Integrity Block Selected as BuildingGreen Top-10 Product for 2008

"Our selections of the Top-10 Green Building Products represent a wide range of product types in many different application areas," noted GreenSpec coeditor and BuildingGreen president Alex Wilson. Well represented this year are interior products, including first FSC-certified and formaldehyde-free bamboo flooring, doors made with wheat-straw particleboard, a line of zero-VOC paint, a transparent finish produced from a byproduct of cheese making, and a line of organic fabric.

Three of the products this year save energy, including a low-cost, solar water-heating system; a combination heating, water heating, and heat-recovery ventilation system; and a system for monitoring real-time energy (and water) use in buildings. Water saving products are represented by a line of rainwater storage tanks-the first rainwater storage equipment ever recognized in our Top-10 lists. "Most of the Top-10 products this year have multiple environmental attributes," said Wilson.

BuildingGreen's Top-10 product selections, as in previous years, are drawn primarily from new additions to the company's GreenSpec Product Directory. More than 200 products have been added to the GreenSpec database during the past year. "New products seem to be appearing all the time, making it a challenge for our staff to keep up," said Wilson. The GreenSpec database this company maintains includes more than 2,000 product listings, representing several times as many actual products.

A big driver in the development of green products continues to be the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED(R) Rating System (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), which awards points for the use of certain product types or for the energy or water savings that certain green products can achieve. "Designers of LEED buildings are looking for green products, and manufacturers are responding," said Wilson. In the online version of GreenSpec, users can find products organized by LEED credits.

Integrity Block was selected as the first green replacement for concrete block. Made from a proprietary soils composite, the products use up to 50% recycled content, require 40% less energy to produce, and emit 40% less CO2 into the environment. In addition, Integrity Block can help to generate valuable LEED points for a variety of residential, commercial, and government construction projects.

"BuildingGreen has delivered thoughtful analysis of many top green products over the years and has a solid reputation for being thorough," said Trevor Stout, CEO of Integrity Block. "Having Integrity Block products recognized for this prestigious award represents a significant achievement for our company."

About GreenSpec and BuildingGreen

GreenSpec is the leading national directory of green building products. Products are selected based on criteria developed over the past 15 years. Manufacturers do not pay to be listed in GreenSpec, and neither GreenSpec nor Environmental Building News carry advertising; both are supported by users of the information. "Our policy of not accepting money from product manufacturers allows us to be objective in our review of products," said Wilson. The GreenSpec product database is also available online as part of BuildingGreen Suite, which is growing quickly in popularity. Environmental Building News, founded in 1992, is the oldest and most widely respected newsletter in the green building field. BuildingGreen celebrates its 23nd year in business this year. For information on BuildingGreen resources, visit http://www.BuildingGreen.com or call 800-861-0954.

About Integrity Block

Integrity Block, a manufacturer of sustainable building materials, provides the first green replacement for concrete block. The company's mission and values are aligned to deliver products that are environmentally friendly yet meet the same performance standards as existing materials. Integrity Block products offer a seamless concrete block replacement for structural, architectural, and landscape applications that can generate valuable LEED credits. For more information, visit the web site at http://www.integrityblock.com.

Contact: Shawn Cunningham, shawn@integrityblock.com, 650-492-4340

SOURCE Integrity Block

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