Smarter Homes, Windows & Window Cleaning Apparel

'Smart' electrochromic and gasochromic windows latest in green innovations: For the past few years, a seminar on new and innovative green building products has been a staple at Construct Canada. This year was no exception as BuildGreen Solutions partner Rodney Wilts updated architects, engineers and contractors on the some of the “great” green products that have crossed his desk in the past 12 months. “This (presentation) is a bit of a hodge-podge of things that we look at in the green building world,” said Wilts, whose firm works with architects, developers and other organizations to implement sustainable practices in the built environment. 

BuildGreen has managed more than 40 LEED projects in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Wilts, whose firm is part of the Windmill Developments family of companies, said windows “are getting serious” as manufacturers compete to build the most energy-efficient products. Soon to hit the market, he said, are “smart” electrochromic and gasochromic windows. “We’re seeing leaps and bounds in quality window manufacturing,” Wilts said.

Other green products include a device that monitors energy consumption over a period of time and automatically kills “vampire” power and building-integrated photovoltaic systems. On the materials side, “torrified” wood appears to be catching on “like wildfire,” Wilts said. A chemical-free process is used to heat up the wood, making it less susceptible to mould, rot and fungi. Other green materials include an environemtally friendly drywall product. Wilts, whose firm is based in Ottawa, said clients also are demonstrating increased interest in indoor air quality. One such item that is on the market is a proprietary drywall product that cleans the air, reacts with volatile organic compounds and makes them inert and is highly mould-resistant. “It is no longer enough to be less bad,” Wilts said.

Living walls also are catching on in a big way, he said, noting that a five-storey, plant-covered Biowall has been incorporated into the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence in Ottawa. This system helps control humidity while also cleaning the air. Water efficiency is also gaining increased attention, Wilts said. He cited introduction of a greywater reuse system that is suitable for either commercial or residential projects, a dual-flush toilet that has an integrated sink for immediate greywater reuse and a 0.8 gallon per flush, high-efficiency toilet. In his presentation, Wilts also touched on various developments on the green building front, including LEED Canada and the Living Building Challenge, which he described as “LEED on steroids.”

Clothing to harness renewable energy: Silvr Lining, a California based fashion company, has created the Go Collection of clothing with integrated solar power supplies suitable for charging personal communication devices (PCDs), such as cell phones and smart phones, and personal digital assistants (PDAs), such as MP3(4) players. This "wearable" power virtually eliminates the need to recharge at wall sockets. The power supply hardware is easily installed in GO garments in less than one minute, and un‐installed for cleaning just as quickly. The GO Integrated Solar Power System is comprised of 6‐inch by 8‐inch solar panels designed to fit pockets in the front of the garments. As these pockets contain windows to allow the sun's rays to impinge on the active side of each panel, the pockets are referred to as "frames". There are two frames in the GO Utility Vest, four in the GO Director's Jacket, two in the GO Myer's Topper, and two in the GO Cargo Pant that can accommodate panels.

 

The GO Solar Power System contains a power regulator and energy reservoir connected in between the solar panel and the device under charge (DUC). Its function is to efficiently capture the electrical power generated by the solar panel, to store that energy in the reservoir, and to provide the DUC with a highly stable voltage and current at its output compliant with the requirements of the mobile device. The system features "Power Tracking" to condition the energy making the most efficient use of the sun. The output voltage and current are automatically controlled by the regulator to the precise levels required by the DUC.

Simple indicator lights show the status of the system. GO power supplies can also be used separately as carry‐anywhere charging systems for hiking and picnicking, and can be left on the dashboard of the car or placed in the window of the office for complete internal recharging. Silvr Lining also offers the "Booster Panel", a stand‐alone panel about twice as large as the Small Panel. When connected, the Booster Panel would cut in half the charging time of either the reservoir of the Small Panel or a DUC connected to the Small Panel.

The solar panels are constructed of rugged, flexible, and non‐flammable materials able to withstand the sun's radiation, hot and cold temperatures, and wet and dry conditions. Cable assemblies, including cables, connectors, and receptacles, and electronics enclosure are also waterproof. Additional adaptors are also available. More.

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).

PawSafe - Cleaning Windows For Pets

Bow Wow! NEW PawSafe(TM) Household Cleaners Make Cleaning the House Safe for Pets, and Kids Too: Many consumers are unaware of the harmful effects traditional household cleaners can pose to their pets. Dogs and cats that pad across a freshly mopped kitchen floor, then lick their paws, may consume chemicals like ammonia. Those animals that press their noses against or even lick a window can ingest chemical cleaner residue. Dogs that drink out of the toilet may be ingesting cleaning chemicals like chorine. Any of these can cause rashes, respiratory irritation and other health issues. Indeed, the ASPCA lists household cleaners in the top 10 of poison calls handled by their poison control center.

PawSafe Household Cleaners are formulated without harsh chemicals, using natural plant-based ingredients like deionized water, vegetable derived surfactants, citric acid, emulsifiers, fragrance and organic pigments. All are safe and just as effective as traditional cleaners at cutting through grease and grime, limescale and soap scum, without leaving dangerous chemical residues behind. PawSafe Household Cleaners earned the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for safety and cleaning effectiveness. "With PawSafe there is no need for warning labels that read 'hazardous to humans and domestic animals' that you may find on traditional household cleaners," said Amber Zable, Brand Manager. "PawSafe Household Cleaners deliver a safe, powerful clean for pet parents and moms alike who are concerned about the health of their dogs, cats and kids. We've formulated six cleaning products that rival leading household cleaners on performance, ease of use and safety."

