Products: BuildingGreen’s Top 10

Integrity Block
Integrity Block is a compacted-earth block used as a cost-competitive replacement for concrete masonry units (CMUs). Made from a proprietary soil mix that includes up to 60 percent pre-consumer recycled content (byproduct from mining or quarrying), the Integrity Block uses 40 percent less energy to produce and meets ASTM C-90 standards for load-bearing CMUs. The portland cement content is approximately half that of standard block. Integrity Blocks are the color of the earth used in manufacturing, giving them a unique natural appearance without any added dyes or pigments. The company’s landscape product is currently available, with structural full and half blocks scheduled to be rolled out in late 2008. Integrity Blocks are initially being shipped in Northern California, although the company has plans for at least five additional plants nationwide within the next several years, so that regional markets can be reached with low transportation (and carbon) impacts.

What makes this product green??
>>Releases minimal pollutants
>>Natural or minimally processed
LEED credit relevance:
>>MR Credit 4 – Recycled content

Integrity Block, 4966 El Camino Real, Suite 223; Los Altos, CA 94022, Phone: 650-641-3104, Fax: 650-963-1544, www.integrityblock.com
CIRCLE 88

FSC-Certified PlybooPure Bamboo Flooring from Smith & Fong
Smith & Fong has introduced the first bamboo flooring to carry Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. Available under the brand name PlybooPure, the flooring is also made with low-emitting, non-formaldehyde polyisocyanurate binder. PlybooPure is available either flat or vertical-grained in a natural or amber color. It can be delivered unfinished or prefinished with aluminum oxide. All flooring measures 5/8” x 3-3/4” x 75” and comes 23.4 ft2 per box. The company also offers a comprehensive range of trim moldings in stair noising, threshold, reducer, and baseshoe profiles, as well as baseboard prefinished in amber or natural color.

What makes this product green??
>>Releases minimal pollutants
>>Rapidly renewable
>>FSC-certified bamboo
LEED Credit relevance:
>>MR Credit 6 – Rapidly renewable materials
>>EQ Credit 4 – Low-emitting materials
>>MR Credit 7 – Certified Wood

Smith & Fong Company, 475 6th St., S. San Francisco, CA 94103, Toll-free: 866-835-9859, Fax: 415-896-0583, www.plyboo.com
CIRCLE 89

PolyWhey Floor Finish; Vermont Natural Coatings
PolyWhey is a waterborne wood finish that uses recycled whey protein, a by-product of the dairy industry, as a binder. These LEED-qualifying, low-odor coatings contain no toxic heavy metals and have a VOC level less than 180 g/L (grams per liter). They provide a clear coating that is resistant to water, chemicals, and scratches, and has twice the durability of other waterborne finishes, according to the company. This makes them well-suited for high-traffic residential and commercial areas. PolyWhey finishes cover 500 to 600 square feet per gallon and can be applied with brush or spray gun, drying to the touch in less than two hours and fully curing in under a week. As with traditional polyurethanes, proper preparation of the floor or other wood surface before coating is critical in order to create even coats and a quality seal. A slightly different formulation is available as a furniture finish. These coatings are available in gloss, semi-gloss, or satin finish; and in five-gallon, gallon, quart, and pint sizes. The cans are made from 100 percent pre-consumer recycled polypropylene.

What makes this product green??
>>Agricultural waste material
>>Pre-consumer recycled content
>>Releases minimal pollutants
>>Rapidly renewable
LEED Credit relevance:
>>MR Credit 6 – Rapidly renewable materials
>>EQ Credit 4 – Low-emitting materials

Vermont Natural Coatings, 180 Junction Rd., P.O. Box 512, Hardwick, VT 05843, Phone: 802-472-8700, Fax: 802-472-5227, www.vermontnaturalcoatings.com CIRCLE 90

Agilewaves Resource Monitor
Agilewaves Resource Monitor provides residential and commercial building owners with real-time data on electricity, gas, and water consumption. This system can be accessed via the Internet, providing monitoring data from circuits, rooms, water lines, and appliances. Agilewaves can also track, store, and analyze diverse factors such as temperature, humidity, air quality, output from PV and solar water-heating systems, utility costs, and carbon footprint information. It can also communicate with certain building management systems to actively manage loads based on real-time usage. The company claims that by influencing occupant behavior, Agilewaves can help reduce energy, gas, and water consumption by up to 20 percent. Each system is custom-configured to meet specific monitoring needs, such as runoff from green roofs.

What makes this product green?
>>Equipment that conserves energy and manages loads
>>Fixtures and equipment that conserve water
LEED credit relevance:
>>EA Credit 1 – Optimize energy performance
>>EA Credit 3 – Additional Commissioning
>>EA Credit 5 – Measurement and Verification

Agilewaves, Inc., 441 S. California Ave., Ste. 2, Palo Alto, CA 94306, Phone: 650-326-6500, www.agilewaves.com CIRCLE 91