Green Home Building Design With Coffee Composite Building Materials

Who said coffee is only for drinking?

Through some very innovative thinking, students at the University of the Andes in Bogota, Colombia, have built what is considered the first coffee wood composite house.

This is a very appropriate accomplishment for a top academic institution in a country known for its quality coffee. From the seed to the cup and now to sweet, sweet coffee home!

How did they do it?

Graduate engineering students began academic work about building homes with a focus on “design for sustainability.” Their professor, Jaime Medina, Director of the Research Center of Polymer Processing (“Centro de Investigacion en Procesamiento de Polimeros) of the University of the Andes in Bogota supervised the project.

The main objectives were,

Low construction costs. Light weight. Portability.
Ease of maintenance. Non toxicity.
Flexibility. Sturdiness.
Identifying an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional building materials such as wood.
Tree logging is responsible for significant deforestation in the country.
Reducing the use of chemicals in the construction process to promote good health standards.
Over a period of two years, the students evaluated multiple eco-friendly materials to build homes such as banana plants, palm trees, bamboo, coffee, etc.

To understand why coffee became the front runner for the new construction material in this academic project, it is important to review some basics about the steps in the coffee processing. From the seed to the cup, coffee goes through several natural steps,

Planting the coffee trees and cultivating them for years before they bear fruit (coffee cherries).
Harvesting the cherries using “strip picking” or “selective picking” methods.
Processing the coffee cherries using “dry method” or “wet method.”
Drying the beans if they have been processed using the “wet method.”
Milling the beans to remove the parchment layer (endocarp) from wet processed coffee.
Hulling dry processed coffee to remove the entire dried husk of the dried cherries.
At every step of its production, coffee is repeatedly tested for quality and taste.
Exporting is the next step for the milled coffee also called “‘green coffee.”
Finally, roasting and brewing coffee completes the cycle to the cup from the seed.

Each of these steps utilizes every part of the coffee tree and its fruit except for the dried husk which has been usually considered garbage and discarded –until now!

Coffee garbage (“dried husk” or “cisco” in Spanish) became the innovative ingredient the students mixed with recycled PVC to design pre-fabricated panels for home construction.
The result is a material that is strong, light, practical, inexpensive, easy to build and very eco friendly.
The coffee composite building panels offer easy installation and durability.
It is possible to build a house from this new material in about one week.
This is an excellent solution to address population housing needs among low income groups.

At first glance, it is difficult to spot the difference between a regular prefabricated wood laminate panel and the new coffee composite panels.

What appears to be a natural wood grain pattern is really dried coffee husk panel mixed in with recycled PVC for a nice and useful finish.
The panels look almost like pieces of a giant Lego game that you can fit, one by one, without using any glue or cement to form the house.

Materials of this type are available elsewhere in the world, commonly referred to as “plastic wood composite.” What is different with this project is that in Colombia, they did not use sawdust or wood. Instead, the main ingredient is dried coffee husks. This is a first for such application!

The project received the support of “Colciencias,” the government institute created to support scientific research in Colombia
The new production material is now branded under the name Wood Pecker (how appropriate!).

The goal is to commercialize the use of this new home building material.

Adding a coffee composite building material to the list of Colombian exports some day would certainly be most appropriate for this coffee exporting country. It makes you wonder, what will they think of next?

So, here’s a toast to innovation and a perfect time to enjoy a good cup of Colombian Supremo!

Building construction for steel, wood & concrete material framing

The selection of building materials and framing system depends on load-bearing capacity, functionality, economy and desired service life. The trays turn sufficiently to accommodate features architectural style of the building and non-bearing elements. Frames are basic skeleton of the building with wood, steel, reinforced concrete or prefabricated materials.

Light wood frame 3 are the most popular for the construction of single or multiple apartments 2. Structurally, it is a recurring bond of wood beams to wood stud. All wood are building in accordance with the international one and two residential building code developed. Commercial and industrial wood buildings have often larger floor spans with few retaining walls.

Steel buildings consist of repeating design of steel beams and columns. The beam column connections are developed as moment connection lateral forces withstand completely. Steel surface on the moment resisting frames transmitted lateral forces. These frames can be placed almost anywhere in the tree. Steel buildings are generally more flexible than wood building in their design and offers advantages of for fire resistance, offsite manufacture of components and low cost.

