Archive for January, 2009

Great Lakes Brewery hosts E4S

Friday, January 16th, 2009

In November, we attended our first event of the group E4S (Entrepreneurs for Sustainability). It was an informative panel discussion. December was a holiday month, but January marks the beginning of a new year for the group. It kicks off the Third Tuesday gathering series at Great Lakes Brewery. I really enjoyed the last event and am looking forward to the gathering next week. The topic of discussion is Sustainability in Tough Economic Times. Insightful and on target. But who are these people? E4S was started in 2000. They gathered together a group of local leaders in business, government, education, and non profits. These leaders began to discuss how they could make Cleveland a more sustainable place to live. Since that time, membership has grown to over 5500. The scope of the group has grown, too. They are now working on promoting sustainability in all of NE Ohio. The goal is to make NE Ohio a healthier place to live while make the local economy healthier. Their website describes their work:

Building a sustainable economy starts one business at a time, one project at a time. To support these projects E4S provides those who have embarked on the sustainability journey with network connections (CONNECT), and sustainability skills learning programs and resources (LEARN). E4S also provides implementation services to individual company projects and has begun to design and facilitate industry focused economic development projects (DO). Connect, Learn and Do with E4S!

I encourage everyone to register and attend at least one meeting. January’s event is at the Great Lakes Brewery. It is no surprise that Great Lakes Brewery is often the host for E4S events. They are local leaders of their own. Not only do they produce fine quality beers and great food, they are committed to being as environmentally friendly as they can be. First off, they have a triple bottom line approach to business. They strive to be profitable, but to also help the environment, the economy, and the local socio sphere. What are they doing? They support urban renewal projects, they invest in local non profits to help the community and they strive to be environmental friendly as possible.

Among some of the great things that Great Lakes Brewery is doing, they have a zero waste initiative. They are working to close the loop on the systems that they use, with a goal of creating no waste at all. That is a lofty goal. To achieve that end, (and others) they have implemented a pretty far reaching environmental strategy. They recycle. Simple enough, but with business it is more important than ever, an few are doing it!. They even compost a portion of their refuse and urn it into valuable compost using worms. They are as energy efficient as possible-a simple idea that is rarely implemented. They use organic mushrooms, make use of local farms and produce, and share spent barley with local bakers. They buy natural meats, dairy and produce-some of the meats they buy are raised on brewery grains. They support urban gardens and local farming. And beers that don’t get filled all the way aren’t tossed-they are reused by the kitchens or turned into local favorites like Mitchell’s ice creams.

So we all know that Great lakes Brewery makes a great selection of beer. Now you can support a local favorite, and a local leader in the environment at the same time. Be sure to join us at the E4S event next week and see what other like minded individuals are doing these days!

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The Eco Education Park

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

Yesterday, we met with the Detroit Shoreway Development Corporation. The meeting was positive, and I left feeling even more jazzed than usual about our project. There are plans for improvements to the Michael Zone Recreation Center. It looks to be a great project that will have a huge impact on the neighborhood. Furthermore, I have discovered the “green” rapid station that is nearby is the first of its kind in the country. RTA has plans to make the overall site more appealing-adding plants and trees. I have talked about the office and shown you a few images, but I haven’t really given you an overview of the entire scope. Hopefully, after you read this post, you will see why we are so excited about it.

The building that we have purchased was built in 1885. It is actually 2 buildings with a shared roof. The second building was built in 1887. There is a third building that was listed as a barn, but has been used for a variety of purposes. Currently, the building is condemned, but as it is historically significant, it has not been demolished. We will be leasing the smaller of the two buildings-preferable to leasers that are environmentally or community oriented. The larger space will be our offices. The main floor is a storefront space which will be open plan. It will be used as our conference room, but will feature gallery showings of local artists and host community events.

