New Construction and Home Products from Brazil
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 11.13.07
Brazilian home deco magazine Casa Claudia announced the winners of its annual awards for sustainable materials for construction and home products.
Among the winners, we found a few interesting ideas coming from Brazil, which is showing great development in what comes to green products development. Those include alternatives for all tastes: an attractive recycling bin, a water saving toilet cistern, a panel for construction from recycled paper, a wind turbine with parts from natural fibers, and a set of furniture with vegetal materials and recovered wood.
Keep reading to see bigger pictures, more info on the products and information on where to get them.
One of the ones that caught our attention was the Recicla Facil (Easy Recycle) garbage bin to separate the trash into four different categories. Since garbage separation is not something so common in houses in Latin America, we thought this bin was an attractive and easy stimulant for people to do it. Even attractive for teaching children, since its shape and colors that make it look like a toy.
The bin is 21,5 inches long and 17,5 inches tall, and costs 75 Brazilian reais (about 40 US dollars). It can be bought online for those residing in Brazil, but manufacturers have confirmed they have exported to Spain, Portugal and Italy, so it could be findable there too.
The easy recycle bin.
The second product we spotted was a new toilet cistern by brand Roca that can flush different amounts of water with one button. According to the company, using this system can reduce a person’s annual consume of water in 60%. In their website, under the section “Economia de agua”, and then “caixa” you can find an animation that shows how it works.
The cistern is available in construction shops in Brazil for 650 Brazilian reais (about 350 US dollars).
The water saving toilet cistern by Roca Brazil.
Another interesting product was the Tamburato Eucatex panel. This wood-alike panel for multiple uses is produced with recycled paper as filling, and finished with certified wood covering.
The Eucatex panels.
The magazine also awarded a wind turbine by Altercoop, which are made of natural fibers instead of polyurethane. These aeolian energy generations can reach up to 15000 w with strong winds of 12 meters per second.
The Altercoop wind turbine.
Finally, there was space of course for interiors, where Casa Claudia awarded a puff from CWT designers whose support was made with recovered tires and its covering, with natural vegetal fibers. Probably not a great novelty, but very well executed and attractive. The firm CWT also has wall coverings and other furniture from recovered wood, so it’s worth taking a look.
The puff is 400 Brazilian reais (more than 200 US dollars).
The DWT puff.
Links (all sites in Portuguese): ::Planeta Casa Award winners ::Recicla Facil Roca Brazil ::Eucatex ::Altercoop ::CWT Design
Is that colorful recycling bin made from recycled plastic?
That colorful recyle bin seems like a waste...Very small most likely not all sections are perfect squares. It's just a eco gimick and not really much. Not innovative...Not beyond basics...Please don't make as many rubbish posts they drown Treehugger's good ones.
Hi Joyce, I'm not sure it's from recycled plastic, will write to them to find out.
"Anonymous": rubbish post is a subjective opinion.
Maybe in the States trash separation is common, I really don't know, but in Latin America garbage management is a nightmare, so anything that can contribute to stimulate society to separate waste is better than nothing.
Not everyone is "beyond basic" yet, I think we have a long way to go before we are all "beyond basic".
Are there ANY recycled recycling bins in the states!!?? I have been searching for about a month now and everyone acts like "recycled recycling" bins is an oxymoran. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
There's a problem with the recycling bin: when they pick up the recycable, it's all mixed again: paper, plastics, aluminum. So what's the point of separating between recyclables? 2 bins is enough, in that case.