Steel building consists of light frame are usually prefabricated and manufactured with fixed frame across orthogonal design. These frames provide maximum strength if support and beams of light steel plates are constructed.

Soil contains prefabricated concrete frame buildings and roof coating consists of prefabricated concrete parts against earthquakes better. Prefabricated concrete support pillars and beams to connect the timber decking system with reinforced steel, these elements. Capacity of these compounds help to resist lateral loads in large seismic vibrations as desired higher strength and deformation.

The building, to ensure that their designs meet desired structural engineer load, security, architecture, maintainability, and performance criteria. It should withstand easily massive living and dead loads along with climate change and natural disasters.

Book your queries relating to structural design design and calculations to us.

Selecting a Green Design Material – 12 Questions to Ask First

A green interior design material, finish or fixture must first be a good product. Here’s what to look for even before considering a product’s green claims.

Selecting the right eco-friendly finishes and materials is one of the most important challenges you will face in building your green home. Manufacturers have given us so many new choices and options to choose from that it now becomes a question of what is right for MY home?

As an interior designer committed to green interior design, this is something I deal with on a daily basis. There is a huge gray area between materials and products that are cutting edge technology and the risk of whether they will hold up over time as promised. You might feel that by building an eco-friendly home and you will have to sacrifice something like style, luxury, comfort or saving money. Fortunately, if you do your homework that doesn’t have to be the case. Quality green building products will give you a home that is comfortable and functions well – without problems or extra expense.

“Green interior design is always about making choices, compromise, and setting priorities,” is what I tell my clients. “It’s never going to be ‘perfectly green’, so you have to decide what matters to you.” You want to feel confidence in your decisions and have the information you need to weigh the trade-offs associated with them. Still, how do you know what is the best choice for you?

Here are 12 questions I recommend you ask your builder and designer about any green design product you’re considering-before you make your selection:

How well will it perform its basic function as a building material or product?
How does it compare with products I am considering or have used before?
Does it meet code for my intended use?
Is it third-party certified, or is it just a claim by the manufacturer of being eco-friendly?
Will it contribute toward project certification, i.e. LEED, Green Build, etc.?
Is it available now (or will it be when I need it)?
How will it affect my budget?
Is there any question about it’s safety or performance?
Will it improve the level of energy efficiency, water conservation or indoor air quality of my home?
How will it contribute toward sustainability?
Will it require special installation skills or adaptations to the building?
Is it worth the investment for the benefits?

After answering these 12 questions and talking with your building team, you should be able to determine if the material, finish, product or fixture fits within your comfort zone and meets the your environmental goals for the project. You should also ask, “What makes this a green design product?” and “Can you verify the manufacturers’ performance claims?” Then you can focus on the product’s green attributes and how they will integrate with the other elements of your green home.

Building a green home can be very rewarding, once you work through the layers of documentation and research to determine the best solutions. Working with a knowledgeable, experienced design and building team will make it much easier and more enjoyable.

Green Design Enhances Green Building

Building Designers and Architects can be a leading asset in the construction of green homes. After all, the foundation and the ground work begins with a good set of construction documents for a builder to build from. While a certain degree of sustainable building can be achieved with pre-designed house plans, starting with a blank canvas and new design will accomplish a far greater result on the final outcome. Without proper planning in design and appropriate selection in materials, a sustainable or green building cannot be achieved.

Efficiency in Design

When most people think of green homes they usually recall a number of things relating to our environment. The most mentioned would be energy use. In fact, these responses are on target. What seems to be missing in most of these discussions is the impact of the building design. The design process must be included because without a plan, green homes cannot live up to its full potential. An efficient design can have a positive affect on the environment and energy use for many years. By making use of every available square foot of the home, dead zones and unusable floor space can be eliminated. While this may sound insignificant, imagine heating and cooling places in your home that you cannot use. This is a total waste of money on energy and not to mention the extra square footage you paid for. Another key in efficiency is designing in ratios to coincide with standard building material sizes. This simple but forward thinking cuts down on waste at the construction site, reduce the overall amount of debris in our landfills, save trees, etc. These are just a couple of great examples to make the case for green design. In short, a carefully planned home design can couple the efforts to build green.

Specify green designated products and material

Design is only part of the equation as it sets the tone for things to follow. It is vital for a building designer to also include specifications that call for green products and building materials in order to continue the green theme. These items must adhere to the principles of green building that include products made with recycled waste, free of toxins and emissions, conserve energy, and produce a healthy environment. Using local products and materials is also idea for green specified items.