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Eco Education Park

The outbuilding and environs is the future home of the Eco Education Park. The site will include permeable pavers, solar/wind power, bio swale and storm water management. There will be benches, and educational stations that feature environmental practices. We will highlight such issues as native vegetation, the local watershed and local wildlife. Cleveland’s aging infrastructure needs all the help it can get. Green building practices can take some of the strain off of these public services. Furthermore, many people don’t understand the importance of conserving water and protecting our local watershed. We hope to be able to highlight not just why but how this can be done. The building will become the Eco Education Center. Inside we will feature interactive exhibits that showcase green building practices and products. We plan to have corporately sponsored exhibits where new products can be seen. Plans include a bulb station, where you can compare the energy consumption of traditional, CFL and LED bulbs; and an exhibit on recycling carpet. The Eco Education Center will also be used as a base to highlight sustainable programs. For example, we plan to have a denim drop off station to collect old jeans to make into insulation. Other ideas include a seed distribution program to encourage people to garden and grow their own food. To further connect to the community, we intend to install public seating for the bus line, have garbage/recycling receptacles available and beautify the street through plantings and planters.eep2

Green building and sustainability are ideas that often elude the general public and often members of mainstream construction industry. Furthermore, outside of trade shows, there is little access to information on sustainable products. The purpose of this project is to educate everyone on the process, showing in real time what one can expect on a project of this scope. If we can do it with an old condemned building-anyone can. The Eco Education Park will serve as a repository of knowledge that can be accessed by a large audience; giving everyone a chance to see what “green” looks and feels like.

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Writing on a rock?

Sunday, January 11th, 2009

After returning from the building site the other day, I was pleased to see that samples of a new product had arrived.  After writing about the Pooh Paper, I got an email on LinkedIn from a sales rep at Natural Source Printing.  He wanted to tell me about his line of papers that were made from stone.  I had never heard of such a thing.  I really didn’t think that it was possible, but he sent me samples.  It was a selection of papers that were completely tree-free.

The paper is called FiberStone.

A gift bag made from Fiberstone.

A gift bag made from Fiberstone.

It is made form 80% Calcium Carbonate. This mineral is culled as a waste material from existing quarries. The other 20% is High Density Polyethelene, which is non-toxic. Unfortunately this is a petroleum product, but it can be recycled as a #2 plastic. According to the sheet I was sent, the paper is easily recycled, although I must say the literature is a little cryptic about how. The paper is naturally white, so requires no bleaching. It uses no trees, so forests are safe. Production causes no air pollution. It has no waste, and requires no water. Why are these things so important? Let’s break them down.

According to the sales literature: One ton of paper requires:
20 trees, has no real waste, uses 16,000 gallons of clean water, bleach and 36,000 BTU s of energy-when made of virgin materials
4 trees, 2 tons of waste, 9,000 gallons of water, bleach, and 22,000 BTU s of energy when made of recycled materials
but Fiberstone uses no trees, has no waste, uses no water, no bleach and only 18,000 BTU s of energy.
Using less trees and having no waste are no brainers. In a world where potable drinking water is often a luxury, using water to create paper seems almost as big a crime as drinking water in the toilet. And saving energy-even better.

The paper itself is a creative product. It has an interesting texture that is somewhat slick and shiny. It claims to be waterproof. Of course, I put that to the test. I ran water over one sheet and the water rolled right off. I stuck a sticker underwater for a few minutes, and while it puckered a little, it didn’t bleed or run. The puckering may have even come from the backing more than the paper. It claims to be good for outdoor applications as well, and I am curious how that would really work out. It is a slightly think paper, and the plastic in it makes it durable. I had a tough time tearing it, even after trying to wet it. It is surprisingly strong. It has many applications including labels. boxes, photo paper, and pouches-as well as regular paper.

I like this company’s ideals. It is a carbon neutral company. In addition to paper made of rock, it prints on paper made of recycled fruit and coffee fiber. They can use soy based ink. But best of all they clearly state that not every print job can be 100% green, but they will work with you to make the job as green as possible. Honesty is a big deal, and they seem to lay it on the line. I will certainly be giving them a shot at MY next print project. I am looking forward to having business cards printed on a rock!

