Jun 17
Yesterday we piled into the elevator… as Julie Wycoff, Bill McNearney, and Dayna Barron-Stagg led a large group from TLCD through the Kaiser Hospital North Wing Expansion in Santa Rosa.
It is still under construction for a few more months, but the addition of furniture and equipment is really starting to make the space come to life!
Rarely does a new ‘green’ product spark my interest like this one from Baltix. This is not only due not only to the newly engineered soy/corn laminated top over FSC certified Sierra Pine substrate – the application process allows you to continuously seal the top and edge of your materials. The soy/corn ‘paper’ printed with soy inks simply wraps down the side of your panel, and is sealed with a rock hard finish. Thus you end up with a ‘solid’ appearance, and no ugly grey seams or openings to harbor dirt.
However, as in most good things, there is a bit of a down side – darn it! The ‘paper’ is printed, and the print quality is a little sub-par. It reminds of of the laminates from 10 years ago. In some cases new laminates are almost indistinguishable from real wood. That being said – if you’re careful to chose a nice abstract or solid print, you should be fine. Who wants wrapping wood grains anyway? You also have incredible potential to create a custom design. There is a seriously small upcharge to doing so, and viola – the sky is the limit. Just remember, just because you can… doesn’t mean you should.
They are also using this continuous sealing method on a host of other ‘green’ products with their new technology including sunflower seed board, recycled paper/magazines/money board, wheat board, etc. Other products include linoleum over exposed multiply, fully powdercoated substrates, and corn (not pvc) edges. We will have samples in the office soon. Check out more here: www.baltix.com
Feb 19
Two brand new LED light fixtures from Workrite are visiting our office for the week. These highly efficient fixtures are expected to have a 20 year useful life (no lamp replacement). Workrite is known for ergonomic products like adjustable height workstations, monitor arms, and keyboard trays.
The super flexible task light is able to fold into itself becoming compact and extend virtually horizontally, inches above your desk. It has the ability to dim in four increments, and can be mounted to your worksurface or freestanding.
The undercabinet light can be mounted to a magnetic surface or strip, with the ability to tilt, directing the angle of light. The dimming mechanism for this fixture is coming soon. Both fixtures come with a 10 year warranty.
Check them out in the Martini Lounge and click the link below or let me know if you would like pricing or more info.
http://www.workriteergo.com/products/lighting.asp
Here is Paul rockin’ the paint roller. I can’t wait to see our fresh new entry… you won’t miss it!
Jan 6
Here are some evocative sustainable panel products to ponder potential uses for in your next project… They have a range of visual interest from very refined to a more active look. We are using sunflower seed board at the City of Santa Rosa West College project, and are using the Durum wheat straw board on Burbank Elementary school. You can earn some fancy LEED points with these, too.
Indure™ is a recycled wood fiber based product that is FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) Certified and is urea formaldehyde free. It is made up of approximately 65% post industrial, FSC certified wood fiber. Indure has a sleek, contemporary concrete appearance that provides a modern look.
Orient™ is a recycled chip based product that is SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) certified. It is made up of approximately 75% post industrial, SFI recycled wood material. Orient is a unique product that can create either a sleek modern look or an old world rustic look, depending on the application.
Seeta™ is made from sunflower seed hulls, which is considered a rapidly renewable resource. This product is 100% formaldehyde free and uses a unique blend of acrylic resin. It is made from approximately 70% post agricultural sunflower seed shell waste. Seeta is almost granite-like in appearance.
Durum™ is made from wheat straw, which is also considered a rapidly renewable resource. It is 100% formaldehyde free. Durum is made from approximately 70% post agricultural wheat waste product. Durum creates a warm organic and very natural look.
Tiikeri™ is made from reclaimed sorghum stalks. It is made from approximately 50% reclaimed material and has no added formaldehyde. Tiikeri has a natural, organic appearance.
