eco products Plantation progression


Schorn & Groh of Karlsruhe purchased an entire birch burl plantation from the Finnish Forest Research Institute in February of this year. The 65-year-old plantation has an estimated volume of more than 20 tons of export quality timber. Shortly after the purchase was finalized in March, Schorn & Groh harvested the first trees, some 170 trunks in all. For birch the dimensions were quite unusual: lengths of up to 3.2 meters, averaging between 1.2 and 1.5 meters and diameters of up to 40 cm. The quality of the wood grain in the trunks' interior ranges from good to very good. This birch burl fulfills the demanding requirements for use in automobiles and interior joinery. Birch burl has a particularly fascinating decorative grain. The subtle wrinkling in the trunk's bark creates narrow, dark inclusions that stand out in the wood structure. The resulting white and beige pattern is reminiscent of dancing flames. Schorn & Groh will offer birch burl as raw veneer or as semi-finished spliced veneer, backed with fleece – fleece´n´flex – or if the customer wishes, with some other finishing process. For further information visit www.sg-veneers.com


The cleaner way to do things


You wouldn’t run your car on mucky oil, so why run a heating system on mucky water? Sentinel water treatment products are acknowledged as the best you can buy for heating systems and with TripleTech technology providing three different types of chemical technologies to penetrate and attack system scale and corrosion in X800 and three different heavy duty specialist corrosion inhibitors each targeting a specific metal type in X100 and most major boiler manufacturers recommending Sentinel products by name – using Sentinel makes heating systems up to 15 per cent more effective. Saving money, reducing emissions and cutting down on maintenance – makes specifying the use of Sentinel products a highly cost effective thing to do. For further information visit www.sentinel-solutions.net


Transforming the


green roof market Architects looking to incorporate green roofs and skyrise gardens into building designs to enhance the sustainability of new structures or properties undergoing renovation now have an innovative growing substrate at their disposal. VYDRO®


substrate is a unique hydrophilic polyurethane material. Capable


of storing up to 30 times its own weight in water, this breakthrough smart water management solution is a highly effective planting medium for intensive and extensive green roofs. Proven to function where other materials fail, VYDRO®


substrate enables


the creation of green roofs in locations where they were previously ruled out. With the ability to rehydrate over multiple growing cycles and a water bufferingcapacity of 60 per cent, it can be used in hot, dry climates. And with weight savings of up to 70 per cent on offer compared to standard systems, it can dramatically simplify the installation of ‘living’ roofs, particularly on properties where structural strength is a critical factor, for example, in retrofitting older buildings. A one meter cubed area of VYDRO® substrate weighs just 30kg. The same area of lava stone weighs approximately 1500kg. VYDRO®


substrate works by locking


in exactly the right balance of air and water needed to optimize successful plant development. Plant roots can easily penetrate the inert, PH-neutral open structured foam enabling rapid growth and improved crop yields. With


• Reduce the risk of flooding by minimizing rainwater run off, retaining it for plant growth


• Improve air quality: Green roofs can absorb polluting particles that cause smog


• Reduce noise pollution: Vegetation in cities dampens sound reflection off hard surfaces


• Minimize the Urban Heat Island Effect (UHIE) • Improve biodiversity: Green roofs provide a safe refuge for insects, birds and wildlife


• Save time and money: Inherently light VYDRO® VYDRO® substrate can be


compressed, vacuum packed and shaped to ease transportation and installation. substrate has been created by HuntsmanPolyurethanes in


response to some of the world’s major environmental concerns; water scarcity, climate change and increased urbanization. The company has a strong network of VYDRO®


substrate roofing partners in place across


Europe and interest in the product is growing with a global list of high- profile reference sites.


For further information, telephone Tania Van Buyten on + 32 476 390324 or email VYDRO@huntsman.com


superior insulating properties VYDRO®


substrate canalso


improve a building’s envelope, helping to minimize temperature loss, reduce energy consumption levels and cut heating and cooling costs by up to 5 per cent. Furthermore it can:


Architects Choice 31


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