American
Clay Enterprises Inc. has won the 2010 Innovative Green Design Award for
Interior Finishes. The company’s lime putty was selected by a panel of
independent judges as outstanding among all the many entries in the Interior
Finishes category. The IGDA Awards Ceremony was held in June at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
in New York
during GreenBuildingsNY.
“It’s so nice to be recognized for our efforts in the area of environmentally
sound product design, but what’s even more important is that innovation in the
area of sustainable, ‘green’ materials is considered good business. Eight years
ago, building green was somewhat fringe. Today it is leading the way out of
this recession,” said Carol Baumgartel, co-founder and chief vision officer of
American Clay.
American Clay introduced the product this year. This lime putty can be used for
gauging, or adding to, the company’s Earth Plasters and also mixed to make
limewash.
New York House magazine’s second annual Innovative Green Design Awards were
judged by five experts who took roles as both activists and educators. The
panel consisted of sustainable architect and retrofitter Ellen Honigstock,
sustainability consultant Joanna Black, green builder Mark Jupiter, green
marketing researcher Doug Mazeffa, and ecofriendly interior designer Cheryl
Terrace.
The judges vetted each of the entries and debated the issues surrounding the
manufacturing, lifecycle, innovation, usefulness, beauty, and sustainability of
each product. They focused on the environmental impact of materials and
resources that went into creating each product, as well as their design, price,
and practicality.
“It is our hope that the Innovative Green Design Awards serves to educate
consumers and design and building professionals alike about products that have
a small environmental footprint but a big impact,” said Nancy Meyer, editor of
New York House. “Equally important, we hope this competition inspires
manufacturers to take note of what matters to green home builders, architects,
interior designers, and homeowners in the world of high-performance,
responsibly-made, sustainable products.”