Architectural Products Update

 
Wireless Lighting Control Device

Part of the energy management platform from Convia®/ A Herman Miller Company, the two-button, wireless Convia Wand lets users create associations between lights, switches, and sensors with the touch of a button. Any light or zone of lights can be programmed to respond to any switch, sensor, or scene controller on the Convia system. The result is on-demand virtual wiring of a building's entire lighting system, or virtual rewiring of a reconfigured space. Eliminates need for hard-wiring between lights and switches. The wand contains an infrared transmitter and an aligned laser that provides a visual guide for selecting sensors and actuators.

convia.com

 
Bamboo Floating Floors

Teragren™ introduces the Portfolio collection of strand bamboo floating floors. Engineered with proprietary Xcora™ technology, the bamboo fibers are fused with an adhesive under extreme pressure to form homogeneous, high-density panels. The seven-coat finish includes a wear layer of abrasion-resistant aluminum oxide, plus two scratch-resistant polyurethane topcoats. Its finish is water-based and solvent-free. Wide planks and a fold-down, self-locking system make installation easy. The flooring averages 154 percent harder than red oak, making it appropriate for high-traffic installations. Ten new colors are available (pictured: Paris Black). Eligible for two LEED credits, for Rapidly Renewable Materials and Low-Emitting Materials — Flooring Systems.

teragren.com

 
Drywall Panel with Phase-Change Material

The ThermalCORE™ Panel from National Gypsum features Micronal® PCM, a phase-change material from BASF Corporation. The wall panel's mold-resistant gypsum core integrates microscopic acrylic capsules containing high-purity paraffin wax. The wax melts at 73° Fahrenheit (23° Celsius), absorbing and storing thermal energy, and releases heat when it solidifies, helping to moderate indoor air temperature and reduce energy consumption. The panel handles and installs like regular drywall; it requires a skim coat and will accept decoration similar to standard gypsum board. Faced with fiberglass mat. Field trials are in progress.

thermalcore.info

 
Photovoltaic Pavement

Onyx Solar and Butech, a subsidiary of Porcelanosa Group, are developing a photovoltaic (PV) pavement expected to be on the market by late 2010. The product will consist of safety glass with integrated PV over an elevated ceramic base, producing a completely walkable surface. The pavement can be included in a project as a substitute for more traditional materials without compromising design or aesthetics. Works in all weather, including low light and cloudy conditions. Frameless and appealing in high-visibility applications.

onyxsolar.com

 
Drain-Water Heat Recovery

The Power-Pipe® drain-water heat-recovery (DWHR) system reduces water heating costs by recovering heat from waste water. As drain water falls down the inner wall of a vertical drain stack, the heat from the falling water is transferred through the system's copper pipe to fresh cold water flowing in the outer coil. This double-walled heat exchanger is simple to specify and install during new construction, and can also be retrofitted to existing buildings where there is access to drain stacks and fresh water lines. Appropriate for residential, institutional, commercial, and industrial buildings. Can reduce water heating costs by 20 to 40 percent in multifamily residential buildings. Qualifies for LEED credits. From RenewAbility Energy Inc.

renewability.com