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)

Cherry Republic Partners with Eco-Building Products

By Forest Mullins

Going Green in Leelanau County

“We are not just selling cherries anymore; we are trying to make a better world,” says Cherry Republic President Bob Sutherland, who has taken a cue from one of the country’s prominent environmental philanthropists and made an effort to “green up” his popular Glen Arbor business that sells all things cherry — from ice cream, to salsa, to clothing. True to form, Cherry Republic installed dual-flush toilets and a solar-thermal system this past May.

Sutherland is not alone as the green building movement gains traction in Michigan and beyond. And that’s a breath of fresh air. As recently as 2006, buildings accounted for 40 percent of the total energy consumed in the United States and 38 percent of our carbon dioxide emissions.

In our state, environmental improvements could serve two purposes. Michigan boasts the highest unemployment rate in the nation, and green jobs and technology could prove to be a savior. Grand Rapids, for instance, boasts 26 buildings that are LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) — making it per capita the top city in the country.

Leelanua's Green Businessman
Of course, you have heard of Bob Sutherland, the local boy who began by selling T-shirts out of the back of his car. Since those meager days, his business has grown to become the leading distributor of specialty cherry products worldwide. Meanwhile, Sutherland’s environmentally-conscious business practices have distinguished Cherry Republic among local businesses as a green pioneer. The company donates one percent of its sales to environmental nonprofits — an amount that has already topped half a million dollars. Sutherland cites Patagonia outdoor clothing company founder Yvonne Chouinard as the impetus for his environmental mission.

Chouinard “was a huge inspiration to me,” says Sutherland. The two met 11 years ago when Chouinard came to Traverse City to speak on behalf of the Michigan Land Use Institute, an environmental and land use advocacy organization. Sutherland took to heart Chouinard’s pleas to do more for the planet.

The three-year goal at Cherry Republic now is to reduce energy consumption by 40 percent by creating renewable energy and adopting energy conservation. “We’ve already gotten to 20 percent in our first year,” Sutherland adds with a smile.

The “green team” at Cherry Republic — staff members who focus on cutting energy consumption and educating fellow employees on ways to conserve energy at work and home — has teamed up with Eco-Building Products of Travers City to implement environmental improvements at the store in Glen Arbor. “We started with the basics, changing light bulbs, increasing the insulation, and installing thermostats,” Sutherland adds. The next step was to purchase construction materials from Eco-Building Products such as paints, clear finished, and adhesive that off gas very few, if any, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that pollute indoor air. He installed three Caroma dual-flush toilets in employee and guest restrooms in the Glen Arbor location that will save 24,000 to 36,000 gallons of water this year. The most expensive investment was to install a commercial Solar-Thermal System on the roof of Cherry Republic's Cafe.

The Green Building Alliance
Cherry Republic and Eco-Building Products (EBP) are paving the way for other local businesses by spreading the word about green-building techniques. “We are very proud of our association, because we are helping them make a living so they can make more companies in our area greener too,” summarizes Sutherland.

“We were so inspired by Cherry Republic's commitment to have a positive impact on the environment, we thought that we needed to recognize the company for its efforts. “Barnes explains. “So we developed our own Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Program (EP3 for short) similar to President Bill Clinton's 1998 Executive Order, entitled Greening the Government through Waste Prevention, Recycling and Federal Acquisition.”

The Traverse City Firm’s Environmentally Preferred Partnership (EP3) is based upon a mutual commitment to have immediate positive impact on Mother Nature. (Go to Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program for information.) All of EBP’s products and systems eliminate or reduce negative environmental impact as soon as they are installed. In exchange for purchasing and installing its eco-building products and systems, Eco-Building Products provides it's partners with valuable empirical data (often in the spreadsheet form) that measures environmental impact and financial Return on Investment (ROI).

This valuable data ensures that its partners are well-informed, calculated, well-balanced and sustainable. EBP provides its EP3 partners with volume discounts and “broad scope” discounts that encourage its partners to take action on several environmental fronts as long as it is economically sustainable. Cherry Republic has purchased products that promote good indoor-air quality, save water, off-set carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) by reducing Kilowatt-hours usage, and generating clean energy.

Water Efficiency and Free Hot Water
Glen Arbor does not have public restrooms, and will not have them until next spring. In the meantime, Cherry Republic has gone though four sets of toilets in six years and experienced the stress of high water usage on its septic field. If used correctly a Caroma dual-flush toilet has the ability to save 14,000 gallons of water each year in a commercial setting,” explains Jim Barnes.

Meanwhile, Eco-Building Products’ solar-thermal system heats water that can be used for washing Cherry Republic's cafe dishes, guests and employee hands. This represents over 200 gallons of water each day during the high-volume summer season. Unlike solar (photovoltaic) panels, which turn solar energy directly into electricity, solar-thermal systems harness the sun’s energy for thermal energy or heat.

Several concave vacuum-sealed glass tubes are visible on the roof of café. No matter where the sun is in the sky, these tubes direct light to copper pipes in the middle of the tube. “When the liquid heats up inside the copper pipe it turns to a gas and transfers its heat to a medium (either water or a water/glycol mix) in a closed-loop system that will then transfer the heat into a water storage tank in the utility room,” Barnes explains.

“It’s the most efficient, best payback, cleanest, and longest-lasting form of renewable energy. Everyone in Northern Michigan should have one,” encourages Sutherland. “A single-family home with a two-panel system will typically cost $8,000-$10,000 installed,” estimates Barnes.

Federal Tax Credit Inspires Solar Energy and Green Building
Besides earning a 30 percent tax credit on average, solar water heating can reduce carbon emissions by one ton per year if replacing natural gas, and three tons per year if replacing electric hot water heating. Cherry Republic has also begun buying wind power energy credits from a wind farm in McBain, Michigan, called Heritage Sustainable Energy.

“Our whole green initiative here has invigorated me as a business owner,” says Sutherland. “Creating a green team has inspired employees. They are more loyal and proud of what we are doing here.”

As founder of the Sierra Club Foundation David Brower put it, “There is no business to be done on a dead planet."

Originally Published by the Glen Arbor Sun
http://www.glenarborsun.com/

On the WEB:
The Cherry Republic all things Cherry!
Green Building Products at Eco-Building Products