Sustainability Survey: EGD Getting Greener, but Challenges Remain

In September, the SEGD conducted a members survey regarding the incorporation of sustainable practices in projects. Over 86% of respondents said they are trying to incorporate sustainable practices in their work with a range of approaches, from direct-to-substrate printing to maximizing the use of local materials, using materials with high recycled content levels, and designing modular elements when possible.

The survey yielded great results and insight. Universities, Museums and Healthcare ranked as the top three market segments for sustainable project.

The survey results are posted on SEGD’s Green Resource Guide site.

Sustainable Design Studio Open House in Richmond

Yesterday I attended an open house at Acorn Sign Graphics for their new design studio which is located across the street from their fabricating facility in Richmond, VA. The studio incorporates a variety of green and sustainable strategies and show cases the many green solutions Acorn provides.

Acorn has been a leader in green and sustainable design by not only designing green signage but also in the way they run their business and treat their employees. The design studio shows how companies can incorporate green in their every day businesses.

Below is a short video that highlights many of the green features of the studio. My favorite is the conference room door which uses all recycled or re-used component. 

A New Life for Plastics

GreenBiz.com is hosting another interesting webinar on plastics and bioplastics. Below is a brief summary. CLICK here to register. A New Life for Plastics: End-of-life Solutions in the Age of Greener Materials

October 5, 2010, 8:30 AM PDT / 11:30 AM EDT Plastics in the waste stream have long been a concern, and companies have been finding new ways to address this challenge. After all, why must a polymer that has the potential to last thousands of years in the environment be used in single-use packaging applications? Many companies are now turning to biopolymers instead of traditional petrochemical-based plastics to address waste management challenges and create localized energy. Biobased plastics can degrade in two ways: in oxygen-laden environments, and in environments that lack oxygen. Certain biopolymers have been shown to have characteristics that allow them to degrade in an industrial composting setting. This free, one-hour webcast will shine a light on how global biotechnology and chemical firms are driving innovation to help find a solution to plastics in the waste stream. Join us as we explore recent trends in the plastics industry, including: Use and inclusion of biopolymers Innovative technologies linking plastics to energy generation End-of-life considerations from the design phase Standards development You will learn: the benefits of using biopolymers over traditional plastics the differences among commonly-used biopolymers and their end-of-life solutions challenges faced by the plastic manufacturing, waste management and packaging industries how degradation of biopolymers can help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels

Leading the way with Greener Signage: ASI

GreenBuilg.com Article
Leading the way with Greener Signage: ASI

Posted September 23, 2010 8:10 AM by Alex Wilson
Related Categories: Alex's Cool Product of the Week

ASI offers interior signs made from renewable and recycled materials and exterior signs with PV lighting. Photo: ASI. Click on image to enlarge

Clear signage can help us find our way, it can inform us, and--in a green building--it can highlight environmental features. That signage can also, itself, make a statement about the environment.

ASI is one of the industry innovators sign fabrication, and nowhere is that innovation more apparent than in its green product lines. The company offers three distinct lines of environmentally friendly signs: the ASI Solar Series, InTac Eco, and Terra.

The ASI Solar Series is designed for exterior applications where self-contained internal illumination is desired. Integral photovoltaic (PV) modules and self-contained lead-acid batteries power these signs with no need for trenching or wiring. Aluminum housings, LED lighting, interchangeable face panels, acrylic lettering, and zero operating costs are among the features. The company claims that full nighttime illumination will be provided for up to eight days without sunlight.

ASI Solar exterior signs use LED lighting and integral PV modules and battery storage. Photo: ASI. Click on image to enlarge

InTac Eco is a line of interior signs that combine Greenguard-certified materials, low-VOC paints, and a large color palette to choose from. These signs are made from renewable biopolymer, wood, or paper. Eco Plant is a compostable, bio-based plastic (biopolymer) derived from non-food agricultural crops; it is available in thicknesses of 1/32" and 1/16" (0.79 and 1.6 mm), has a maximum service temperature of 104°F (40°C), comes in a matte-white finish and can be painted or receive digitally printed graphics. Eco Wood is a wood-fiber material that is available in 1/4" (6.4 mm) thickness and 12 standard colors, but cannot be painted or receive digitally printed graphics; it carries Greenguard Children & Schools certification. Eco Paper is a paper-wood composite that is available in nine colors and thicknesses of 1/8" and 1/4" (3.2 and 6.4 mm); it carries Greenguard Children & Schools and FSC certifications and can receive digitally printed graphics.

ASI InTac Eco interior signs are made from a renewable bioplastic. Photo: ASI. Click on image to enlarge

Terra signs, also for interior use, are made from 3form ecoresin™, a 40% pre-consumer-recycled co-polyester material that can be specified with embedded sustainably harvested plant materials. Available ADA-Ready® with tactile letters or Braille in thicknesses of 1/16", 1/8", 1/4", and 3/8" (1.6, 3.2, 6.4, and 9.5 mm), Terra signs carry SCS certification for recycled content and Greenguard Indoor Air Quality certification. Select Terra patterns use Fair Trade materials sourced by 3form from Third World countries in which farmers are paid a fair wage for their crops or Full Circle materials developed in collaboration with skilled artisans in Third World countries. 15 "standard" colors and patterns are available for the base material, with 18 colors for tactile lettering as well as custom options. Terra's Fair Trade materials include Tiger Thatch, Bear Grass and Bear Grass Lite; Full Circle materials include Banana Fiber and Fossil Leaf.

