The green expo delivered an array of new products, fixtures and building materials – like Dri Design’s wall panels and Toto’s water-efficient toilets – that are sustainable to manufacture and healthy to use while still being affordable and attractive.
1 Haiku by Big Ass Fans
This curvaceous bamboo ceiling fan, which won a 2012 Red Dot Award, is the smallest in the manufacturer’s poetically named collection. Yet it’s also the most efficient, with an 80 per cent more efficient motor than standard fans (it costs about $5 a year in energy use).
2 iWindow by Serious Windows
These windows are installed over top of existing glazing systems, offering all the benefits of a full window upgrade (increased thermal performance, reduced noise, solar control and UV-blocking), without uprooting the building’s occupants or impacting the facade’s aesthetic.
3 LifeCycle Towers by CREE Buildings
The Austrian construction firm announced its new U.S. operations at Greenbuild this year, which means we should soon be seeing its hybrid timber and concrete buildings popping up around North America. Very soon, actually, considering that the prefab slab-and-post system can be built as quickly as a storey a day. The company also promises that its buildings use 39 per cent fewer resources over their lifespan compared to those of comparable size, and produce 90 per cent less CO2 emissions.
4 Tapered wall panels by Dri Design
These metal wall panels create an infinite number of patterns and configurations. The dry-joint rain screen system comes in reclaimed, locally sourced aluminum (as well as zinc, copper and stainless steel) and is completely recyclable.
5 Maris Dual Flush high-efficiency toilet by Toto
Inspired by the Panton Chair, this porcelain fixture features a multi-directional lever for a light or a full flush. A seamless concave interior, coated in the manufacturer’s super-slippery ionized glaze, reduces the need for multiple flushes and prevents bacteria from building up between cleans.
6 Dynamic Glass by View Inc
Recently launched as market-ready for commercial projects, View’s Dynamic Glass uses electro chromic technology to constantly adjust to external elements. It transforms from clear to tinted on demand, controls heat and glare and reduces HVAC and lighting consumption by upward of 20 per cent.
