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August 2008
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M2

"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form
of exploration."

-Ansel Adams

 

(click image for M2)

Saavy design, off-the-shelf tech yield efficiency gains

Hidden in plain sight, most buildings are massive environmental culprits.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, buildings are
responsible for almost half of all annual greenhouse gas emissions in the
U.S. Meanwhile, more than three- quarters of all electricity generated by
American power plants is consumed by buildings. Enter Architecture 2030, a
nonprofit, nonpartisan organization led by eco- evangelist and architect
Edward Mazria. Its mission: to help builders, planners, and architects
design greener buildings. (The organization takes its name from a challenge
issued by Mazria for the building industry to reach carbon neutrality by the
year 2030.)


Here, take a look at some buildings chosen by Architecture 2030 to highlight the radical gains in efficiency that are possible over similarly sized, conventionally constructed buildings. Most of the picks have achieved high Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the use of smart, sustainable design principles.
Karina, Karina
Karina, Karina
Noted Copenhagen-based designer Glyn Peter Machin has created a new collection for HBF. Karina lounge chairs and guest chairs, complemented by occasional tables, recall the mid 20th century designs of such Danish modern icons as Hans Wegner, whom the English-born Machin greatly admires.

Says Machin, "Designing Karina was a bold personal challenge. First, we found ways to translate the techniques used to hand produce individual pieces into the requirements of large-scale production. Even so, each and every component is carefully shaped. Each merges seamlessly with the others; not one straight regular-cut component exists within the whole series. The idea was to ensure all elements flow effortlessly from leg to arm to back rest, making each chair appear to be a single molded entity - strong, yet almost weightless. Exposed end grain, clean lines, light weight construction, highly detailed curvaceous forms and floating, finely tailored upholstery are methods from the Danish modern era."
The Joesph Noble Fall Collection
Joseph Noble 2008 Fall Collection
The carpenter who shows up like clockwork. The recipe that never fails. The dog that always greets you with faithful devotion. To that list of valued dependables, add WORKHORSE, part of the new 2008 Fall collection. Workhorse is the technology leather you can count on for durability, steady color, and a smooth hand at a common-sense price. (Note that we don't call it faux leather. No need to insult it.)

Preview the entire new Fall collection by video and experience the drama!


Architecture 2030
Architecture 2030, a non-profit, non-partisan and independent organization, was established in response to the global-warming crisis by architect Edward Mazria in 2002. 2030's mission is to rapidly transform the US and global Building Sector from the major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions to a central part of the solution to the global-warming crisis.

All the best,

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Bill Meyer
Contract Specialities, Inc. (CSI)

phone: 954-389-1295 or 800-808-8274