Top 10 Green Building Products of 2009

Over the last 4 years, business magazine, Sustainable Industries releases Top 10 Green Building Products of the year. Although based in the USA, it is always interesting to see what global advancements are being made that will improve sustainable design and construction. Unfortunately most of these products are not currently available in South Africa (we make note of those that are), but hopefully will be in the near future. If anyone is aware that these products are available, please let us know.

Sustainable Industries basis its selections on environmental performance, market impact, innovation, design aesthetic, value, and compatibility with the US Green Building Council's LEED rating system. Here are the top 10 products for 2009:

Hallowell International's Acadia Combined Heating and Cooling System - a super-efficient system that can save up to 70% on energy costs (dependending on the outside temperature).The Acadia is a heat рumр that extracts heat from outdoor air and distributes it through ductwork, much like conventional heat рumрs.














ec-H20 - is a technology that requires no chemicals to convert tap water into a cleaning solution to clean almost any surface of almost any substance. Scrubbers with ec-H20 use 70% less water than others and use no harsh chemicals.











InSpire Wall - is a simple, elegant, transpired solar collector and fresh air heating system that uses the power of the sun to heat outdoor air before sending it indoors, while boosting the indoor air quality. This can reduce heating costs by up to R400/m2 (per year).













Kama EEBS Structural Systems - is a structural wall framing system made by kama Energy Efficient Building Systems Inc. Made of light gauge metal stud framing with expanded polystyrene insulation, eliminates thermal bridging and creates a tight building envelope.









Plyboo Pure Bamboo Plywood - Although there are some similar products available here in SA (such as Oriental Bamboo), Smith & Fong obtained the first FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification for bamboo in the world.












RainTube - this is a rain gutter filter made of 100% post-consumer high-density polyethylene (plastic commonly used in consumer products). GLI Systems Inc also developed a "Post-Use Recovery Plan" the product. It's perfect for use in a rainwater collection system.












Separett Villa - is a waterless composting toilet that separates the solids from the liquids by diverting the urine and keeping solids separate from liquids, reducing odour and making it possible to reuse waste and urine for composting and fertilizing. This is ideal for use where no plumbing exists. (Similar South African systems: africaSanitation and ECOSAN),














Serious Windows - these efficient windows which have the potential to allow for the elimination of a building’s heating system, have a full-frame R value of 5-11, which can help cut energy bills by up to 50% per month.

















Solatube Daylighting Systems - this technology captures sunlight and redirects it through an adjustable tube into spaces where there is no natural light. Daylight is linked to higher worker productivity, decreased absenteeism and better retail sales. (Available in SA)









Eleek Your Old Light Fixture - Re-use & recycle! Eleek provides a lighting restoration service to restore and reuse old fixtures. Every piece of a light fixture is taken apart, repaired and restored including updating wiring to comply with modern codes and standards and a new lamp base is installed so it works with energy-efficient lamps such as CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamps) and LED's (Light-emitting diode). As it is not a product, this business model could easily be set up here in South Africa.

Green Roof - your home.

Introducing a "green roof" to the design of your new home (or alteration) is comparable to putting back the original vegetation and ecosystem that your home occupies.
























images courtesy of www.trendir.com

By definition, a "green roof" is a roof that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and soil. Container gardens (plants are in pots) are not generally considered to be true green roofs, but do serve similar purposes. Aside from being aesthetically pleasing, there are numerous advantages to having a green roof, the biggest of which (in our opinion) is the preservation of habitat and biodiversity. This is particularly true, if indigenous planting is used that resembles the original vegetation of the area, which in turn, will encourage the indigenous insect and bird life to continue in the area.

However, over and above the sound ecological reasons for having a green roof, there are a number of benefits to the property owner as well:

• Temperature & insulation - not only does a green roof assist in controlling the heat gains and losses of its specific building by reducing heating and cooling loads, but will also contribute to mitigating the 'Urban Heat Island Effect' (the difference in temperature between a city and the surrounding countryside), in the summer.
• Sound insulation - Sound waves that are produced by machinery, traffic or air-planes can be absorbed, reflected or deflected.
• Rain water - rather than large volumes of water running into the municipal stormwater drains (if not captured on site in storage tanks), a green roof will reduce the amount of runoff and delay the time at which runoff occurs. This results in decreased loads on sewer systems at peak flow periods. In addition, a green roof will retain water by storing it in the substrate and then will be used by the plants and finally returned to the atmosphere through transpiration and evaporation.
• Improved air quality & carbon dioxide/oxygen exchange - a green roof will filter the air moving across it of airborne particulates and through the process of photosynthesis convert carbon dioxide, water and sunlight/energy into oxygen and glucose.

