Window Cleaner Busted For Leaving Tap On

On the sidewalk Monday by the post office on Federal Street on the North Side, water gushes from a window washer's unattended hose.

Think about waste involved in runoff of valuable water (Diana Nelson Jones): This is just plain wrong. Look at this hose. I passed it in front of the post office on Federal Street and South Commons on the North Side/North Shore Monday morning. A man was washing the post office windows with a squeegee, and water from this hose was flowing down the sidewalk and into the street. This is water that Alcosan treated that's right back into its system for treatment. This water was completely wasted. The cost of treating it was wasted. We keep paying that cost and we keep wasting. People complain about being nickel-and-dimed but blithely go about wasting and witnessing waste without even thinking, much less thinking about the incredible amounts of money this heedlessness costs us. The costs become exponential over time.

I was going to ask the window washer why the hose didn't have a shut-off valve, but at that moment, a man greeted him and they started talking. I didn't want to embarrass him in front of someone. Over the years, as I have passed that post office and its huge sweeping curve of sloping sidewalk, I have thought: This would be a great place for a rain garden. Storm water washes around that curve right into the street. A rain garden on a patch of that sidewalk could intercept a lot of it.

Later that morning, I received an email announcement from the county about the Allegheny Green initiative that county Executive Dan Onorato started in 2009, when the four planters in the courthouse courtyard were turned into rain gardens. The downspouts that had drained into the city's sewer system now divert rain water into the planting beds, and the planters are filled with drainage material and drought-tolerant native plants.

The county has placed signs that identify and tell you something about the 30 native plants. The signs have QR barcodes that, if you have a smart phone, you can scan for more information. The news release tells that a rain garden should be composed of native plants that tolerate the pooling of water as well as periods of drought, and goes on: "The cost to develop a rain garden is normally $6-$8 per square foot and provides increased value to homes and businesses." Two inches of rain on a roof can result in more than 600 gallons of water rushing through downspouts and into sewer systems. As little as a tenth of an inch of rain can cause combined sewers to overflow.

Then there's pavement. There is permeable surface material out there, but we continue to pave things with the old asphalt, so the oil under your car and the soap that cleaned it and everything else that is lying on the streets contaminates storm water that flows into storm and sanitary sewers and local streams. The county executive affirmed that "green infrastructure is a key component of storm water management" and that "we must come together as a community to address the issue."

Yes, DanO, we must. So I address this directly to you: Would you call the post office and ask them to get a hose valve for their window washer? As the guy who committed the Allegheny County Office Building to being the county's first green-roofed public building, you have more clout than I.

As for the rest of us: If you are one of those people who let the water run when you aren't using it -- washing the car, brushing your teeth or squeegeeing a window -- think of how you would feel if, say, a $10 bill blew from your hand off the bridge and into the river. If I am not speaking to the choir as you read this, just think about it. Just give it a little thought. In the end, no matter who is paying the bill -- the post office this time, your employer next time, or you -- it's all the same. We all lose when we waste.

The last flood on Federal Street, March 1904

Glass News For the Discerning Window Cleaner

Glass roof falls, buries parking lot: One person is trapped after a glass canopy on top of an apartment building garage in New Jersey caved in, causing the entire structure to collapse.
Rescuers were able to see the victim inside their car using special camera equipment but have not been able to reach them amid fears of another collapse. There are reports up to three people have also been buried with witnesses describing the moment the garage collapsed as "like an earthquake". The latest collapse happened around 2:30 p.m. Saturday while crews were removing rubble, glass and other debris from the Hackensack site. It came one day after the three-story garage had pancaked when a glass canopy attached to a nearby high-rise condominium building fell on it. Officials initially feared that at least one person was trapped in the wreckage and began intensive rescue efforts. But the 22-hour rescue mission was called off Saturday morning after it was determined that no one had been trapped. Crews were briefly removed from the site after Saturday's collapse, but were expected to return to work later in the day.

NanaWall Systems, the leader in large opening glass walls, announces the launch of its hurricane system for mid-rise buildings: The NanaWall® SL73 Miami Dade/AAMA Hurricane Folding System. The NanaWall SL73 offers the beauty of a large opening NanaWall combined with hurricane protection for buildings up to 8 to 10 stories. With its higher performance ratings, the same NanaWall features and benefits available for low rises in hurricane areas are now available for mid rises in hurricane areas: The NanaWall SL73 has the following additional features and benefits: Design Flexibility From mid rise multi family or office buildings to single family residences, restaurants, spas and resorts, reception halls and recreation facilities, the SL73 is ideal for creating large opening walls for coastal communities.

Man builds glass house: If you thought you could build a house using only brick and mortar, then this one will definitely blow your mind. Felix Gora (55) of Cranborne Harare, is currently building an enormous house entirely from glass. His innovation has set tongues wagging, with people saying he should not even think of throwing stones. Gora has transformed his seven-roomed house into a majestic work of glass art covering all the house’s interior and exterior walls. He attributes this craftsmanship to his desire for bringing to life the reality of “glass communication”. “There are so many glasses in here, but they are not just meaningless and plain,” says Gora. “Every piece of glass here serves a purpose and is structured well for that purpose.” “My house is an expression of purposeful work with a meaning and a message.” Even his bed is surrounded by glass – a scenario that would make an ordinary person get goose pimples.
All his wardrobes and other pieces of furniture in the three bedrooms are made of glass, including wooden surfaces that have glass glued to them. It is almost impossible for strangers visiting Gora’s house to move without bumping into some glass. In fact, one cannot tell whether they are coming or going because of the optical illusion created by the glass surfaces. Glass surrounds a bar in the house and a small upper room is entirely made of glass. The same can be said of the kitchen where impressive glass images are evident. And Gora has abandoned traditional curtains for glass. “It is not ordinary glass, but it is structural glass that was put here to capture a meaning,” he said. Gora described the glass as solar-shield glass which he said was very expensive. “This place is an expression of everything l do. This type of glass is called solar-shield or Venetia glass, one of the most expensive that enables one to see from inside, but when you are outside you see nothing,” he said indicating that he did not need curtains as the glass would serve the same purpose.
Gora said he was not yet through with construction and would continue until his dream was realised. “We want to put life to it. It is still very well much under construction,” said the soft spoken former Churchill High School metalwork teacher. He said his house was once used as a home to Danger, a character in the popular Studio 263 soap. Even popular musician Andy Brown used to rehearse there. But Gora’s “House of Glass” is yet to find a woman of the house. He said he was still hunting for Miss Right. “I am not yet married but l would love to be,” he said jokingly.

