Your in-depth resource to environmental design issues
In addition to product information ecospecifier
offers a range of detailed category-based Technical Guides.
Produced periodically, these guides offer in-depth analysis of
products, materials, technologies and design issues. When doing a
product search the guides will appear when a guide exists that is
relevant to your search.
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of most of the
common specifier questions. What are the environmental issues? Are
plantation hardwoods available? Is Timber Certification available?
What are the various preservatives available and which ones are
preferable? What is the embodied energy of MDF as opposed to solid
timber, or plastics? These questions and many more are
addressed.
This guide addresses the health benefits of using ionisers
and/or indoor plants and lists a number of particularly beneficial
plant species.
This technical guide attempts to demystify photovoltaics
(PV) by providing clear information on different PV
technologies and a step-by-step guide to selecting
and sizing a PV system.
This Technical Guide seeks to explain thermal mass, its benefits
and limitations to enhance an understanding of mass in common
building materials and its design implications and strategies for
use in buildings.
This Technical Guide investigates various energy efficient
fluorescent lighting technologies and options, and questions the
single direction 'electronic ballast or bust' thrust currently in
the marketplace. The purpose of this Technical Guide is to promote
awareness and stimulate debate, in order to achieve the most energy
efficient fluorescent lighting systems and optimum environmental
outcomes available.
Most energy efficient lamps (except LEDs) contain highly toxic
mercury. This Guide explains the reason why we currently need
to continue to use these lamps, discusses the 'mercury payback'
trade-off against saved fossil fuel mercury emissions and describes
the safety issues of handling broken lamps.
Nanotechnology is a relatively new development. Or is
it? This Guide looks at the historical use of nanotechnology,
the potential benefits, current uses, future directions and rings
some warning bells about our need to be cautious in our headlong
pursuit of the next nanotechnology.
Who ever heard of product led design? This note explains
the concept of integrative design practice, how it works and its
benefits. It also explains why smart design, designers and
products are at the leading edge of driving first cost and
operational costs of buildings down and why projects need
to consider locking into smart products that drive synergy in
design to ensure the short and long term cost and environmental
benefits are delivered.
Want to unscramble the knot that is environmental product
declarations? What is a Type 1 ecolabel or an EPD? What
are the legal responsibilities of manufacturers in avoiding
'Greenwash'? What is a life cycle rating and how can it help
designers specify products simply? Get your questions
answered.