Alterna Corp.

Green School Challange Sponsor Feature Box

— 2007 Items —

December 15, 2007

Alterna Supplies Miami’s First Green Affordable Single-Family Home

Palmetto Homes of Miami, an affordable housing builder, has selected to Alterna to supply Caroma dual flush toilets for Miami-Dade County’s first green affordable single-family home. The project is located in Miami’s historic Liberty City and contains a number of green features that will conserve water and energy. Palmetto Homes was established by Mr. Ario Lundy in 1999. Ever since, Lundy’s team has built over 40 homes in the Miami area, mainly for government projects. Palmetto Homes is currently working on four more affordable housing projects that will be green. Mark Gunia, Alterna’s Vice President, noted that Caroma’s dual flush toilets will reduce water consumption by 40 percent and lower water and maintenance bills. Read more about the project and Palmetto Homes of Miami.

December 6, 2007

Nick Gunia Elected Vice Chairman of Miami Brach of USGBC South Florida Chapter

Nick Gunia, President of Alterna Corp., was elected Vice Chairman of the Miami Branch of the South Florida Chapter of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The Miami Branch was recently formed to serve the rapidly expanding green building community in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. The Miami Branch, like its Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach counterparts, is an offshoot of the South Florida Chapter of the USGBC. As Vice Chairman, Nick will help promote knowledge and awareness about green building in South Florida by organizing educational seminars and events for Branch members, green building professionals and the general public. Nick will also advocate for green building practices among policy makers and government officials, as well as architects, engineers, contractors and developers. The USGBC is the vanguard of the green building movement in South Florida and beyond. Nick is extremely excited about the opportunity to help lead the Miami Branch and will endeavor to increase education and awareness about the benefits of green building practices and the LEED program.
Learn more about the South Florida Chapter of the USGBC.

November 20, 2007

Alterna Corp. to Provide Water Conservation Seminar for AIA Fort Lauderdale

On Tuesday, November 20, 2007 at 6:00 P.M., Alterna will be conducting a seminar for the American Institute of Architects, Fort Lauderdale Chapter. The seminar will focus on the importance of water conservation and provide an overview of the leading high efficiency products on the market today, including toilets, urinals and faucetery. The seminar will also demonstrate how high efficiency products save money on water and energy bills, not to mention earn credits under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) framework. The seminar will be held at the AIA House at 227 SW 2nd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 For more information about the seminar, please visit the following site.

November 19, 2007

Alterna to Present at Design Within Reach in Coral Gables

On Monday, November 19, 2007, Alterna Corp. will be presenting at Design Within Reach in Coral Gables at 77 Miracle Mile from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. In recognition of Architecture Month: Eco-Style, Alterna will be discussing sustainable design by highlighting some of the most innovative and sustainable building and interior design products on the market. These products include Caroma dual flush toilets and Smith & Fong's Plyboo and Durapalm lines of bamboo and coconut palm flooring, plywood and wall coverings. For more information, please contact William Pardo or call 305-569-9730.

November, 2007

Alterna Corp. Supplies High Efficiency Plumbing Fixtures for First Green STAPLES

Staples (Nasdaq: SPLS), the world's largest office products company is going green with the help of Alterna Corp. Alterna is supplying all of the high efficiency plumbing fixtures for the project, which include Caroma's Dual Flush Toilets, Sustainable Solutions' ecoTap line of high efficiency bathroom and kitchen faucets and shower systems and Waterless Co.'s no flush urinals. The new store will be the first green Staples in the world, not to mention Miami's first green retail building registered under the U.S . Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) framework. Alterna Corp. President Nick Gunia attended the groundbreaking ceremony that took place at 2121 Biscayne Boulevard, where Mayor Manny Diaz and Staples Regional Vice President Royce Reed celebrated the City's progress in sustaining its future through eco-friendly practices. For more information about the project, please visit the following site.
Veiw Project Facts .