For all the options and panel sizes click: http://stonesource.com/products/torzo.html
Dec 31
Rose 2204/Fire Farm Lighting
Chaise Vari ESRAWE STUDIO
Need a little inspiration for the New Year?
Get lost in the complete list of Interior Design magazines ‘Best Products of 2009′, Click here.
Several items I spotted we are currently using in new projects (Big Ass Fans, Bernhardt Allee Chair). This is a great resource to find great new designers and manufacturers on everything from lighting to kitchen fixtures to outdoor furniture and more.
Dec 17
In case you hadn’t heard… the high performance design we’re doing today is soon going to be the standard. For myself, the presentation today on updates to Title 24 was a wealth of great information. Some highlights include:
- New requirements for the use of rigid insulation
- Roof reflectance ratings are now measured by ‘aged’ reflectance (3 years)
- Daylighting requirements of 50% for certain spaces over 8,000 sq. ft.,
- Multi-level photocell daylighting controls mandatory requirements for classrooms, conference rooms, and more…
If you want to catch up, you can find it here:
Title 24 Updates, by Martyn Dodd of Energy Soft LLC
Martyn Dodd of EnergySoft, LLC will discuss non-residential building envelope & lighting requirements affecting commercial new construction under California’s 2008 Title-24 Energy Efficiency Standards scheduled to take effect Jan 1, 2010. Attend this program to learn how the latest version of the Standards will affect building design in your commercial new construction projects. Mr. Dodd will highlight aspects of the Standards that are new for 2008. Changes for 2008 are primarily aimed at further reducing peak electricity consumption, and incorporating greater energy efficiency measures.
Topics slated for discussion include:
Dec 14
What is 3form Wood? It’s an architectural decorative panel consisting of a thin wood veneer, perforated in different patterns, encapsulated in their trademark ‘ecoresin’ (40% pre-consumer recycled content).
Why is it cool? The razor-thin veneer allows light to penetrate through, creating the potential for a beautiful glow. There are several nice crisp perf. designs, not one of which I would immediately shrug off. Good job 3form! PLUS you can do custom. Yah, I don’ t want to know how much that costs.
Speaking of… how much does it cost? The wood varies widely in cost depending on pattern and also thickness. For example at 1/8inch it starts at about $1100 per 4×8 panel and at 1inch (which is rarely ordered) it is approximately $2000. If we lazer cut it adds $300 per sheet. (1/2inch $1500)
Specs: 48″x96″ panels, available in the following gauges: 1/8″, 3/16″, 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″, 3/4″. Wood species available: bamboo, rosewood, walnut, white oak, zebrano slip match, zebrano chevron.
How can I get my hands on some? We have a few samples on hand. Check them out in the Martini Lounge. Let me know if you want to contact our Rep.
More info: http://www.3-form.com/materials-varia-wood.php
Side note: we’re using something similar from Veritas on Minnie Cannon Elementary. Check it out here. Scroll down to ‘wood’ on the interlayer tab.
Dec 10
Thank you all for attending our kick-off of the Fit Force Winter program. This quarter we’re focusing on healthy eating over the holidays and helping the community. A big part of this effort is the 1/2 Ton Food Drive challenge! We kicked it off at Wine Wednesday with over 110 lbs. and it will continue until January 6th.
Your mission is to bring in 22 lbs. of food, which is pretty easy to do. A typical can of food weighs about 16 oz./1 lb. Weigh your bags on Sandy’s scale in the main kitchen (tap the front of the scale first, wait for the zeros). Then tally up your poundage on the chart.
You may be wondering what type of food to bring. Non-perishable staples with an emphasis on proteins, like beans, canned tuna/chicken, peanut butter, rice, pasta, cereal. You get the idea. Pick out something you would like to eat, and share it with another family. No glass, please.
TLCD has pledged to match $1 per pound of food. Help us reach our goal of 1,000 lbs/$1,000. The Sonoma County Redwood Empire Food Bank and TLCD Fit Force is counting on you!
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