98 jan ⁄ feb 2012 azuremagazine.com

1 watt’s the damage?

thinkeco’s modlet plugs into electri-cal outlets; monitors the power drain of office equipment, and displays the information on web-based software while suggesting ways to save energy. it can be configured for multi-user, multi-floor and even multi-location operations. thinkecoinc.com

2 warm underfoot

Providing radiant heat, warmboard is a system of plywood panels with a path cut into the top surface, where PeX aluminum tubing snaps into place. an aluminum sheet bonded to the panels boosts the heat. The sys-tem can be topped with hardwood, tile or wool carpet. warmboard.com

3 pinwheel power

The LeD-powered Sanya street lamp and turbine, by urban green energy, can be connected to the grid or a backup battery system that feeds energy back into the grid. urbangreenenergy.com

4 cool shades

inspired by photographs William mcDonough took during his trips to iceland, the mechosystems mcDonough iceland collection is made from thermoplastic olefin, in 16 colours and four standard patterns. The jacquard weave win- dow shades are recyclable and certified cradle to cradle Silver. mechoshade.com

5 raise the bar

haworth showed off its eco-friendly Very Seating line of task and side chairs and stackable stools. made from recycled materials, it’s 98 per cent recyclable. haworth.com

greenbuild came to toronto and showed off the latest in sustainable products and services. here we present the top 14 by nina boccia

GREENBUILDToronTo

“WE’RE Not havING a GREEN REvoLUtIoN. We’re having a green party,” Thomas Friedman announced. The New York Times columnist, who has chronicled the parallels between the climate and economic crises, was addressing a packed audience at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, during the opening ceremonies for the 10th edition of Greenbuild this past October. “In revolutions, people get hurt; companies are forced to change, or they die. Our revolution will be here when the word ‘green’ disappears,” he said. To deafening applause, he added, “You’re all too dumb to quit.”

Until then, architects, engineers and designers will flock to Greenbuild to view the latest eco-innovations. At the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, two gigantic halls were filled with sustainable interior furnishings, photo voltaic systems and LEED assessment software. Many exhibitors launched products that aimed to provide better information about the impact of finishes and appliances on indoor environments. Perkins+Will’s new eco-label details the recyclable content and certifications of Construction Specialties’ inventory; and ThinkEco’s Modlet, an electrical outlet plug-in, monitors the energy consumed by all the equipment in a facility. These and other new items, such as Sempergreen’s vegetation mats and Duo-Gard’s PV canopies, confirm that there’s still good reason to rally around the green design ethic.

generation green

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10 surface appeal

DIrTT’s modular walls for health care, educational and office facilities are made from fSC-certified, urea formaldehyde–free MDf, and now come with a skin of Corian, DuPont’s versatile solid sur facing made from recycled materials. dirtt.net

11 brIghT IDea

philips’ enduraLeD a-Shape bulb replaces 60-watt incandescents, halogens and fluorescents. Control- ling wattage, lumen output, and heat (a major issue with high-power LeDs), the thermal and mechan- ical works are encased in a playful shell. usa.lighting.philips.com

12 roll IT ouT

for low-maintenance green roofs, Dutch manufacturer sempergreen makes vegetation blankets with four to eight varieties of sedum plants embedded in a coconut fibre blanket and a layer of substrate. sempergreen.com

13 ToTally flooreD

Viridian Wood products of Portland, Oregon, unveiled fSC-certified jakarta Market blend hardwood flooring for high-traffic environ-ments. It’s made from reclaimed shipping pallets and crates sourced from the docks and harbours of asia’s lowlands. viridianwood.com

14 creaTIVe claDDIng

KlipTech debuted XP as an exten-sion of its ecoClad exterior tiles, made with post-consumer recycled paper and bamboo fibre. The seven-millimetre-thick cladding comes in 600 patterns, textures and finishes. kliptech.com

6 poWer sTaTIon

Duo-gard’s solar canopies (shown on the company’s PV charging station) can be customized. The weather-tight structures, with frames that hide wiring, also support translucent polycarbonate panels for diffused lighting. duo-gard.com

7 brIng your oWn boTTle

IDeo created this bottle refilling station for GlobalTap, which provides access to clean water worldwide. The steel shell houses internal filters, has room to incorporate future components and can weather out-door elements. globaltap.org

8 you can’T Wear me DoWn

finland’s upofloors presented LifeLine CS, a flexible, PVC-free floor tile with a polymer layer similar to the covering on golf balls, making it resistant to shock, indents and daily wear. The collection features a light chip pattern and comes in 48 colours. upofloor.com

9 compare anD conTrasT

perkins+Will and con struction specialties, manufacturer of every-thing from doors to wallcoverings, have created a colour-coded label that organizes all of the information for C/S’s products, including compo-sition, certifications and recyclability. transparency.perkinswill.com

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