With all of these sign options, a variety of standard styles and sizes are available, along with custom options.

ASI Terra interior signs use 3form ecoresin, which is a 40% recycled polyester with embedded plant materials. Photo: ASI. Click on image to enlarge

ASI maintains environmentally responsible manufacturing practices throughout their operations, including use of recycled materials whenever possible, minimizing waste, responsibly managing water, and reducing use of chemicals in production. Founded in 1965, ASI is represented in 40 U.S. cities and has global partners in 35 countries. "Green" is heavily featured on the company website.

In highlighting the green features of your buildings--as well as other signage needs--why not use signs that embody those green features?

For more information:

ASI
Dallas, Texas
800-274-7732 (patches through to local affiliate)
www.asisignage.com

See more on this product in the GreenSpec Guide

Alex Wilson is the executive editor of Environmental Building News and founder of BuildingGreen, LLC. In addition to this product-of-the week blog, he writes the weekly Energy Solutions blog. To keep up with his latest articles and musings, you can sign up for his Twitter feeds. .

Upcoming Events

There are a couple green/sustainable events coming up that I thought I'd share.

SEGD Teleconference  
LEED and your EGD Strategy
Teleconference Course
Theme: LEED and Sustainability
September 24, 2010
1:00pm EST

Click HERE for more info and to register.

A New Vision for Sustainability
P&G Webcast with GreenBiz.com
September 27 at 11 AM EDT

Click HERE for more info and to register.


The International Sign Association presents the webinar:
Compliance Training for the EPA’s Surface Coating Rule
Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Last Chance - click HERE for more info and to register.

Sustainable Zinc

Architectural Record has an interesting article called Zinc: The Sustainable Choice among Architectural Metals. 

Planet Earth Digital Magazine

ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability is a nonprofit membership association of local governments committed to climate protection, clean energy, and sustainability. It has more than 600 members in the U.S. and 1,200 worldwide.

Its new digital magazine, Planet Earth, is a great read for those who want to keep up with cutting-edge sustainability policies being implemented by local governments. --P.M.K.

Solar Powered Signs - SBI Article

Sign Builder Illustrated published an article in the September issue called Solar-powered Sign Greens Times Square. Ricoh Americas has created the first solar powered billboard in Times Square.  CLICK HERE to read more....

Sustainability

The word sustainable or sustainability has now become one of the biggest misunderstood and mis-used words related to environmental issues. Sustainability is defined on http://sustainabilitydictionary.com/ as "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Wikipedia defines Sustainability as the "capacity to endure".

Are we really doing this in our industry and have we really adopted processes and procedures and started building products that are sustainable? Have we evolved to the point were the projects we design and build have a zero landfill contribution or are we at least working towards this goal and more?

Bill McDonough said years ago "We still have people talking about 'sustainability'! Nothing is more boring. Are you proud if your marriage is 'sustainable'?"


There are many good people working hard to push environmental initiatives forward in our industry. It becomes very easy to be complacent and say, "we're sustainable" when most of the time saying we're green is a stretch.

Glossary of “Green” Terms

Below is a link to a glossary of green terms found on ISA's website - signs.org. I would be interested in any other glossary that is out there.

Glossary of "Green" Terms

Growing Plastic

Bioplastic (plastics made from renewable biomass resources) have been around for awhile now and  are being used for all kinds of applications, including signage. Metabolix is one of the companies that has created different types of bioplastic and has recently found a way to grow bioplacstic in saw grass.

Below is a great video  from BioDigest that talks about bioplastic and how they are grwoing it in sawgrass at the end of the video.

Interior Signage for World’s First LEED® Platinum Hospital

I have long been interested in doing a seriers of case studies that highlight the signage that goes in LEED certfied facilites and how these packages get built.  Below is a case study from ASI that highlights the sign package they build for the Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas.

Interior Signage for World’s First LEED® Platinum Hospital
Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, a member of the Seton Family of Hospitals, is the first LEED® Platinum hospital in the world. The hospital is the only dedicated, freestanding children’s hospital in the Central Texas region and offers a wide range of pediatric services.

Because the Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas was seeking to attain LEED Platinum certification through the USGBC, it took meticulous care throughout the project to ensure that every element and material fit in with its green building philosophy. This outlook applied to the interior signage system as well - regardless of the fact that wayfinding signage does not contribute to LEED points.

About the Solution
ASI was selected by Karlsberger based on a previous relationship and project experience. Karlsberger was impressed with the flexibility and updateability of the InfinityTM modular line of signage and specified it for this green project. Additionally, the Infinity line incorporates recyclable materials and is produced with a low VOC, polyester, water- based paint system and a chrome-free priming process.

Each sign type throughout the facility was designed around the Infinity system’s modular components. The hospital started with Infinity’s patented, powder coated chassis, then selected additional components to create each sign type. The result was a signage system that is easily updated and expanded with minimal contribution to the waste cycle. The comprehensive system includes room IDs, suspended directional signage and regulatory signage.

ASI also supplied dimensional letters throughout the facility to identify key areas such as the information desk. Additionally, ASI created unique custom patient tower wing IDs. These IDs reflect the materials of the Infinity signs while providing clear wayfinding for visitors and staff.