top of that, there are additional finish options such as patent or patina. Patterns include jacquard prints and hand-dyed capiz shells and glass suspended between layers of Ecoresin. My favorite is the Organics collection with options that include bamboo patterns, leaves, grass and even rocks, some of which actually contain those materials with the layers. Varia also comes in a variety of thicknesses which allows it to be even more versatile. Possible uses for this material include backsplashes, countertops, wall coverings, flooring, cabinet doors, ceiling panels, door panels, and canopies.
Project Profiles
