Green Buildings and Operational Efficiency

There hasn’t been a lot of good news in the general economy lately; from a complete collapse of sub-prime mortgage loans, to slumping property values, whip-sawing stock markets, $110+ barrels of oil and colossal brokerage houses that suddenly run out of cash – it isn’t pretty. At first blush, it might appear that this is no time for [...]

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Los Angeles is the latest (and largest) city in the nation to adopt a green building ordinance. Last month, the L.A. Times reported that two City Council committees voted to enact regulations that would require privately built projects over 50,000 square feet to meet LEED certification. Considering that there are over 200 such buildings constructed [...]

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I was introduced to the 3form company at a local green gathering recently. The company produces materials for the architectural and design community and is working nicely in a green direction. I really liked the materials they used and the massive variety of applications for them. Their unique products cast a very modern and stunning [...]

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With the ability to detect, relay and store an increasing range of data about the environment in which they’re placed, wireless sensors are among the most promising of new technologies with lots of potential for improving environmental management. And they’ll soon be common in homes around the U.S., according to ON World.

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Michael Rhodes was one of the masterminds behind solid rocket fuel over 40 years ago. Today he is throwing his chemical genius into the concrete arena. Welcome Hycrete Admixture, a blend of metallic ions and calcium moleculesthat react to seal the capillaries in concrete. The result is a waterproof concrete through and through. Hycrete eliminates [...]

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The introduction of LED light bulbs into the market has been hindered due to several factors. Namely: lumens (brightness) color (led produce blue radiance vs. white) market promotion and affordability. Although LED bulbs for residential and commercial applications are not quite where they need to be, they are starting to scratch their way into the [...]

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Nearly half the water used in the home is flushed down the toilet. There are many solutions for under sink gray water units that help save and recycle usable water. A strong contender among the competition is the AQUS gray water system which efficiently captures the water from the sink and transfers it to the [...]

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A fast favorite among green builders is the super durable HardiePlank siding. Not unlike the HardieBacker many of us are familiar with using when laying down tile. Composed of wood pulp, cement, sand and water, the end product will not rot, crack or split. The green benefits are many including the recycled components and the [...]

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The 1980′s witnessed the inception of wood-pellet stoves but the benefits and efficiency of this innovative product, has not showed its face until recently. A pellet stove is a small electric unit that burns small pieces of recycled and compacted sawdust pellets. The advantages to wood pellet stoves are many, for one, they are extremely [...]

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How do you fit the biggest environmental film festival in the country into a town with a grand total of two movie theaters? Get creative, and reach out to groups you may not have otherwise thought to do so. Such was the case for this past weekend’s Wild and Scenic Film Festival, taking place in [...]

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Earthen flooring is nothing more than what it sounds like – humble, natural earth compacted with straw or other fibers and stabilized with various natural oils to form eco-friendly high-quality flooring. These floors are easy to clean, comes in a variety of textures, colors, and materials. It can be installed over nearly any subflooring, it [...]

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If you’re looking for an innovative and highly energy efficient daylighting system, Solatube may be the answer. These sunlight tubes combine art and science to provide beautiful and functional daylighting. This technology has actually been tauted as one of the most technologically advanced daylighting products available today. The combination of creative component integration along with [...]

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So how would a builder profit in the current rough and tumble real estate market? Build a high quality home using green practices without cutting any corners that’s how. David Hall of Deltec Homes has successfully led his company along this path and the profits continue to grow even in these hard times for builders [...]

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Surprisingly, the two largest components in a landfill are food and paper, both biodegradable substances. In fact, statistics clearly show that nearly 50% of all municipal solid waste is consistent of only food and paper products. The EPA clearly states that food waste is the #1 least recycled material. The problem with landfills pertaining to [...]

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Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a recent convert to eco-friendly products, you’ll love the 21st centuries’ answer to the “old-school” trash compactor. Meet the Ecopod, recently made available this past fall, this innovative appliance provides an efficient way to crush, store and redeem recyclable beverage containers, particularly plastic bottles and aluminum cans. The design [...]

