Review: Greenbuild 2011

The U.S. Green Building Council’s 10th annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo was smaller than past years, but still delivered an engaging exhibit hall where I encountered a handful of innovative materials promising multiple retail applications.

Solana Beach, Calif.-based Kirei USA, long known for its Kirei Board, introduced two new products: Kirei Windfall (below, left), an engineered panel made from salvaged strips of reclaimed Douglas fir, and Kirei Canamo, a board panel made of reclaimed hemp hurd fiber. Kirei Windfall can be used as flooring, signage, casework and even ceiling elements, and takes ink, stains and paint extremely well. Kirei Canamo is light enough to be used as ceiling panels, yet hardy enough for millwork.

Elsewhere on the floor, W.S. Tyler, a Mentor, Ohio-based wire weaving company, incorporated Textura into its booth. The wire cloth is so thin and malleable that it can be custom-molded to any shape, even 3-D, for interior and exterior applications. Depending on the size and type of the mesh, the surface can be transparent, opaque or even an anti-glare screen.

Two Canadian companies also stood out among the crowd. Finium, a Frampton, Que.-based supplier of prefinished moldings, stair treads and vents, showcased its Friendly Wall collection of solid-hardwood, dimensional, textured panels. Installation is simple and fast, and the results are intricate and stunning.

Cymat Technologies Ltd.’s (Mississauga, Ont.) Alusion Stabilized Aluminum Foam really made an impression. The foam (above, right) is made by injecting air into molten aluminum to create tiles that are lightweight, translucent and reflective. Use them on floors, walls and ceilings, or back-light them and watch the light and color literally dance their way through the material.