Fall is in the air!

Brrr! Did you feel the wind blow this weekend? We sure did here in Northern Michigan! Makes you want to grab your blanket and curl up on the couch, doesn't it? We've already started to light those furnaces, shut the windows, lock it all up tight! The goal is to trap all that cold air outside, right? What about what you've trapped inside?

The Toxic Air We Breath - Just How Dangerous is our Indoor Air?

Since the end of World War II conventional building practices and product selections have proven to be unsafe for both the builder and the occupant of the building. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies have shown that Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is 2-5 times worse than the outdoor air quality in a newly constructed home. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) cause acute and chronic illnesses. Acute problems like eye, nose, throat irritations, and headaches are caused by these compounds. VOCs can also cause birth defects, chronic illnesses such as kidney and liver failure, central nervous system damage, and even cancer. In recent years we have come to recognize that many conventional building materials have high VOC content. Installation of conventional building materials cause off gassing of potent VOCs. Even after these products have been installed they may continue to off gas toxins into living and working spaces in less noticeable doses. These less noticeable doses have become a significant contributor to “Sick Building Syndrome” according to the EPA.

Eco-Building Products Solution - An Easy Way to a Healthier Building Process

IAQ can be improved through Moisture Control, Pest Management, HVAC Systems, Combustion Ventilation Systems, Radon Control and the appropriate Building Material Selection. Simply specifying high quality non-toxic building materials will have a signifi cant and long-lasting impact on the quality of your client’s indoor air. Eco-Building Products represents high performance building materials that earn credits for green building standards, are long-lasting, cost effective and safe to install for the applicator and the occupant. Now you have a number of environmentally friendly building products that can be specified to improve indoor air quality.

While you might think that this is going to be expensive - hold on, it's not! Less than 1% of your total home cost is the amount out of pocket - but what it saves? Your health!!!

Next Week:

Marmoleum: The most natural flooring on earth!

Grand Opening Celebration

October 5, 2009

Our Grand Opening that was held on the Autumn Equinox, September 22, was a huge success! The outpouring of support was fantastic! We are very lucky and blessed to have the opportunity to serve the Grand Traverse and surrounding region with our environmentally-friendly products and services.

The Traverse City Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors were on-hand for a ribbon cutting ceremony. As Jim Barnes, one of the owners, did a practice “cut”, we were right on track, but when it came to the actual 1-2-3-cut, he was so excited, he only made it to 1 before he snipped the ribbon!

We were able to entertain our guests with some great food and local beverages too! The food, courtesy of Crystal Lake Catering, was fabulous! Many thanks go out as well to North Peak, Left Foot Charley and Right Brain Brewery for supplying us with delicious beverages for the evening.

Talent is everywhere! Local artist and WTCM AM/FM Marketing Consultant, Greg Nachazel, did an incredible natural earth plaster demo on our back wall which we’ve named our American Clay “Play Station”. Gred did an amazing job with a metal stencil of his own creation, along with some really unique textured samples. The response was fantastic! Everyone loved Greg’s work and it showed interesting techniques that can be used when applying Amercian Clay!

Another added surpise for the evening was a special appearance by Derek Bailey, Chairman of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. Derek made it a priority to come out and show his support for Eco-Building Products, which was so appreciated. Kchi Megwetch!

Our appreciation goes out to Bill Policastro and the Michigan Green Consortium, a local organization whose mission is to create economic awareness and support for green enterprise in Michigan and to help it thrive. They held their monthly meeting during our Grand Opening, not only to show their support (and to enjoy the food and beverages!), but to introduce their members and guests to our store and staff! Please go check them out at www.mgconline.org.

Also, the evening couldn’t have happened without the hard work and dedication of Eco-Building Products’ newest staff members! Marketing Director, Melissa Hromada and Retail Sales Manager, Scott Bouma worked many long days (and nights!) in preparation for our event. Their organizational skills and awesome ideas played a large part in the fashion in which this event happened.

Many of the awesome product displays throughout the new showroom were designed and constructed by Eco-Building Products’ second owner, Larry Kinney. Larry has been a tremendous source of product use information as well as our go-to guy when it comes to media interviews and hands-on experience. Thank you Larry!

Working together, that’s what it’s all about. We encourage you to stop by our beautiful downtown Traverse City showroom to see what steps you can take to make your own personal environment around you cleaner, safer, greener.

New Store!!

New Store in Traverse City Eco-Building Products is pleased to announce the opening of our new retail store located at 130 Hall Street in the Warehouse District of Traverse City, Michigan. Since March of 2006, we had operated from a pole barn on the west side of Traverse City.

Now, we have made an ambitious move from the back woods to a downtown retail location and have hired two highly skilled employees to help with operations.The goal of our new store is to assist members of the Grand Traverse community to more easily adjust to a new and different lifestyle. The blend of eco-building products and systems will help the community to build and remodel more efficiently as well as live a more rewarding and lower impact lifestyle.Our high performing products are energy generating, energy efficient, natural resource sensible, durable, cost-effective and healthy for the environment and you.

