2009 Maryland Green Show
I attended the Maryland Green Show presented by the Home Builders Association of Maryland and the Maryland Residential Green Building Council that took place over the weekend at the Maryland 
State Fairgrounds. This was an interesting show that provided a forum for vendors and consumers to discuss green building products and technologies and also included an educational component by featuring various classes and speakers throughout both days.
Some of my favorite products and services from the Show included:
- Enviroshake, Inc.’s engineered roofing product: These roofing panels are made of 95% recycled materials and are crafted to look like Cedar shake. These panels have a 50 year warranty and look really great. Just like real cedar shake, they fade to a lighter color after installation. According to the salesperson for the company, use of these products in regional buildings have made those projects eligible for up to 6 points under LEED v.3.
- Roll-off Express, Inc’s construction waste services: Roll-off Express picks up unsorted construction site job waste, takes the waste back to its facilities, and then sorts the waste for recycling. This helps cut down on waste sent to landfills and also helps a project to potentially earn LEED points.
- Aquabarrel’s “designer” refurbished rain barrels: A rain barrel is something that every homeowner should consider installing - they help manage stormwater runoff, they make use of a free resource that the homeowner would otherwise pay for, and they’re relatively easy to install and to maintain. Aquabarrel’s rain barrels are unique in the market because they utilize a lower hose connection point than most barrels, thereby enabling a homeowner to make use of water at the bottom of the barrel.
There were many great vendors and service providers at this show and I would recommend that you consider attending next year’s show (November 6-7, 2010). For more information, check out www.marylandgreenhome.org.