Rowan Atkinson's dream home is a nightmare; Oh no, not Rowan Atkinson, too. I’d have thought a clever man – and a comic genius – would know better. Pictured are his plans to replace his 1930s house in Oxfordshire with a steel and glass monstrosity designed by Richard Meier, the famous American designer of steel and glass monstrosities.
I lived opposite a Meier building in New York. It had wonderful views over the Hudson River, but that was only to be expected in a building that was almost entirely glass, connected by thin struts of steel. Not only was it hideous, it was also utterly see-through – kind of difficult for the zillionaires inside to preserve their modesty; and hell to heat in winter and keep cool in the summer.
Architecture is the most public of all the arts. You may not like Damien Hirst or Tracey Emin but at least the zillionaires who buy their pictures keep them inside their houses, and no one has to see them. Hideous architecture is inflicted on any passer-by whether he likes it or not.
Atkinson’s 30s house isn’t that pretty, I admit. But at least it fits perfectly well into the Oxfordshire landscape, with a pretty enough loggia and hipped roof; the Meier building, understandably objected to by the local parish council and conservation body, is like a space ship that has been airlifted in from Planet Ugly.

Top Secret Innovations at the Bystronic glass Stand: Innovative and flying high at glasstec 2010 - The Bystronic glass Group will be presenting numerous innovations at the glasstec trade fair that is taking place in Düsseldorf from 28 September to 1 October 2010. Richard Jakob, CEO of the Bystronic glass Group revealed: “ In addition to numerous new and more sophisticated machines, we will also be presenting our customers with some exclusive innovations in our Top Secret area“. This closed area will only be accessible to invited or registered guests when accompanied by the Bystronic glass sales staff. On its stand which covers an area of 1,200 square metres, Bystronic glass will be presenting system solutions for glass processing in the areas of building and automotive glass, not forgetting the solar industry. Moderated live machine presentations will enable visitors to gain an insight into the fascinating technologies.

Emirates Float Glass (EFG), a subsidiary of Glass LLC which is wholly owned by Dubai Investments PJSC, has announced that it has received the CE Mark certification – the regulatory approval to market a product in the European Economic Area (EEA) - for its range of clear, bronze and grey float glass products. Emirates Float Glass is the first glass manufacturer in the Middle East to receive CE Mark certification for its products.
Ghassan Mashal, General Manager of Emirates Float Glass, received the certification on behalf of the company from Nigel Rees, CEO of the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF), the UK-based global trade association representing the glass industry, at a ceremony held in Dubai recently. “This is an important milestone in EFG’s pursuit in becoming a truly world-class company,” Ghassan Mashal said. “The certification allows us to affix the CE Mark – which denotes conformity to the highest standards of quality and safety – on our products and will enable us to market our range of float glass in countries throughout the European Economic Area.”
“Since its inception in 2009, EFG has striven to maintain consistently high standards of quality across its product range. Our products are currently exported to more than 35 countries around the world, and the CE Mark approval will allow us to make new inroads into high-potential European markets and further extend our global reach,” Mashal added. EFG already exports products to several European countries including Spain, Italy, Ukraine, and the Netherlands.
EFG’s range of clear, bronze and grey float glass were certified by TNO, Netherlands - a leading independent provider of quality assurance and evaluation services - under European Standards EN 410 and EN 572 –Part 1.
The CE Mark is a mandatory conformity mark on products placed on the single market in the European Economic Area. The CE Mark certifies that a product has met EU consumer safety, health or environmental requirements. EFG is the largest integrated glass processing facility in the UAE with a capacity of 190,000 tons per annum under phase 1 of the project. The plant was built with technological assistance from US-based PPG Industries, the global leaders in glass manufacturing technology. EFG’s Board of Directors is currently reviewing its strategic plans to speed up expansion under phase 2, which will significantly increase the company’s production capacity.


