If you are thinking of having a makeover for your home, office, apartment or retail shop, you should pay attention to the following advice.

The condition of the structure (floor, walls, ceiling) or the ‘bones of the house’ are the most important thing to consider before start asking for colour swatches for the walls or samples for the floor finish.

Just think about this: no colour is going to look good if there’s dampness showing through the walls or lumps and cracks showing through the floor. All these ‘little problems’ will give you more than a chronic headache: they will lower the value of your property as well.

So here are the easy steps you should follow: check the plumbing and the electrical; make sure you don’t do any modifications to load-bearing walls (or one hauling plumbing pipes, electrical conducts or gas).You may have already considered all this, but what about the floor finish? Where to start? Is it possible to get rid of the old terracotta tiles? If you want to completely change the floor finish and go for an eco-friendly option, you should choose Pandomo. No matter if you already have tiles, timber, old slabs or magnesite floors; Concrete Artisans provides a pre-levelling system that allows the successive installation of Pandomo. The result: no lumps, no cracks, just a perfectly flat and natural smooth floor finish.

Ardex Pandomo is a natural white self-leveling cement produced by Ardex in Germany and recently brought to Australia. It complies with the requirements of the Green Council of Australia for Low VOC Content Compound. Plus Concrete Artisans Pty Ltd carries on a dust free and environmentally friendly installation (for more details go to www.concreteartisans.com.au).

Pandomo is the floor you always wanted:

-the right colour for you

-natural look

-unique design

-durable (guaranteed to match the building’s durability)

-eco-friendly

-inexpensive.

Pandomo is available from accredited Ardex Contractors only to ensure the installation process meets the highest building and construction standards.

For more information, please contact:

CONCRETE ARTISANS PTY LTD

p: (02) 8003 4411

www.concreteartisans.com.au

info@concreteartisans.com.au

Habana Outpost to host Earth Day Expo
April 19th and 20th
Brooklyn, New York – March 6, 2008
As owner of New York’s first solar powered restaurant Sean Meenan is often sought after for information about sustainability and green business practices. In response to this, he has organized the first annual Earth Day Expo at Habana Outpost. The focus of this two-day event will be to provide a place for the community to access information about sustainability in a fun and interactive way through a series of free events and workshops.

Some highlights of the two-day event will be:
• Electronic Waste Recycling – The Lower East Side Ecology Center will be collecting unwanted electronic waste in their e-waste container.
• Recycled Art Show – Local elementary school students will create art out of every day trash. Their work will be on display throughout the weekend.
• Bio Diesel Demo – Habana Outpost will unveil their newest company vehicle, a 1965 Lincoln Convertible that has been converted to run on bio-diesel.
• Composting Workshops – Sponsored by the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and the Department of Sanitation, these fun and informative workshops will teach you how to start composting at home.
• Kid’s Corner – Throughout the weekend there will be free crafts and workshops for children including the “ABC’s of Bees and Bee Keeping” and “Fun with Composting Worms”.
• Get Involved – Meet local non-profit groups to find out how you can get involved.
• Shop Green – Local vendors and designers will showcase their green products and services.
For a complete schedule of events please visit: www.habanaoutpost.com

Habana Outpost is New York’s first solar powered restaurant and marketplace located in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn. Created by artist and restaurateur Sean Meenan, the goal of Habana Outpost is to make sustainability fun and accessible. Since 2005 the Outpost has become a nexus for community activity bringing neighbors, environmentalists, artists and families together into one courtyard.
www.habanaoutpost.com

Contact:
Darcy Le Fleming
darcy@ecoeatery.com
p.718 858 9500
c.718 404 6161
Habana Outpost
757 Fulton Street
Brooklyn, NY 11217

Due to increased growth in worldwide sales and a bright forecast SmartGlass International is moving to a new dedicated production facility in Dublin. The new 20,000 sq/ft manufacturing and R&D facility due to open in April 2008 will enable Smart Glass International to increase capacity and to bring all production process’ in house from design, cutting, tempering, assembly, lamination and final test and assembly.

A new showroom will also be opened allowing clients to view product possibilities, this will be soon followed by an on line virtual showroom to be launched on the SmartGlass International website in mid 2008.

Managing Director, John Browne said “We have invested heavily in our new premises and in new plant and machinery. Sales to date have grown strongly and we anticipate strong near term growth. Our Smart Glass products are still at a very early stage in their marketing life cycle and we anticipate that the majority of commercial new builds and refurbishments will include a Smart Glass product in the very near future. Our new facility; dedicated to Smart Glass production also allows us to research and develop new products and potential uses for our products. We are excited by the popularity of our products and the potential that the future brings.”

SmartGlass International is a dedicated manufacturer of Electronically Switchable Architectural Glass. LC SmartGlass™ (Privacy) and SPD SmartGlass™ (Solar-Control).

The use of intelligent smart glass provides added value and increased flexibility in new building design, improves working environments and building ergonomics, saves energy, and increases the well being of occupants. SmartGlass International is dedicated to bringing environmentally friendly “green” products and unique design capabilities to their customers.

SGI offers unique and bespoke SmartGlass services including technical, consultancy, design, installation, supply only service, control systems, service and maintenance through to complete “design & build” turnkey solutions.

Contact Details:

Web: www.smartglassinternational.com

Email: info@smartglassinternational.com

Jeremy and Kimberly Bonin, are pleased to announce the opening of their new architectural and project management firm Bonin Architects & Associates, PLLC., http://www.boninarchitects.com, specializing in timber frame design and sustainable (green) designs.

Bonin Architects & Associates, PLLC works closely with clients interested in timber frame house plans, structural insulated panels, and sustainable designs. Additionally, Bonin Architects will work closely with the clients and general contractors assisting in the project management of their new home for projects nationwide.

Jeremy, a member of the American Institute of Architects, is also an NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) Certified Architect, and is licensed in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New York and received his Bachelor of Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. With a special interest in sustainable design, environmentally friendly construction and alternative energy systems, Jeremy became a LEED Accredited Professional (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) through the US Green Building Council, the national standard for the design and development of high performance, energy efficient sustainable buildings. For the past four years Jeremy has focused his work on the residential sector, with a focus of timber frame design and structural insulated panels (SIPs) while incorporating other sustainable (green) energy practices, including geo-thermal, solar, radiant heat, and energy-efficient foundation systems.Jeremy is the author of TIMBER FRAMES: Designing Your Custom Home, a timber frame book, which is an invaluable tool to help homeowners become fully involved in the design of their new timber frame or post & beam home. Recently he was announced as one of three winners of the Silver Park National Design Competition (located in Missoula, MT) sponsored by the Timber Framers Guild (http://www.tfguild.org).

Kimberly has over ten years of experience in managing timber frame design projects. For the first five years in the industry, Kim worked mostly on commercial timber frame projects which included timber frame churches and monasteries, colleges, and schools, and non-profit organizations such as the Fresh Air Fund dining halls and camper cabins.Over the last few years, Kim has managed scores of residential projects throughout the country working closely with homeowners on their timber frame floor plans, architects, engineers, and general contractors. No matter how large or small the building, Kim pays attention to the details at each stage of construction.From the outset of the project, Kim works with clients to determine budget requirements, material choices and product specifications for quotes. Clients appreciate the apples-to-apples bid comparison Kim prepares, which clearly explains material and cost differences. Throughout each project, Kim works directly with and for the client to ensure they have the information needed to make important design and material decisions for their new post & beam, timber frame, or sustainable home.

Contact:
Kimberly Bonin
Bonin Architects & Associates, PLLC
603-504-6009
http://www.boninarchitects.com