Green Building Products Dominate Top 100 List

Given the current consumer appetite for all things green, it's no wonder more than half of this year's Top 100 top building products list, published by Building Products magazine, is dominated by eco products, ranging from nifty solar panels to neat LED lights.

Here's a glimpse at a few of the products, which were ranked based on the number of requests for more information about them from the readers of Building Products, Custom Home, Builder and Remodeling magazines.

Endurance Wind Power: The Endurance S-250 wind turbine can be connected directly to the grid without the need for an inverter. It has a power rating of 5 kWh and can match the energy requirements of average U.S. households that consume up to 18,000 kWh per year. A braking system and over-speed protection stop the rotors in cases of extreme high wind or earthquake conditions.

Ready Solar: Called Solar in a Box, it's a prefab, modular solar electric system sold off the shelf for an alternative to more expensive, custom photovoltaic systems. It comes with all components for easy installation with no adjustments needed, and includes Web-based monitoring. The pre-assembled system can be customized and is compatible with any roof surface.

Lighting Science Group: Edison-based LED lamps fit into traditional recessed cans and other sockets. Aluminum fins dissipate heat. The company says the lamps are more efficient than incandescents, halogens, and CFLs and have a lifespan more than six times longer than CFLs.

Solatube: Requiring no electrical hookup, the Solar Star Conversion Kit boosts performance and lowers noise of existing attic fans. The Solar Star ventilator is powered by a 10-watt photovoltaic solar panel. The unit works continually to maintain low humidity and temperature levels, eliminate wintertime condensation and keep attic heat from building up in the summer.

WaterSaver Technologies: The Aqus reservoir uses water draining from bathroom sinks to flush toilets, saving about 10 to 20 gallons per day in a two-person household. The easy-to-install system creates no change in the normal operation of the sink and toilet.

IceStone: IceStone surfaces are made with 100 percent recycled glass in a cement matrix. It was the first durable surface in the world to receive McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry's Cradle to Cradle certification and can be used for a wide range of indoor and outdoor uses, including kitchen countertops and backsplashes, bathroom vanities and even patio surfacing, IceStone is strong, heat-resistant, and scratch-resistant and comes in 27 standard colors.

As consumer appetite for green products continues to grow each day, more and more companies should join the expanding marketplace for sustainable and green products. From Ready Solar to Solatube, the list is sure to grow.