Can an All-Glass Office Building Really Be Considered Green? For decades, modern office buildings have been pretty much covered in glass curtain walls. Some are high performance and very expensive, like the super-green LEED Platinum Bank of America Building at 1 Bryant Park in New York, or they can be the standard crappy suburban office building thrown up across North America, looking the same in California or Calgary. But as Steve Mouzon points out, even the very best glazing has an R-value that is equivalent to a 2x4 wall with fiberglass insulation, something that nobody has built for years. Most office buildings don't even approach a third of that. So why do architects design buildings this way?
Alex Wilson at Environmental Building News looks at the issue in Rethinking the All-Glass Building (subscription only). He writes: Some of the world's most prominent "green" skyscrapers, including New York City's One Bryant Park (the LEED Platinum Bank of America skyscraper) and the New York Times Tower, wear the mantle of green with transparent façades. But there is a high environmental cost to all that glitter: increased energy consumption. Until new glazing technologies make technical solutions more affordable, many experts suggest that we should collectively end our infatuation with heavily glazed, all-glass buildings. Alex summarizes some of the reasons that glass buildings are so popular, some of which I think are questionable, bordering on ludicrous.
But you can have too much of a good thing, and in most buildings the glass is tinted or mirrored to reduce the amount of daylight. At One Bryant Place, the glass is covered with a ceramic frit (pictured) to reduce the daylight penetration; in the New York Times Building, it is covered with ceramic rods to reduce the amount of light. Any light below desktop height is pretty much wasted. So claiming that floor to ceiling glazing increases the amount of daylight is a bit specious, you can't possibly use that much of it. Ultimately, as Steve Mouzon notes, you don't need more than a third of the wall to be glazed to get all the light you could use. Other architects might counter that you get a better connection to outdoors if you frame a view like a picture. Or that this only applies to the lucky employee sitting right next to the window; for everyone else that glass below the desk height is meaningless.
Really. So "transparent" gets picked up as corporate jargon and suddenly we are designing buildings around it? And with the tints and the blinds and the mirroring, can anyone actually see in? I think the reasons are simpler: laziness. In most cases, the architect is no longer really designing the exterior of a building, worrying about proportion and detailing and materiality, he or she is simply outsourcing the design to a curtainwall supplier. It looks really good on a rendering, and makes it easier to get approvals; the simple, reflective skin disappears against the sky. It is easier to administer; one trade is providing the entire skin of the building. It's thinner; the client gets more rentable square feet. So what if it is an energy hog, the tenant pays for that, not the owner.
In general, heavily glazed buildings consume more energy than buildings with more moderate levels of glass. With a higher glazing fraction, solar heat gain as well as heat loss in cold weather are both greater. Glass does introduce daylighting, of course, and well-executed daylighting can reduce both electric lighting and mechanical cooling costs but the ideal percentage of glazing is far below that of many of today's prominent all-glass buildings. Alex concludes by saying that "a growing body of experts in sustainable design argues that our architectural aesthetic should evolve away from all-glass façades." But it will take a new breed of architects, who know something about commodity, firmness and delight as well as the difference between a north and a south facade.
After I wrote favourably about the New York Times building two years ago, with its floor to ceiling glass, Green Architect disagreed with my admiration of the ceramic tube sun shading, with a comment that I will repeat here in full; his comment seems more appropriate than ever, and my response now seems particularly stupid. You've fallen for the "Hybrid-SUV" trap, Mr Alter. The ceramic sun shade isn't solving an unavoidable environmental problem. It is mitigating the problem caused by the overuse of glass. Like the SUV, "transparent" buildings have become a cultural icon. In both instances there are techniques that can lessen their environmental impact, but clear-minded individuals ought not be lulled away from questioning the necessity of the underlying practice. Every "benefit" of the sun shade (reduced solar gain, internal reflectance, ect.) could be achieved much more effectively by properly proportioned glazing and a light-shelf, and use materials representing drastically less embodied energy. A poorly designed building that employs mitigating features is not "green". As a green architect, I expected better out of a Treehugger contributor.
LA: Your point is well taken. Here I took the Times at their word that they thought about it: "The New York Times selected a design that codified its philosophy of a "transparent" organization and one dedicated to creating a high quality work environment for their employees. The exterior of the building was proposed as a transparent floor-to-ceiling, all-glass façade that encouraged openness and communication with the external world. For a corporation whose daily business is gathering and disseminating news, facile communication between departments was encouraged by a number of the design features selected."

Platinum group metals (PGMs) have been used for many years in the glass industry. But, now the use of PGMs in glass industry has gone up. According to reports appearing in global media, due to an increase in use of glass in all areas, the use of PGMs in glass making has also gone up.
This will result in a rise in demand for PGMs. According to reports, glass industry will more platinum group metals in the coming years and this may cause a rise in prices of the metals. Due to their high melting points and superior resistance to corrosion, PGMs are invaluable for protecting manufacturing equipment from attack by molten glass and corrosive vapours. Although the initial cost of PGMs may be high, they are fully recyclable and, depending on the product, 95% to 98% of the metal can usually be recovered and converted into revenue once the useful life of the component is over. This has helped people use the metal in the industry.

Baghdad Nights Glitter, Behind Shatterproof Glass: However loudly you protest, you still have to check your gun at the restaurant’s door. (Customers take valet tickets in return.) Guards in tight jeans and tighter shirts patrol the entrance, toting that ubiquitous paraphernalia of authority here: a walkie-talkie. Even cavalier guests cast leery glances down the road for a car that could be rigged with a bomb.
Antoine al-Hage, capitalism’s equivalent of a soldier of fortune, smiles at it all — the danger, the risk and, of course, the payoff of bringing nightlife to “Where there’s war,” he said, “there’s lots of money.” A slew of new restaurants have opened in the capital this year, from Tomorrow and Tool al-Lail to Toast and City Chief, offering a respite for a city spectacularly bereft of night-time destinations. All have evolved to the conditions of contemporary Baghdad, a city that teases with hints of the ordinary but remains a barricaded warren of blast walls and barbed wire. Namely, nearly all boast of having thick shatterproof glass.
Red, golds and browns accent the chrome, leather, glass and faux alligator skin on the columns. The marble came from Lebanon, the parquet from Dubai and the furniture from Indonesia. A big-screen television is fastened to two-story windows that open to a triple-decked patio. There, patrons gaze on a view of the Tigris that was once the preserve of the palaces for Saddam Hussein’s wife and brother-in-law.

A*STAR Showcases Innovative Solutions for Tackling Urban Living Challenges at World Cities Summit 2010: industry attention as they are effective and environmental-friendly. A*STAR's Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) has successfully built a pilot production plant to produce a TiO2 photocatalytic solution, and commercialised the technology. Sunlight, in particular the ultra violet component, activates the titanium dioxide to trigger the self-cleaning process.
Two unique properties of TiO2 enable this: its high oxidation power breaks down dirt and unwanted material, while its super-hydrophilicity repels water to drain off rain and with it the oxidized material, from coated surfaces. This technology allows a dramatic reduction in building maintenance costs and resources. The TiO2 coating lasts for up to three years, and surfaces can be recoated when it wears off. This technology is highly suitable for countries like Singapore with year-round sunshine and high precipitation to facilitate such a cleaning process.
Exterior surfaces which can benefit from this are painted areas, tiles, glass windows and panels, and other glass surfaces that are exposed to sunlight. E. Efficient Conversion of Industrial Organic byproducts into Biogas The lignocellulose-based bioethanol and FAME (fatty acid methyl esters) biodiesel industries generate a large amount of byproducts such as xylose, arabinose and glycerol.
Converting these cheap and renewable carbon sources into value-added fuel such as biogas (methane and CO2), creates great commercial value: cheaper and greener waste management is encouraged, and supplants the need to bury them in landfills, which are highly costly spaces. Biogas, which is a low-cost biofuel, can be used directly to produce thermal energy, or it can be used to power a gas or diesel engine to run a generator to produce electricity.

Are You A Green-Wash Window Cleaner?