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A New Term: Deconstruction

Friday, January 9th, 2009

Since I have been talking about terms, I thought i would bring up the most popular new term that I have heard: deconstruction. There is a reason why this term has been bandied about of late. The housing problem is big in Cleveland. While it may not be any better or worse than in other cities around the country, we do have an older housing stock. Marry that with a high foreclosure rate, poor maintenance and high amount of scavenger crime, and you have a recipe for demolition. Furthermore, no one wants to live next to a boarded up home, so many Cleveland residents are clamoring for home destruction. Enter the world of deconstruction. Now, instead of bull dozing and landfilling a property, it can be taken apart and recycled.

We met with a representative of a great company and toured our building site. His name was Igor Rae and his company is Green Deconstruction Services. He was a wealth of information. What his company does is help you salvage what can be salvaged in a project. Our office buildings were built in 1885 and 1887. While the shell is brick masonry, there is still quite a bit of wood in the place. Buildings of that age typically used old growth lumber. That lumber is salvageable and reusable. Furthermore, it is typically of a higher quality than the lumber that we use in buildings today. They pull the nails and screws (which they recycle as well) and sell it to be reused. Deconstruction isn’t just about wood. Much of what is in a home can be reused or recycled. This project means extra tubs and sinks with fixtures. This company tries to find a home for these goods, by reuse, resale, donation or recycling. They salvage architectural details. This site has a lot of concrete. That means a sizable chunk of waste. We hope that it can all be reground and made onto new cement.

windowsGreen Deconstruction Services has recently acquired a new subsidiary. This other company is called Window Restorations. I had heard of this company before and was excited to speak with him about what they do. If you have old single pane windows with weights, then you know how drafty and wasteful they can be. Window Restorations comes in and removes them. But, instead of replacing them with new windows, they refurbish them. The weights are removed and recycled. then, the gap is filled and sealed. Next, they painstakingly replace or reinforce the glass to make it more thermally efficient. Then they reinstall them with a track and can even make them tilt able for easy cleaning. Rebuilding is often cheaper, and is always more environmentally friendly than replacement and throw away. Furthermore, the windows of our site are important architecturally to the front of the building. Their process can help us get historical tax credits, while still saving us money and making the building greener.

I am very excited about these guys. LEED credits are obtained by diverting materials from landfill, and this is a great start. I can’t wait to hear more about their evaluation.

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MORE Terms You Need to Know When Going Green

Thursday, January 8th, 2009

Here is part two of my posts on terms. The more that you know, the easier it is to make sense of the vast amount of information being thrown about today. Here are a few more terms that are often used, but rarely explained.

RECYCLED CONTENT: Recycled content refers to the amount of a product that has been made from recycled materials. It is often confused with recyclable content, which is the how much of the product can be recycled after you are done with it. When considering a product, it is important to consider both aspects of recycling. We all know that we should recycle whenever we can. But we also have to close the loop and make sure to buy products that use recycled content as well. No one is going to continue to make recycled plastic, if consumers don’t try and buy products that are made from that recycled material. Additionally, it makes little sense to buy a shirt made of recycled pop bottles, if we wrap it in tissue, put it in a box and put the box in a bag-all made from virgin materials. To make the most of the products that we buy, we must consider the packaging as well.

PRE-CONSUMER/POST-CONSUMER: When we do find out about recycled content, there is often a notation as to pre or post consumer. This is easily defined, but not as easily rated. Pre-consumer recycled content (sometimes called post-industrial recycled content) refers to materials that are recycled from their original manufacture, but directly from the factory or other production facility. For example, sometimes trimmed vinyl, rubber, or metal is recycled into something new. Post consumer, means the content comes from materials that were recycled by regular means and made into something new. For example, plastics that come from your recycling are recycled into lumber, fabrics or other groovy stuff. I have even seen furniture made from recycled seat belts. If the seat belts come out of old cars that are scrapped, it has a high content of post-consumer recycled content. If the seat belts are over runs or scraps from the car factory that did not make it into the car in the first place, it has a high content of pre-consumer (post industrial) content.

