Constructive Help
January 25, 2011 12:46 PM Subscribe
ARCHITECTURE/URBAN DESIGN: Looking for innovative, green construction materials (think porous pavement, green walls). Catch--I need to get my hands on a few samples in two weeks.
I need to do a presentation on a construction material. I'd like to learn more/present on a material that plays into sustainability. I don't necessarily have to demonstrate HOW the material works (though a youtube video would be neat to show) but I must be able to get my hands on some samples (at least 1 or 2).
Short notice, I know--FWIW, this was not an act of procrastination on my part, I was asked to do this presentation today.
Thanks!!
I need to do a presentation on a construction material. I'd like to learn more/present on a material that plays into sustainability. I don't necessarily have to demonstrate HOW the material works (though a youtube video would be neat to show) but I must be able to get my hands on some samples (at least 1 or 2).
Short notice, I know--FWIW, this was not an act of procrastination on my part, I was asked to do this presentation today.
Thanks!!
Maybe poke through this book: Sustainable Landscape Construction - A Guide to Green Building Outdoors. It has quite a few resources, search terms and the like at the end of each chapter. I found it in my local library.
posted by a_green_man at 1:00 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by a_green_man at 1:00 PM on January 25, 2011
Find out the specific material you want (look in Sweets), and call the company's sales rep. They will get you samples. Distributing samples is a huge part of their job and they will not be put off by a request out of the blue.
posted by gyusan at 1:04 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by gyusan at 1:04 PM on January 25, 2011
Response by poster: I'm located in Maryland, a metro ride away from the DC area.
posted by bluelight at 1:18 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by bluelight at 1:18 PM on January 25, 2011
Is Richmond too far out for you? I found this place, and they claim to have many free samples.
posted by jquinby at 1:46 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by jquinby at 1:46 PM on January 25, 2011
If you call around this week, you shouldn't have any trouble getting samples of things well in advance of your presentation. Lots of companies will claim their materials are "green" or even LEED certified as a marketing tool, so you'll need to see how they actually work to determine whether something actually is green or if it's just spin. Additionally, LEED and the USGBC do not certify products or manufacturers. Also, a lot of materials become green in how they're used -- re-using existing building stock or materials is much more sustainable than building from scratch, or worse, tearing a building down to put up a new one and trucking the old one to the dump.
One product that's impressed me is fly ash, which is a concrete additive that can be substituted for a portion of the portland cement in the mix. Fly ash is a by-product of coal-powered power plants, so using it in concrete diverts it from the waste stream. In addition to that, it provides more strength to concrete (over the full curing cycle), makes it more workable without additional water (which enables the concrete mix to achieve even higher strength), and reduces effloresence.
I don't know if you specifically need concrete stuff, but any Lowes or Home Depot around you should have FSC lumber. This costs a bit more, but the supply chain is documented by the manufacturer and certified by the Forest Stewarship Council to ensure that the lumber comes from sustainably harvested forests.
Bamboo wood products are pretty commonplace now, and are used for floors, cabinetry, and just about anything else wood panels would be used for. Since bamboo grows so quickly, it's easy to maintain a sustainable source. Similarly, wool carpets, linoleum floors and other natural products that don't destroy forests or require extensive chemical production are good.
posted by LionIndex at 1:55 PM on January 25, 2011
One product that's impressed me is fly ash, which is a concrete additive that can be substituted for a portion of the portland cement in the mix. Fly ash is a by-product of coal-powered power plants, so using it in concrete diverts it from the waste stream. In addition to that, it provides more strength to concrete (over the full curing cycle), makes it more workable without additional water (which enables the concrete mix to achieve even higher strength), and reduces effloresence.
I don't know if you specifically need concrete stuff, but any Lowes or Home Depot around you should have FSC lumber. This costs a bit more, but the supply chain is documented by the manufacturer and certified by the Forest Stewarship Council to ensure that the lumber comes from sustainably harvested forests.
Bamboo wood products are pretty commonplace now, and are used for floors, cabinetry, and just about anything else wood panels would be used for. Since bamboo grows so quickly, it's easy to maintain a sustainable source. Similarly, wool carpets, linoleum floors and other natural products that don't destroy forests or require extensive chemical production are good.
posted by LionIndex at 1:55 PM on January 25, 2011
In my experience, the people that are going to have the most samples from the widest range of manufacturers are the architects, landscape architects, and engineers who specify these products. We have so many in our office *grrr* I wish all samples could be virtual; I've stubbed my toes many times on sample boards or other sample whatnot!
Companies don't mind shipping samples, but they may be reticent to pay for shipping (for heavy pavers and other components) with no commercial lead.
If you do some quick searches for local professionals mentioned above that specialize in sustainable building, surely someone would be willing to lend you some paperweights, er I mean samples, for your presentation. (They also might give you some more material to talk about!)
And lastly, you can find landscape architects by metro area here. (Unfortunately, have to create a guest login.)
posted by Kronur at 2:00 PM on January 25, 2011
Companies don't mind shipping samples, but they may be reticent to pay for shipping (for heavy pavers and other components) with no commercial lead.
If you do some quick searches for local professionals mentioned above that specialize in sustainable building, surely someone would be willing to lend you some paperweights, er I mean samples, for your presentation. (They also might give you some more material to talk about!)
And lastly, you can find landscape architects by metro area here. (Unfortunately, have to create a guest login.)
posted by Kronur at 2:00 PM on January 25, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks for the answers, keep them coming please.
Just to add, I do not have a car so driving out to VA, etc. is not an option. Visiting certain firms in DC via metro, however, I can do.
posted by bluelight at 2:33 PM on January 25, 2011
Just to add, I do not have a car so driving out to VA, etc. is not an option. Visiting certain firms in DC via metro, however, I can do.
posted by bluelight at 2:33 PM on January 25, 2011
Get a bale of straw. It's cool to look at, probably smells pleasant, and is a fantastic building material (inside the walls).
posted by Goofyy at 4:02 AM on January 26, 2011
posted by Goofyy at 4:02 AM on January 26, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by bluelight at 12:54 PM on January 25, 2011