Our Top Seven Green Products of 2010

2010 was a great year for green: the green economy continued to move from strength to strength, more green tax credits were offered than ever before, and green building grew in leaps and bounds, both in terms of the availability and quality of materials and the performance analysis technology now on offer to help people make the switch.

2010 was a great year in particular for new building products and innovations, with a lot of money and energy and smarts being poured into finding ever more efficient ways to build, power and furnish the places we live in.

To round out the year, we’ve picked our favorite green products and inventions from 2010 (with a little help from BuildingGreen)—a bunch of great new innovations we hope will become as ubiquitous as carpet and toasters in the years to come.

In the meantime, here’s to a happy, green and prosperous 2011!

1. Nylodeck

Nylodeck (pictured above) is an American-made composite decking material made from pre-consumer recycled carpet fiber and a water-blown, VOC-free binding agent. In other words, it’s non-toxic and ethically made, as well as being waterproof, light, natural-looking and impervious to moisture, termites and mold.

Beginning next year, Nyloboard, the company that came up with Nylodeck, plans to step things up even further, and will start using only post-consumer recycled carpet in its production. Which shouldn’t be too hard: they’re located in the world’s carpet capital, Georgia.

2. Foamglas

Foamglas, a new glass insulation material made up of 60% silica sand, 20% limestone, and 20% soda and other materials—in other words, 100% glass. Strong and stable, For those looking for a cleaner, less toxic form of insulation, 2010 gave us Foamglas is noncombustible (but  doesn’t use flame retardant chemicals) and isn’t bothered by corrosion, termites or rodents. And because of inorganic, closed-cell structure, it won’t entertain any mold, fungi or microorganisms.

Like Nyloboard, Foamglas is free of harsh blowing agents. It’s also airtight, which means it can serve as a barricade to radon and vapor. All in all, it’s an excellent alternative to the conventional extruded polystyrene insulation homeowners have traditionally had to use.

3. Knoll FSC furniture

Green doesn’t mean dowdy, as Knoll’s great range of FSC-certified furniture amply demonstrates. Knoll’s manufactures its commercial office furnishings to strict environmental standards, so much so that using Knoll products can help qualify homeowners and investors for LEED credits. All Knoll casegoods, office systems and tables are FSC certified, and the company is actively seeking FSC-approved sources for the rest of its range.

Particular kudos goes to Knoll for being the first furniture company to commit to truly sustainable forestry practices without passing on the cost to customers, or sacrificing their lead time.

4. Bensonwood OBPlus Wall System

2010 has seen the rise and rise of a great and varied range of stylish, smart, affordable prefab building materials. And one of our favorites is the Bensonwood OBPlus Wall System, a line of prefabricated panelized walls that can be put up super quickly while still offering excellent energy performance and durability. Made using cutting edge software, the OBPlus Wall Systems greatly minimize heat loss, making the homes in which they’re used virtually air- and water-tight.

The wall panels, which you can see in the picture to your left, feature dense cellulose insulation and moisture-proof cladding, and are made using post-consumer recycled materials and salvaged construction products. (In the US, where construction and demolition waste accounts for an estimated 35–40% of the municipal solid waste stream, this is a great thing indeed.)

5. Niagara’s Stealth UHET Toilet

Niagara Conservation’s Stealth UHET (ultra-high efficiency toilet) uses vacuum-assist technology for a flush that needs only 0.8 gallons of water—about half that used in a standard toilet.

Though we don’t usually like to think about what goes on below in our toilets, the Stealth Toilet’s simple but high-tech approach is worth a mention: after each flush, an air bubble is created in the trapway, creating a vacuum effect for the next flush, and eliminating the need for large amounts of water. The use of air pressure means that the Stealth UHET is about as quiet as the falls of its maker’s name are loud.

6. Power-Aware Cord

Much of the reason we don’t tend to think about energy conservation is that everything tends to happen out of sight: power arrives from somewhere else far away, magically comes out of the wall, runs through a cord and, presto, powers our lights and gadgets and appliances.

The ingenious new Power-Aware Cord changes all that. The Power Aware-Cord is a surge-protector outlet strip, but with one important modification: its cord is wrapped in light wires that glow according to how much energy is flowing through to the things it’s powering. The higher the current, the brighter and faster the blue lights pulse, so we can all see how much juice our gadgets and appliances are consuming—and, hopefully, start to become a bit more conscious of the power we’re using.

Unfortunately, the Power-Aware Cord isn’t yet available to consumers, but we’re hoping it will be soon. In the meantime, take a look at it and other energy-conscious inventions on the Interactive Institute’s website.

7. Xeros Polymer Bead Washing Machine

British innovators Xeros are dedicated to what they call “virtually waterless” laundry cleaning. If this doesn’t sound that clean to you, then think again. Xeros’ patented polymer bead washing machine uses an entirely new washing machine technology consisting of tiny nylon beads, which absorb the stains in your clothes with scary effectiveness, while, at the same time, reducing water use by up to 90%.

Xeros are still testing the product for commercial release, but in the meantime you can check out videos of the beads zapping off wine, dirt, coffee, and ketchup stains on the Xeros website.

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