Indoor Environmental Quality
Indoor Air QualityZoetica applied the highest standards when planning for environmental air quality. Air filtration is accomplished in three steps. Air filters that are already rated 13 MERVs (AeroStar MERV 13 green pleat/ Filtration Group) have been further enhanced by adding medical-grade air cleansers from the Calu Tech line of air purifiers helping to eliminate bacteria, viruses, mold, organic chemicals and other harmful elements in the air.
After all construction was completed and prior to occupancy, all the air within Zoetica was flushed through MERV 13 filters to optimize air quality from the very beginning. In addition, every effort has been made to reduce or eliminate potential pollutants from entering the air in the future. VOC free and/or Low VOC sealants, adhesives and paints were used throughout construction. Only cleaning products that are chemical free and non-toxic are used. Finally, each room at Zoetica has its own air control system allowing greater personalization for client comfort and the reduction of wasted energy.
The third level of air purification will be a unique concept of indoor landscaping designed by Planning Resources, Inc. consisting of almost 1000 sq. feet of the interior space using plants proven to be excellent air purifiers and detoxifiers.
Materials for Interiors
Diligent research led Dr. Lilly to the latest sustainable techniques, construction and interior building materials now beautifully manifested at Zoetica. The following list is offered to give you an example of the surprisingly wide variety of excellent products that are already available thanks to the efforts of some pioneering and visionary companies and to help you get started on your own “green” construction project. Specifically:
- Flooring: The hardwood floor at Zoetica is 100% bamboo (Dragon Board) (zero VOC content.) The hardwood floor underlayment is 100% Australian sheep wool (Whisper Wool™/ Nature’s Acoustics, Inc.) The carpet - a high-end commercial series - is from Bentley Prince Street’s product line. It won a Best of Neocon Silver Award in 2006 for its superior performance as a sustainable product - “Bentley Prince Street/Urban Tribe Collection - Carpet:Broadloom”. The area rug in the waiting room is made out of recycled remnants manufactured by Power Stretch, Inc. The tiles are either recycled ceramic tiles - (Crossville) or recycled glass tiles - (Oceanside.)
- Paints and Varnishes: All paints and varnishes are VOC free. These include YOLO Colorhouse® - the “Chanel” of the painting industry, ceramic paint from MDC Paint and Wallfinishings - another high-end company and American Pride Paint.
- Wallcoverings: All wallpaper (Len-Tex, MDC Wallfinishings) and “Bamboo Forest Panels” (Phillip Jeffries, Ltd.) are, of course, eco friendly as well and are made with water based sustainable technology.
- Adhesives and Sealants: All the adhesive materials that were used are non-toxic, with low or no VOCs and are listed as follows: Carpeting - Healthbond/Bentley Prince; Drywall and cabinetry - (Titebond®); Tiles - The cement is D5 Premium Thin set mortar/Bostik and the grout is Laticrete® Spectra Lock Pro and finally, a clay based adhesive was used for the wallpaper from MDC Wallfinishing.
- Doors: Doors are UF (Urea Formaldehyde) free made out of agri fiber (wheat or rice based). They were purchased from Mohawk’s Flush Doors, Inc. /Green Series.
- Cabinets: All cabinet work was custom made using PureBond/Columbia Forest Products, a formaldehyde-free hardwood plywood, which is, also an FSC wood. The cabinet stain is a soy based product called Timbersoy™/Ecoprocote™
- Furnishings: Professional system furniture (for the manicure, pedicure and styling stations, cabinets and office desks are also custom made using non-toxic, recycled chip boards, Wilsonart® veneers (Greenguard®) and H20 based adhesives (H20 Series/ Wilsonart®.)) The curtains and upholstery fabrics - where commercial products were available - were also made from sustainable materials, for example, the linen sheer curtains and Len-Tex upholstery for customer’s chairs.
- Countertops” All countertops are made from Paperstone™, a revolutionary material made of 50-100% recycled paper.
- Skylights and Handrails” Skylights and handrails are manufactured from 3FORM biodegradable and eco-friendly resins, which are decorated with natural plants or plant parts (leaves, bamboos).
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