November 15, 2007

Alterna Exhibits at the South Florida Plumbing and Mechanical Trade Expo

On n Thursday, November 15, 2007, Alterna Corp. exhibited at the South Florida Plumbing and Mechanical Trade Expo which was held at the Sheraton Miami Mart & Convention Center. The event brought together the largest group of tradesmen ever assembled in South Florida for the purpose of product and service awareness, demonstration, and sales. Alterna showcased Caroma's Dual Flush High Efficiency Toilets and Urinals and Sustainable Solutions' ecoTap line of high efficiency faucets and showerhead systems. For more information about the event, please visit their site.

November 12-14, 2007

Alterna Corp. to Exhibit at The Miami-Dade Does Green Affordably Symposium

is pleased to announce that it will be exhibiting at The Miami-Dade Does Green Affordably Symposium from November 12-14th. This symposium will highlight local Green Initiatives, provide education on affordable sustainable standards, and offer a Green Vendor Expo showcasing affordable green building products and fixtures. According to Patricia Braynon, Director of the Housing Finance Authority, "Low and moderate-income households struggle with utility costs in addition to mortgage and insurance expenses. Homes built to sustainable standards save families up to 65% on utility costs and help reduce the severity of environmentally sensitive health issues such as asthma." Over the past five years, Miami-Dade County has seen double digit increases in property values and taxes. Alterna will show how its high efficiency plumbing fixtures will help make workforce housing more affordable in Miami-Dade County. For more information on the Miami Dade Does Green Affordably, please visit their site.

November 9 – December 16, 2007

Alterna's Products in Green Room at CASADECOR'07

CASADECOR'07 Event Alterna Corp. is proud to announce that its green products will be showcased in the Green Room at CASADECOR'07. The Green Room was sponsored in part by the U.S. Green Building Council and designed by Sebastian Eilert and Kay Witte, who incorporated Smith and Fong's DuraPalm line of 100% reclaimed coconut palm plywood in their stunning furniture designs. The event will run from November 9 through December 16, 2007. CASADECOR'07 highlights the work of designers on the cusp of stardom. The exhibit provides a floor plan for several ideal homes, on top of which the most exciting designers in Miami will install their innovative designs. To give the exhibition a contextual heart and bring a broader dialogue to the exhibition, each room within these illusory homes will be curated to highlight a key movement in contemporary design. Each room will mix custom-made elements with existing products in order to create an exhibition that is unique and memorable. For more information on this event, please visit their site.

November 7-9, 2007

Alterna Corp. Attends GREENBUILD in Chicago

GREEN BUILD CHICHAGO Alterna Corp. will attend the U.S. Green Building Council's Greenbuild 2007 in Chicago from November 7-9th. At the exposition and seminar, Alterna team members will support the booths of CaromaUSA and Smith and Fong. Greenbuild is the world's largest conference and expo dedicated to green building. This November, more than 18,000 building professionals from all over the world will gather together for three days of outstanding educational sessions, renowned speakers, green building tours, special seminars, networking events, and the biggest exhibit hall in Greenbuild history. For more information on Greenbuild, please visit their site.

October 20, 2007

Alterna Sponsors Dream in Green's "Green in Glam" Event

Alterna Corp. is pleased to announce that it will be sponsoring Dream in Green's Green is Glam event Saturday, October 20, 2007. Dream in Green is a Miami-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability in South Florida. The event will be celebrating the expansion of Dream in Green's Green Schools Challenge, which now serves over 18,000 K-12 students in Miami-Dade County. Dream in Green will also honor two of Miami-Dade County's leading green innovators, namely City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and Miami-Dade County Clerk of Courts Harvey Ruvin. To raise money for the Green Schools Challenge, Dream in Green will be holding a drawing for wonderful green prizes, including a Caroma dual flush toilet donated by Alterna. For more information about the event, please visit their site.

September 20, 2007

Caroma Sponsors Florida AWWA Fall Workshop

The Region VII of the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association held a workshop at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Alterna’s President, Nick Gunia, attended the workshop on behalf of Caroma USA, which co-sponsored the event. David Bracciano, the Demand Manager for Tampa Bay Water, was the guest speaker at the workshop, which was focused on “Implementing Cost Effective Demand Management in Your Utility.” Monies raised from the event went towards the Water For People charity, which is committed to increasing access to safe drinking water improving sanitation and health in developing countries.