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There’s been a rush by educational institutions of all shapes and sizes to launch new, usually interdisciplinary programs, that aim to capitalize on the fast rising prominence of climate change, energy and natural resources development and management both at the local level and at the highest levels of government and international cooperation. Some have been around longer than others.

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Treasure Island, the man-made lump made up of 20 million cubic yards of sea floor soil sandwiched between 287,000 tons of rock and finally glazed over with 50,000 yards of loam. The island was created for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition and then claimed as a Naval base until it was decommissioned 11 years [...]

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Grasscrete, the green alternative to standard concrete surfaces for parking lots, driveways, and access roads for vehicles or fire trucks. The benefit to Grasscrete for businesses and developers is that it drains at about the same rate as would an ordinary lawn in the same location. The presence of concrete has little effect on the [...]

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A brilliant new product has hit the market in the form of insulation without the irritating fiberglass found in its predecessors. This material caters to all those do-it-yourself handymen and women out there who have long dreaded installing insulation thanks to the glass dust and itchiness associated with fiberglass. Dow Chemical Company has recently introduced [...]

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MagLev wind turbines, the next generation of wind turbines is capable of generating power from wind speeds as low as 1.5 m/s and reported to operate in winds reaching 40 m/s. This large wind turbine from maglev industries will also increase generation capacity by 20% at the same time decreasing operational costs by 50% over [...]

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In a slow housing market, many developers are looking to green features to set themselves apart from the competition. With increasing concern about energy costs, climate change, and indoor air quality, the market is ripe for green building. Market forces at work, with environmentally sound options excelling. “There are not enough green builders out there, [...]

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Nanosolar coatings are as thin as a layer of paint and can tranfer sunlight into power quite efficiently. Imagine the possibilities, from solar coated shingles to solar lined windows to solar powered cell phones and ipods. Solar powered buildings and homes might just become standard in the future thanks to this innovative technology by Nanosolar [...]

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Commercial and urban buildings have a large variety of different exterior applications available, also known as it’s “skin.” Some buildings are painted in order to preserve and protect the surface exposed to the elements. The problem with painting applications is that it degrades over time and releases harmful toxins into the environment. With the endless [...]

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There is a new form of cooling and heating on the horizon that is hoping to replace the inefficiency of the current systems that dominate the market. Desiccant systems, also known as thermally driven air conditioning, what? Desiccants remove moisture to reduce humidity, improve air quality, and energy efficiency. Desiccant materials are those that attract [...]

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Will going green save the real estate market and help lenders recover from the sub-prime credit crunch? In the wake of the sub-prime mess, and the decline in real estate sales there is a silver lining…or better yet…a ‘green’ lining. From Green homes to green mortgages, going green will change the world and the way [...]

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If I’m going to sign my life away on a mortgage for freshly built house to live in; I want a house that is more than just a roof over my head, more than just a slapped together stick frame with some extras like granite counter tops a solid wood front door, and one tree [...]

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I recently moved to the town of Grass Valley, California , population ~12,000. You’d be in good company, not knowing where it is. It is approximately an hour Northeast of Sacramento, the same west of Tahoe. Coming from living in Oakland, this Gold Rush era town surrounded by trees, rivers, farms and ranches feels small, [...]

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According to a recent study commissioned by JELD-WEN, a manufacturer of windows and doors, nearly 26 percent of homeowners say what they dislike most about their existing windows and doors is that they are drafty and inefficient. As the temperature outside drops, it’s hard not to notice that these inefficiencies quickly turn into rising utility [...]

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Home decor has climbed aboard the green movement by directing its focus on eco-friendly furnishings and sustainable materials.This revolution by design is attempting to establish a cohesive relationship with the green lifestyle and attitude. From wall coverings to case goods, from flooring to upholstery, furnishings of sustainably harvested materials have taken hold. A fine example [...]

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Bamboo is inexpensive, available in a variety of styles and is a renewable resource. Bamboo flooring is similar in appearance to hardwood but is even more durable in terms of scuffing, wear and expansion. Bamboo is harvested in plantations that take only 3-6 years to reach maturity. Although still not widely used, it is perhaps [...]

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