A goal which I was determined to reach through the store's design
was to demonstrate that to be environmental is not to be cardboard
brown, nor is it a retro movement via "rough hewn rustic" but
instead it is a progressive way of living.
Despite the tight budget, I was able to specify a sizable array
of materials throughout the store's design. The following is a
brief outline of these materials and my sources:
Manufacturers of green materials are often keen to work with
designers because of the potential marketing and application ideas
that may come from a collaborative effort. For this reason, I
encourage designers to explore these new materials and to work with
them...the environmental materials industry as a whole will only
improve in quality and service, broaden in application, and
decrease in cost with the growing interest, challenges, and use of
their products. Currently there is a lot of positive growth in
this industry and a lot of room for innovative and persistent
designers to experiment with and apply these products.
Ecological Design
Earth (General) Day : A Case Study In Green Design
Recently I completed a storefront and interior design for a
client, Earth General. This was a unique project in that Earth
General is a retail store for environmentally friendly products and
so was interested in using as many "green" construction and finish
materials as was possible in their new store.
Cork Flooring:
The outer skin of the cork tree is harvested every 9 years during the summer months when the tree dehydrates and its skin becomes loose. Its skin is self replenishing and harvesting does not harm the tree. The tree's first harvest is only done after it has matured to at least 20 years old. The average life span of the cork oaks is 170 years.
Product: Applicork © Portugal.
Distributor: Town & Country Flooring © New York City.
Wall & Ceiling Paint:
The paint is a water based paint with a low v.o.c.(volatile organic compounds) rating. It also has low odor, low solvent content, and it outgasses within 20 hours while maintaining high scrub ability rating.
Product: Kurfees © Louisville, Kentucky.
Distributor: Environmental Construction Outfitters -New York City.
Countertops:
Environ Biocomposit comes in 3' x 6' sheet sizes of several thicknesses. It is made of thermoformed water based soy protein resin (an agricultural based flour by-product),recycled cellulose (waste paper such as newsprint), and environmentally friendly dyes. Environ does not give off formaldehyde and the newsprint is not de-inked.
Product: Environ Biocomposit.
Manufactured by: Phoenix Biocomposits-Mankato, Minnesota.
Floor and Countertop Sealer:
The Sealer is made of a waterborne base which does not contain Xylene, formaldehyde chemicals, sulfuric acids or toxic gasses. It does not require mutagenic aziridines and it has low odor and low v.o.c..
Product: Scam Var.
Distributor: Environmental Construction Outfitters-NYC
Wood shelving, finish molding and trim, and butcher block office desktop:
The lumber comes from reclaimed (disassembled and denailed etc.) wood from packing crates, shipping palettes that were milled assembled and finished as per my drawings and specifications.
Source: Bronx 2000's Big City Forest -Bronx, New York.
Bamboo cabinetry:
Bamboo grasses are harvested every 3 -3 1/2 years with out any harm to the original plant (self-replenishing). The product is a tongue and groove flooring-5/8" thick 3 1/2" wide and 24" or 36" long boards. It is 3 layers thick and about 5 strips wide of bamboo compressed and comes prefinished.
Product: Bamboo flooring strips-China.
Distributor: Town & Country Flooring -NYC.
Plastic flooring at storefront's window display area and sink deck:
The plastic is made of 100% post consumer waste compressed
High Density Polyethylene(HDPE) -ie. dairy, shampoo,
detergent etc. containers. It comes in up to 4' x 8' sheets
in various thicknesses. I specified a specific color called
"No. 102 Marble White" which is made up of mostly white and
yellow plastic containers
Product: Compressed HDPE No.102-GMPM01H.
Manufactured by: Yemm & Hart-Green Materials-Marquand, Missouri.
Ostrich egg shell lights:
The ostrich eggs are grown on strictly regulated farms in South Africa. The shells come from unfertilized eggs (i.e.. the duds). The shells are unfinished. Their natural finish is hard and glossy in a cream color. I redesigned the original fixtures to be used as pendant light fixtures
Product: (retrofitted) Moonlight lamps-The African Moonlighting Co.
Distributor: Empire Export Trading Co.-Fallsburg, New York.
Sinks, office windows, some ceramic tiles and brick:
These were salvaged from various deconstruction sites and saved leftovers from previous construction projects by the construction company we had hired to build the new store.
Courtesy: Bluestone Partnership Ltd. -Brooklyn, New York.
Tree:
I did the research for these and other green materials as part of
my preliminary design work. They were found mentioned in various
"trade" magazines such as construction, architectural, retail and
decorating periodicals, and newspaper articles such as the New York
Times "Home" section. Furnishings trade shows is another area of
sourcing for green materials, since a few manufactures display
their products at these events. And of course my own personal
interest had me tracking down word of mouth sources.
It came with the place . . . and continues to grow through
the new glass roof.
-Erika Doering
Earth General is located at 47 8 Avenue, New York City.
RELATED READING:
by Slim Van der Ryn & Stuart Cowan, Island Press, 1995
From Eco-Cities to Living Machines: Principals of Ecological Design
by Nancy Jack Todd & John Todd, North Atlantic Books, 1994
The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability
by Paul Hawken, Harper Business, 1993
Sustainable Communities: A New Design Synthesis for Cities, Suburbs & Towns
by Slim Van der Ryn & Peter Calthorpe, Sierra Club Books, 1991
Design for the Environment
by Dorothy McKenzie, Rizzoli, 1991
Design for the Real World: Human Ecology and Social Change
by Victor Papanek, Academy Chicago Publishers, revised 1984