Building green involves a laundry list of things from design concept to building completion. You should include your house plans in the overall process. Remember, building design professionals can get you off to a great start in building your green home.

How Technology Has Been Used to Design Modern Buildings

In recent years, the methods of designing and constructing buildings have undergone many progressive changes. Our future and the future of our environment are now being taken into consideration when designing buildings. Current technology is allowing companies to build for the future.

A method known as Building Information Modeling (BIM) has been developed as a means of collecting interconnected computable information about a building. Because information is continuously being collected as a building project develops, dependable digital representations of the building are always available for review by all parties involved in the design. BIM creates one central model of a design which is available to all design and construction teams so they are all on the same page as the building progresses. This allows for better communication as it relates to making modifications and resolving problems.

‘Green’ designs have become a thriving industry. Using technology and innovation, many buildings are now being designed to have the least impact on the environment. Such deigns include recycled material used in constructing the building, green rooftops, a wastewater recycling plant, solar power, on-site power generators, materials that allow water to be captured from the outdoors and get filtered for indoor use. As well, buildings are being designed to use sunlight as much as possible. Using renewable energy technologies and conservation technologies are a major factor when designing modern buildings.

The use of computer-based tools to solve design problems is another way that technology is changing the way the modern building is designed. Using computer technology, building designers can simulate conditions before the building has been constructed. This can include simulating events such as an earthquake.

Buildings are now being designed to meet the ever changing technological advancements. For instance, re-radiating systems (IRS) and distributed antenna systems (DAS) are being installed in large buildings where steel, concrete, and other building materials obstruct radio signals. IRS and DAS boost signals that support cell phones, emergency services radio systems, and personal communications devices. The result is improved safety for building users.

Because much of the workforce either works at home or are on the go, designers are now designing buildings to support wireless technologies. Workers will have the ability to access the Internet, access materials and files from anywhere in the building or while they are away from the building. For instance, some hospitals are conducting patient charting using wireless devices. As well, old and new buildings are now being retrofitted to support wireless technology.

Since our world has become a much more dangerous place, technology is now being used to create safer and stronger building structures. To protect people from those who wish to do us harm, designers are now implementing principles of blast-resistant designs. Buildings are now being designed to sustain and contain a certain amount of bomb damage. This includes preventing a wide-spread collapse of a building, limiting damage to a small area, and reducing the amount of glass and debris spread from a bomb blast.

Advancements in technology are improving how the modern building is being designed and built. Designers are now taking the safety of the occupants and the impact on the environment into consideration when designing a building. Technology is ensuring that these new buildings are being built for future sustainability.

Restoring a Home? There Are Lots of Design and Materials Decisions to Make

When building a new home or renovating an old one, there are innumerable choices in commercially produced building and finishing materials; but when you want to restore an old home, particularly one built before standardized building materials were widely available, you may need help from a custom millworks. Stairways in old houses are narrow and steep, rooms are off square, and dimensions vary tremendously from home to home. How do you incorporate a modern, functional kitchen, for instance, into the design of a home restored to its original 1850s design?

You may have the expertise or the research capability to make the design decisions yourself; otherwise, hiring an architect who specializes in the restoration of antique buildings is a must. Many antique buildings, particularly in New England, were built and renovated over a period of centuries, with additions in different styles (sometimes compatible, sometimes not) tacked on to the original building. You probably don’t want to remove the additions, particularly if they’re a substantial part of the building; but do you restore them to their original state, or do you impose the style of the original building onto the addition? If embellishments were added to the original structure, do you keep them or get rid of them? If your house is a hodge-podge of different styles from different eras, can your architect incorporate a new design which will blend the warring styles together? And do you want him or her to do that, or are you enough of a restoration purist not to want to add modern elements to the design?

Antique buildings were most often created using materials locally available at the time of its construction; but some materials may have been imported from far away; by the nineteenth century, New England ruled the seas, importing goods, including exotic woods, from places as scattered as Ireland and Southeast Asia. Whether originating locally or abroad, these antique materials may or may not be readily available from local sources now.

Maple, oak, walnut, cherry, ash, hickory, mahogany – all may be found in an antique home, and all may need to be specially purchased. You or your architect will probably need to communicate with manufacturers of custom building materials; so be sure to choose a millworks company which has experts on staff who can provide design and specification assistance. These millworks companies should be able to provide custom milled wide plank flooring, individually designed stairs, historically accurate reproduction moldings, and special lengths and widths of lumber.