OFF GASSING: When new materials are made-especially vinyls and plastics-they emit odors. This is called off gassing. Ever bought a new chair, new carpet, or even a new coat and had this funky plasticy smell? That means it is off gassing. And that new car smell? Yeah that is off gassing too. Ever wonder why some strippers and paints say to use only in a well ventilated area?If it doesn’t bother you, you say so what-it goes away. That is true-it does go away, but when? Some materials can off gas by way of evaporation for years. That means you may be breathing in those chemical fumes for a long time, and they may be filled with VOCs.

VOC (VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS): Volatile Organic Compounds are chemical compounds that are emitted from solids as gasses. One of the most common compounds is formaldehyde and it can be very harmful. In fact, it has been linked to increased asthma risk in children. VOCs are hard to get away from. Vinyl tile, carpets, glues, stains, resins, even plastics and fabrics can emit fairly high VOCs. Luckily, there are plenty of natural options these days. Most manufactures offer low or no VOC paints and stains. Carpets can be made from natural materials. There are plenty of sealants and glues that reduce their VOC emissions. If you have to pay more for that natural carpet or rug, ask yourself what it means to your baby’s health that will be playing on it every day. What if you can’t get away from it? Use chemicals according to directions, and when they say use in a well ventilated are make sure you do.

IAQ (INDOOR AIR QUALITY): Since we are talking about breathing in chemicals, it seems natural to mention IAQ-Indoor Air Quality. When buildings are built well, they maintain a thermal envelope. Sealed buildings keep the warm or cool air inside making them more efficient. The problem with that is that buildings are often full of humans. Humans take in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide. Additionally, we paint and use markers. We glue stuff together and burn natural gas or other fuels. We use refrigeration. All of these things can contribute to what is in the air that we breathe. Indoor Air Quality refers to the amount of pollution inside a building. In order to have good IAQ, fresh air needs to be brought in from the outside. It may need to be filtered. Reducing the pollution inside is just as important, if not more important to our health, than reducing it outside. There are plenty of ways to measure your indoor air quality, but one important first step is to use a carbon monoxide detector. Clean your air ducts. Change your air filters on your furnace. Test for Radon.

Be sure to subscribe to my posts to learn even more terms about building green.

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Office Update

Tuesday, January 6th, 2009

As you probably know by now, we have purchased a site for our new office. Since closing at the end of the year, little has happened. I have spent a few hours each day at the site-changing locks, putting plastic on windows and cleaning up some of the garbage. We are looking at appraisers now, and meeting with all manner of people.

Yesterday was a lovely day, and I was excited to clean up the future retail/office space and take down the heavy drapes. The space flooded with light and I began to see our vision coming through. The space is about 950 square feet and has front and rear access, as well as a shared common hallway. It will make a great retail space! Over the weekend, I cleaned up the upstairs space. While it has previously been used as an apartment, we hope to find an office tenant. Most of the rooms feature beautiful crown molding and baseboards. Under the carpet are wooden floors and I hope they can be made beautiful.

Of course with any renovation, there are always surprises. The out building needs to have an entire wall reconstructed. We expected it to be our biggest problem. Surprise! Not so much. The one building has masonry problems at the top, but they are worse than expected. It seems the roof will have to be lifted on jacks and several courses of masonry replaced. Were it not triple layers of brick, I am sure that it wouldn’t be standing today. We are awaiting the report from the masonry company that inspected yesterday.

Of course, the roof is the first thing. The shingles will need to be replaced, of course, as will much of the sublayer. The structure is not sufficient to handle the weight of a planted roof, so we are looking at the options. One option would be to completely rebuild it, but I think that is cost prohibitive. Another is to add a bright colored roof to reflect light. In order to achieve LEED status, we will need it to have a high SRI value (Solar Reflectance Index). Additionally, we wanted to add solar panels to the roof, so the entire roof project is going to take a while. It makes the simple cleaning seem like a waste of time, but I feel I need to be always moving forward. I want the people in the Eco Village neighborhood to realize that we are working on the site and it will be no longer be an eyesore, but soon a thing to be proud of.

