Litracon is a light-transmitting concrete product able to move light through concrete up to 20 meters thick. The product is composed of roughly 4% optical glass fibers placed parallel within a fine concrete mix. The result in a homogeneous material from exterior surface to center which retains the compressive strength qualities of concrete. The [...]
Alkemi Recycled Surface Material: Sustainable to the recycled core
Alkemi is a recycled aluminum solid surfacing material made right here in Baltimore (Maryland). The product is composite of a polyester-based medium and post-industrial scrap waste soft-alloy aluminum flake fillers for texture. Recycled content is 35% by weight or 60% by volume as certified by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS). In addition, Alkemi’s manufacturer, Renewed Materials [...]
Life Cycle Assessment: Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES 4.0)
The Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES 4.0) software is a free Life Cycle Assessment tool developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) with the aim of empowering designers with a ‘robust’, user-friendly tool for making informed material decisions. Analysis is broken into two general categories, economic and environmental, which can [...]
Radiant Heating: GCS Modular Radiant Flooring Panels
GCS Radiant Flooring is a modular, hydronic radiant floor system which is designed for easy installation, simplified maintenance and energy efficiency. Like most energy efficient radiant floor systems, GCS panels heat space using a network of plastic tubes circulating preheated water (or a glycol/water solution). Think of this system as a grid of pre-milled slots [...]
What is an Absorption Chiller?
An absorption chiller, also known as an absorption refrigerator, is a cooling system that uses a heat source, in lieu of electricity and a compressor, to drive the device. The systems are commonly used where excess heat is available and are considered a type of heat recovery device. Trigeneration, production of electricity, hot water, and [...]
What is Ethylene Tetraflouroethylene (ETFE)?
Ethylene Tetraflouroethylene, commonly known as ETFE, is a type of plastic that is extremely corrosion resistant and very strong. The material is self cleaning because of its chemical composition (very similar to teflon). In addition, ETFE transmits even more light than glass and weighs only 1% of a comparable glass panel. Installation costs are between [...]
LucidDesignGroup: Utility / Energy Consumption Dashboards
“We believe information is power” - LucidDesignGroup
LucidDesignGroup specializes in collecting and representing information about the operation of complex building systems. Once the system is installed, data from the building is aggregated into what Lucid terms “Building Dashboards.” These Dashboards are accessible through interactive websites or physical kiosk displays and provide a user friendly, interactive [...]
Rainwater Hog
When Sydney-based architect and designer Sally Dominguez was told it was impossible to fit a water storage tank under her small garden deck, she designed her own. The Rainwater Hog (2006) is a small-scale modular storage tank for collecting rainwater that can be reused for watering plants, washing the car or whatever you need. “I [...]
What is an Enthalpy Wheel?
An Enthalpy Wheel is a type of Energy Recovery Ventilator (transfers both heat and sensible energy) that uses a rotating air permeable energy exchanger to transfer outgoing temperature and humidity (energy) to the incoming outdoor air. The energy exchangers are generally made of porous materials to increase surface area which aids in energy transfer. [...]
Building Integrated Photovoltaic Cells from Open Energy
The Greenline team came across the Open Energy Corporation while doing some initial research for a sustainable school project of ours.
Open Energy produces building-integrated photovoltaic cells. Their product line includes energy producing roofing shingles, roof membranes and architectural glass:
We’re especially enamored of their architectural glass product:
While providing on-site renewable [...]
Oventrop Solar Systems
Oventrop Solar Systems is a complete line of solar collectors, solar controls, radiant floor systems, and solar hot water storage tanks. The main components of the Oventrop Solar System are the evacuated glass tube collectors, The collector tubes have aluminum absorbers mounted in either 8 or 16 evacuated glass tubes. The absorber, coated with [...]
Svanen Miljomark: The Official Scandinavian Environmental Label
Svanen Miljomark, translated the Swan Environmental Label, is Scandinavia’s official environmental certification label. (Interestingly, it is a derivative of the Eco-Label endorsed by the European Union.) The goal for the system is the establishment of a sustainable society enabled by sustainable consumption. Certification is awarded after the product, service or technology is evaluated using [...]
"Smart" Urinal?
Well… okay, it won’t beat anyone at chess or help your kid with his calculus homework, but there is an impressive amount of technology in Caroma’s new “Cube 3 Ultra” urinal. The Australian plumbing products company already sold a waterless urinal model. (See our previous post on the technology.) They also sold [...]
CARVE: Playground Equipment of the Future
Dutch design firm CARVE creates innovative and playful playground/park equipment. What child would not want to spend his or her recess exploring the “walhalla” playground (shown above). Two vertical mesh screens enclose a series of undulating ribbons. The ribbons undulate to become walking surfaces at some points, walls at others, ceilings at yet others. The [...]
The Best Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Can the new breed of energy-saving fluorescents hold their own against incandescents? Popular Mechanics ran seven bulbs through their optical course to find out.
The compact fluorescent light bulb revolution nearly occurred back in the early 1990s. When CFLs first hit the market in force, consumers bought them in large numbers — but they hated them. [...]