Antique homes offer a fascinating look into the history of a region and the lives of people who lived through various eras. The story of a particular house may span centuries of building, rebuilding, and renovations, making each home a unique connection to the past. Restoring one of these gems to its original beauty can not only extend its life to another generation of residents, it can contribute to the legacy of a region.

Flagstone Patio Cost, Materials, and Design

When building a flagstone patio, you first have to calculate the total cost of your project. This will include all of the tools that need to be bought, the cost of your flagstone, and the amount spent on a professional builder. All of these costs need to be written down so that you know exactly how much you are going to spend. If hiring someone is too expensive, you maybe should think about doing it yourself.

The next thing that you have to be aware of when building a flagstone patio is the materials that you are going use. The first set of tools that are needed to build a patio are a hammer, chisel, flagstone masonry sand, wheel barrow, hoes, brushes, cement etc. These tools can be purchased at a local hardware store or you can even borrow them from a friend.

The last thing that you should have in mind is the design of your flagstone. Are you going to want a patio that is ridged, or one that is flat and similar in shape. Either way, you should know exactly what you want before you start building.

When installing, it is important that you learn from the experts. By getting help and information, you will have the knowledge and readiness to tackle your project. Start by reading additional information online, watch videos, and take notes. The more knowledge you have about building flagstone, the faster you will get done and the less expensive it will cost you.

Building Design for the New Economy

“Our goal is a delightfully diverse, safe, healthy and just world with clean air, water, soil and power… economically, equitably, ecologically and elegantly enjoyed.” This is a beautiful quote from William McDonough. Professor of Architecture, Designer, Environmental Consultant to world leaders in manufacturing, and inspired soul. He addresses here the same principles of The New Economy, and supports the knowledge that there is a direct relationship between life, the living environment and the built environment. Have you ever been in a built environment that gave you a sense of calm and nourishment, that awakened your senses and gave you a feeling of deep rest and recuperation? We feel calm, nourished, awakened and alert when the air quality in a space is healthy… when form follows function… when space, light, color, and texture combine in an economy and elegance of design.

Nature is the gold standard against which our built environments should be measured. On its own, Nature has a finely tuned balance, but problems occur for both people and the environment when synthetic or man-made materials are introduced and the essential balance is lost. Ecological, sustainable building means not just sustaining our ecosystems, but human health as well. Mind, body and soul are affected in a myriad of ways by a dwelling. And it is clear that the once finely tuned relationship between humankind and nature is out of balance.

Let’s take a look at the 4 values that William McDonough mentioned in his quote and how they relate to sustainable building.

Economical, Equitable, Ecological, Elegant.

First let’s look at Economical… A quote from local Environmental Inspector & Building Consultant Jon Cotham… “It’s important to remember that with the rising cost of health care and lost productivity from illness, that anything we can do to maintain our good health is financially beneficial”. Our health is priceless and when buying, renovating or building a new home or business, its ability to nurture health should be our top priority. As more consumers look to healthy, sustainable building materials, the costs have come more in line with conventional materials. Contrary to popular belief, often the healthier alternatives are no more expensive, or even more economical in the long run due to a longer lifecycle and greater durability, or by reducing energy costs.

We have the ability to shift industry if we persevere in either buying less of something, or in buying more of the sustainable alternatives. Many of us will spend additional money to buy natural, organic and fair trade food & clothing. Why not take these into consideration when buying building materials? History has shown that consumers’ have great power with their spending habits. Runaway consumerism, has played a significant role in the collapse the economy and of the ecosystem, given the energy, water, land and other resources required to produce all the “stuff” people buy and quickly dispose of. Exciting opportunities for sustainability lie in the beginnings of a revolution that replaces materials made using dirty, wasteful methods with those resulting from clean processes patterned after Nature’s cyclical patterns. Since the 1990s leading manufacturers have adopted sustainability standards that have increased revenue through risk management, increased competitive advantage, cost reduction and product differentiation. They have demonstrated that such sustainable practices not only work but are economically viable.

