Aloe Terra - Lawrence Tech University 2007 Solar Decathlon Team

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• 3Form
• Richlite Products
• RHEINZINK
• Columbia Forest Products
• Natural Hardwoods
• CertainTeed Gypsum

The applications are endless for 3Form Inc.'s interior panel products. The panels are manufactured mostly from recycled resins using resin encapsulating technologies. 3Form Inc. uses few natural resources to produce the panels, and the company takes pride in leaving minimal environmental footprints without sacrificing high-level design.

3Form Inc. uses their resin encapsulating technologies to produce everything from bracelets to lounge chairs. The products are available in a variety of colors and designs and create a glowing effect when illuminated. The ALOeTERRA home is using 3Form panels as door panels, furniture components, and window shades.

3Form

The Richlite Company has expanded upon the idea of pulp and recycling paper. The company manufactures bio-composite surfaces out of recycled paper and non-petroleum based resins. The end result is an eye-catching material perfect for a rain screen or a countertop.

ALOeTERRA is using Richlite products for window sills, a desktop, an interior bench, and counter tops. This product is ideal for kitchens because it doesn't absorb heat like most materials. This means that hot cookware can be placed on the surface without worry or damage.

Skatelite, another Richlite product made to be a durable skateboard ramp material, is being used as window trim, sills and the rainscreen panels on the exterior of the house. The product is extremely durable and economic viable for the home market as well as having a wonderful surface quality tough enough to stand up to the wheels of thrashing boards.

Richlite & Skatelite

The exterior trim of the ALOeTERRA home is finished with RHEINZINK, a natural titanium zinc material. The RHEINZINK protects the home from water, and other weather related damage.

RHEINZINK is made entirely of pure metal and is, therefore, 100% recyclable. Although RHEINZINK is neither coated nor painted, the material maintains durability and aesthetic appeal for decades. Thanks to modern mining and manufacturing technologies, RHEINZINK requires minimal energy to produce.

In addition to being an environmentally responsible material, RHEINZINK's applications are incredibility diverse. From interior accents to exterior facades, RHEINZINK is attractive and long lasting.

RHEINZINK

Columbia Forest Products manufactures hardwood plywood and particleboard through an environmentally responsible system called PureBond. Unlike most plywood, Columbia Forest's PureBond does not contain formaldehyde. This formaldehyde-free product lacks volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are dangerous to indoor air quality. In addition to better air quality, Purebond's finish grade allows the wood to be exposed without using a veneer or additional layer.

The unique characteristics of PureBond plywood make it a perfect material solution for any home. ALOeTERRA is using the plywood to build furniture and wall partitions.

Columbia Forest Products

Love the look of natural hardwood floors but hate the idea of cutting down trees? Put your worries to rest; hardwood is environmentally friendly and naturally abundant. "One of the original 'green' building materials, today's hardwood forests grow far more wood than is harvested from them every year," says the American Hardwood Information Center. They estimate that the volume of American hardwood forests today is 90 percent larger than it was 50 years ago.

The abundance of natural hardwood can be credited to hardwood manufacturers that practice environmentally responsible harvesting methods. Manufacturers select individual trees for harvest, instead of clear-cutting acres of land. Selecting individual trees allows forests to easily regenerate and reduces the chance of having a negative impact on wildlife. Modern saw technologies allow manufactures to use nearly every section of a log, minimizing the number of trees needed to fulfill harvest demands.

In the home, natural hardwood is attractive, durable, and easy to maintain. Natural hardwood stays beautiful for decades and can easily be recycled or reused.

The hardwood floors in the ALOeTERRA home were purchased from Launstein Hardwood Floors, a Michigan based company that incorporates recycled wood into the manufacturing process. Every week, Launstein receives a truckload of previously used and discarded wood. Launstein then recycles the used wood into some of the world's finest hardwood flooring.

American Hardwood Information Center

Hardwood Manufacturer's Association

Launstein Hardwood Floors

The interior walls and soffits in the ALOeTERRA home are completely covered with CertainTeed's Regular Gypsum Wallboard. The wallboard is easy to work with and provides a smooth surface ready for wall finishes. Also, the wallboard acts as a fire retardant, protecting the structure of home in the unfortunate event of a fire.

Along with quality products, CertainTeed values environmental responsibility. Our team chose the Gypsum Wallboard because of its high level of recycled content and its environmentally friendly production process.

CertainTeed Gypsum Board Products

Green Design Tips!