Top Ten Green Products
2006 Product Reports Top Ten Green Products
Top Ten Green Products 2006
Retrieving sunken treasure The Sawfish logging submarine harvests standing trees from forests that were submerged decades ago by reservoirs created by hydroelectric dams. Clamping onto the tree, the Sawfish attaches inflatable floats and then cuts the trunk with an electric chain saw: The tree then floats to the surface without disturbing sediments. All of the milled wood is certified as SmartWood Rediscovered by the Rainforest Alliance. Triton Logging, Saanichton, B.C. www.tritonlogging.com
Top Ten Green Products 2006
Blowing in the wind Renewable energy credits (RECs) provide building owners who are unable to install their own renewable energy systems a way to buy conventional grid power while also buying the environmental attributes of electricity produced from renewable energy. Community Energy, a leading North American provider of RECs, owns and develops wind farms that to date have sold over 3 billion kwh of wind energy. Community Energy, Wayne, Pa. www.communityenergy.biz
Top Ten Green Products 2006
Avoid the watering hole The WeatherTRAK irrigation control system uses local weather conditions to examine evapotranspiration rates and regulate water delivery accordingly, so irrigation will take place in the correct amounts, and not if rainfall is occurring or predicted. The system has been shown to reduce outdoor water use by up to 59 percent. HydroPoint Data Systems, Petaluma, Calif. www.weathertrak.com
Top Ten Green Products 2006
Salvaging beauty Varia (right) is 3form’s line of transparent and translucent panels made from its 40 percent preconsumer-recycled-content Ecoresin. Some Varia products include plant materials collected by indigenous peoples using environmentally responsible practices. 100 Percent panels (left) are made entirely of postconsumer-recycled HDPE. (For more info, see RECORD, December 2006, page 225.) 3form, Salt Lake City. www.3-form.com
Top Ten Green Products 2006
Night and day SageGlass is an electronically tintable exterior glazing that provides glare control on demand while preserving views. Within minutes, the glass switches from a clear to tinted state, significantly reducing the solar heat gain coefficient. Sage Electrochromics, Faribault, Minn. www.sage-ec.com
Top Ten Green Products 2006
Shower saver Using just 1.6 gallons of water per minute—a 36 percent savings—Delta’s Water-Efficient Showerhead incorporates H2OKinetic Technology to produce large droplets at optimal velocity for good heat retention and body drenching. Delta Faucet Company, Indianapolis. www.deltafaucet.com
Top Ten Green Products 2006
Dry cool Up to three times as efficient as the best compression-cycle air conditioners, the Coolerado Cooler is an all-indirect evaporative air-conditioning system that does not add any moisture. Cooling output is optimal in drier areas in the western United States. Coolerado, Arvada, Colo. www.coolerado.com
Top Ten Green Products 2006
Wood alternative products Timbron’s interior moldings are made from 90 percent recycled polystyrene. The highly durable, waterproof, termite-proof, paintable surfaces are fully workable with carpentry tools and ideally suited for kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and basements. Timbron, Walnut Creek, Calif. www.timbron.com
Top Ten Green Products 2006
Wood alternative products Timbron’s interior moldings are made from 90 percent recycled polystyrene. The highly durable, waterproof, termite-proof, paintable surfaces are fully workable with carpentry tools and ideally suited for kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and basements. Timbron, Walnut Creek, Calif. www.timbron.com
Top Ten Green Products 2006
From slab to finished floor RetroPlate’s concrete polishing system has been used on more than 100 million square feet of flooring for surfaces that are highly durable, easy to maintain, and free of VOC emissions. RetroPlate, Provo, Utah. www.retroplatesystem.com