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The Terms You Need to Know When Going Green

Sunday, January 4th, 2009

There are a lot of confusing terms out there these days. If you have ever tried to have a conversation with an architect, you probably have heard them use a lot of terms that mean nothing to you. I thought I would do a series of posts that define some of the terms in the industry today. Next time someone at a party brings one of them up, rather than give them a blank stare, you can engage them without feeling self conscious. Or sprinkle them into conversation yourself, and show everyone how interested you are in the green movement.

USGBC: United States Green Building Council The U.S. Green Building Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation. They are working to help the environment by making buildings greener. They manage a membership of professionals, rate and certify projects, educate the public, and give credentials to professionals who have demonstrated a knowledge of green practices.
LEED: LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a standard used by the USGBC to rate buildings and certify them as being green. This is a multi-tiered rating system based on points that are obtained by meeting specific criteria. It is also variable based on the type and scope of the project. This rating system covers all building projects from new construction to rehab. The system sets the criteria for every level of certification. The levels are certification, silver, gold, and platinum and are achieved by a point system. LEED certification applies to buildings ONLY-not products or companies. If some one tells you their product (or company) is LEED certified, they are selling you a bottle of snake oil-and if you get that reference you know just how old I am.
LEED AP: This stands for LEED Accredited Professional. The USGBC maintains a standard by which professionals can prove their knowledge of the industry through testing and receive LEED AP status. LEED AP designation is tied to a particular individual and not the company they work for. While studying and testing for the LEED AP exam is done on a personal basis, employers may sponsor individuals to take the exam. Furthermore, companies can be members of the USGBC as well as individuals.
GREEN: This is a very ambiguous term. It can mean nearly anything, but I will try to demystify it for you. Green generally applies to products, energy and buildings that conform to certain standards and do as little harm to the environment as possible. Just like natural (and until fairly recently, organic) there is no exact definition for this term. Therefore it is used all the time, mostly as a marketing strategy. Green products are ones that minimize harm to the environment. Cars that are energy efficient are green, gas guzzlers are not. Things made from recycled materials are green, using virgin material is not. Bamboo is green, as it can be renewed quickly, while old growth American Oak is NOT green as it takes 100 years to replace. Energy is green when it comes from renewable resources like wind and the sun, not fossils fuels, which take millions of years to form. Buildings are generally considered green when they meet the LEED certification requirements. Of course, things are never that simple, and you have to watch out for greenwashing.
GREENWASHING: This is a term that is used to describe marketing techniques designed to latch onto current green trends. Because green has no legal definition, any company can use claims to make their product or company seem better than it is. Some people have tried to claim that because they use bamboo in their product it is green. However, if they use bamboo that is shipped from China, made into a veneer and applied to particle board made with toxic chemicals it is not very green. I have heard people call their company green because they recycle their office paper. Big deal-a green office is one that is energy efficient (preferable in a LEED certified building), manages its stormwater runoff, provides public transportation assistance or bike racks and showers, and turns off the lights at night.
Sustainability: The EPA defines says that sustainability means “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The general idea of sustainability is that we need to put things in place so that we are not using up our natural resources faster than they are being replaced. It means that we use wood that is harvested in a way that it is reforested as it is used. It means that we use fuels other than fossil fuels which are finite in quantity. It means reusing items rather than throwing them away.

These are just a few of the terms being bandied about today. Over the next few posts on this topic, I will tell you about Energy Star, pre and post consumer recycled content, light pollution, brownfield, and more. Let me know if there is something you want to know more about.