Equitable. Most of us are all familiar with this term in regards to Fair Trade practices, which is an important consideration in buying practices for building materials. It is important to look to manufacturers who ensure healthy working conditions, fair labor practices and fair compensation. But, do we consider how we can be more equitable to our children, our pets and the elderly that occupy our dwellings? They may not have much voice, if any, in the decisions made concerning building materials, and yet they are the ones whose health is most at risk. Children are more affected by indoor contaminants than adults because their respiratory, immune & neurological systems are still developing. And, their breathing zone is much closer to the ground where most contaminants originate.

The next value is Ecological. When considering materials for your built environment, think about the impact your decision has on the world at large. Fortunately, there is a current awareness that Building Operations… that is heating, cooling and lighting… is having a huge impact on our outside air quality. Surprisingly, when we compare sources of Co2 emissions, we see that the manufacturing of Building Materials alone is actually higher than the levels produced by Automobiles. The manufacturing of Portland Cement used in concrete, and the gypsum used in drywall are among the biggest polluters, but there are alternatives.

The destruction of global health is mirrored by a similar impact on our personal health. Tens of thousands of chemicals being used today in the home and elsewhere are known to be toxic. The alarming growth of diseases such as childhood asthma, autism, and fibromyalgia – have become cause for researchers to look for links between these chemicals and our health, and indeed many have been found. Both the EPA and American Lung Association urge us to not use materials with PVC or formaldehyde added which can include vinyl flooring, carpet pad & backing, plywoods and particleboards found in cabinets and furniture, textiles, paints, stains and sealers. Studies have shown that poor indoor air quality affects attendance and productivity in schools and the workplace.

Elegant and Sustainable go hand in hand. The dictionary defines Elegant as “of a high grade or quality”. With today’s selection of sustainable building materials, elegance does not need to be compromised. There are a wide variety of materials that are truly elegant not only because of their high grade or quality, but also because they are truly pleasing and sophisticated. Sustainable building no longer is limited to a rustic or industrial looks.

Today we are faced with a dazzling array of finishing products. It is a daunting task to make healthy, sustainable choices, especially when considering how little information is revealed on product labels, and how much knowledge is required to decipher them. Fortunately, there is now more information available to the consumer through the internet and television, through books, and through the increasing number of professional consultants available to help with inspections, analysis, design and procurement. When starting any type of building or remodeling project, we need to take time to plan. A hard thing for many of us in this society of immediate gratification, but we need to invest sufficient time into finding healthy, environmentally sound choices.

Our homes and business represent one of the biggest investments we will ever make of our time, energy and money; they are a life long focus of concern and can become a source of well being. The simple steps of creating a healthy home or workplace are some of the easiest ways we can live an ecologic life, doing our part to be stewards for the earth, and helping to create a truly sustainable economy.

Copyright 2009 Cynthia Grier. All rights reserved.

Home Building & Remodels – Three Reasons Why You Need Good Design

For anyone familiar with my writings, you know I’m a big supporter of the owner builder process. I’m also a huge supporter of getting professional help along the way. One element of home building or remodeling you can’t afford to slight is the design.

 

Good design precedes a good building process and getting what you want. Throughout my years coaching and advising home owners, I’ve learned that most people are simply not aware of the value that proper home design and blueprints provide. It has proven to be a big hurdle for people who don’t pay attention and gloss over this aspect. There are enough hurdles in the process of home building, don’t exacerbate the problem by starting with poor design.

 

Sources of House Plans and Home Designs

 

Quality design can come from various sources. Many people will be satisfied with well-developed and drawn stock house plans from plan books or online resources. For more custom type home designs an architect or residential designer is often preferred. Once you get into the higher end and uniquely customized homes an experienced architect is the choice for most.

 

Higher end custom home house plans will cost you. It is not unusual for these to cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. However, the majority of home builders and remodelers can find good plans or professional help in the range of several hundred to several thousand dollars depending on their project and the source of the plans.

 

Typically, you cannot buy stock plans for a remodel. It’s going to take a drafter, designer, contractor/builder, or an architect. The existing design and structure have to be analyzed and the additions have to dovetail nicely with them.

 

Let’s take a look at three specific benefits of good design.

 

These are three of the more important advantages of good design. We could come up with many more but these will, I hope, convince you of the need.

 

Building Materials Specification

 

The way to ensure that you get the type materials that you want is to get them specified in the design and blueprints. Whether you act as your own builder or hire a General Contractor, the way to convey to the workers what you want is to have your materials choices within the plans. This not only includes the lumber and structure, but continues on to windows, doors, siding, roofing, and finishing materials. Close work with your home designer is the way you get this.

