EcoZome Journal » Eco-friendly

Overhead and Underfoot: Building a green roof upside down.

Jen — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 16:00:33 +0000

The Green Roof atop the Vancouver Convention Centre (West building)

by Jen Pennington

photos by Robert J. Pennington

On a recent tour of the largest living green roof in North America atop the Vancouver, B.C. Convention Centre, one can’t help but be awed. The tour organized by Dow Chemical Company as part of Globe 2010 was a rare glimpse into the dichotomy of what you see vs. what you can’t see. Designed by LMN Architects, the building is the world’s first LEED Platinum convention center. It’s about taking in something visually and understanding at a deeper level that natural beauty and the creation of new wildlife habitats in urban settings can successfully coexist with the right mix of landscape architecture, engineering, and construction. The fact that one can easily take for granted the man-made materials underneath an organic surface is a testament to its success.

Brilliantly colored sedums looking towards the water

As you step out the doors onto the first level, one is struck by the brilliant red, orange and pink beauty of native sedums blooming in spring amidst a precisely placed irrigation system. Bruce Hemstock, Landscape Architect for PWL Partnership explains that the irrigation system utilizes black water from the convention center and desalination machinery to water the plants making it a very sustainable system. The vast expanse of this orderly growth is amazing and you can’t even see the grasses above yet. Walking along the sloped path that leads to the green areas of the main roofs, one passes by the apiary of bees that help pollinate the area. As you step up to the grassy rise of the roof you are instantly transported to a park in the sky. It is so large at six acres that you never feel as if you are on an actual roof, and therein is the real beauty of it. Now in its second year of growth, the illusion is so surreal in an urban environment that it’s easy to disregard what lies beneath the top layer.

Roof layers and substrate display at Dow's both at Globe 2010.

Digging down into what makes the roof so unique is the fact that the layers that go into a normal roofing system are inverted. As Mike Kontranowski, the Strategic Market Director, Architectural Markets for Dow Building Solutions explains, “It’s turning the roof upside down.” In this case, 2.5 million board feet of Styrofoam™ brand insulation and more than 500,000 board feet of Styrofoam™ Highload insulation from Dow sits directly on top of the roof. On top of that lies a series of other substrates, and protective barriers before the placement of soil and the thousands of indigenous plants and that grow there. With the addition of all these materials, the lightest weight component, keeping the roof thermally stable, reducing weight load, and enhancing energy efficiency at the base is the Styrofoam™. A dimpled water barrier on top of that prevents water from seeping through and also holds droplets of water to retain moisture in the soil.

The roof is truly inspiring with its many levels of beauty and sustainable attributes. As green roofs become more popular in cities, my hope is that those in the design, building and materials industries share this knowledge readily. Not just amongst the largest architecture firms and contractors but down to the small business levels of builders and designers in outlying areas or smaller cities where adoption is slower to manifest. If we are truly concerned about creating eco communities and championing environmental and energy efficiency benefits, the challenge for all is how to inspire change broadly while making it affordable to install in the first place.

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Transforming the Global Footprint of American Business

Jen — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:05:30 +0000

by Jen Pennington and Mary Rose

Last Thursday, January 21st, a panel of business leaders spoke at Antioch University to a full room of entrepreneurs, students, faculty and members of the business community. Each gave a great presentation on how their company is working to create social and environmental benefits through innovative practices.

NBIS presented the program as part of Antioch University’s Center for Creative Change series on Global Issues and Perspectives. Karl Ostrom, Co-director of the Network for Business Innovation and Sustainability (NBIS) moderated the discussion with Seattle-based executives from a variety of businesses with global footprints.

David Basson, CEO of Greensource Organic Clothing

First up to speak was David Basson, the CEO from Greensource Organic Clothing Company. His is an eco-friendly company, mitigating the negative environmental impacts of the apparel industry, particularly the toxins used in the growth and processing of cotton. He spoke eloquently about how their brand is not just the products they sell, but more how they do business in the world marketplace. One of the highlights showed how their traceability tracking system gives their customers the benefit of being able to trace their garments from field to final production. He also spoke about giving back to the communities where the organic cotton is grown. They have built three schools to provide access to education for the children in these rural communities. The also have medical clinics on site in several locations. Organic cotton is still only about 3% of the world’s cotton supply, yet conventional cotton is the most pesticide-dependent crop in the world. For every Cotton T-Shirt made with conventionally grown cotton, six ounces of toxic chemicals containing pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers and defoliants are used and these find their way into the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the food we eat.

