Bio-based insulation made from Mushrooms
Greensulate, a product said to hit the markets in 2010, is a bio-base alternative to rigid insulation made from paper, rice hulls, and mushroom fibers. The product is still undergoing testing but the outlook for this new product is very good. The insulation takes advantage of the mycellium, the roots of the mushroom plant that [...]
InnoVida Panels – Fiber Composite Panels
InnoVida Fiber Composite Panels are pre-manufactured, load bearing, insulated, and fire-resistant. The system is designed to meet seismic, hurricane, sustainability and budget requirements and are currently being used (as a donation) in the construction of 1,000 homes in post earthquake Haiti. The panels are formed by a layer of polyurethane insulation sandwiched between two composite [...]
The Reinvention of Wood through Sustainable Tech
Wood, arguably the most timeless of materials, is being reinvented (re-engineered) by sustainable technologies to meet the challenges of building in the 21st century. These new wood products attempt to match the desired properties of conventional pressure treated lumber without any of the associated negative environmental and health impacts. Beyond sustainability, the re-engineering of wood [...]
Solar Decathlon 2009: R-30 Per Inch! with Vacuum Insulated Panels
(This post is part of an ongoing series reviewing the competition, technologies and products at the 2009 Solar Decathlon. See Team Germany and the Benefits of Imagination for more about the University of Darmstadt house.)
Did anyone else notice that the Technische Universitat Darmstadt house felt more spacious than other houses at the 2009 Decathlon? Roomy [...]
Rocking Chair that Generates Electricity
Winner of the Incheon International Design Awards.
designer’s own words:
I was looking for opportunities to generate energy through activities we naturally do. The final result is a rocking chair that enables the user to experience production and consumption of electricity in a gentle and rewarding way. An abstract process becomes tangible and eventually cultivates natural awareness. [...]
Thermablok Insulation Strips – Another Tool in the Arsenal Against Thermal Bridging
Now that the Solar Decathlon 2009 is over I have time to pour over the tremendous number of novel materials, products, equipment the teams chose to install. One of the many, this one used by Team California, is a product used to prevent thermal bridging at wood and steel framing members called Thermablok. The website [...]
PVT Solar
Echo is a solar energy system that generates both electrical and thermal energy, making it the most efficient solar electric system on the market today. These solar panels create both heat and electricity and can be customized to work in the harshest climates. Heat normally lost in a typical PV system is used [...]
Eco-Concious Style
We like to be green and look good too. Check out the new summer line from Matt and Nat. Their eco-conscious line of accessories are made with recycled plastic water bottles and vegan leather.
Democratic Ecology Wind Turbine
Phillippe Starck has made a comeback-and in a green way. His newest design is for a personal wind turbine consumers can mount to their rooftops. The windturbine, named Democratic Ecology, was scheduled to hit the market last September and is said to retail for about $700. Photos of the turbine show a [...]
RETROSolar: Light Redirecting Window Blinds
RETROSolar is a German company known for producing complex aluminum roll formed profiles for the building industry, notably advanced reflector technology for daylighting systems, light fixtures, and dropped ceilings. Design of the systems shows significant research on the part of Retrosolar into maximizing the efficient use of available light through the use of geometrically optimized [...]
Porous Pavings by Invisible Structures
The development of successful porous paving systems makes it inexcusable to lay impervious surfaces in our built environment. “Pave the planet.” Does that make any sense? Just a quick search will turn up a myriad of porous paving solutions with various consistencies, levels of durability, materials, and finish textures. Some porous pavings look identical [...]
What is a Chilled Beam?
Above is a striking combination light active chilled beam by TROX
A Chilled Beam is a building conditioning system that uses convection and water to efficiently move energy throughout a building. Chilled beams come in both active and passive varieties but are in no way a part of the building’s structural system as the name might [...]
Counterfeit Countertops
All Paper Recycling, Inc. has created a product called Shetka Stone that can be used for a variety of uses including countertops, fabricated panels, benches and tile. Shetkastone is made from100% pre and post consumer waste paper, including counterfeit money and phone books. The material is scratch, stain, and water resistant and [...]
Litracon: Light-transmitting Concrete
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 [...]
