The Sietch Blog: Top 10 Green Building Products of 2008
[READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE]
In honor of the New Year, Building Green has released their Top 10 Products of 2008. Spanning the wide spectrum of green building materials — from paint to flooring to solar domestic hot water — this year’s top 10 is a must-see for the eco-minded remodeler.
1. Integrity Block. A compacted-earth block to cost-effectively replace traditional concrete masonry units.
2. Safe ‘N Sound Emerald Doors from Masonite. Solid-core interior doors that have wheat-straw particleboard cores, composite wood skins, and stiles and rails made from solid wood and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
3. FSC-Certified PlybooPure Bamboo Flooring. From Smith & Fong, this is the first bamboo flooring to carry FSC certification.
4. Natura Paint from Benjamin Moore. These zero-VOC paints and primers are made for residential and light commercial use. Natura line of paints are available as a primer and in flat, eggshell, and semi-gloss.
5. PolyWhey Floor Finish. Vermont Natural Coatings provides this waterborne wood finish that uses recycled whey protein, a byproduct of the dairy industry, as a binder.
6. O Ecotextiles Natural-Fiber Fabrics. These high-quality organic textiles are made with a total focus on eco-friendliness; designed to have minimal toxicity, little or no carbon footprint, and adhere to social justice (produced under living-wage environments).
7. Matrix Total Home System from NTI. This integrated appliance combines a gas-fired condensing boiler and furnace, condensing demand water heater, and a heat-recovery ventilator into a single unit.
8. SunCache Solar Water Heating System. From Harpiris Energy, this integral collector storage (ICS) solar water heater uses a roof-mounted, water-filled collector and copper heat exchanger. Tap water runs from the supply line through the collector/heat exchanger and to the tap as hot water.
9. AgileWaves Resource Monitor. This clever piece of software provides real-time data on electricity, gas, and water consumption along with several other unique features.
10. Rainwater H2OG Tanks. Rainwater HOGs are modular rainwater storage tanks for use where extra space is hard to come by such as under decks, against houses or even inside walls. Captured rainwater can be used for gardening, irrigation, toilets, laundry, or even potable water (depending on the system purchased). They can even be part of water walls in passive solar heating designs.
For a full description of all ten products see 2008 BuildingGreen Top 10 Products.