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New Year and new diggs

Friday, January 2nd, 2009

We are so excited about the new building project that we are working on. I went today and changed several locks and put in some new light bulbs. I used CFL bulbs. They are on sale at Home Depot right now, a four pack for under 6 bucks! As is typical with anything like this, the doors are split or warped and so the new locks didn’t really fit right. Still, new doors are not the first thing to get fixed, as nearly all the doors in the place will be changed. I also took some pictures of the neighborhood. We are fortunate to have a bus stop right out front, and nearby is the 65th street rapid station. rta Just across from the rapid station is the Michael Zone Recreation Center. They have great green spaces and the building view is great.zone

We also met with an insurance broker today. We want to start with liability right away. Who know what can happen as we have site inspectors and such tramping through the property. The broker is familiar with green insurance products. One important point he brought up, is that if you plan to have a green building, you should make sure that your insurance is green as well. Property is valued at its green value, not just general value. For example, if building materials are damaged or stolen, you are entitled to the exact replacement value. Specialized materials (say recycled gypsum board) are replaced with the same thing (instead of standard drywall). Green buildings make use of as much existing materials as possible. If someone breaks into your site, and makes off with all the trim boards that you cut to size after lovingly pulling nails and refinishing, make sure that your insurance recognizes the labor and time that went into those materials, so you can be justly compensated. Our broker represents many insurance companies, and we will let you know more when we sit down with the final quotes. Fireman’s Insurance provides the most benefits for green buildings, but Travelers has recently entered the arena. When we meet with him again, I will tell you about the pros and cons…

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Ditch the chemicals and make your life clean AND green!

Thursday, January 1st, 2009

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love bleach. To me the smell means clean. I have notoriously overused it for many years to make not just my whites whiter, but my counters stain free and my sink sparkle. I must say that I think it is time to say goodbye to my old friend-or at least mostly. Chlorine is bad for the environment. It leeches into the ground water and affects our already chlorinated drinking water. But not to worry, there are alternatives!

My mom was raised during the depression and fancy cleaners simply were too big a luxury. She taught me a thing or two about cleaning without the fancy stuff. Growing up, we had one or two cleaners for just about everything-and my mom’s house has always sparkled!

The biggest weapon in your new natural arsenal against grime is plain old white vinegar. It is cheap as chips and can be used to clean nearly everything. It cuts grime when cleaning windows, counter tops, even sinks. Mix about 1/2 to 3/4 cup with a gallon of water and use liberally without fear. You can add springs of herbs to your vinegar. Let sit for a few weeks before mixing with water and it will add a dash of summer garden to the smell of your house. I have been told that lemon juice works equally as well, and smells better, but to be honest I have never tried. Try mixing a few tablespoons of vinegar with a few teaspoons of salt. This mix is great for stainless steel and copper clad cookware. I have even heard that a half cup in the rinse cycle makes a great natural fabric softener. If you have lime scale build up, use towels soaked in vinegar overnight on surfaces, or a small plastic bag full tied over the shower head. Just remember it is an acid, so avoid the eyes and sensitive skin.

The second natural item is baking soda. It is a great scrubbing cleanser. I have used it to scrub the sink without scratching. It kills odors as well, so when you wash it down the drain it takes care of odors in your pipes. Remember making a volcano in school using vinegar and baking soda? That is the perfect cleaner for slow moving pipes. Dump half a box down the drain and add a cup of vinegar. It won;t break down hair, but it won’t eat away at your pipes either. Spray undiluted vinegar in the toilet bowl and sprinkle with baking soda. Let it sit for 5 minutes or so, and clean with a brush. Sparkly clean and safer than lye. Rather than using harmful chemicals to clean your oven, line the bottom with foil. Better yet a large sheet pan than be removed and cleaned. Nearly all your household pots and pans can be easily cleaned by soaking overnight with a little dish soap and boiling hot water. If you do spill inside the oven, use table salt to soak up the spill and clean up with a wet rag as soon as it cools.

If you must use a store bought cleaner, try using the most naturla products that you can find. Method is a great brand. Try using any brand that has been around for 100 years. Simple ingredients always seem to work just fine!

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