The new Natura family from Benjamin
Moore includes a primer plus three
sheens—flat, eggshell and semi-gloss.
AkzoNobel’s new Ecosure line includes
matt, gloss and undercoat varieties.
NanoKote ceramic paint is designed to
provide a mold and mildew resistant
coating to interior surfaces.
coatings, a factor which firms hope will help sales growth
through these dark economic times.
GREEN TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO GROW
Green coatings technology is one area that is growing exponentially, due to increased VOC legislation at the government level and the trend toward healthier living and environmental awareness in popular culture.
Natura, the zero-VOC premium interior paint that
recently has been added to the stable of environmentally
responsible paints and coatings produced by Benjamin
Moore, has earned its first national honor. BuildingGreen,
Inc., publisher of the GreenSpec Directory and
Environmental Building News, named Natura one of the year’s Top
10 Green Building Products, presenting the award at the
U.S. Greenbuilding Council’s Greenbuild Conference in Nov.
The annual citation, now in its seventh year, recognizes the
most exciting products drawn from the Directory, which
lists more than 2,000 that have passed a set of environmental criteria set by the editors.
“To have received this award for Natura, barely months
since we’ve introduced it, is an extraordinary honor that
we at Benjamin Moore deeply appreciate,” said Denis
Abrams, president and CEO. “Throughout the company’s
125-year history, we have strived to offer the consumer
the finest paint possible but with a keen awareness to the
health and safety of the environment in which we all live.
It’s a commitment that is ongoing and our development of
new technologies and formulations is unending.”
Natura is just now making its debut on the West Coast and
in select regions such as the Rocky Mountain States and
parts of the Deep South, and is expected to have full national
distribution by March 2009. Unlike any other zero-VOC
paints, Natura is available in thousands of hues and a wide
range of sheens, according to the company.
The VOC level of Natura is unaffected by the addition of colorant because the paint is based on Benjamin Moore’s patented waterborne colorant system. In fact, Natura is available in
all of Benjamin Moore’s nearly 3,500 colors, and it can be lim-
itlessly color-matched to one’s personalized color choice and
still be zero-VOC. The Natura range includes a primer plus
three sheens—flat, eggshell and semi-gloss.
AkzoNobel has launched Ecosure, an environmentally
friendly decorative paint range for the professional market.
The product was developed by Dulux Trade in conjunction with
Forum for the Future, an independent group of sustainability
experts. For AkzoNobel it represents a major step towards
environmentally sustainable paint with reduced carbon and
VOCs. Ecosure’s packaging is also made from at least 25%
recycled materials. Ecosure was endorsed by Marks & Spencer
at the recent EcoBuild 2008 event and will be trialed by the
retail firm at its new White City store in London.
The Muralo Company has introduced NanoKote ceramic
paint, designed to provide a mold and mildew resistant
coating to interior surfaces. Guaranteed for 10 years,
Muralo’s NanoKote is a premium quality, high hiding
waterborne ceramic paint. Its combined ceramic and nano
built-in technologies offer a broad range of advantages,
including a smooth film that is easy to wash and resistance
to water marks and streaking.
NanoKote can be used on new or previously painted surfaces, including wallboards, drywall, trim, plaster and
acoustical surfaces. While it is designed for use in all commercial buildings, such as hospitals, hotels and schools, it
can also be used in areas of the home that are susceptible to
mold, such as kitchens and bathrooms. NanoKote is available in eggshell, satin and semi-gloss finishes and can be
tinted to hundreds of pastel and medium tone colors.
Earlier this year Sherwin-Williams’ Harmony Interior Latex
coating became Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certified as
well as certified for Greenguard for Children & Schools by the
Greenguard Environmental Institute (GEI). Tested according
to the Greenguard Certification standards for low emitting
products, Harmony Interior Latex was found to have minimal
impact on indoor air quality and the environment. Sherwin-Williams voluntarily applied for the certification for its products. Testing will be administered on an ongoing quarterly and
annual basis to ensure continued certification.
CW
