If stand-alone offices can be set up in people's gardens, then why not at the local marina? That, in fact, is exactly the concept behind WaterSpace, a Welsh company that offers self-contained floating office units designed to fit into a standard marina berth.

The H2Office is a purpose-built floating office that can comfortably accommodate one or two workers. In addition to a sun deck above, the H2Office comes equipped with a work area featuring wood-like flooring and an L-shaped desk and shelving unit across the beam. A carpeted L-shaped “break-out” area includes a pull-out berth for occasional overnight stays, while an included kitchenette features over and under storage cupboards. Optional extras include teak-effect flooring, kitchen appliances and solar panels. Pricing for a standard unit is GBP 59,950 plus VAT.

In addition to the possibilities for telecommuting office workers and waterfront retail or professional space, WaterSpace notes that its floating offices could also offer a way for marina operators to create an income-generating floating business park that makes use even of areas with water too shallow for most boating purposes. Then, too, there's the ocean—so to speak—of pop-up possibilities. Launched in December, the H2Office will be on display at the Ideal Home Show starting next month in London. One to check out, partner with or otherwise get involved in....? (Related: Pop-up cabins designed for stargazing — Foldable hotel rooms pop up as needed — In Malaysia, containers pop up as budget hotel rooms.)

Website: www.floating-offices.co.uk
Contact: enquiries@floating-offices.co.uk

Speed dating has been around for a while in both the offline and online worlds, but it wasn't until recently that we saw it used to match up roommates. Sure enough, though, that's just what New Zealand-based Speedrenting does through weekly events at bars in Auckland and Wellington.

Users of Speedrenting's service begin by showing up at one of the firm's hour-long Wednesday events and signing up. The price is NZD 12, which includes a free beer or glass of wine as well as a Speedrenting Matchcard and PIN. Participants then scan the room for people with opposing Matchcards—those who have rooms to rent or are in need of rooms, whichever the case may be—and chat with them briefly, making sure also to collect those people's PINs. Then, any time within the next 24 hours participants send a text message to Speedrenting indicating the PINs of the matches they'd like to meet again; if both parties text about the same match, Speedrenting will provide their respective phone numbers for offline followup. Alternatively, if a participant doesn't text in about any match within that designated 24-hour period, their PIN and Matchcard remain good for another week.

Speedrenting aims to expand further across New Zealand; meanwhile, it looks like Flatmate Meetup offers something similar in Chicago while Easyroommate's FlatNightFever is already at work in the London area. One to bring to prospective roommates in your part of the world...? (Related: Mixers for moms & babysitters — More mixers for babysitters & moms.)

Website: www.speedrenting.co.nz
Contact: www.speedrenting.co.nz/contact-us

Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann

Pet products and eco-minded goods are both rapidly growing industries, but it's not every day we see them intersect. Sure enough, though, California-based InPlay Products offers a line of sustainably made habitats for cats that can be decorated by kids.

Caboodle Habitats for Cats are durable and expandable three-level structures for cats to play, lounge and hide in. Peek-a-boo holes, customizable passageways and contoured grooming edges are all among the features offered by Caboodle structures, which are made of 350 lb. double-wall corrugated cardboard that's locally manufactured with 40 percent recycled content. Nontoxic soy-based inks are used for printing, and all byproducts from the process—including the inks—are recycled afterwards. Capable of supporting combined weights of more than 65 lbs., Caboodle habitats can be connected to create larger structures; they can also be decorated with markers, pens, pencils and stickers. Currently available online and through independent pet stores nationwide, Caboodle habitats are priced at USD 29.95, including three free corrugated toys.

There are some 90 million households with cats in the U.S. alone, and almost half of them are now seeking out natural and environmentally friendly goods, InPlay says. Other retailers of pet products around the world: one to bring to the cats—and crafty kids—in your neck of the woods...? (Related: For parents on the go, a folding high chair made of cardboard.)

Website: www.caboodlecats.com
Contact: sales@caboodlecats.com

Spotted by: Judy McRae

Eco-minded bathroom fixtures are no longer hard to find, but they still tend to focus more on function than on form. One notable exception is W+W, a combined toilet and sink from Spanish brand Roca that combines compact style with green-minded thinking.

Launched last fall, W+W is a single, L-shaped unit in which the sink and toilet are not only attached but also integrated internally. Specifically, wastewater from the sink is used to fill the toilet's cistern, thus saving as much as 25 percent of the water that would normally be used. An automatic cleaning system prevents bad odors and bacteria, while a specialized tap controls the water's temperature and flow for maximum energy savings, Plumbing Park reported.

Developed by the Roca Innovation Lab and designed by Gabriele and Oscar Buratti, the prize-winning W+W is priced at EUR 2,731. An eco-iconic innovation to bring to the green but style-conscious masses near you...?

Website: www.roca.com.es/w+w/w+w/en/index.html
Contact: www.es.roca.com/en/contact

Spotted by: Pepa D'Amato

When companies search for a new salesperson, you know they scrutinize each candidate's track record before making an offer. When consumers hire a real estate agent to sell their home, however—probably the biggest asset they own—the choice is often made by chance. Enter Homethinking, a site that aims to bring transparency to U.S. real estate agents so as to help homeowners pick the best one for them.

New York-based Homethinking puts agents under a spotlight so consumers can quickly identify the ones that shine. Toward that end, it crawls the web to find out what each agent has accomplished in the past, including how many houses they've sold, in what areas and for what prices, and how the actual sale price compared with the one that was advertised. Homethinking also interviews the people whose houses the agent sold for information such as how well he or she interacted with prospective customers, how they set expectations around the sales price and how responsive they were when questions arose. It then presents all the resulting data for consumers' perusal, in an easy to use form that's browsable and searchable by city, state and ZIP code. When they've found one who looks promising, consumers can contact him or her at their own initiative.

Of course, it's not just consumers who stand to benefit from this new transparency. Realtors themselves can claim and edit their profiles, contribute neighbourhood reviews and otherwise showcase their talents; they can also upload their listings and have them syndicated for free to Craigslist, Trulia and Zillow. And that, in turn, is where the transparency tyranny becomes transparency triumph. Embrace the new openness and make it your own, and you too will share in the glory. One to partner with or emulate in other parts of the world...?

Website: www.homethinking.com
Contact: feedback@homethinking.com

Spotted by: Susanna Haynie