BuildingGreen, publisher of the GreenSpec Product Directory and of Environmental Building News, recently announced its choices for the Top 10 new green building products of 2003. The second annual award recognizes the most exciting products added to the Directory during the past year, although some products may have been on the market longer, says GreenSpec co-editor Alex Wilson.
Winning products are considered green for a variety of reasons, such as being made of recycled or bio-based materials, saving water, or being durable.
Bio-Based Systems' BioBase 501 soy-based foam insulation, CertainTeed's MemBrain vapor retarder, Taco's Hot Water D'Mand System, and Southern Diversified's American Pride interior latex paints are some of the most notable products named for the residential market.
Green building has yet to really take off in the residential segment. But, "there is a recognition that a green building is a healthier one to live in, that it will reduce costs for water and electricity, that it will be more durable and require less maintenance. As more and more homeowners begin to recognize this, I think we can expect to see growing demand for green," Wilson says. "This trend shows no evidence of slowing."
Green building products are receiving accolades from the experts. The GreenSpec directory lists more than 1,750 products. An online version, available as part of a subscription to the BuildingGreen Suite, allows products to be sorted by relevance to LEED credits.
