Championing the
Changemakers

by Wesley A. Groesbeck and Jan Striefel, 1994. Environmental Resources Inc., 2041 East Hollywood Ave., Salt Lake City, UT 84108; 801/485-0280. Softcover, spiral-bound, 152 pages, $28.00, postpaid.

The Resource Guide to Sustainable Landscapes is more than just a product directory. It also provides good... Read more

While the debate over steel vs. wood framing continues (see Steel or Wood Framing: Which Way Should We Go?), new ideas for using wood resources more efficiently keep cropping up. One of the most exciting ideas we’ve seen recently is the V-Joist System from Structures Monocoques, Inc. in Montreal, Quebec.

... Read more

Wood frame construction has been the unchallenged norm for residential building in North America for decades. Over the last few years, however, volatile wood prices, declining quality of framing lumber, and environmental concerns have led many builders to consider alternatives to wood. A 1993 survey done by the National Association of Home... Read more

The “Record of Decision,” or final version of the Clinton Administration’s forestry plan for the Pacific Northwest, was released on April 14, 1994. Officially the plan is the same “Option Nine” that was released last year (see EBN

Vol. 2, No. 4), though some changes have been incorporated in response to... Read more

The U.S. EPA is joining with the National Particleboard Association to study the impact of urea-formaldehyde-bonded wood products on formaldehyde levels in new homes.

Co-founder of the Council David Gottfried is no longer on the staff, and the San Francisco office has closed. Gottfried is now vice chairman, and co-founder Michael... Read more

Two of the Best Just Got a Whole Lot Better

Guide to Resource Efficient Building Elements, 4th Edition, 1994, from the Center for Resourceful Building Technology, P.O. Box 3866, Missoula, MT 59806; 406/549-7678. 94 pages, soft-cover, $25.The Center for Resourceful Building Technology (CRBT) did a superb job in... Read more

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Notes:

1. Assumes incandescent lamp cost of $2.75; fluorescent lamp cost of $2.95

2. Assumes 25 minutes to replace lamps @ $20/hr.

3. Electricity cost 8¢/kWh

Notes:

1. Other insulation materials were listed previously.

2. When products have coatings, recommended levels are based on the weight of materials in the insulating core only.

3. American Society for... Read more

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority is offering research funding for projects that improve the energy efficiency or environmental performance of buildings. A total of $750,000 is expected to be awarded under the program for such technologies as building products manufactured with recycled materials, recovery... Read more

Yes, it does. But not for the reasons most people think.

It is true that a lot of green building materials cost more than their conventional counterparts, so you can spend more for an environmentally sustainable building. But construction costs do not have to be any higher.

... Read more

B&Q, the largest retailer of building and household maintenance supplies in the United Kingdom, has an ambitious program for environmental protection. Under the direction of Dr. Alan Knight, B&Q has undertaken to improve the lifecycle impacts of its stores and every product sold in them. To... Read more

An Austrian court has overturned a lower court's ruling and allowed billboards describing PVC as “an environmental poison” to stand. The industry is appealing the case to the Austrian supreme court.

One of the most promising developments over the past few years has been the introduction of borate-based pesticides for controlling termites and other wood-destroying organisms. The use of these environmentally friendly products has significantly reduced the need for more toxic products such as soil-treatment... Read more

Solarex Corporation has been selected by Misawa Homes Co. Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan to supply photovoltaic (PV) panels for new homes. The custom-made PV modules will be integrated into the south-facing roof of the houses, replacing the usual roofing tiles. Each house will generate a peak level of four kilowatts of... Read more

Greenhomeby Wayne Grady, 1993. Camden House Publishing, Camden East, Ontario. 208 pages, soft cover, $15.95.

Greenhome is a wonderful account of the design and construction of a demonstration house built through Canada’s Advanced Houses program. Through this program, 10 houses were built... Read more

Approximately 60% of all commercially incinerated hazardous waste is burned in cement kilns. Although small amounts of hazardous wastes may have been burned in cement kilns for decades, the practice became widespread in the 1980s as new regulations made landfilling more expensive. Although members of... Read more

If all goes as planned for Greenwood Cotton Insulation Products, Inc., there may soon be a major new competitor in the fiber insulation market. Greenwood Mills, Inc., of Greenwood, South Carolina has licensed the patent to make and sell cotton insulation from Cotton Unlimited of Post, Texas, makers of Insulcot. Greenwood... Read more

Phase I Underway

This effort was instigated last year after President Clinton’s Earth Day address (see EBN

Vol. 2, No. 4). A group of... Read more

The Plastic Lumber Trade Association, announced in EBN

Vol. 2, No. 5, was formally established at a March 24 meeting in Montreal, Quebec. Charter member status is available to those who join by June 30. Contact the Association at 216/762-8989, 216/762-1613 (fax).