The more in-direct / economic benefits include:

• Protection of the roof resulting in a longer lifespan and decreased maintenance and replacement costs (it is estimated that green roofs will last up to twice as long as conventional roofs).
• Savings on energy heating and cooling costs.

There are however, a few disadvantages to consider. With regards to the design and construction of a green roof, existing buildings may not always be able to be retrofitted with a green roof because of the weight of the soil and vegetation. In addition, a green roof places high demands on the waterproofing system because not only is water retained on the roof (in the soil etc.), but there is the possibility of roots penetrating the waterproof membrane. Installing suitable waterproofing systems and root barriers is essential and can increase the cost.

Finally, the construction / landscaping cost of a green roof can vary depending on the type of roof, structure of the building etc., and what plants are grown on the roof. And although a conventional roof may only require maintenance through painting/waterproofing every few years, a green roof, like any garden, requires a little more TLC.













image courtesy of wikipedia.org


















images courtesy of www.dornob.com

A “green house” can be modern.

At econic we strongly believe that a green or sustainable building does not have to be a "hippie" shack. To prove our point, we have below a few buildings that are modern, sophisticated, luxurious AND "green"! To start with, take a look at these buildings - constructed out of rammed earth!

Homehill Winery - Tasmania; Australia







Carlton & United Breweries - Yatala (Brisbane); Australia








The above images are courtesy of Ramed Earth.

To date, neither South Africa nor Australia have established their rating tools for single residential buildings (homes). However, the US Green Building Council's LEED rating system does. The following houses are either already LEED Platinum (LEED's highest rating award) rated or awaiting final certification. US based blog Jetson Green has these a more...

Georgia RainShine House

























To achieve its "Plainium" status, The RainShine House included the following:
· +/-1900 litre water reclamation tanks;· Butterfly roof designed to collect rainwater;
· Locally-sourced, 100% recycled steel framing roof;
· Water-based insulation materials;
· Reclaimed heart-pine flooring;
· Energy recovery ventilator (for tight homes);
· Low solar heat gain coefficient windows;
· Abundant interior natural light;
· LED lighting system;
· Geothermal heat pump;
· 3.1 kW rooftop, photovoltaic system; and
· Deciduous plantings to provide efficiency benefits.

Margarido House






















· LED lighting
· Energy Star cool roof
· In floor hydronic (water based) heating system
· Solar electric power
· Solar thermal hot water
· Smart house automation
· Energy efficient appliances
· Water reclamation tanks
· Permeable paving
· Recycled concrete and glass counters
· Locally sourced and sustainable products
· Interior air quality management system
· Low water/drought tolerant landscaping
· Zero VOC paints

Celadon Eco Townhomes





















· approximately 30-40% more energy efficient than standard homes
· stormwater retention
· indigenous, drought-tolerant landscaping
· expected to save about 1,5mil litres of water annually.
· high-efficiency HVAC system,
· tankless water heater,
· skylights and solar tubes,
· light-reflective roof,
· sub-metering,
· energy-efficient appliances,
· low-VOC paints and materials, etc.

There are plenty more examples internationally, and although it may be some time before the Green Building Council of South Africa has a Green Star rating tool for homes, econic hopes that we will be building homes like these sooner rather than later.

geothermal / ground-source heat pumps

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) called ground-source heat pumps the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective space conditioning systems available. Heat pumps offer significant emission reductions potential, particularly where they are used for both heating and cooling and where the electricity is produced from renewable resources.

















image courtesy of greenbuilder.com

A geothermal heat pump system (also known as a GeoExchange system) is a central heating and/or air conditioning system that actively pumps heat to or from the shallow ground, using the earth as either a source of heat in the winter, or as a coolant in the summer. In typical systems, duct fans distribute the warm o/r cool air to various rooms within the building in the same manner as a conventional central heating or air-con system would).

