Categories
Architecture Building Sustainably

Seven Sustainable Choices for a Doctor’s Office

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Carpet

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Sheet goods and Tile

Linoleum is a more sustainable product and manufacturing companies include Torlys, Armstrong and Forbo. Colors between manufacturers are similar. The 12 inch x 12 inch VCT tile can be made with recycled content. The Armstrong product is an option.

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Door, Base, Crown, Mouldings & Panels

On all wood products it is important to use formaldehyde free and safe smelling glue if any composite material is used. Safe paints and sealers shall be used. Examples include Sansin Corp. waterbased stain, Vermont natural coating, mapei floor sealer, AFM safecoat stains, sealers and caulking. Recycled content Johnsonite Traditional Wall base is also an option.

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Wood, Paint & Wall coverings

To protect indoor air quality a no VOC paint formula shall be used.

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Ceilings

Armstrong’s bio acoustical panel made from jute is a great T grid system option.

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Hardware Finishes: recycled content materials, or a locally manufactured option are best.

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Formica and Wilsonart have environmental goals if laminate is preferred in any office.

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Inspirational Images are then used to begin an educated discussion about the look of the finish materials.

The end

Categories
Architecture Book Review Building Sustainably Environmental

The Interior – Making $ense

The Interiors

Because I am always in search of great and healthy ways of Interior Designing I was glad to come across a few products I hadn’t researched yet. I have a full list on my blog in the tab ‘Sustainable Interiors.’ This is the last post of the Book Review  I did of Eric Corey Freed and Kevin Daum’s book

Green $ense for the Home

The counter top chart was extensive and fantastic!

Healthy Wall Coverings:

Mioculture wallpaper of 100% recycled paper. This company created by two Columbian boys has a neat sit full of lighting furniture and accessories.

Home $ense gives a Homemade Wallpaper Paste Recipe too! There are lots on the Internet, like this one from Tree Hugger.

There are companies such as Design Tex and Len-Tex who have achieved Cradle to Cradle certification, and others such as:        Maharam       MDC Wall coverings       Milliken      Mod Green Pod    Pallas Dialtones (made of discarded Japanese telephone books)         Sinan Natural Wallpaper Adhesive

Below those wall coverings can be fully recycled content drywall too. Gypsum is a coal combustion byproduct. I looked that up and found useful in formation through the University of Kentucky. Resources for Recycled DryWall include  : EcoRock from Serious Materials   Synthetic GYP from CertainTeed or G-P Gypsum or the recycled content from CleanBoard   National Gypsum Company   Temple-Inland Forest products or USG Corporation

Other interior products highlighted in the book are ~

Cork and Bamboo: Expanko     Habitus   Nova Distinctive Floors   US Floors     Teragren    Eco Timber     Cali Bamboo      Smith & Fong

To protect our Indoor Air Quality  Formaldehyde-free fiberboard: Columbia Forest Products    Flakeboard   Kirei   SierraPine

Cabinets built out of formaldehyde free wood: Breathe Easy Cabinetry    Neff Kitchens    Neil Kelly Cabinets     Custom Cabinets from  Greenline  &  Humabuilt

For Carpet, look at Sheeps wool carpet.

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Tomorrow I will share how all this knowledge actually applies to a project, when I showcase

7 Sustainable Choices

I made when designing the interior of a recent doctor’s office.

Categories
Travel

Traveling Back

After spending a weekend in Michigan celebrating a wedding, visiting family, making new friends and visiting gardens I am inspired to talk about traveling, and the impromptu things you come upon when you are open-minded.

Categories
Poetry

Thankfully,

Thankfully,

In my small city I get caught often

on the sidewalk

walking, running even

just to get exercise

or when I want a coffee

in the morning before work.

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A boisterous blow in the form of language

opinions, experience, knowledge to know

anything that prevents me from speaking

and ruining the train of thought

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Thankfully,

I have the gift of tight penmanship

words of my own

whispers against spent breath

when I don’t speak, but only write

to arrange words before letting them fly

out of control

to some poor someone, listening.

Categories
Poetry

Cheating

Cheating

is a marriage between the rich

level of a family and

the bride of sorrow

who dances from the heart, hurt in love

acknowledging the least

greatest thing

is held secret,

and is what keeps everything together.

Categories
Poetry

Patient

Patient

I will be patient for the reward of your patronage

and desires darling

given that our youth is spent

and I have learned to wait.

Categories
Poetry

Happiness

Happiness

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The smallest pleasure

may be more rewarding.

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Do I fool myself?

I question, as I reposition the answers.

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The sly smile of old men friends

afternoon coffee

all women in black dresses

on the street of a village

a church

with a modest chapel

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The difference of my pace here is

work on two feet

I travel the world after all

to come home to own

familiar comforts and

my freedom

left unsacrificed.

Categories
Poetry

Too young to worry

Too young to worry

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Lusting in the time

of old towns spent alone

the cabinetry of our wishes

and moons further sources

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I feel like talking to him again

The onset of monogamy

after sleepless nights as rest

the whole of my being

set against all relations

positively myself

husbands speak to wives

different as best friends

the worries of our worlds

fall onto laps to young.

Categories
Poetry

The street and the village from two stories around it.

The street and the village

from two stories around it.

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We work to our deaths

the prayers for our penance

that we may wake one morning

to the grievances behind us

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It is there

I sat to play

the baby, grand as a piano

an Italian town

children to lunch

in the silence of fallen rain

a tall drop wanting.

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I see the church

steeple steps

new whiteness

the cooks in the shed

weddings on the way

brides name as mine

secret into the love of a husband

the schools, the work or the play

the hardening knot of

what’s been brought on us today

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A freshly scraped grave

the condolences of a new enemy

the familiar face behind the counter

bringing the fresh brew of coffee

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We long to take our steps

in trustful moves toward one another

I wonder why we may be hiding

in the desperate spare of forever

our secrets dreading

the souls between us.

Categories
Poetry

Swim in an Outside Room

I watch the city as it leaves over my shoulder

and I watch the moon and star follow

one another, the star circles the cusp of the moon.

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Churches are resurrected off glossy faces in the mountains

I swim in an outside room, the small rooms grab you

I am in the vast mountains

floating myself in a pond to take leave

floating back to a rock sky

disturbances are counted in the number laps

back and forth, reaching my toes

like children throw pebbles into a brook

the ripples we have made eventually fade.

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One wine with my dinner

I set my table alone

then drive around the mountains again

down a dark road in the evening.

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There are such towns of people

where codes, law and peace

all abide between yellow houses

and gold hills

Their minds have sought and their children discovered.

I touch dusk just after it is black

and make a drawing to suffice myself.