What does green' mean? By Julie DearDorff/Chicago Tribune

These days, going green seemingly is a breeze: Pesticides, SUVs, laptops, bottled water, coal, airlines, cruise ships and dry cleaners all promise that they're "friendly," "gentle" and "kind to the planet." Unfortunately, there probably is no such thing as an "eco-friendly" product since all use resources to create some amount of waste. Environmentalists argue ad infinitum about what "green" really means. And though the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, is supposed to crack down on fraudulent advertising, critics say the agency hasn't kept pace with the burgeoning number of misleading environmental claims.

The result is that consumers are often flooded by greenwash, the practice of disingenuously spinning a product, service or policy as greener than it actually is. Think whitewashing with an eco-brush. One environmental marketing firm, TerraChoice, found some form of greenwashing in 98 percent of the more than 2,219 products with environmental claims that it surveyed. But since no one really knows what "green" means - and marketers have relatively outdated FTC guidelines - consumers are left to sort out which green companies are the real deal.

"The good news is that consumers are taking environmental performance into account when making buying decisions," said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Chicago-based Environmental Law and Policy Center, which is starting to look at which wireless service providers might be truly green. "But if people pay good green dollars to get green performance, the environmental results should justify the investment." Even if you haven't heard the term "greenwashing" which originally referred to hotels making inconsequential environmental changes, you've likely seen it.

A well-known example is the bottled water company that uses a picture of Mother Nature to advertise its product. Greenwashing could be a "biodegradable" label on a product that ends up in a landfill, where it won't decompose. At its worst, greenwashing is outright fraud: Last February the FTC warned 78 retailers, including Wal-mart, Target and Kmart, to stop labeling and advertising rayon textile products as "bamboo" which is considered an environmentally friendly fiber. Fearing that "green" will end up as meaningless as "natural," marketers, environmentalists and business alliances are sponsoring anti-greenwashing conferences across the nation. At the University of Oregon, journalism professors have helped create a tool called "The Greenwashing Index," an initiative designed to draw attention to issues with environmental messages.

The FTC, meanwhile, is expected to release revised environmental marketing guidelines, called The Green Guides, later this year, which some say hope will signal the start of a greenwashing crackdown. When the guides were last updated in 1998, words such as "sustainable" and "carbon neutral" were rarely used. "Greenwashing is confusing to consumers; it takes away business from reputable companies and, most of all, it delays change," said Marilyn Jones, the owner of Consolidated Printing Co. in Chicago, a printing company that uses natural alternatives to conventional printing chemicals. "Why would a dry cleaner or printer become green if they can lie about doing it?"

Though greenwashing is prevalent in all industries, from energy to travel, it's especially controversial in the dry cleaning world, where companies are scrambling to find alternatives to the hazardous chemical percholoroethylene, or perc, which is classified as a "likely" human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency. A Chicago-area discount dry cleaning chain, Dry Clean Direct, which uses the hydrocarbon technology, proclaims "We're the Green Cleaners!" The company recycles hangers, uses biodegradable plastic bags and calls its petroleum-based solvent - "environmentally friendly." "Save Money, Save the Planet," the company urges.

But Frankel worries that companies like Dry Clean Direct are clouding the issue and making it hard for consumers to figure out what green cleaning really is. "If a chemical company is recycling paper, are they green?" Frankel asked. "The core process of what you do needs to be sustainable, not the peripheral things you do to market yourself as green." Dry Clean Direct CEO Yale Gordon has a different perspective. "It's different views on green," he said. "Some folks say you're only green if you're wet cleaning. But you need to look at the entire business rather than an isolated component."

These differing philosophies show that "green is a continuum" said Scot Case, vice president of TerraChoice. "Consumers need to understand there is no finish line. Recycling coat hangers is a nice step, but when you focus the consumer's attention on or two minor improvements you hide a bunch of the environmental hazards."Case calls this the "sin of the hidden tradeoff' because it often works to distract consumers from the larger environmental issues.

"Greenwashing is often committed by well-intentioned people asking the wrong questions," said Case, taking a break from meetings during the Green Products Round Table in Boca Raton, Fla. a conference held to address greenwashing. "They're exaggerating the environmental benefits or perhaps not asking themselves the right questions about how to improve the environmental service." Consumers, who generally find energy and car companies as the worst greenwashers, can protect themselves by asking their own questions, said Kim Sheehan, a journalism professor at the University of Oregon and co-creator of the Greenwashing Index. "If a company uses green colors, trees, leaves, any type of nature symbol, dig a little deeper to see if they can back up their 'eco-friendliness,'" Sheehan said.

HOW TO AVOID GREENWASHING:

Watch for the sneaky six. The following six words: eco, earth, green, friendly, gentle or kind. They can be mixed and matched to create a phrase that sounds green but means nothing, said Kim Sheehan, co-creator of the EnviroMedia Greenwashing Index. Look for third-party certifying seals. Since there are more than 350 different eco-seals, you have to look carefully. EcoLogo, Green Seal, Energy Star and Watersense are all considered trustworthy. Also look for the Forest Stewardship Council, the FTC, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Use Google. Though far from scientific, try googling the company name plus the word "environment" and see what pops up. "If consumers or environmental advocates have a beef with the company's track record, something's bound to pop up," according to the Greenwashing Index Web site. Know TerraChoice's "Seven Sins of Greenwashing." These include the "sin of no proof" (tissues that claim various percentages of post-consumer recycled content without providing evidence), "the sin of vagueness" (all-natural isn't necessarily green since poisonous substances such as arsenic and mercury are also "natural"), the "sin of irrelevance" (a product labeled CFC-free doesn't mean much since CFCs are banned by law) and the "sin of lesser of two evils (the fuel efficient sport-utility vehicle).

Window Cleaning Rants & Posts

Yes, here is another example of superior customer service that turned me from “disgruntled customer” into a “happy camper” – but not into a “raving fan”!

