Transmaterial » repurposed

Coco Tiles

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:00:34 +0000

Made from reclaimed coconut shells, low-VOC resins and sustainably-harvested wood backer material, Kirei Coco Tiles may be used as decorative tiles or panels both horizontally and vertically. Featuring multiple pattern and color combinations and available in light, dark and mixed textures, the coconut shell tiles create a variety of surfaces and enhance the sustainable material palette in residential, commercial, and hospitality applications.

Contact: Kirei, Solana Beach, CA, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Terrewalks

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:00:22 +0000

Terrewalks is an alternative to concrete sidewalks, made of recycled tire rubber and reused PET plastic. Terrewalks is pervious and unbreakable, and suitable for all climates. The interlocking paving tiles assist groundwater recharge and heat island reduction, and provide a safe and comfortable walking surface. According to manufacturer Rubbersidewalks, one square foot of Terrewalks diverts 36 lbs. of waste rubber and plastic from landfills, and each 20 SF installation saves one tree from removal. In addition, the low-energy manufacturing process results in a low carbon footprint.

Contact: Rubbersidewalks, Inc., Fountain Valley, CA, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Mycoply

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:00:55 +0000

Mycoply board is a mycological biomaterial that is actually grown in a few months. It has properties similar to balsa wood and can be easily formed when saturated, yet will hold shape once dried. Athough balsa wood is biodegradable and natural, it is not easy renewable and disrupts its local environment when harvested. Mycoply, however, is rapidly renewable, grown using agricultural byproducts, and does not interrupt its surrounding ecosystem. Mycoply can replace core materials such as balsa, honey comb, or a variety of petrol foams for wind turbine blades, boat hulls, lightweight vehicle panels and many other applications.

Mycoply also represents a low-embodied-energy manufacturing process as the material self assembles at room temperature and pressure in the dark. Additionally, its performance is superior in many ways to current structural core materials due to the ease in which it may be bent and formed. MycoPly reduces waste as it is grown to near-net shape and does not require post-processing.

Contact: Ecovative Design, Troy, NY, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Fly Ash Panels

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:00:22 +0000

Fly ash is the waste product of burning coal that is comprised mainly of silica, alumina, iron, and calcium. Fly ash is often combined with cement as an additive, but only up to a certain percentage of concrete may be fly ash.

Carolyn Dry has developed a method of fabricating building panels and insulation out of nearly 100% fly ash in order to sequester these heavy metals so that they do not leach out and pollute the environment. Essentially cooking the ash into a solid, Dry utilizes a flux which allows processing at lower temperatures—thus using less energy and fewer chemicals. Components such as building panels, bricks, and insulation may be produced without the need for binders such as cement.

Contact: Natural Process Design, Inc., Winona, MN, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Eco-Cement

Blaine Brownell — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:00:56 +0000

Developed by John Harrison of TecEco, Eco-Cement is made by blending reactive magnesium oxide with conventional hydraulic cements. Mimicking nature, Eco-Cement concretes absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in order to harden into materials used for the built environment. As Eco-Cements are also chemically benign, large amounts of various wastes can be incorporated into the concrete matrix. The Eco-Cement technology offers partial solutions for global warming, climate change, waste, and cost-effective mass housing.

Contact: TecEco Pty. Ltd., Glenorchy, TAS, Australia.
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Dapple

Blaine Brownell — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:00:06 +0000

Dapple is a 100% recycled high molecular weight polyethylene panel made from shredded industrial foodstuff containers mixed with some factory scrap. Colored veins are added in the recycling process. Standard colors are black, red or blue, and custom colors are also available.

Contact: Smile Plastics Ltd., Shrewsbury, UK.
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Rastra

Blaine Brownell — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:00:17 +0000

Rastra panels are large building blocks with a grid of internal channels that serve as a stay-in-place wall form for residential and commercial structures. Once a complete floor is set in place, the channels are reinforced and concrete is poured to achieve any desired strength. A Rastra wall is capable of withstanding earthquakes, hurricanes, and other forces of nature, because the system of channels is designed to provide maximum strength with minimum amount of concrete.

The Rastra panels are made of recycled post-consumer foam plastics placed in a cement matrix. This composition unifies the best properties for a wall; it is durable, lightweight, and quick to install, and also provides high thermal and acoustic insulation. Rastra is resistant to fire, mold, insects, and rodents. It also has a cementitious surface to which stucco adheres well.

Contact: Rastra Corporation, Scottsdale, AZ, USA.
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Aluma Floor

Blaine Brownell — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:00:41 +0000

Aluma Floor is a 3/16″ thick, machined aluminum floor system. Its high-tolerance prefabrication allows for precision-fitting panels, eliminating the need for grouting. Aluma Floor panels are affixed with adhesive to a suitable sub floor without exposed fasteners. Aluma Floor panels have hand beveled edges, are available in three hand finishes, and are clear-coat anodized for ease of maintenance. Custom sizes are also available.

Contact: Power Stretch, Inc., Addison, IL, USA.
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Xposed

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 13 May 2011 14:00:12 +0000

Xposed is a refined cement-based eco-composite made from natural minerals and up to 25% post-industrial recycled content. Standard slab materials are available and can be fabricated into countertops, table tops, surrounds, or display tops using ordinary natural stone fabrication tools and equipment. Xposed is also available for custom interior and exterior applications such as furniture elements, sinks, tiles, and three-dimensional objects. Twelve standard colors are available as well as custom colors.

Contact: Meld, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.

Songwood

Blaine Brownell — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:00:59 +0000

Engineered Timber Resources focuses on the use of by-product wood fibers in the production of decorative wood products with the intent to limit deforestation. Songwood is a 100% recycled, FSC-certified raw material made from by-product from the furniture manufacturing and pulp industries. The wood fibers are kiln-dried, mixed with a low-VOC resin, and then compressed under 1800 tons of pressure before being cured for stability. The resulting log can then be used in the manufacturing of any wood based product, both for interiors and exteriors.

Songwood is not only very durable and hard-wearing, but also extremely stable compared with traditional wood products. In addition to the functional benefits of the product, there are also numerous aesthetic characteristics that are customizable based on the raw material inputs and the desired outcome. Songwood can also be infused with organic dyes and colorants prior to the compression, with the net result being a solid-body, integral color, that is therefore sandable.

Contact: Engineered Timber Resources, LLC, Boulder, CO, USA.
Find more information in Transmaterial 3.