Editor's Bookmarks - August 2008

Each month RECORD reviews building product related web sites and blogs that might be of interest to our readership. We visit each site, kick the tires a bit, and share what it is about and how it functions. Please let us know if there is a site you've found particularly useful, well-designed, or easy to navigate. — Rita Catinella Orrell

www.studioztextiles.com/dc
Studio Z’s Digital Collection of printed glass, lexan, and frosted acrylic has just expanded its selection with new patterns and fresh color combinations. Architects and interior designers have the ability to select from original designs that can be modified in three categories—effects, patterns, and motifs— to accommodate the particular needs of any project.

www.mcguirefurniture.com
McGuire Furniture, known for its luxury indoor and outdoor furniture, has a new comprehensive Web site with clean, well-edited pages, enhanced navigational tools, and a multitude of creative resources. Along with easier product browsing, the site hopes to stimulate users’ creativity with new Image, Media, and Chair Galleries. Also, additional media content—such as videos—presents events as well as designers’ insights.

www.greenbuild365.org
The U.S. Green Building Council has relaunched its popular site. New resources include third-party-reviewed green building courses featuring USGBC’s core LEED offerings, and courses approved by the Education Provider Program that extend beyond LEED. There are also short videos, podcasts, case studies, best practices, and keynote presentations from the Greenbuild Conference and Expo.

www.hansgrohe-usa.com
Hansgrohe has recently launched a new Web site specifically for North American trade and consumer users. Along with advanced searching capabilities, it has a Projects section that showcases high-profile projects around the world, and a “where to buy” section that lists product outlets within 150 miles of any U.S. location. Visitors can also save items for later review and download product brochures, installation instructions, and videos.