Each month RECORD reviews building product related web sites and blogs that might be of interest to our readership. We visit each site, kick the tires a bit, and share what it is about and how it functions. Please let us know if there is a site you've found particularly useful, well-designed, or easy to navigate. — Rita Catinella Orrell

 
DESIGNTEX Blog

Designtex Blog
Designtex, a New York-based textiles and wall coverings manufacturer, and a subsidiary of office furniture producer Steelcase, introduces its new blog: blog.designtex.com. The Designtex blog addresses a host of environmental, textile-related issues, from carbon footprint reduction in textile production to the future of the Kyoto Protocol and its effects on the industry. Designtex takes advantage of the blog format’s allowance for humor, long-form commentary, and a bit of irreverence, offering readers new views of the contemporary textile industry.

 
 
Pharos

Building Green
The online home of Building Green, www.buildinggreen.com, is playing host to a new tool for product research and specification, dubbed Pharos. The tool features an easily navigable user interface that allows architects and designers to compare toxicity, energy use, and other parameters for sustainability across a range of products. The service is offered by subscription ($180/year, $17/month) and team pricing is also available. For more information, visit the Pharos tool homepage at www.buildinggreen.com/landing/pharos/index.cfm.