September 7, 2007

Alterna Corp. becomes EPA WaterSense Partner

EPA WaterSense Partner Alterna Corp. is proud to announce that it has been approved as a WaterSense Program Partner by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The WaterSense Program is a voluntary partnership program with the mission of protecting the future of our nation's water supply. The WaterSense label, which may be found on most of the Caroma dual flush toilets that Alterna distributes, will help consumers identify products that meet the highest standards of water conservation and performance. The EPA recognizes companies and organizations that are committed to advocating water conservation and enhancing the market for water-efficient products, programs, and practices. Alterna Corp. is proud to further the mission of the WaterSense program by promoting awareness about water issues and distributing products, like Caroma toilets, that conserve water in the markets we serve.

August 28, 2007

Alterna Corp. exhibited at the Florida Green Lodging Program Workshop

On Tuesday, August 28, 2007, Nick Gunia, the President of Alterna Corp, exhibited at the Florida Green Lodging Program Workshop at The Plaza Resort & Spa in Daytona Beach, Florida. Mr. Gunia spoke with attendees and gave out information about Caroma’s Dual Flush High Efficiency Toilets and the importance of water conservation in the lodging industry. According to Mr. Gunia, “Attendees were impressed with not only the functionality of the Caroma toilets, but also with the design and variety of toilets available from Caroma. Caroma consistently offers products that enhance conservation without compromising design.”
The Florida Green Lodging Program was established in 2004 by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) with the intent of recognizing and rewarding environmentally conscientious lodging facilities in the State. Through this rapidly growing program, DEP encourages the lodging industry to conserve and protect Florida’s natural resources. For more information on The Florida Green Lodging Program please visit their site.

July 16, 2007

Alterna Corp. Exhibits at Miami Home Show

Miami Home Show Alterna Corp is pleased to announce that it will be exhibiting at Expo International’s Miami Home Remodeling & Interior Design Show. This event will be held at the James L. Knight Center/Riverfront Hall in Downtown Miami from August 18-19th.
Please RSVP at info@alternacorp.com to attend so you do not miss out on AlternaBUILD’s new green building and design products.
View the full Invitation

July 6, 2007

AlternaBUILD Becomes a Member of the Florida Green Building Coalition

We are pleased to announce that AlternaBUILD joined the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) on July 6, 2007. The FGBC is a nonprofit Florida Corporation dedicated to improving the built environment in Florida. The FGBC has close to 500 members, which are united to provide a statewide Green Building program with environmental and economic benefits.
The core purpose of the FGBC is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life for Floridians today and tomorrow. AlternaBUILD Vice President Mark Gunia stated, "We are proud to align our efforts with those of the many member companies and green building professionals throughout Florida and the rest of the U.S. that are working to make building more healthy, prosperous and environmentally sustainable."

June 26, 2007

Alterna Corp. Presents at AIA Miami's Green Building Products "Show & Tell"

The Committee on the Environment (COTE) for the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Miami Chapter held it first green building products "Show & Tell" at the Design Within Reach showroom in Coral Gables on June 26, 2007.
The event featured Alterna Corp. President and Founder, Nick Gunia, who shared his expertise on the topic of green building products. Nick had a wide array of product samples on hand to help educate the audience, which was comprised mainly of architects and designers, about Alterna's green building products. Nick focused on select products in Alterna's green building products portfolio, including Caroma's dual flush toilets and bathroom fixtures, Smith & Fong's bamboo and palm flooring and plywood and Bonded Logic's natural cotton fiber insulation.
The COTE for the AIA Miami Chapter will be periodically offering these "Show & Tell" events to raise awareness in the community about the benefits of green building products and practices.

May 25, 2007

Alterna Corp to Exhibit at 29th Annual Southeast Building Conference

Alterna Corp is pleased to announce that it will be exhibiting at the 29th annual Southeast Building Conference (SEBC), which be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando from July 14-16. Visit our virtual tradeshow to learn more about some of the products we will be showcasing.

