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quartz
September 25, 2017

Rethink Pollution – Watch How a Building Can Purify Air

As our cities expand up and out, the built environment needs to adapt to reduce pollution instead of cause it. Buildings that clean the air are a real thing and Lapitec is at the forefront of the technology making it happen.

Lapitec’s engineered slabs are sintered, making them UV, scratch and stain resistant, and suitable for interior and exterior uses. The 1cm material in supersize slabs are ideal for exterior cladding applications and flooring. The 2 and 3cm slabs are great for countertops. Best of all, the materials are self cleaning.  Sound impossible?  

Check out this video to see how: Lapitec Buildings Purify the Air

quartz
August 21, 2017

Tips And Techniques

Can I miter PaperStone edges?

Of Course! The main trick is to make sure that you attach the face of the mitered edge to a substrate or blocking below. This increases the surface area of the cap sheet that is adhered to another fibrous material (substrate). Also, using mechanical fasteners ensures an even more reliable edge, as with any other mitered material.

Please email us for our document on Mitering PaperStone Edges if you want more details.

 

quartz
August 21, 2017

There Once Was A Tradeshow In Dallas

Our first time at Metrocon in Dallas was a tremendous success. Sporting the Modern Surfaces collection along with reSAWN Timber’s Charred wood, Wonderwall’s reclaimed wood and Kosisen’s transparent colored plywood, CaraGreen’s booth was unmatched. With our Create Better backdrop we showed Texas that everything is Better in North Carolina. An untapped market for many of the brands, the attendees were clamoring to get samples and information and find a way to use the innovative PaperStone, and colorful Durat on their projects. Our Biophilic Design presentation was sold out and we received great feedback on the topic and great booth traffic afterward from those who attended. Thank you Texas for the hospitality, now, back to Raleigh!

quartz
August 21, 2017

Well, Well, Well

  1. We have our first WELL AP! Alyssa Holland has joined us full-time and passed her WELL Building exam to become one of the first WELL APs. This new building standard is hot on the heels of LEED and is likely to become the employees-first look at building systems toward which we have all been striving.
     
  2. Our WELL Building Standard Continuing Education course is available for architecture firms looking to find out more about the standard, have a nice lunch and get some credit for AIA or GBCI.
     
  3. WELL vs. LEED – This course is also approved and can be booked through CaraGreen for credit. An in-depth look at the various rating systems and what techniques and credits they employ can help building owners and their partners decide what system is best for you based on your needs.

For more information on WELL and booking our courses, please email alyssa@caragreen.com.

quartz
July 25, 2017

July Vignette – Christmas in July

From Back to Front:

Torzo – Orient, Onyx
Bark House – White Birch
Koskisen – KoskiDecor Transparent Plywood, Green, 6025
Kirei – Kirei Board
Durat – 168
IceStone – Moroccan Red

quartz
July 25, 2017

Color Heals: Case Study: Lee Memorial Hospital

It is widely known that color helps you heal. Studies show that color evokes well being, hospitals are always looking for ways to help patients recover faster, and designers are using color in healthcare design.

Durat solid surface is the only solution for a facility looking for color. Outside of using a cheap plastic laminate that can not be refinished when damaged, and often looks tacky, Durat is the only surface with 70 standard color options. Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, Florida was specified by FKP out of Houston, and used Durat’s bright suite of colors to incorporate color on every floor of the hospital.  

  • 2nd Floor – Durat 480 (Orange)
  • 3rd Floor – Durat 750 (Purple)
  • 4th Floor – Durat 230 (Light Blue)
  • 5th Floor – Durat 080 (Blue)
  • 6th Floor – Durat 810 (Light Green)
  • 7th Floor – Durat 800 (Green)

For more information on Durat, email durat@caragreen.com.

quartz
July 25, 2017

Back To Our Roots

CaraGreen used to focus on bringing the best in education materials and relevant topics to our customers. Over time, we took a step back as the standards evolved and people stood at an impasse as to whether they would adopt LEED v4, or just give up on “green” altogether as it was a foregone conclusion. 

