All Posts Tagged With: "recycled materials"

Sidwell Friends School is the greenest school on the planet. Its middle school is the only Platinum LEED institution of its kind to have been brought to fruition. Most of the materials used in construction were either recycled or salvaged, like cedar wood re-used from wine casts. And 78 percent of the materials were manufactured regionally (within 500 miles) to minimize energy from transportation. All plants for landscaping purposes were native. The rooftop houses an array of photovoltaic panels. Low-VOC paints, glues, and adhesives were used in classrooms to improve air quality.

Passive solar design reduces the air conditioning load through natural ventilating and shading. A green roof reduces the "urban heat island effect" and removes pollutants from rainwater. And about 95 percent of the school’s water is recycled through perhaps the most impressive feature of the middle school: its artificial wetlands. Continued

The Sustainable Design Group is largely influenced by the concepts of permaculture and biomimicry. They work to help make their client’s homes more harmonious with nature and energy and economically efficient. Using place as an influence, they utilize self-sufficient systems modeled after nature’s own life cycles. Based in the Chesapeake region, the Sustainable Design Group is run by experts with over 30 years of domestic and international experience in creating integrative and sustainable design. A great group to contact if interested in retrofitting your home or office.

Green Floors is located in Fairfax, Va and has been specializing in recycled flooring since 1991. Many of the their carpet styles are made from recycled plastic bottles or old car tires. Other flooring options include cork, bamboo, linoleum, and natural fiber. In addition to providing extensive information on the production and life cycle of their products Green Floors is “dedicated to keeping as much carpet out of landfills.” Send then a sample of your old carpet, it’s possible they’ll be able to have it recycled.

“A contractor’s perspective on residential greenbuilding”

Affordable and accessible methods and materials that can be used in remodeling and construction projects

This presentation will be offered by Dr. Polly Bart, president of Greenbuilders Inc, on April 22nd at 7:00PM at the Waldorf School of Baltimore. 4801 Tamarind Road Baltimore MD 21209

Subjects of discussion will include site, water, energy, materials, and indoor air quality. High profile techniques like green roofs, composting toilets, and solar will be discussed. However, sometimes the greenest thing you can do is to make just small changes, and to learn to love and better use what you have. Dr. Bart studied architecture at Harvard University and was the third woman to receive a Ph.D in City and Regional Planning from Berkeley. She has been listed in Who’s Who in America since 1986.

Greenbuilders, Inc. was founded in 2004 to do remodeling and additions using green methods and materials. Greenbuilders also acts as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) consultant for commercial projects.Affordable and accessible methods and materials that can be used in remodeling and construction projects.