The following are resources to help you find sustainable products, materials, and design assistance.
Please email us with your additions, updates, and URLs.
Green Building Professionals Directory
Sustainable Sources
108 Royal Way, Suite 1004
Austin, TX 78737
Phone: 512/288-5223
Searchable online database of Green Building Professionals.
REDI Guide (Resources for Environmental Design Index)
Iris Communications
PO Box 5920
Eugene, OR 97405-0911
Phone 541-484-9353
Fax 541-484-1645
It can be searched for free on the Oikos Web site (http://www.oikos.com/) or purchased in printed form for $25.
International Straw Bale Building Registry
Online listing of a large number of representative straw bale buildings in many countries. Many are open to visitors. Includes mortgage and insurance contact information.
GreenSpec Directory
A database of environmentally preferable building materials selected by the editors of Environmental Building News.
E-HouseTM
Environmental Building Consultants and Designers
312 A Jefferson Ave
Cheltenham, PA, 19012-2021
Phone 215/663-1611
On diskette. Specifically geared for materials contributing to good indoor air quality .
Eco Living Sourcebook
110 Linden St.
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone (510)452-0500
On diskette, this database contains listings for more than 500 recycled content building and construction products from 80 U.S. companies. Includes descriptions, content percentages, standards, test results, specifications, distributors, and pictures.
Woods of the World
Tree Talk Inc.
P.O. Box 426
431 Pine St.
Burlington, VT. 05402
Phone (802)863-6789
Diskette or CD-ROM interactive multimedia database of the world’s wood species. Gives 85 fields of data on each species, including substitutes, and scans of colors and grains. The listing also provides information on well managed sources and suppliers.
Other Good References Are:
Environmental By Design, Professional Edition
Authors: Kim Leclair and David Rousseau
P.O. Box 95016
South Van C.S.C.
Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6P 6V4.
This is a hard copy notebook style publication with symbols representing various criteria including: recycled content; renewable resource; in-plant energy efficiency; low emissions in plant; minimum packaging; minimum transportation; minimum installation hazards; low toxic emissions; durability; simple non toxic maintenance; reusable; recyclable; fair business practices; research and education programs.
Sustainable Sources
A technical and logistical guide covering practical issues associated with various green building choices.
AIA Environmental Resource Guide
AIA Order Dept.
9 Jay Gould Court
PO Box 753
Waldorf, MD 20604
Phone: 800/365-ARCH
fax: 800/678-7102
This comprehensive guide has recently been updated and is a good text for sustainable design as well as how to make material selections.
Environmental Building News
122 Birge Street, Suite 30
Brattleboro, VT 05301
Phone 802/257-7300
fax 802/257-7304
e-mail info@BuildingGreen.com
This is a monthly newsletter for builders and architects which is recognized as the leading publication on environmentally resopnsible design and construction. The content is clear and objective. The publication is subscription funded instead of manufacturer-funded insuring an unbiased position, considering all points of view to allow the reader to make their own decisions. They have indexed all articles, and now have made their first 5 years of articles available on CD-ROM. EBN in conjunction with What’s Working has also produced a products catalog. See their website for details.
Guide to Resource Efficient Building Elements, Fifth Edition
Center for Resourceful Building Technology
P.O. Box 100
Missoula, MT 59806
phone 406/549-7678
Fax: 406/549-4100
Contains contact and product information for resource efficient and recycled material manufacturers producing everything from foundations to roofing.
McRecycle USA Registry Service
McDonald’s Corporation Environmental Affairs
Kroc Drive
Oak Brook, IL.
Phone (800) 220-3809
Updated continuously. Contains listings for more than 900 products made by 500 manufacturers, sorted by CSI divisions.
The Green Pages: The Contract Interior Designers’ Guide to Environmentally Responsible Products and Materials
Andrew Fuston
45 East 25th Street
20th Floor
New York, NY 10010
Phone (212)779-3365
Contains product listings from 536 manufacturers of environmentally responsible building materials, including recycled products.
The Resource Guide to Sustainable Landscapes and Gardens
Environmental Resources, Inc.
2041 East Hollywood Ave.
Salt Lake City, UT 84108-3148
(801) 485-0280
This 368-page softcover book lists more than 1100 environmentally responsible landscaping materials, products, and information sources. Sorted by CSI division.
Sustainable Design Resource Guide: Third Edition (released January 1997). The guide lists principles, practices, and environmentally friendly products for Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Region and the sources and suppliers necessary to implement green building. The SDRG is a database of over 600 green building materials. Price: $39.95 for Windows or MAC disk, $29.95 for the printed version. AIA Denver/SDRG, 1526 15th Street, Denver, CO 80202. (303)446-2266 or FAX (303)446-0066 aiadenco@aol.com
Building Materials for the Environmentally Hypersensitive
This is a 238-page assessment of materials suitable for occupants with chemical sensitivities. Available from:
CMHC Publications
PO Box 3077
Markham, Ontario L3R 6G4
Phone (800)668CMHC.
Environmental Choice M Program Certified Products and Services
This lists manufacturers and products which comply with Environment Canada’s EcologoTM requirements. Available from:
Lynne Patenaude
TerraChoice Environmental Services
Phone: (613)952-0264.
Environmental Outfitters TM
Customized lists of low-toxicity products carried by this firm.
Enviromnental Outfitters
Phone” (800)238-5008.
IAQ Product Service Guide
This comprehensive directory includes a section on “Interior Construction Products”, plus air filters, cleaners, detection equipment, mitigation products and consultants. $75 from:
Cutter Information Corp.
phone 800/888-8939.
Healthier Indoor Environments: Canadian Sources of Residential Products and Services
This directory includes a section on “Low Polluting Building Products, Materials, and Technologies”, also lists consultants who provide screening evalustions of materials and cleaning and maintenance products. Available from:
Canadian Housing Indformation Centre
CMHC
phone 613/748-2367
fax: 613/748-2098.
R-2000 Procurement List
This lists assists builders in selecting products which will meet R-2000 IAQ requirements. Including carpet and padding, resilient flooring, paints and finishes, adhesives and composite wood products. Available through:
John Broniek
Canadian Home Builder’s Association
phone: 613/230-3060.
Guide to Energy Efficient Office Equipment
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy
2140 Shattuck Avenue, Suite 202
Berkeley, CA 94704
Phone 510/549-9914
fax 510/549-9984.
EPAÕs Energy Star Hotline
202/233-9114
fax back line 202/233-9659.
Design and Specification Tools
Waste Spec
Published by Triangle J Council of Governments
P.O. Box 12276
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
(919) 549-0551
This program available on disk provides the specifier with model language to insert into specifications to address waste reduction techniques, salvage and reuse of materials, and recycling of construction waste.
Environmental Knowlege Base (EnvKB)
Funded by US Army Corps of Engineer’s Construction Engineering Laboratories and the US E.P.A. Available through:
Design Harmony
16N Boylan Ave.
Raleigh, N.C. 27603
Phone: (919)755-0300
This extensive database/design tool offers environmental considerations at every phase of design, gives material suggestions and offers case studies. The program interfaces with MCASES cost estimating spread sheets, DOE 2.1, EXPOSURE, and inclused the CERL Design Process Map and an alternative materials database.