A window cleaning company employee broke a handle off one of our windows (no, I won’t get on a ladder to clean the third story windows!). The window cleaning company told me they would pay for the replacement handle – but, seriously, they broke it so they should pay for it right? However, I had to order the handle, replace it and then send them the receipt to get reimbursed. This is not the example of superior customer service! Why should I be hassled to correct their mistake? To make me a “raving fan,” – which should always be the objective when correcting a mistake - the window cleaning company should have ordered the handle and then stopped by and put it on the window at no charge to me. That would have made me want to continue to do business with them. Merely doing what they were obligated to do - pay for the replacement part - has cost them a customer and referrals – Whenever I receive superior customer service I recommend the company to the other 24 residents of our home owners association. They will not be getting a recommendation.

The example of superior customer occurred when I ordered the replacement handle from Pella Windows. Rather than go to the Pella warehouse, I asked that the replacement handle be mailed to me. When it arrived it was the wrong handle. I would now have to travel to the Pella Warehouse (a 60 minute round trip) with the broken handle to get the right replacement part. I was not a happy camper! A day later, I got a call from a Pella Service Representative who asked if I had received the part and was satisfied with it. When I told her I was definitely not satisfied, she immediately got the information about the broken handle and said it would be delivered to me the next day by Fed Ex at no charge.

This made me a happy camper and changed me from “irritated customer” to “happy camper”. What would it take to make me a “raving fan”? Perhaps a reimbursement of the cost of the handle to show they were sorry about the original mistake and the hassle (minimal I agree) it caused me.

Or am I just too hard to please? Maybe like some of your best customers?

The Bottom Line: When you have a chance to transform a “disgruntled customer” into a “raving fan” don’t stop half way at the “happy camper” stage! You may never have another opportunity to impress this customer with how much you value their business.

And you never know who has the ability to increase your business through referrals – so give every customer superior customer service (even though you may not give them the big customer discount).

The Question: How far will you go to rectify a mistake and create a “raving fan”?

What are we opening our doors to? He pushed the small package across the kitchen table. "Look what I've brought you, brother." The man looked at the object without touching it. "It is not very big. Are you sure it can do the job." "It senses movement up to one and half metres. Any movement within that range will set it off." "Obviously it is not set up now or...," he did not bother to finish the statement. "That is right but even so you must be very cautious. Listen carefully."

He went on to explain while making sure he had the attention of the one who would take possession of the device. "The contents may catch fire, the container may explode if heated, and may irritate eyes. Remember, do not puncture and not burn. Use it only in a well ventilated area and keep away from open flames such as a pilot light or any object that sparks, such as an electric motor. If you are going to store it keep it away from heat and do not get it in your eyes. Be sure to keep out of reach of children and pets."

Next was an explanation on assembling the device -"lift the front cover then lay the canister into position. Snap the canister in place. Now pull and discard the red tab to activate batteries. Now be sure to keep the unit pointed away from you and others during assembly. You see, it will automatically spray a burst 20 seconds after assembly to show it is working properly. And that, my brother, is how you refill the Glade Sense & Spray Motion activated freshness sensor."

Research by the Sierra Club of Canada shows that the inside of homes is often worse than the outside and we are willing bring in the offending chemicals. For instance, formaldehyde isn't limited to the high school lab. Formaldehyde is used in fertilizers, glues, plywood, particleboard and certain types of installation, as well as in some disinfectants, antibacterial soaps and even beauty products. So, what's to worry about? It has been classified as a probable human carcinogen by the EPA. Home exposure to it has been linked to respiratory allergies in children.

Companies tend to shy away from the down-side of the toxic chemicals while promoting the benefits of their products. Air fresheners give off naphthalene, a suspected carcinogen. Ammonia-based window cleaners cause respiratory irritation. Some cleaners contain the nerve-damaging butyl cello-solve which is absorbed into the skin.

We have to get into the routine of reading labels. While assessments start from the premise that some degree of exposure, even to the most hazardous chemicals, can be judged "acceptable", for many of the chemicals already known for some time to present serious hazards, scientists just don't know the full and long-term effects of these chemicals on our health or on our environment -even at low doses!

Tightrope: Getting the word out about your business - By Gladys Edmunds for USA TODAY (pictured).

Question: Hello, Gladys, I own a carpet (window) cleaning company and so far I seem to have a fairly decent customer base. I would like to get more customers. When I checked into advertising on local radio stations and in a few local newspapers, the prices are more than I can afford. How can I get more people to know about and use my service without spending money that I don't have? — Sam

Answer: There are many ways to get the word out about your business that won't cost you a lot of money. You will need to use the most valuable assets you have — time, effort and creative ability. Keeping them in good working order is one of the enjoyable aspects of entrepreneurship. The following are examples that you can try and I'm sure there are other entrepreneurs that may find a few ideas to try as well.

Never underestimate the power of referrals. There are a couple of ways to go about this. Call or write a letter to your customers and ask them to refer a friend. Or, you can ask each of your customers to recommend three of their friends. Then, write a letter to them introducing your services.

I know there are many companies that offer cash bonuses or rebates to people who refer customers. Personally, I don't like that arrangement. Several months ago I got a letter from the gym I frequent offering members a $50 referral fee if they could get a friend to sign up. I asked one of the owners how that campaign had fared. He said they didn't get any takers. I wonder what would have happened if he had offered the discount to the person signing up. I certainly would be happy to tell my friends that if they joined the gym during a certain time they would get the cash back. So try to avoid offering to pay your customers to send their friends to you. Generally when you have customers that appreciate your service they are usually happy to help you stay in business.

With the end of winter just around the corner, spring cleaning will be on most folk's to-do list. You could design attractive leaflets and drop them off at churches, supermarkets, car washes, laundromats, gyms — any place that has a good flow of traffic. Usually there are community bulletin boards that you can post your leaflets on; by all means take advantage of that.

You can also offer your service as a fundraiser for your favorite charity. For a designated period of time give the organization a percentage of each sale they send your way. Organizations that are involved in raising money to fight breast cancer have raised millions of dollars this way.

Have you considered co-op advertising? Sometimes local newspapers offer this option. If not, pull it together yourself. Invite several small businesses that compliment your service to join in with you on an advertising campaign. For example, you could contact a window cleaning company, drapery cleaning company, maid service and maybe even a chimney sweep to join in an ad campaign aimed at building business for that coming spring-cleaning season. Once you pull the other business owners together, sit down with an ad agent from the newspaper and work out something attractive and eye-catching.

