Reusing one Tree at a Time

Calling themselves “urban forestry pioneers”, Pittstown, NJ-based CitiLog saves trees (from both urban and non-urban sites) that would otherwise be burned as firewood, chipped to make mulch, or sent to a landfill, so they can be put to one of their many potential uses. To lower the footprint of tree removal even more, the company often employs a team of workhorses to move trees from a site! Whether it’s custom door frames as part of the restoration of a historic home, high design furniture and interiors for cafes, hotels, or even the Ivy League (Yale and Columbia), CitiLog has the staff of LEED accredited and FSC-knowledgable green building professionals and skilled craftspeople to work closely with clients to produce a range of products according to spec. As part of its CampusLog program, the company is currently working with RiderUniversity on a LEED certified dormitory to open next year, which will incorporate some of the actual 123 trees felled on the site. All of CitiLog’s wood is certified under Rainforest Alliance’s SmartWood program due to its low impact processing.

The nature of CitiLog’s approach injects a high level of environmental consciousness into a project that many potential clients will come to appreciate more and more, especially as current green building guidelines make their future transition from option to requirement for construction projects the world throughout. Maybe the next time you come upon a tree in a city or around a construction site, you might think about where it came from and where it’s going. CitiLog certainly does with its mission to preserve and reuse an often overlooked “commodity”.

A few informative links:

Rainforest Alliance

Forest Stewardship Council

U.S. Green Building Council

New Stanford Environmental Science Building Uses Its Own Standards, Not LEED’s

The first building in a new Stanford University Science and Engineering quadrangle, aka. Y2E2, was designed to the university’s own Stanford Performance Criteria for High Performance Buildings. Essentially, the new standards provide outlines of sustainable priorities and opportunities at key points in the process. It also ensures you to make sound, responsible decisions that make good financial sense.

According to LEED standards, the new building is referred to “LEED platinum equivalent.” The down side is that, in order to make space for Y2E2, Stanford has demolished their existing 60 year old Physics Building, where the first medical use of radiation came out and numerous discoveries took place. So here’s the question. Without doubt, Stanford has succeeded in constructing a sustainable building. However, was this project really sustainable in terms of new construction versus renovation? Or was the old building not worth renovating anyway?

For more info visit www.boora.com, The Stanford Daily

Irresistible prefab homes

LivingHomes has been working hard to get great LEED certified, prefab housing on the market. To cite Steve Glenn, their CEO, “our mission is to create homes and communities that inspire people, foster family and community interaction, and make modern life easier, healthier and more comfortable — all in ways that compliment and enhance the municipalities and environments in which we work. We hope our products will set a standard for the positive impact they have on soil, water, energy and health - and we’re using the Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED®) certification system so we, and you, can measure how we’re doing.”

To get more information visit livinghomes.net

A Time of Transitions in the Age of Eco Thinking

Environmental concerns have reached the masses. In response, many businesses across the nation have taken to the challenge, adapting and even reinventing themselves to aid in the effort. We hope they continue to offer options that may be new, green and revolutionary. We’re now in a time when we’re seeing some interesting adaptations with companies such as Shrewin Williams, making low and no VOC paints under the GreenSure line. We support them fully in their vision and efforts however their logo sends a unique message.