Valerie Bone, Director of Quality/Corporate Social Responsibility, PMI

Next up was Valerie Bone, Director of Quality/Corporate Social Responsibility from Pacific Market International. PMI is best known for their Aladdin and Stanley Thermos brands. Her presentation covered the strategic approach the company took in becoming more sustainably aware. Building on the company’s strong foundation in codes of conduct and quality, she spoke about PMI’s Corporate Social Responsibility charter that embeds sustainability in the core mission and vision of the company. PMI has been conducting extensive R&D to develop BPA-free alternatives to polycarbonate material. One result of these efforts was the co-development of eCycle, a food grade quality plastic that is made from 100 percent recycled materials with a 25 percent post consumer content. It’s also recyclable where [5] plastic is collected. In 2008, PMI used more than 1 million pounds of recycled plastics in its products. As a result of these product innovations, PMI has strengthened its relationships with customers like Starbucks and Nike that have aggressive sustainability goals for products and vendors.

David Okrent, Brand Director for Environment for Boeing Commercial Airplanes

Speaking from the Aerospace industry was David Okrent, Brand Director for Environment for Boeing Commercial Airplanes with additional duties as the coordinator for the European section of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group and as the project manager for the Boeing Sustainable Biofuels Steering Team. It was obvious that Mr. Okrent certainly has his work cut out for him. For Boeing it is more a question of trying to reduce their environmental footprint. When you look at how large a company Boeing is, it becomes very interesting to see how this aerospace giant is seeking to talk about sustainability. Boeing’s work in pioneering new technologies and materials to reduce fuel consumption, striving to find better fuel solutions and even looking at air traffic efficiencies to reduce fuel usage made for an eye-opening presentation. If you are interested in learning more about their progress, read the company’s Environment report.

Dennis Gawlik, Faculty Member at Bainbridge Graduate Institute and Director of Purchasing Services for the University of Washington

Last up was Dennis Gawlik, a Faculty member at Bainbridge Graduate Institute and the Director of Purchasing Services for the University of Washington. Mr. Gawlik raised the bar on sustainability imperatives noting that while many companies are striving to achieve better sustainability performance, most, in his view, are not currently going far enough. He engaged the audience in a whiteboard session challenging those in the room to come up with the top ten issues identified in a survey of purchasing agents in the U.S. as their biggest sustainability concerns. At the top of the list were Biodiversity and Water. It was a great way to bring the presentations to a close and get the audience to think in terms of the global economics and impacts of American businesses.

After the presentations the panel joined in a discussion on what sustainability means to each of them. Questions were taken from an enthusiastic audience, and Antioch was pleased to see so many people stick around afterwards to converse with the speakers. It just makes you realize it’s how we harness people energy that will make the business world a better place.

Green automotive is ultra cool, but featured Green Zone gets cold highlight at SEMA 2009

Jen — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:25:50 +0000

by Jen Pennington
photos by Robert J. Pennington

Today at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturing Association (SEMA) 2009 show in Las Vegas, in the midst of some very sweet cars, parts and accessories, it’s easy to get sucked into the shiny beauty of gorgeous machines. An unveil by color master/designer Chip Foose and builder Peter Klutt on their Super Cuda collaboration was stunning. The guys from Galpin Auto Sports (GAS) and Ford rebuilding a 69′ Mustang live for the MTV crowd had all the right glam. But what was really disappointing was the fact that SEMA’s “Making Green Cool Zone” might have referred to the Siberian-like space it occupied at the back of the South Hall in the Las Vegas Convention Center. This was a shame because this area was the most exciting in terms of design, innovative engineering, and new eco-friendly automotive products.

X PRIZE from Progressive Insurance Automotive was the key sponsor for the area and a selection of cars from competing teams adorned the area. The X PRIZE awards 10 million dollars in prizes to the teams that win a multi-stage competition for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 miles per gallon energy equivalent (MPGe).

Rick Woodbury in his Tango at the X Prize showcase

The vehicles on display showcased the depth of imagination and bold design. Sleek modern looks paired with the most practical of concerns for a lower carbon footprint, safety, performance, and affordability, were all key factors in the development of these new vehicles.

HP2g's 1987 Ford Mustang hybrid gets 110 MPG

Just around the corner from the X PRIZE teams were folks like Doug Pelmear of HP2g. His uniquely engineered 1987 Ford Mustang hybrid delivers about 110 MPG running on E85 (85% Ethanol). He and his team made a more fuel-efficient engine using variable displacement to transition the car from running on eight cylinders down to firing on just one. He also proudly mentioned that he drove from Ohio to Vegas, only stopping once in Oklahoma for gas.