Also talk with other business owners to learn what they done creatively to enhance their market share. Try out one or two things that fit well with your company. Marketing a business is all about testing, testing and re-testing to see what works. Never underestimate the power of even the simplest marketing idea. The very thing that you think to be ridiculous could be the thing that has the most impact. Sometimes the best marketing and promotion ideas can come from simple ideas.

Spidey Senses, Spidey Tenses: Spider-Man fever never seems to die. Just Google-news search "spider" and you'll see what I mean. Apparently there's a Spider-Man Broadway musical set to be produced (and Alan Cummings has bailed out - but we should have seen that coming). I live in New York City and I can honestly say that I may never go see a Broadway musical and I will not feel bad about it. Still, I recognize the iconic/ridiculous popularity that something must reach before it is turned into a Broadway musical (see: Toxic Avenger)(did I just invalidate my own point?).

But that's not all. Now it seems you can have Spider Man clean your windows for you. A full grown man or woman who is already performing a very dangerous job will now dress up in a costume fit for a child and perform that same job for the entertainment of the many onlookers who have previously stopped to watch window washers but have felt that it lacks zest (what? exactly.). The company featuring these costumed clean-saders (get it?!!) said that they want to add fun to whatever they do. Although if we think this through, the person who is doing the job (the window washer) is probably not enjoying dangling from a sky scraper and wearing a mask. (Am I crabby today, or does anyone else feel bad for the window washers?)

Lets talk some physics. I had wanted to continue up my post about rope with a discussion about strong materials. The wonderful lecture by James Kakalios at the APS March Meeting taught me that spider silk is one of the strongest naturally occurring materials in the world. In researching this post I'm just overwhelmed with all the awesome little things I'm finding about spiders and their amazing materials.

To illustrate the strengths of spider silk, Kakalios showed a scene from Spider Man 2, in which Spidey stops a speeding train using his webs. Assuming the speed and weight of the train, and how far it had to slow down, and taking a stab at the thickness and number of web strands, Kakalios shows Spidey would, in fact, be able to stop that speeding train, while even steel cables would not. Real spider silk in a quarter inch thick strand can support 6,000 pounds. (See his answer to that and other questions here.)

So why can't we buy spider silk rope in our local hardware store? Or make a clothing from it (which would be lighter and stretchier than Kevlar, although Kevlar is slightly stronger*)? Well, apparently reproducing spider silk is not so easy. This article from Live Science in 2004 calls reproducing spider silk on a larger scale "the holy grail of materials science." A bit of a journalistic overstatement I think, but obviously intended to convey great importance. Because really, the Holy Grail of anything is the Holy Grail. There's really no substitute for eternal life, is there? I am full of distractions today.

But really, this whole post is a distraction. There's some physics in here about spider silk and its strength and flexibility, but mostly it's just marveling at spider amazingness. There is seriously so much cool stuff to learn about spiders. Did you know their blood flouresces? (See pic to the right) Did you know the pain from a spider bite may be similar to the pain you experience when you eat hot food? Then there's the super strong nano-structures that exist in their fangs. If these things were the size of tanks they would rule the world. Luckily, it doesn't seem like those super structured claws or the super strong spider silk can transition to the macroscopic world very easily.

Scientists have even taken spiders to space. When building a web, spiders can sense their own weight, which provides a guideline for how thick the silk should be. NASA scientists immediately challenged the spiders by chanting, "Oh yeah? Betcha can't do that in zero gravity!" Living up to their end of the challenge, NASA scientists took common garden spiders (Araneus diadematus) spiders into space, where they were still able to build webs, and over time got better at building them in zero gravity. Their results showed that the web threads were finer in space than on the ground. So the weight sensing mechanism works pretty well.

As for manufactured reproductions of spider silk, there seem to be few if no updates on work that was done five or six years ago. Well, at least not breaking news stories about it. The subject of spiders and there silk, however, remains heavily researched by groups like the Oxford Silk Group, who were featured on some British TV shows to talk about this stuff.

All this spidey awesomeness - is this why people still have Spider-Man fever, years after the third and terrible movie came out? I enjoy a good comic book, but these real life spiders are the ones who have me tangled up in their web.

Monster wife is violent boozer: My marriage is in total meltdown. My wife is the main breadwinner. She has a good job and earns lots of money but she’s drinking more than ever. And when she drinks she takes all of her frustrations out on me. I get called every name under the sun. I’m told that I’m useless, lazy and a drag on her purse. She throws things at me, punches and kicks me. When I complain she spits that I’m nothing. She screams that she should never have married me. She accuses me of bleeding her dry and being half a man. But this arrangement was her idea.

She was the one who told me to give up my profitable window cleaning round to look after the house and support her. She made it all sound so sensible and plausible. She’d earn the serious cash and I’d provide the back-up, the meals, the maintenance and the homemaking. But now it’s all gone belly-up. To the outside world our life is perfect. We live in a beautiful house with all mod cons. Friends come round, admire our stuff and tell us that we’re lucky. But no-one really knows what goes on behind closed doors, do they? If I’m honest, then I’m probably what you might call a beaten husband. When we have sex it’s like I’m being punished for a crime I haven’t committed. I’m physically and verbally abused. And if I fail to perform, Heaven help me.

I’m literally kicked out of bed and into the loft room. I understand that she’s currently under a lot of pressure at work. Yes, she does earn a bomb – plus bonuses. She does travel, enjoy swish lunches and mix with the great and the good. But it’s all at a price. Her boss thinks nothing of ringing her at midnight and bawling her out down the phone. Her clients expect total dedication, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. She copes with the stress – or rather, doesn’t – by drinking huge amounts of vodka and wine. Then she kicks me around like a dog. I have tried speaking to her when she’s sober but then she simply brushes everything aside and says that I don’t understand. But I do. Only too well.

JANE SAYS: My advice is for you to get out of that hellhole right now. Take your stuff and go to a safe place where you can sleep easier, breathe and think. At the moment you’re like a caged animal. You can’t move and you can’t reason because your wife has you trapped. She’s kicking you around and abusing you with no thought for your feelings, your safety or your happiness. This isn’t a marriage, this is a life sentence.