May 14, 2007

Caroma Appoints Alterna Corp. as Master Distributor for Florida and the Caribbean

Caroma, an Australia-based pioneer in water conservation, has appointed Alterna Corp. to serve as master distributor for its bathroom products in the State of Florida and throughout the Caribbean. Caroma introduced the first two button dual flush toilet back in the 1980s and it has been making some of the world’s most sophisticated bathroom products every since. Alterna will be stocking Caroma’s full line of two button dual flush toilets, including the popular Caravelle, Royale and Colonial models. Caroma toilets can save up to 72 percent (approximately 18,000 gallons) of annual water usage compared to the older, 3.5-gallon flush and up to 40 percent (approximately 4,600 gallons) compared to today’s standard 1.6-gallon single flush toilets. Caroma’s toilets were recently featured in this New York Times video report. In addition, the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department is currently offering $100 rebates to qualified purchasers of Caroma’s ultra high efficiency toilets. Learn more about the rebate program.

May 12, 2007

Alterna Corp. Presents at Green Flamingos Event in Miami Design District

Alterna Corp. Founder and President, Nick Gunia, was one of eight green entrepreneurs that presented at Content:Miami’s Green Flamingos event on Saturday, May 12, 2007. Each presenter showed 20 slides that reflected their efforts to make Miami a more environmentally sustainable city. Nick’s 20 slides featured some of Alterna’s green building products, including Caroma’s ultra high efficiency toilets, the Waterless Co.’s no flush urinals and Smith & Fong’s lines of palm and bamboo plywood and flooring. Over 100 attended the event, which was hosted by the Zeitgeist Showroom in Miami’s Design District.
Other Green Flamingo presenters included Yoni and Jair Marcoschamer of Ecoist, Rebecca Carter of greenerMIAMI and Ecorazzi, and Facondo Poj, architect and designer. Read a recap of the evening at Content:Miami. The event was carbon neutral, courtesy of the Dream in Green Foundation, which donated 1,000 kilowatt hours of wind energy credits to raise awareness about global warming and energy independence.

April 26, 2007

Alterna Corp. Exhibits at City of Miami Mayor's State of the City Address

Miami City Hall Alterna Corp. was pleased to accept the City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz's invitation to exhibit its full line of green building products at the State of the City Address, which was given at the Coconut Grove Exposition Center on Thursday, April 26, 2007. Hundreds attended the historic Address, which was entitled “Building a Sustainable City” and which focused on the Mayor’s green initiatives, including his proposal to require LEED^™ Silver certification for new construction in excess of 50,000 square feet. The AlternaBUILD division's product exhibit featured some of the most innovative green building products on the market today, including solutions for water conservation, energy and resource efficiency and improving indoor air quality and wellness.

April 22, 2007

Alterna Corp. Exhibits Green Building Products at Miami EarthFest 2007

Alterna Corp. Booth at Earthfest On Earth Day 2007, AlternaBUILD, a division of Alterna Corp., exhibited its full line of green building products at Miami EarthFest 2007: WaterFest Gone Green, which was held at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne. Thousands of South Floridians were on hand to celebrate Earth Day and to learn about ways to live in a more environmentally sustainable manner. The AlternaBUILD team showcased its portfolio of green building products for a wide range of applications, including water conservation, energy and resource efficiency and indoor environmental health and wellness. For conserving water, AlternaBUILD served up three leading products, namely Waterless' leading no-flush urinals, Caroma's high efficiency toilets and the WeatherTRAK smart irrigation system. If implemented by a fraction in the community, these solutions could help conserve millions of gallons of water, a dwindling resource in South Florida In the area of energy and resource efficiency, the highlights included EnviroGLAS' unique line of terrazzo flooring and countertops made from recycled glass and porcelain aggregates, Bonded Logic's UltraTouch natural cotton fiber insulation made from recycled blue jeans and American Clay's natural earth plasters. For improving indoor air quality and wellness, the team presented AFM Safecoat's not toxic, environmentally responsible line of paints, coating and sealers, the Durapalm and Plyboo lines of palm and bamboo flooring and plywood. Learn more about our products.