But we are back, and better than ever. WELL, HPD 2.0, mindful materials. Ask us!

We have the answers and guidance that you need on these subjects. What’s next in materials? We have that as well.  We have a series of courses for credit (AIA, IIDA, GBCI) that give you guidance on what is next in materials, standards and applications.   

We offer the following education courses:

  • Sintered Stone (the next surfacing material to replace granite and quartz)
  • WELL Standard (what it is and how to become a WELL AP)
  • Building Standards – What should you do? (WELL  vs. LEED vs. Living Building)
  • Turning Paper Into Stone (how to take recycled paper and make stone)
  • Modern Surfaces (when you don’t want to specify quartz anymore)
  • LEED v4 – Materials (what are all these changes)

Email:  kim@caragreen.com to book a course in your area.

quartz
July 25, 2017

This Surface Reduces Pollution Inside and Out

The epitome of surfacing materials has arrived.  A material that can be used indoor and out as a countertop, flooring, on walls or as external cladding. While the applications are unlimited, the performance is even more jaw-dropping. Lapitec sintered stone surfaces clean the air. That is right, they remove pollutants from indoor and outdoor air. One of the most common outdoor and indoor pollutants, NOx, (pronounced “knocks”) is a family of pollutants that includes Nitric oxide (NO) and Nitrogen dioxide (NO2). These are gases known to form acid rain and smog, and are also responsible for the existence of particulate matter (PM) which are an indicator of air toxicity. Lapitec surfaces incorporate Bio-Care technology into the slabs of material which removes the NOx from the air. Photocatalysis, which is the reaction of light and a catalyst (TiO2), helps spur the reaction in an exterior environment and breaks the pollutant down. Titanium Dioxide has been studied extensively for this purpose and Lapitec has used that technology to make an amazing, nearly indestructible surface, even better. The next level of sustainability has been achieved.

For more information on the self-cleaning properties of Lapitec, or for a lunch and learn on the material, email lapitec@caragreen.com.

quartz
July 25, 2017

Can You Feel Me?

Textures are in. Surfaces that make you want to touch them and offer a finish that is not simply polished, like most natural stone and granite, are the holy grail in the design space right now. Being able to design around something that is not glaring and reflecting light all over the place offers designers a way to showcase all of the elements of a space and not have to navigate around a surface that is serving as a disco ball.

PaperStone has always had a matte finish, organic look, and wears in without wearing out. It can be left as is, with a raw, warm feel, or polished up to a slight gloss.

Lapitec offers eight finishes, from the smooth Lux, to the slightly subtle Satin, a rough, lava stone like Vesuvio and all the textures in between.  A natural anti-slip flooring, or gentle, run-your-hand-along me wall or countertop, Lapitec can wrap the interior or exterior of a building with its suite of textures, and unmatched UV stain and scratch resistance.

To experience these alternatives to the glaring surface we have become so used to, email us at info@caragreen.com to stop by or have samples sent your way.

quartz
June 26, 2017

June Vignette – Summertime

From Back to Front:

Durat – 310
IceStone – Forest Fern
Kirei – Coco Tiles, Java Collection, Losari Leather
Kirei – Coco Tiles, Sumatra Collection, Gido
Lapitec – Lux, Arabescato Michelangelo

quartz
June 26, 2017

Hello Topo!

Texture reigns supreme.  Meet the new Topo tiles from Kirei.  In two new elevated patterns, EchoPanel continues to expand its acoustic options.  Great for after-the-fact sound control, or integrated acoustic design, Topo tiles use both soft surfaces and different thicknesses within a single tile to address sound control issues.  Joining Wave, Dune and Vee tiles, Topo is available in 2 finishes: Pixel and Barcode and in 20 standard colors.

For samples, email echopanel@caragreen.com.

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