Azhar Hussain on the new Mavizen TTX02 electric racing superbike

Also unveiled today was the world’s first electric superbike, the Mavizen TTX02. This electric racing motorcycle uses an Open Source OS and is nicknamed the “laptop on wheels.” It’s also very lightweight and tight. When speaking of the role that innovative racing technologies play in bringing products to market, Azhar Hussain, founder of TTXGP (the world’s first zero carbon, zero emission motorcycle race), said today, “…competition first it’s R&D on steroids.”

With all the great new ideas being set forth, it was unfortunate that the press conference background for some of these innovators was some leftover green cloth with an 18 x 24 inch sign with a tiny Making Green Cool logo on it. In one area all the other exhibitor cars were so closely put together, it was tough to maneuver around them. You just felt bad for these guys. Like they were put in a corner and told not to make a fuss.

Okay so maybe you don’t need big fancy graphics, but when some of the most innovative work in the automobile industry is not showcased with the enthusiasm it deserves, how are we ever going to expect people to get excited and on board with greener, smarter alternatives?

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Find more SEMA 2009 pictures at www.rhizomeimages.com

Green Dreams: Coveting Sustainable Glass Art

Jen — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 03:53:31 +0000

by Jen Pennington

As someone in the early stages of building my own home, (at this point, a bare earth foundation pad), when I actually allow myself the luxury of dreaming about kitchen finishes, I can’t help but look at the various treatments with a certain unrestrained design lust. My mind wanders to the rich variety of sustainable products that are out there and I thoroughly enjoy the diverse design options any one of them would offer.

While the new standard eco-friendly choices–bamboo, reclaimed wood, marmoleum, clay finishes–are already in mind, I find myself lingering over the concept of glass as a design feature. I’m not talking about nice little squares of recycled glass tiles that no one can see unless they’re taking a shower or against a backsplash. I’m talking about thick glass slab countertops so beautiful they may cause an uncontrollable drooling response.

While most humble homebuilders tend to think of glass as an accent attraction, Tish Oye and Steve Shahbaghlian of Glassworks in Seattle have taken the concept of interior glass to new and glorious heights. Founded over thirty-five years ago as architectural glass fabricators for the building and design industry, Oye and Shahbaghlian have developed a profound appreciation for glass as functional art. Deeply committed to sustainable building practices, the duo now offers a beautiful series of recycled glass countertops that not only create amazing impact but are fully functional as well.

Recycled green cast glass

Made from discarded shower doors from a local manufacturer, Glassworks melts the glass down and re-purposes it into gorgeous green cast glass slabs. Ranging from one to two inches thick and up to twelve feet long, these exquisite countertops are an ideal kitchen feature and work in bathrooms, home offices, and anywhere else a dramatic design statement can be made. Born from a from a unique arrangement with one of the nation’s premier glass shower door fabricators, the recycling project offers builders and remodelers a fresh option in sustainable building. “As part of their quality control process, the company used to send any doors identified with scratches or small dings to the landfill,” explains Oye. “Under our new program, they ship the doors directly to us. From there, we turn them into something beautiful and useful.”

The tempered glass used for shower doors is a perfect “raw” element for the recycling process. When the shower doors arrive at Glassworks, they are broken into small, pebble-size pieces. The pieces are then put into a mold and re-fired. Under the heat of the Glassworks kiln, the “pebbles” melt together to form translucent cast glass. “The end result has the same integrity and beauty of glass made from non-recycled materials,” continues Oye, “But these pieces have the added benefit of not contributing to a landfill.”

But Oye is no Greenie-lite. An accomplished businesswoman, Oye recently earned her LEED certification. Determined to do all she can to make her company and their fabricating process more sustainable, she’s about the little things smaller companies can do to lower their carbon footprint and be a good neighbor at the same time. With a shy determination, she’ll tell you about her plan to heat the Glassworks shop with the heat from the kilns they use. Or how when a client refers Glassworks to a potential customer, as a thank you, Glassworks makes a donation in that client’s name to the good works organization of their choice.

Any builder or remodeler looking to find that one gem that sets their design apart should highly consider recycled cast glass counters. Having a Glassworks designed countertop in your home or building is like owning a unique piece of commissioned art that is beautiful, functional, and sustainable. The perfect building troika for the modern age, its just one way small business is shining the light on making our world a better place.

