Archive for September, 2008
Stardust Glass: A Hip, Green Oregon Tile Company
September 30th, 2008 | 
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Based in Portland, Oregon, Stardust Glass is offering recycled glass tiles with a hip style. The company is owned and run by artists Megan and Jason Coleman. Their mission is to protect the earth’s resources by creating tiles from 87%-100% recycled glass while producing completely hand-made, boutique-style pieces.
From the photos below you can see how truly hands-on and almost rustic
seeming their process is. They use small hand-made molds and a kiln
rather than a furnace, which is more eco-friendly. Their color palette
is varied and fun and is one of the nicest that I have seen in the
recycled glass tile market.
However, the best part about Stardust is the shapes of tiles that they offer. My absolute favorite is the retro-looking lantern
shape (shown above) which looks great when you mix a variety of
color shades as they have done. Also wonderful are the fun "dots" and the
skinny rectangles.
There are about ten dealers nationwide and if
there is not one close enough, you can order directly from the
company. Tiles range from $35-$75/square foot. Sounds kind of pricey,
but when you see how hands-on their process is, you can understand
why. Plus, the colors and unique shapes make it totally worth the cost.
Think of using them for a small detail in a bathroom or kitchen
backsplash. Even a few of these stylish tiles will make a statement. Visit Stardust’s website to learn more.
Photo credits: Stardust Glass.
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Eco-friendly Modular Home Built in 60 Days, Uses 50 Percent Less Energy
Country Living Magazine’s October issue highlights an eco-friendly, modular home constructed in just 60 days by New World Home. The home’s design is traditional and used a 19th century home as a model. The highly energy efficient home uses 50% less energy than the average home and their modular process allows them to use less wood in the building process.
The company believes that aesthetically pleasing design is an important
part of being green because these structures will "withstand the test
of time."
The home’s center hall provides great air flow throughout
the home and two porches offer shade and cooling for the home. The
house was positioned to maximize solar warmth in the winter. The
siding is Hardiplank, which contains recycled content and does not
require painting for 50 years. The home features Benjamin Moore
low-VOC paint, vintage pieces such as light fixtures and mantles, low- formaldehyde
cabinets, low-emissions insulation with a high content of recycled
glass, and locally harvested wood floors stained using formaldehyde-free DuroStain by AFM Safecoat.
While New World Home could certainly take the green to a higher
level, this is a great start with designs that would appeal to the
average homeowner at a reasonable price of $115-$180/square foot on average. And of course, if you want to
work in more green elements, I’m sure the three owners, Mark Jupiter,
Randy Florke, and Tyler Schmetterer (pictured below), would be happy to work on this
with you. To see all of their home designs with floor plans visit New World Home’s website.
Read also Eco-friendly Modular Home: factory to fabulous in 60 days.
Empire Solar: Full service solar panel installation and design
Seemingly everyone is talking about going green, and most of the news seems to be on public policy and large corporations getting sustainable. While it’s easy to pass on the responsibility to the government’s promotion and corporate america’s usage, it’s really juts a cop out because everyone has the opportunity to do what they can to live eco friendly and help out the environment. One of the most obvious ways to get sustainable is through energy usage, and going green with renewable sources.
Empire Solar is a firm that can help you in this regard. Empire solar is a full service company that can take you green with solar panels. I say full service because they offer custom solutions for individuals or firms trying to take advantage of solar technology. They install systems, take care of permits, submit the rebate paperwork necessary, and set up the necessary interfaces in the buildings to utilize the solar panels. All the while, they work only with the most reputable technology and products, thus greening you for years to come.
While a legitimate concern about sustainability and saving the environment is preferable, there are a lot of reasons to answer the never ending question: Why Buy Solar. Besides helping the environment, there are attractive economic reasons to do so, including…
- Lowering your energy bill costs
- receiving the beloved state and federal tax breaks
- Feel good and elitist.
Finally, if you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple decades and cannot grasp the gist of solar panels and solar energy, check out Empire Solar’s easy to understand How Solar Works.
So to get started on lowering your energy costs with a 10 year guaranteed full solar system, you can receive a free consultation to find out what custom solutions Empire can offer you.
Beautiful Green Roof at Chicago’s Residences 900
In Chicago, Illinois, The Residences at 900 have something unique to offer their residents, a lush green rooftop garden. This environmentally friendly rooftop, designed by renowned landscape architect Douglas Hoerr, offers nearly fourteen thousand square feet of garden paradise.
This beautiful roof improves the city air by converting the abundant CO2 back into oxygen and will also help to conserve energy by
insulating the building. Storm water run-off will be reduced by
filtering through the soil, fueling the plants, and evaporating. The
green roof will also decrease the ‘heat island’ effect, which is a term
used to describe the temperature spike in urban areas compared to
nearby rural areas due to environmental disturbances and pollution.
The garden encompasses many gathering
areas for building residents to enjoy this unique outdoor oasis in the middle of the city. The residences themselves are stunning,
offering one, two, and three bedroom floor plans ranging from about 1500
square feet to 5000 square feet.
Prices are not shared on the website,
but one would not expect this luxury to come with a cheap price
tag. But, if you’re going to pay a pretty price, you might as well
have a beautiful, eco-friendly rooftop garden to enjoy. Visit The Residences’ website to see interior photos and floor plans.
This year, the Residences’ green roof also won a Green Roof Award of Excellence in the Intensive Residential Category. Make sure to check out these other green roof articles in the archives:
[+] Green Roof Archives
[+] Intrigue of Green Roofs
[+] Costs and Benefits of Green Roofs