Day 1—PCBC Products
Drain Away
Using technology available in Europe for six years, Quick Drain is a linear shower drain that allows the use of any size tile or stone slab in the shower. Instead of draining to a single point, water flows to a long drain along the base of the shower pan. The company says the unit is versatile and easy to install. QuickDrain USA, 970.389.6582; www.quickdrainusa.com.
Solar So Good
The Space-Saver residential solar water heater combines solar and auxiliary electric hot water in a single tank. It can provide from 50 percent to more than 80 percent of a household's annual water-heating needs, depending on geographic location, the company says. A programmable digital controller displays temperatures, amount of energy produced, economic savings, and other information. EnerWorks, 519.268.6500; www.enerworks.com.
Warm Fronts
Radiant floor heating is as easy as this cable. Suitable for tile, stone, and laminate/engineered wood floors, the cable is easily installed with 12-inch plastic guides that lay flat on the subfloor. The system can be used in wet environments, such as showers, shower benches, saunas, and steam rooms. Nuheat Industries, 800.778.9276; www.nuheat.com.
Day 2—PCBC Products
Foiled Again
LP TechShield Radiant Barrier foil sheathing—an update of the manufacturer's TechShield product—delivers performance similar to that provided by older radiant barrier sheathing products, but can also be installed in existing homes and in moist climates. Once installed, TechShield Foil may reduce monthly energy costs up to 17 percent. It comes in 500-square-foot rolls. Louisiana-Pacific Corp., 888.820.0325. www.lpcorp.com.
Liquid Assets
Liquid Dazzle is a 100 percent epoxy floor coating with colored metallic additives that move and change when applied. Designed for custom applications in high-end homes, the decorative flooring product is highly durable, the company says, and is available in a variety of iridescent colors. Westcoat Specialty Coating Systems, 800.250.4519; www.westcoat.com.
Stand Strong
The iLevel Shear Brace prebuilt engineered panel provides more predictable and consistent performance than site-built shear walls, according to the manufacturer. It's optimized to resist high lateral loads while fitting into narrower wall sections, provides critical lateral bracing to help resist the forces of high winds and earthquakes, and resists vertical gravity loads and out-of-plane lateral loads. Stock and custom heights are available in 12-foot- and 18-foot widths. iLevel by Weyerhaeuser, 888.453.8358; www.ilevel.com.
Day 3—PCBC Products
Catching Rays
Designed for easy, fast installation without the use of expensive commodity materials such as copper or aluminum, the SunGrabber solar hot water system offers a lightweight, all-polymer water heating system that can reduce water heating bills by up to 50 percent. According to the manufacturer, the entire system can fit into one box and weighs just 70 pounds. FAFCO, 866.786.4722; www.sungrabber.com.
Mirror Mirror
NanaWall WD66 wood folding door system is now available with Heat Mirror glazing for thermal performance in any climate and any season, the manufacturer says. The Energy Star-rated glazing is filled with krypton and has a U-factor of 0.23 and a solar heat gain coefficient of 0.31. Available as a top-hung or floor-mounted system, the doors can create openings of 8 feet to 40 feet and come in a variety of finishes and interior wood species, including Douglas fir and pine. NanaWall Systems, 800.873.5673; www.nanawall.com.
Heat It
These solar energy roof collectors can provide a home with up to 80 percent of its hot water needs, the manufacturer says. The system is comprised of the collector panels and a storage tank with a built-in heat exchanger to produce hot water even at low temperatures. Hot water holding tanks are available in 80-gallon and 120-gallon sizes. Velux America, 800.888.3589; www.veluxusa.com.