March 23, 2007

AlternaBUILD Joins U.S. Green Building Council

Green Commission Launch Poster We are pleased to announce that AlternaBUILD joined the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) on March 23, 2007. The USGBC is the nation's foremost coalition of leaders from every sector of the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. The USGBC has more than 7,500 member organizations and a network of 75 regional chapters, which are united to advance the mission of making the building industry more sustainable.

The core purpose of the USGBC is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life. AlternaBUILD President Nick Gunia stated, "We are proud to align our efforts with those of the many member companies and green building professionals throughout the U.S. that are working to make building more healthy, prosperous and environmentally sustainable."

March 21, 2007

AFM Safecoat Teams Up with AlternaBUILD for South Florida Distribution

American Formulating and Manufacturing (AFM) has teamed up with AlternaBUILD in South Florida for the marketing and distribution of AFM's Safecoat(R) line of environmentally responsible paints, coatings and sealers. AFM was established in 1980 and remains the only paint manufacturer in the world to provide a complete range of chemically responsible building and maintenance products. According to Sam Goldberg, AFM's President and CEO, "In the late 1970s, AFM founder first became concerned about the negative health effects of harmful chemicals in building products. He began the company's longstanding tradition of working with prominent physicians, allergists and environmental medicine specialists to design new formulas to remove toxic ingredients without sacrificing product quality."

AFM products are recommended for people with allergies and chemical or environmental sensitivities, as well as for facilities like schools and hospitals where occupants experienced illness from building material chemicals. Mark Gunia, AlternaBUILD Vice President, stated, "We are extremely proud to be representing the country's most innovative and health and wellness-conscious manufacturer of paint, coatings, sealers and other home and building maintenance products. Our home and commercial customers can now choose from more than 30 not-toxic products like paints and primers, stains and sealers, clear finishes, household cleaners and carpet care, adhesives and caulks, roof and asphalt coating, and their new line of organic, plant-based AFM Naturals."

March 13, 2007

Alterna Corp. President Attends Green Building Working Group for the Miami Green Commission

Green Commission Launch Poster Nick Gunia, President of Alterna Corp., attended the Green Building Working Group for the Miami Green Commission in his role as Co-founder and Executive Director of Dream in Green, a Miami-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit promoting sustainability in South Florida. The purpose of the Working Group is to help advance City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz's visionary plans for promoting green building and sustainable development in Miami.

The Miami Green Commission's goal is to place Miami at the forefront of environmental stewardship by implementing policies that promote conservation, the use of renewable energy and green building practices, tree planting and solid waste reduction, to name a few areas of focus.

March 12, 2007

Alterna Corp. Vice President Attends Jerry Yudelson’s Developing Green Workshop

On March 12th, Alterna Corp. Vice President, Mark Gunia, attended Jerry Yudelson’s Developing Green: Strategies for Success, a workshop presented by the South Florida Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. The aim of the workshop was to educate building professionals about the expansion of the green building market in the United States and what it means for South Florida. Mr. Yudelson is a green building pioneer who authored two seminal books on green building. He is currently a Principal at Yudelson Associates, a green building consulting firm.

March 7-8, 2007

Alterna Corp. President Attends Intertech-Pira's Sustainability in Packaging Conference.

On March 7th and 8th, Alterna Corp. President, Nick Gunia, attended Intertech-Pira's first Sustainability in Packaging conference in Orlando, Florida.

Sustainable Packaging The aim of the conference was to educate packaging professionals and brand owners about methods for making packaging more environmentally sustainable without sacrificing performance, budget or regulatory compliance.

Areas of focus spanned a range of topics, such as materials selection, "rightsizing" in the design process, conducting life cycle assessments and exploring new technologies like biopolymers.

Speakers included Jim McConnell, Manager of Store Supplies and Services for Wild Oats, Michael Maggio, Global Packaging Director for Johnson & Johnson and Scott Vitters, Director for Sustainable Packaging at The Coca-Cola Company.

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