If she has problems with her boss, her clients and her drinking, then she needs to be encouraged to deal with each one in turn. But you cannot continue to take the brunt of her frustrations. This isn’t right and it isn’t fair. Find out which of your friends or relatives can help you in moving out and moving on.

The Green Marketing Machine: Two Window Cleaning Companies

Men in Kilts Just Voted Greenest Business: Richmond, BC, Men in Kilts CEO Brent Hohlweg says "At Men in Kilts doing the right thing really can be affordable, convenient and have a huge positive environmental impact! We've invested heavily in clean technology that allows us to provide free GREEN ESTIMATES in under 5 minutes by phone and present our prices including current insurance and worksafe papers right up front for your protection."
Brent goes on to say that "no other company servicing the Lower Mainland in Vancouver for the Window Cleaning, Gutter Cleaning and Pressure Washing business has any technology that even comes close to our eco friendly efforts. Usually when you call a service company they dispatch an estimator to your home and that single act puts in motion some significant environmental concerns. If the estimator is eliminated or reduced we all win as one less truck gets put on the road! The gas alone for one average service truck to be dispatched for an estimate releases hundreds of pounds of CO2 into the environment every year."
Men in Kilts proudly has also become the first company in our industry to be using Bullfrog Power, Canada’s 100% green electricity provider, offering our office energy with a 100% low-impact renewable electricity choice. Bullfrog Power’s green electricity comes exclusively from wind and hydro facilities that have been certified as low impact by Environment Canada under its 'EcoLogo' program, instead of from carbon-intensive sources like coal and natural gas or from higher impact hydro facilities. As a Bullfrog Power customer Men in Kilts is helping enable new green generation facilities to be built in Canada.
Men in Kilts also only uses all natural cleaning solutions that are 100% biodegradable, and all fleet operations are 'Climate Friendly' by Offsetters. In fact Brent notes that "Men in Kilts has gone so far as to even ensure that the office network is using Green Low Energy technology" by D-link Green Products.
Brent finished by saying that everyone at Men in Kilts is "humbled and proud that in our fragmented industry of Window Cleaning, Gutter Cleaning and Pressure Washing in Vancouver's Lower Mainland we have been able to take a leading GREEN COMMITMENT in our industry and be voted the GREENEST BUSINESS by our customers".

Men in Kilts Profile:
Men in Kilts was started in 2002 by Nic Brand with $500 and a rusty old Honda. In 2006 Brent Hohlweg and Nic Brand partnered to rebrand and start the process of franchising development. Men in Kilts has grown to a million dollar operation and featured in many prominent articles including The Vancouver Sun. Men in Kilts is currently on the cusp of franchising across North America and recently was awarded the 2008 Young Entrepreneurs of the Year by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce. Men in Kilts is truly Vancouver's Premier Window Cleaning, Gutter Cleaning and Pressure Washing company...They love the freedom of kilts, so please use extreme caution and No Peeking!

Also see here.


London Window Cleaning Company Ncpm247 has made a huge investment in new vehicles to ensure it stays ahead of the pack. Ncpm247, London’s No1 window cleaning service has just received an order for 10 Mercedes A190’s and 10 Citroen Picasso’s, specially-equipped for cleaning windows in London for both residential and commercial clients.
The Mercedes A190s will be used for low level easy access window cleaning contracts mostly in and around Central London areas with the Picasso’s which have been specially equipped with pure water technology being used for higher access window cleaning contracts and residential clients.
The eye catching and unusual signage on the new vehicles has been designed by Motormode who also worked for the BBC show “Top Gear” and should ensure that the quirky looking fleet will soon become a common feature in and around London town.
Andrew B, Central London team supervisor commented: “At Ncpm247 we work by the ethos of ‘service, service, service’ This investment of top-of-the-range Mercedes A190’s and Citroen Picasso’s to replace older vehicles will improve the safety, security and reliability of our service and is another sign of Ncpm247’s commitment to its Customers”.
Ncpm247, which this year celebrates 24 years in business, has a network of 100 window cleaners, employs more than 200 people and operates a fleet of 35 vehicles. In recent months the company has also enjoyed a number of significant contract wins, invested over £15000 in IT systems and continues with its investment of opening of new branches across London.
Nathan Colwell Director of Ncpm247 “Next year we are planning on launching a small Central London fleet of fully electric vans as part of our ongoing efforts to reduce our carbon foot print in the City”

Watch the wizard of window cleaning (2:22)!

Glass Gleam 4 - Earth Friendly

Released from Titan Labs:

After an exhaustive review we have determined that Glass Gleam-4 is a "green product." Several window cleaners have requested this. A new flyer showing this important information is enclosed.

We designate GG-4 as earth friendly technology. Using the services of a consultant formely in a key position at Chlorox's Green Works, we studied the requirements of the leading certification systems. There are no standards for many of the requirements, even for something basic as "biodegradable". Our suppliers key data about their raw material & testing. Using this data we were able to determine that Glass Gleam-4 is a "green product," which is designated as EARTH FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGY. We are working on other products to see if they also would qualify.

If you would like to use this logo for Glass Gleam-4 on your website or catalog - and we think it would help you & your customers - we can send you digital copies. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know. Info@TitanLabs.Net

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Thanks to Chris Lambrinides of window cleaning resource for the heads up.
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Latest Window Cleaning Videos

Another installment from Mark Strange of "Beautiful View" from Toronto, Canada gives us a few more unbiased reviews of products in the window cleaners workplace, this week the swivel version of the "Stutzy" handle from Pulex. The fixed "Stutzy" handle is reviewed here.

Previously featured in another blog entitled "extreme window cleaning," the "Karcher WV 50" is a cross between a rubber bladed squeegee and a dustbuster handheld vacuum. Only time will tell if this machine will catch on, in my experience most home owners would rather spend their time doing something else.

How safe are glass cleaners around children and pets? Poison control centers get thousands of calls a year regarding glass cleaners. ABC7 Los Angeles teamed up with Consumer Reports, and found out that only a few glass cleaners provide warnings on their products. Certain concentrated cleaning products are required to have warning labels on the outside of the container. However, glass cleaners are not. Some companies do include safety information on their bottles. However, it's on the back of the front label. So you might have to peer around a bar-code sticker, through the plastic bottle and through colored liquid in order to read it. Another reason to hire a professional window cleaner!