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Above: Images from the Glassworks portfolio, prior to using recycled glass. As of this writing, the newer recycled projects are still in progress.

View all their transparent creations at: www.glassworksinc.com

Paper Matters: An interview with master printer David Hell.

Jen — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:26:30 +0000

Interview by Emily Corey

Paper and print sustainability issues have been part of the recycling dialogue since the tree-hugging sixties and the idea of reusing what we write our memories on and pack our groceries in, jump-started much of the environmental movement that we know today.

Eco-savvy printers like David Hell of Graphics Plus have been part of the conversation for a long time. A native of North Dakota, he spends as much time as he can in the wilderness and is acutely aware of the need for sustainability in the land, and at the printing press. EcoZome caught up with him at his print shop in Seattle, WA.

EZ: What’s being done in the paper industry to minimize the damage to the world’s forests?
DH: Traditional logging practices contribute to water pollution and the destruction of human and wildlife habitats. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was founded in 1993 to challenge traditional forestry practices and explore sustainable ways to manage forests and the communities that surround them.

EZ: Has it been successful?
DH: Scientifically managed forests promote a healthier environment, enhance water, soil, and air quality, and support biodiversity. FSC certifies that forests around the globe meet these standards. Consumers are looking for positive news about the environment and certification translates into that.

EZ: How does that impact paper?
DH: It used to be people didn’t care what they printed on. Now, people do. Paper is synonymous with wood fiber. Where that wood comes from makes a huge difference. Using wood from a certified forest doesn’t alter the quality of the paper—but it does improve the business experience.

EZ: But doesn’t the public want recycled paper?
DH: Recycled paper is a great thing and consumers were a major force behind its development. Recycled paper also diverts waste from landfills and helps sustain the recycling process. But the average recycled paper only has about 35% recycled fiber and 25% comes from new cut timber. That makes the impact of the FSC management program even more important.

EZ: What other environmentally-friendly things can we do?
DH: Choose paper with pulp that is brightened without chlorine. Trim thoughtfully. You’d be surprised how a little adjustment in a layout can reduce the waste on a print run. I often recommend clients reduce their paper weight by a fraction—from 80 lb. to 70 lb. text, for example. That way, it takes fewer fibers to get the job done. Also, use inks made from renewable sources like soybeans, vegetables, and linseed oil. A good printer can help reduce toxins from pre-press through printing.

EZ: Do you think the print industry does enough to get the word out about paper?
DH: No. We could do a much better job. I think consumers got very comfortable with the idea of recycled paper, but there’s much more that can be done. Printers need to be more proactive with their clients and designers and get more involved. We need to have more consultations with them—earlier in the design path.

EZ: Printing on environmentally-friendly papers can be more expensive. Can people be converted?
DH: Absolutely. They just have to stop focusing on the price point. They have to look at the whole picture. Using eco-friendly paper is a selling point for companies and goes a long way with their customers. They just have to remember that when they look at their bottom line.

EZ: What advice would you give someone looking to print a new piece?
DH: Ask questions. Don’t assume just because a paper says it’s recycled that you can’t go even further into the sustainable world and get great printing results. Look for printers who actively engage in sustainable practices, use smarter papers, and are willing to spend more time with you to figure out the greenest approach.

David Hell is an independent, artisan printer and owner of Graphics Plus. He is the printer for the EcoZome Journal.

What is Green Printing?

Jen — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 17:03:50 +0000

“Gauging green is a lot like a speedometer in a car,” says Lynn Krinsky, owner of Stella Color, a Seattle-based large format printer. “Even if you’re only going fifteen miles an hour, you’re still moving forward.” And while Krinsky knows the goal of a 100% green printing process is still in the future, as a quality printer dedicated to sustainability, she makes sure she does everything she can in her own print shop to promote the greenest printing possible.

Known for her work with architects and designers, Stella Color’s large format capabilities create everything from tradeshow banners to customized wall tiles for a variety of commercial and residential projects. “Through the use of recycled, naturally safe, and toxin free materials we are able to help reduce the impact of carbon dioxide on our earth’s atmosphere,” continues Krinsky. “We can deliver final products to clients that are premium and earth-wise.”

A company whose motto is “Small Dog. Big Color” (Stella Color was named for Krinsky’s beloved Dachshund), as the company emerges in the sustainable environment, Krinsky is deeply committed to adding the tagline ‘Where green ideas bloom in Big Color” to her company’s carbon footprint. From inks to materials, Stella Color is dedicated making big changes in the big print world.