During election month, remember sustainable products also need to express their freedoms, to avoid VOCs, PVCs, and harmful chemicals and adhesives, and not to waste our natural resources, even if it’s an invasive species.
— Rita Catinella Orrell
 

Metal backing added
Nysan Solar Control, a division of Hunter Douglas Contract, has added a metalized backing to the company’s GreenScreen PVC-free solar-shading fabric designed for internal and external contract roller shades and Solar Control systems. GreenScreen Platinum’s metalized finish helps reduce solar gain and glare while increasing outward visibility, and comes in four new colorways: Charcoal, Bronze, Pewter, and Pearl. Nysan Solar Control, Calgary, Canada. www.nysan.com

[Reader Service: November 2008 #217]
 

PVC-free protection
Manufactured in Youngstown, Ohio, by Boston Retail, ecoRigid wall and corner guards are made of a rigid PVC-free plastic called polybostylene. This recyclable material is a polymer made from a blend of thermoplastic monomers that is free of harmful chemicals, including Bisphenol-A (BPA). In addition, the product’s preslotted base channel requires no adhesives, easing installation. Boston Retail, Medford, Mass. www.bostonretail.com

[Reader Service: November 2008 #216]

     

Managing a “growing” issue
Considered a “water hog,” a single Western Juniper tree can consume 30 to 50 gallons of water per day. In fact, the trees have become such an obstacle that state and local governments have offered programs to help support their removal in certain areas. Jeld-Wen claims to be the first building-products manufacturer to adapt juniper for use on a national scale through the introduction of a line of interior and exterior doors. The doors feature unique knots and splits and a swirling grain pattern that works well with rustic, historic, and traditional styles. Jeld-Wen, Klamath Falls, Ore. www.jeld-wen.com

[Reader Service: November 2008 #219]

New drywall option
Serious Materials has introduced EcoRock as a “green” replacement for gypsum drywall in residential and commercial construction. EcoRock drywall is VOC-free, fully recyclable, and uses 85 percent less energy in its production, according to the manufacturer. The product will look, feel, perform, and install the same as gypsum drywall, but will be produced in a “no-smokestack” plant that consumes little fossil fuel and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Serious Materials, Sunnyvale, Calif. www.seriousmaterials.com

[Reader Service: November 2008 #2220]