Design & Architecture

A new technique for construction caught our eye at Barcelona’s material library Mater (more about that below): Drysystem. Drysystem is a new tile laying system, developed by the Spanish ceramic company TAU, that doesn’t require getting your hands dirty. This new way of putting tiles doesn’t require any kind of adhesive; the pieces simply slot into each other. 45x90 cm tiles can be slotted seamlessly into a polymer base.

Recent Comment by how to lay ceramic tile : "Yes, it is unlikely that they'd be reused. How solid can a floor be without adhes..." [read]

Design & Architecture

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You can't see them, but they're all around us. They aren't listed as ingredients on the objects we bring in our home, but they're often there. They're volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, a wide range of carbon-based molecules (organic compounds) used in a wide range of products that find their way into our homes. Under normal conditions, they vaporize, effectively leaving their host and entering the air (that's the "volatile" part) where they combine with other airborne compounds to form ozone, which isn't good to breathe.

Though they exist everywhere in the environment -- the most common volatile organic compound is methane, which comes from everything from wetlands to cow farts and other ruminant gases to rice agriculture -- they are most well-known for the harm they can cause indoors, where they can be introduced via paint, carpets, furnishings, and cleaning agents.

Design & Architecture

Joining gDiapers, the US Postal Service and more, Surface iQ's commercial wallcoverings have earned Cradle to Cradle certification. The only printed commercial grade wallcovering to have earned this certification, Surface iQ's products have an impressive green résumé; non-PVC composition (recall some of PVC's evils from TreeHugger TV) free of elemental chlorine, formaldehyde and halogenated fire-retardants (the kind mentioned in the recent furniture toxicity report) top the list.

Design & Architecture

Those of us who are planted in front of a computer screen for most of our waking hours -- for work or play -- will appreciate this one. No matter how comfortable your chair is, we could all use more opportunities to get outside and play. If that isn't in the cards for your normal work week, the T Module "walking desk" might be the next best thing.

Walking on a treadmill at work would be great, but considering that treadmills suck (energy), providing a little human power would be a good way to go. As this walking researcher reminds us, people are designed to be mobile, and walking is better than sitting; might as well write some email at the same time. Hit the jump to see the module in action. ::HK Ergonomics via ::Product Dose

Design & Architecture

TreeHugger knows that all leather is not created equal, but there are ways to do it greener than the conventional chromium-tanning process. One of those greener ways to use the remarkably durable material is to recycle it, by using industrial scraps and byproducts of other manufacturing; if it's going to be used anyway, we might as well clean up the mess and put it to good use.

Such is the strategy of EcoDomo, who make durable, versatile floor tiles and wallcoverings out of a recycled leather composite. The company collects scraps discarded from producing upholstery for leather goods like BMWs and luxury handbags; the scraps are ground into shreds and mixed with water, natural rubber, and acacia bark. The manufacturing is done a closed loop system to conserve water, and the finished product is eligible for LEED credits as a recycled, low-VOC material -- check out the green features section of their site for more details and hit the jump for more pics of the tiles in action. ::EcoDomo via ::Metropolis

Design & Architecture

Ring the bells! Pop the (organic) champagne! TreeHugger’s 2007 Gift Guide is here!

We've made this guide the most comprehensive yet, with 180+ gift ideas in three shades of green, making it a perfect reference while shopping for everyone on your gift list. In addition, we'll be adding organizations to support and useful tips for making your holidays more efficient.

For more great ideas, don’t forget to visit our past guides from 2006 and 2005.

Design & Architecture

At TreeHugger, we don’t like bottled water (read here, here and here) and believe tap water is the greenest way to have it. However, some of us are unfortunate to live in areas where the tap water tastes really bad, so we need to filter it. Water softening also helps, or you can install an osmosis system or use other water-filer products. A more simple and beautiful option for filtering your tap water is the century old Asian method of using active charcoal. The Danish company Sort of Coal have made it their mission to combine the purifying elements as well as the aesthetics of charcoal in their products. These derive from the mountain forests of Japan and Korea and are harvested in a sustainable way. The tree’s root structure is not damaged so that after the best branches have been collected, they can grow back over and over again.

So how does charcoal work as a water purifier? The Binchotan (left picture), a beautiful thick charcoal branch, absorbs unwanted particles like bacteria and smells from the water and instead, releases natural minerals. Because the water is softened, our bodies easier absorb it. One Binchotan branch serves for about 1 litre of water. After leaving it in the fridge for 1 night, the water is pure and soft. After about 3 months they recommend changing the branch, or you might be able to reactivate it a few times by boiling and drying it. At the end of its life, it should be smashed and composted. One Binchotan costs 20€.

Recent Comment by Pernille : "Ions are molecules that have gained or lost an electrical charge. . They are created in..." [read]

Design & Architecture

Five new hip eco-friendly wallpaper patterns are the result of a design challenge given to 22 students at Central St. Martins University in London. Wallpaper/wall art company Graham & Brown asked the students to design fashion-conscious sustainable wallpaper to add to the company's line. The five designs chosen from the competition will now go into production.

The final wallpaper uses materials sourced from sustainable forests in Finland and keeps packaging to a minimum by removing the need for any tape or plastic. The company even recycles heat given off by furnaces, reduces drainage to prevent local flooding problems, and uses vegetable oil within tractor hydraulics so as not to contaminate forest floors.

:: Via Inhabitat