The heart of the heat pump is a loop of refrigerant pumped through the “ground loop”, or more specifically, “vapour-compression refrigeration tubes” that moves heat either into or out of the ground. Working much like a refrigerator the system uses the heat pump to force the transfer of heat: capturing heat from a cool area and transferring it to a warm area, or they can enhance the natural flow of heat: from a warm area to a cool one. Heat energy always flows from areas of higher temperature to areas of lower temperature.

Geothermal heat pump systems are so efficient because underground temperatures are relatively stable through the year . The shallow ground temperature is warmer than the air above during the winter and cooler than the air in the summer. A ground-source heat pump extracts that ground heat in the winter (heating) and exhausts heat back into the ground in the summer (cooling).

In terms of residential use, home-owners who use GeoExchange systems rating them highly because of their ability to deliver comfortably warm air, even on the coldest winter days, and because of their very very low operating costs. In addition, once installed, they require little maintenance or attention. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, GeoExchange systems save home-owners 30-70 percent in heating costs, and 20-50 percent in cooling costs, compared to conventional systems.

In cooler climates, such as Europe & North America Geothermal systems are used predominantly for heating. Here in South Africa, heating can be useful when the correct conditions exist; however, the most use is the ability to reduce air- conditioning loads during the day when the air is warm and the ground is cool.

There are numerous options as to the types and size of systems, dependant on the size of the building, availability of land and cost. To compare these various options have a look at geoexchange.org

Recycling at Home- How hard is it?

Bad habits are hard to break. Simply chucking all your garbage into one big bag and putting it out for the municipal collection is nothing more than a bad habit. But with a little bit of organisation, and very little cost, you can easily set up your home or office to start recycling.

To start with, lets look at what you can recycle (care of Clearer Conscience):

PRODUCT	CODE	EXAMPLE	NO GOOD
PLASTIC	1 PET	Bottles (e.g. soft drinks)	Any plastic labeled 3 or 7
Look for number or abbreviation by recycle logo	2 PE-HD	Household (e.g. detergents, shampoo)	Cling wrap, florist wrap
	4 PE-LD	Film (e.g. frozen veg, appliances)
	5 PP	Containers (ice cream, marg, feta, food trays)
	6	Polystyrene/Styrofoam
		Tetrapaks (long life milk cartons)
GLASS		Jars, bottles	Heavy glass, e.g. windscreens, window panes
PAPER		Newspapers, junk mail, office paper, exercise books, etc Magazines & books: please keep separate so these can be sold through charity shops	Phone directories
CARDBOARD		Boxes, toilet rolls, cereal boxes, etc	Wax lined boxes (juice, fruit, etc)
METAL		Tins, cans
OTHER - BY PRIOR ARRANGEMENT		Clothes, bric-a-brac (must be in good condition so can be donated to charity shops) Broken tiles & crockery Plants, garden accessories Computer cartridges
N.B.		Please rinse food containers. No need to rinse bottles.	No disposable nappies; no foodstuffs

In addition to the above, Urban Sprout, recently reported that now even tetra pak can be recycled in Cape Town.

Now that you know what to set aside/ separate for recycling, all you need is a couple of containers to put it in and then have it collected (or drop it off yourself). To separate the recycling, in our home we've dedicated one small cupboard and put five reasonably sized containers (a mix of simple conventional bins and/or big tupperwares) - paper; plastic; tins; glass and general un-recyclabe rubbish (we also have a another tupaware for fresh produce to go to our worm farm). It take up little space and is just as convienient as throwing away rubbish the old (bad habbit) way - no mess, no fuss.

In our storeroom, we have seperate bins (boxes) for each of the items and twice a week we take from the kitchen cupboard and into the store room - the same as you would remove your rubbish the old (bad habbit) way - no difference here.

Instead of putting our two or three bags for municple collection every week, we put out one small one. And finally, once a month, we put out our four bags for recycling collection. Its that simple, and costs very little more (approximately R80 per month for Clearer Consience to collect), but makes a huge differnce...

The City of Cape Town says waste-to-landfill amounts increase by 7% annually even though the net population increase is only 2% over the same period. They're running out of landfill space! And asside from the space issue, is the well documented need to stop deforestation, and reduce global consuption (industy generating CO2's etc).

Recycling is one of the easiest ways to contribute to the fight against global warming and the global culture of waste. DO IT TODAY!

Google "Recycling+your town or city", or look at Urban Sprout's recycling directory for more info.