 

The Feel of the Home

 

Most homes have a unique feel to them. Good designs create a feel that is very apparent. What you really want is the look and feel that really suits you. This doesn’t happen by accident. You’ll likely have to look at many homes before you know what you want. From the exterior to the interior, from the size of the home to the size of the room, from the location of spaces to the location of various rooms, many factors go into the feel that you get. Its all in the design.

 

The Ease and Speed of Construction

 

If your subcontractors are not given the proper instructions they will not know how to bid or build your home. You won’t know what you’re getting and you will endure delays and mistakes. The process could very well bog down in the process. Long, drawn out building projects, especially when remodeling, are the curse of home building.

 

CONCLUSION

 

Spend the extra time up front to get good plans. Do whatever homework you need to do to make your decisions about style and materials before you launch into building. Start with great plans if you want a great home. Now, go create the home of your dreams!

Green Home Building Design With Coffee Composite Building Materials

Who said coffee is only for drinking?

Through some very innovative thinking, students at the University of the Andes in Bogota, Colombia, have built what is considered the first coffee wood composite house.

This is a very appropriate accomplishment for a top academic institution in a country known for its quality coffee. From the seed to the cup and now to sweet, sweet coffee home!

How did they do it?

Graduate engineering students began academic work about building homes with a focus on “design for sustainability.” Their professor, Jaime Medina, Director of the Research Center of Polymer Processing (“Centro de Investigacion en Procesamiento de Polimeros) of the University of the Andes in Bogota supervised the project.

The main objectives were,

Low construction costs. Light weight. Portability.
Ease of maintenance. Non toxicity.
Flexibility. Sturdiness.
Identifying an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional building materials such as wood.
Tree logging is responsible for significant deforestation in the country.
Reducing the use of chemicals in the construction process to promote good health standards.
Over a period of two years, the students evaluated multiple eco-friendly materials to build homes such as banana plants, palm trees, bamboo, coffee, etc.

To understand why coffee became the front runner for the new construction material in this academic project, it is important to review some basics about the steps in the coffee processing. From the seed to the cup, coffee goes through several natural steps,

Planting the coffee trees and cultivating them for years before they bear fruit (coffee cherries).
Harvesting the cherries using “strip picking” or “selective picking” methods.
Processing the coffee cherries using “dry method” or “wet method.”
Drying the beans if they have been processed using the “wet method.”
Milling the beans to remove the parchment layer (endocarp) from wet processed coffee.
Hulling dry processed coffee to remove the entire dried husk of the dried cherries.
At every step of its production, coffee is repeatedly tested for quality and taste.
Exporting is the next step for the milled coffee also called “‘green coffee.”
Finally, roasting and brewing coffee completes the cycle to the cup from the seed.

Each of these steps utilizes every part of the coffee tree and its fruit except for the dried husk which has been usually considered garbage and discarded –until now!

Coffee garbage (“dried husk” or “cisco” in Spanish) became the innovative ingredient the students mixed with recycled PVC to design pre-fabricated panels for home construction.
The result is a material that is strong, light, practical, inexpensive, easy to build and very eco friendly.
The coffee composite building panels offer easy installation and durability.
It is possible to build a house from this new material in about one week.
This is an excellent solution to address population housing needs among low income groups.

At first glance, it is difficult to spot the difference between a regular prefabricated wood laminate panel and the new coffee composite panels.

What appears to be a natural wood grain pattern is really dried coffee husk panel mixed in with recycled PVC for a nice and useful finish.
The panels look almost like pieces of a giant Lego game that you can fit, one by one, without using any glue or cement to form the house.

Materials of this type are available elsewhere in the world, commonly referred to as “plastic wood composite.” What is different with this project is that in Colombia, they did not use sawdust or wood. Instead, the main ingredient is dried coffee husks. This is a first for such application!

The project received the support of “Colciencias,” the government institute created to support scientific research in Colombia
The new production material is now branded under the name Wood Pecker (how appropriate!).

The goal is to commercialize the use of this new home building material.

Adding a coffee composite building material to the list of Colombian exports some day would certainly be most appropriate for this coffee exporting country. It makes you wonder, what will they think of next?

So, here’s a toast to innovation and a perfect time to enjoy a good cup of Colombian Supremo!