Eco-Building Products has worked closely with a LEED accredited builder who installs most of the products and systems that we represent. Utilizing this builder's years of experience and success with using our products, we have had an opportunity to learn how effective our products really are. This process, coupled with applying high screening standards (Life Cycle Assessment commonly known as LCA) and superior buying principles, enables us to carefully screen these products and offer them to you with full confidence in their performance as well as their environmental benefits.Below is a list of some products that we carry:

-Natural earth clay plasters

-No VOC paints and stains

-No VOC adhesives and sealers

-Low VOC penetrating oils and natural clear finishes

-Sustainable, high grade, harvested bamboo and cork flooring

-Natural linoleum flooring (5 simple and natural ingredients)

-Structural insulated panels made from formaldehyde free OSB and straw

-Wind turbines and solar collectors generating electrical and thermal energy

-Insulated concrete wall forms made from recycled wood chips

-Natural daylighting systems (tubular skylights)

-and more (take a look in our store)

Please forward this message on to others that might have an interest in our effort. This way, you can help us to continue to inform and supply the Grand Traverse community.

Visit our Online Store

New line of Green Construction Adhesives

Eco-Building products is now carrying the latest in green technology: BuildSecure structural adhesive, WallSecure drywall adhesive, and FloorSecure structural adhesive.

BuildSecure Structural Construction Adhesive
BuildSecure is a fast setting, structural adhesive designed for various “panel on frame” assemblies in commercial and residential construction.

BuildSecure has been certified by Akron Laboratories to pass AFG-01 testing and therefore complies with HUD UM-60 and ASTM D-3498 specifications for bonding subfloor construction. BuildSecure can achieve wood tearing bonds in less than four hours at 72° F. The speed of set and ultimate shear strength make BuildSecure is ideal for shear wall construction and roof assemblies in a production setting where timing is of critical importance.

The “green strength” and ultimate 500+ PSI shear strength of this adhesive permits floor decks, shear walls and roof assemblies to be bonded to each other, forming a rigid “airframe” type construction with strength in all directions. BuildSecure is 100% solids and therefore capable of filling gaps and forming bonds on irregular surfaces without shrinking.

BuildSecure is a solvent free, non-flammable, moisture curing adhesive, that complies with all OSHA, State, Local and Federal air quality regulations. This adhesive is non-carcinogenic and complies with California Proposition 65.

WallSecure Solvent Free Drywall Adhesive / Foam Adhesive
WallSecure is a fast-setting green drywall adhesive. WallSecure is 100-percent solids and therefore capable of filling gaps and forming bonds on irregular surfaces without shrinking.

WallSecure is a solvent free, non-flammable, moisture-curing adhesive that complies with OSHA, State, and Federal air quality regulations. This adhesive is non-carcinogenic and complies with California Proposition 65.

Color: TAN

WallSecure Basic Uses
• Drywall to wood assemblies
• Installing EPS Foam Installations
• Wood to Metal

Advantages
• 100 percent VOC compliant
• Tough elastomeric bonds
• Non-Flammable
• Solvent-Free
• Fast Setting
• High Adhesion
• Non-Carcinogenic

FloorSecure Structural Flooring Adhesive
FloorSecure is a high performance, polyether-based trowel-grade green adhesive for bonding wood flooring, tile and stone to most floor substrates. 2 gallon pails, 60 pails per pallet.

Special order only.

Introducing Rubio Monocoat Natural Oil Floor Finish

Eco-Building Products Launches One-Coat Floor Finish Line
Thanks to our good friend Finnish Projects floor finishers in Minnesota, we are proud to launch a line of one-coat, ZERO-VOC, natural-oil, floor finish. Rubio Monocoat Floor Finish is a revolutionary technology. By combining natural linseed oil and natural waxes, Monocoat can finish your floor (with 34 different colors), your furniture, or your toys in one simple coat.

To Purchase Rubio Monocoat Floor Finish, please see Eco-Building Products store:
Rubio Monocoat Floor Finish: Natural Oil Finish Clear 1 Liter
Rubio Monocoat Floor Finish: Natural Oil Finish Colors 1 Liter

But, don't just take our word for it....
Read some of FinnishProjects.com testimonials!

Want more information?
-500 sq. ft. coverage./Liter! (18.2¢ sq. ft.)
-Free of toxic VOCs
-A spectrum of 34 Rubio Monocoat colors
-Single-coat simple application
-Durable protection
-Easy to touch up

Rubio Monocoat is Single-coat application
Rubio Monocoat adheres with the first microns of wood by molecular bonding. As a result, Rubio Monocoat Natural Oil Floor Finish can cover an average 400 sq. ft. of floor per liter. And because of molecular bonding, no surface film can form, and no variable saturation can occur. Not only is a second coat not required, the finished wood will not accept a second coat. The same action protects against overlaps and color variance and causes the process to complete in a single coat.

Durable protection with Rubio Monocoat
The Monocoat molecular bond creates durable, long lasting protection. After a reaction time of just 15 seconds, the fibers bond.

An Easy to touch up Environmentally-Friendly Floor Finish
Monocoat Natural Oil finish bonding technology allows local touch up of damaged areas or scratches, because only the free wood fibers will take the touchup coating. The finished margins next to the scratched or damaged area will not accept new Monocoat. After 10 minutes, just wipe away superfluous oil. There is no overlapping or additional density buildup at the margins.

Rubio Monocoat: Simple, One-Coat Application Process:
Rubio Monocoat Floor Finish Day 1
Clean the sanded floor thoroughly.
Coat the entire floor with Monocoat Oil.
Remove all excess oil
Rubio Monocoat Floor Finish Day 2
After 24-36 hours the area is ready for occupancy

Application Instructions:
http://www.specialhardwood.com/pdf/monocoat_application_v2.pdf
Rubio Monocoat Cleaning and Maintenance Instructionds (PDF)