It doesn’t take much perusing through the various facilities and construction magazines to notice that going green is becoming more and more important in the industry. From green products to green practices, organizations are becoming increasingly aware of their environmental footprint on their community. For years, the environmental impact of ‘big business’ seemed insurmountable, ranging from resource depletion to water pollution to solid waste. The concern (for most) when considering their green initiative has remained on ROI versus environmental impact; however, in the last few years consumers have begun to hold us more accountable for our carbon footprint and our overall impact on Mother Earth.
As a result, we’ve been forced to innovate and grow in ways we haven’t in decades, and finally – there have been quite a few ground-breaking products surface in our industry. The options range in price, and as a long-time hardware enthusiast, these new green door hardware products are exciting! Here is a handful of my favorite; they’ve been the most popular since their launch:
GREEN RESTROOM HARDWARE
PAPERSTONE RESTROOM PARTITIONS
Paperstone is turning the standard on its side by using 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Their primary product is countertops; however they’ve made a recent transition to the vertical partition and have taken off within it. These partitions are a non-porous surface that offer stain resistance. If you have issues with graffiti in your restrooms, these partitions are unique in that surface cuts or mars can be sanded out without harming the partition.
XLERATOR HAND DRYERS
Xlerator dryers consume about 1/3 of the energy used by conventional dryers by drying hands in 1/3 of the time (about 12-15 seconds). We have these installed in our office and I can attest to the fact that they dry your hands fast! It’s like a jet engine in the privacy of your own bathroom.
GREEN DOOR HARDWARE
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HARDWARE
Rocky Mountain Hardware handcrafts an extensive line green door hardware that all contains a minimum of 90% post-consumer recycled content and are cast of 100% art grade recycled bronze. Products range from kick plates to levers and count towards LEED points.
ELEEK, INC.
Based out of Portland, Oregon Eleek is all about reducing their and their customers’ impact on the environment. They make a wide variety of products including two styles of one-of-a-kind door handles that are comprised of 100% locally-sourced, post-consumer recycled aluminum. One cool side-note about their facility is that they run entirely on renewable power – in other words, they practice what they preach.
What do you think? Is “going green” on your radar in the next year? The next five years? If you come across any more mind-blowing products that are making strides in the realm of eco-friendliness, please share!
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