Mr. Sanchez (aka Matt), gives you tips, tricks & tool techniques in the latest edition of his video showing you how to modify that Pulex bucket that just keeps banging you your leg. See Marks review of the Pulex "bucket-on-a-belt" here from this previous roll of videos.

Chris Lambrinides from Window Cleaning Resource shows the systems & monitoring he has in place for optimum performance of "All County Window Cleaning."

The Active Ion Cleaning Solution - Mobile Electrolysis

Set to revolutionize the cleaning industry, the Activeion Pro is safe because it contains no added chemicals of any kind. The only hand-held cleaner that does not carry a chemical-related health warning label, Activeion Pro uses activated water technology rather than harsh chemicals to clean, making it the safest option for cleaning professionals, the customers they serve, as well as the environment. Activeion Pro is a versatile cleaner ideal for use on glass, stainless steel, wood, stone and marble as well as carpet and clothing. In fact, it can replace many general-purpose chemical cleaners commonly used for these types of surfaces. The unit, which retails for $299, can help professional cleaning companies save considerable money each year by eliminating the need to purchase a variety of general-purpose, window, glass, and stainless steel cleaners.

Activeion transforms tap water into a powerful cleaner through a simple, three-step process: 1. Charging: When the trigger is pressed, the water flows through a water cell that applies a slight electrical charge to the tap water. 2. Transforming: Next, the water passes through an ion exchange membrane where the activated water is separated into an oxygenated mixture of positively and negatively charged nano-bubbles. 3. Cleaning: When applied, the transformed, activated water helps lift the dirt from the surface like a magnet, enabling it to be wiped away. The activated water returns to its natural state after 30-45 seconds.

From cleaning medical devices and computer chips to food processing plants, the technology to create water electrolysis has been around for more than 50 years. In the past, water electrolysis has created two streams of water – negative and positive – which could not be combined. With the introduction of the Activeion hand-held sprayer, however, this is the first time both streams have been combined to work together to produce a general-purpose cleaner. As always - click the pictures to enlarge & see previous blog - "The Green Solution To Replacing Toxic Chemicals."

Update: The nice man at Activeion Cleaning Solutions aka Todd Schaeffer sent me this in under an hour! -

On a full charge, the batteries have enough power to dispense more than 100 ounces (3+ liters) of activated water. That means on one charge you can refill the reservoir 6-8 times before the unit will need a new charge.

The water is activated in the head of the unit just prior to being discharged out the nozzle. When the trigger is pushed, the pump pulls the water from the reservoir up to the head of the unit. The water passes through the water cell just before it is discharged out the nozzle. After it is discharged out the nozzle, the water remains in the activated/charged state for 30-45 seconds. Our product provides activated water "on-demand."

The product is designed as a "spray and wipe" cleaner. Most cleaning applications that use spray bottles use a "spray and wipe" process. So,having the water active for 30-45 seconds after it is discharged from the unit is typically long enough.

Technically, when we apply the electricity to the water, the base chemistry of the water is altered. It stays in this "unstable" state for 30-45 seconds - this is when it takes on the behavior of a cleaning chemical.

Since all substances are always seeking their natural state, eventually the water chemistry returns to "normal" H2O. Does that help answer the question? If not, please feel free to call any time. Best Regards, Todd. Mobile: 612-708-9221Office: 866-950-4667

Denver Airport Window Washing Woes

Push is on not to wipe slate clean - Nine Denver council members want winning bidders for city pacts to keep the same staff: The Denver City Council may require winning bidders for city contracts to retain employees from the previous contract holder rather than starting fresh with their own workers. The ordinance, being pushed by council member Chris Nevitt (pictured), is the result of the possible dismissal of window-washers at Denver International Airport. The airport has put the window-washing contract out for bids. Nevitt in the past month asked airport officials to require any new contractor to continue employing the current 23 window-washers, many of whom have been washing airport windows in Denver for more than 10 years. DIA aviation manager Kim Day declined to do so, instead inserting less firm language in the request for bids: "Contractor agrees to use good faith effort to interview and employ staff with current or past DIA experience."
Now Nevitt is spearheading a push for an ordinance that would require all city and airport contractors to keep existing employees for a set period of time after a contract switches hands.
He argues that such a practice is similar to what other airports in the nation have on the books.
Eight other council members Monday joined him in sending a letter to Day and Mayor John Hickenlooper's chief of staff, Kelly Brough. In their letter, they expressed disappointment over the lack of job security for the city's contract workers. Those signing — Nevitt, along with Carol Boigon, Doug Linkhart, Rick Garcia, Paul Lopez, Peggy Lehmann, Marcia Johnson, Judy Montero and Michael Hancock — said they would bring forth an ordinance to establish a worker-retention policy. "Particularly in this difficult economy and amid rising unemployment, it is imperative that the city, as one of the metro region's largest employers, responsibly manage workforce transitions between service contractors to avoid imposing inadvertent cost- shifting to other public services," the letter states.

The issue could split the 13-member council along labor and business lines, similarly to how the council divided during a debate over an airport-parking contract last year. Nevitt has close ties with labor organizations and founded a labor-backed think tank. The 23 workers whose jobs are in jeopardy are represented by Service Employees International Union. Nevitt said the airport currently requires new contractors to keep existing employees, but only when those employees make less than $15 an hour. The window- washers make more than $19 an hour, Nevitt said.
Chuck Cannon, a DIA spokesperson, said the airport plans to close on the bids Friday. He said the contract is worth between $6 million and $8 million.
Local firm B-G Service Solution had the window-washing contract, which had a term of three years with the option for two one-year extensions. The firm subcontracted the work out to another local firm, Shawn's Sparkling Squeegee Service. At some point, ISS Facilities Service took over B-G Service, which held the contract even when the airport was at Stapleton. The issue spooks Perry Stone, who has washed airport windows since 1993 and has raised two children on his wages. "I've provided a pretty decent home and environment for them by working this job, and my co- workers would say the same," he said.