BENEFITS

• Removes nose prints and other dirt and grime for a streak free shine
• Spray on any window, door, or other glass surface
• Natural cleansing agents leave no chemical residue

Ingredients: Deionized water, vegetable-derived surfactants, ethanol, emulsifiers, fragrance and organic pigment.

Is this the future of cleaning? New Window Cleaning Soap?

Ecover has developed the world's first ‘eco surfactant' - the beating heart of a cleaning product - that it claims is 'more ecological and powerful' than their old formulations... The mantra of 'green' cleaning has always been to use plant-based and mineral products instead of petrochemical ones.
As well as cutting down on harmful chemicals in our homes, 'eco' products cut down on chemicals in our water systems that can be highly toxic to fish, frogs and other aquatic animals. That said, even plant-based formulations have an environmental impact. They require water to neutralise their impact on the water supply, energy for the manufacturing process and transport for their raw ingredients. In other words, there is always room for improvement in the world of green cleaning.

Last month Ecover took an important step in the right direction. The company announced it had succeeded in developing the world's first 'eco surfactant' using an energy-efficient and entirely biochemical procedure powered by yeast - similar to the process of brewing beer. But first, a word on surfactants Surfactants are the active ingredient in the majority of household cleaners. They can be produced from either petrochemical substances or plant-based alternatives. The first benefit of plant-based alternatives is biodegradability. Petrochemical surfactants do not biodegrade completely and so leave behind particles that accumulate in watercourses. They may also be absorbed into soil, in both cases increasing the risk of environmental damage and hindering the use of sewage sludge as an organic fertiliser.

Dirk Develter, research and development manager at Ecover describes it as similar to the rubbish left in space from space missions - the rockets break up and just leave the bits floating around. Plant-based surfactants on the other hand biodegrade quickly and completely, leaving behind no traces in the environment. The second benefit of using plant-based over petrochemical surfactants is that they are from renewable sources rather than from petrochemicals which rely upon fossil resources. Ecover has always used plant-based alternatives for the bulk of their ingredients. However, until now, plant-based surfactants have been manufactured using the same energy intensive process as petrochemical ones.

After seven years of research Ecover's scientists have invented a new energy efficient process to produce surfactants naturally. Their new surfactant is produced from a ‘sophorolipid' - completely natural compounds created through the action of yeast. The idea of this is nothing new - in the 1960s scientists discovered yeast in a bumblebee nest that had the unique characteristic of creating a kind of surfactant from a combination of glucose (sugar) and oil (a fatty acid) - but the application of it on this scale certainly is. At first, Ecover scientists started production in a test-tube. Now they use a special 10,000 litre ‘bioreactor' in Slovakia, a machine which provides the perfect breeding ground for yeast cells. This in turn enables them to harness yeast's unique ability to combine water-soluble sugars and non-soluble oils to produce the new surfactant.

Develter says the company's new range of products containing its eco surfactant are 'more ecological' than their old formulations for the following reasons:
• They are made using natural, readily available, sustainable raw ingredients - vegetable oil, yeast and sugar.
• The raw ingredients are sourced in Europe, whereas previous plant-based surfactants had to be sourced from Asia so they require less transport miles.
• The energy required in the production process is even lower than before
• The products have full biodegradability and lower aquatic toxicity than before.

The new formulations are kinder to human skin too. As well as only containing plant-based ingredients and fragrances, the range is pH neutral - so no rubber gloves necessary. What about performance? ‘Our new formulations are much more powerful our old formulations,' says Develter. Tests conducted by Ecover and an independent body for the hard surface cleaning range showed that the range outperformed most, if not all brands in effectiveness, and all scored highly in areas such as ease of use, fragrance and drying time.

So what are the downsides? According to Develter, whilst eco surfactants are suited as low-foaming surfactants in hard surface cleaning and automatic dishwashers, they are not suitable for high foaming applications such as manual dishwashing. Experiments with solubility, foaming powder and stability are, however, in full swing so that the eco surfactants can be used in laundry and dishwashing detergents.

What's the catch?
One issue for Ecover is price. The eco surfactants are almost ten times more expensive than the cheapest petrochemical-based surfactants around. ‘Yet because of their superior performance this difference is largely levelled out' says Develter. However, in the long term the company hopes to use and produce larger amounts at a cheaper price. At the moment Ecover can only make enough to cover their own brand's needs and they have patented production. 'We are at the beginning of a long journey with this and in the future if others see eco surfactants working they may be interested too,' says Develter. 'This may allow us to work with others and up-scale production to another level.' There may be no such thing as a 100 per cent ecological cleaning product, but Ecover's eco surfactants are an important step in the right direction. The surfactant bar has been raised - are the cleaning giants nimble enough to follow?


• Ecover Window & Glass Cleaner - RRP £2.69 (500ml) - this brand new product can be used on windows, mirrors, glass and chrome. Up against Mr Muscle Window Cleaner, it took victory on performance and finish, and was described as ‘efficient', ‘very effective' and ‘easy to use' in consumer research.
What's more, because Ecover only uses sustainable plant-based and mineral ingredients, you don't have to worry about leaving behind residues of nasty (and unnecessary) chemicals when you clean. And thanks to its pH neutral formula, it won't irritate skin like some other products can - so feel free to forget the rubber gloves. I've heard the dish-washing soap is also great for cleaning windows.

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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