Archive for the ‘Architecture’ Category
August 24th, 2009
Net Zero Home in Chicago Boasts Graywater System
Stumble it!
A new home in Chicago is touting itself is a model for green homes in the area and boasts graywater recycling, rainwater collection, solar passive design and an impressive solar system. The beautiful residence in the Ravenwood area is slated to be the first LEED Platinum home in Chicago, and it’s no surprise really considering the home is also net zero. Read on for more details about this stunning home and all the green design elements that are included.
Popularity: 6% [?]
August 17th, 2009
Zero Energy Home in San Francisco
Homes of the future will go beyond including green design elements, low VOC paints, and solar systems. Homes of the future will be carbon neutral, generate all their own power, some of their own food and have integrated systems to increase energy efficiency, reduce water consumption and minimize waste. Plans for the first Zero Energy House in San Francisco are underway, and this house will be a model of efficiency and green design to other homes in the area. Not only is the Zero Energy House by LSarc carbon neutral, but it includes a solar system on the roof and many integrated systems to make for one very sustainable house.
Popularity: 6% [?]
August 9th, 2009
Home Depot and Habitat for Humanity Back Green Building
Courtesy of Environmental News Network and written by Zaher Karp of the Matter Network
The partnership between a home improvement company and a shelter provider might seem simple, but the plans that two established organizations have now are far from cut and dry. A $30 million green building program is going national, funded by the Home Depot Foundation, and plans to build 5,000 efficient homes over the next five years.
Habitat for Humanity and the Home Depot Foundation started a pilot last year through 30 affiliates that resulted in 260 sustainable homes. The Partners in Sustainable Building program began there, and is now poised to break into the national sphere.
Some of the homes were even certified to LEED Platinum, which resulted in nearly 50 percent energy savings in some cases. During the pilot, which according to Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathan Reckford was “extremely successful,” early results yielded 15 to 30 percent energy savings.
At the end of August, over 120 Habitat for Humanity affiliates will participate in the national rollout across 45 states. Affiliates will receive grants depending on certifications that structures attain– $3,000 for Energy Star guidelines and up to $5,000 for other nationally recognized standards.
Habitat expects nearly 1,500 homes to be built between the August start and the end of 2010. Some of the certifications mentioned by Reckford were the National Association of Home Builders standard, LEED, EarthCraft and Enterprise Green Communities.
Retrofitting has been an emphasis by administration recently, citing green jobs and efficiency, though Habitat is meeting an ever-expanding need for new and innovative construction. These new buildings will be supported by Habitat’s network through eight Habitat State Support Organizations (which service 4,400 affiliates) and will be growing in size and host new training sessions to teach green standards.
Out of the 263 homes built in the pilot program, most buildings leaned towards a higher green building level (135) and 128 were certified to the Energy Star guidelines.
Popularity: 7% [?]
July 31st, 2009
Domespace Homes Rotate With The Sun
In passive solar design, a home is oriented with the main axis running east and west so that the home faces essentially south (or north if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere). With this orientation and lots of south-facing windows, the home is passively heated by the sun in the winter. With proper window shading, the windows will stay shaded during the summer, minimizing heat gain. But what if instead of properly aligning your home for the sun, your home actually followed the sun? That’s the idea behind the Domespace Homes in France and now their sister company, Solaleya in the US.
(more…)
Popularity: 10% [?]
July 21st, 2009
Top 10 Green Building Products of 2009
Sustainable Industries, a sustainable business magazine, recently released their 2009 Top 10 Green Building Products guide, which showcases the best products of the year. A leading panel of green building experts and the editorial team from Sustainable Industries act as the judges to determine the most innovative products that will help reduce our environmental impact. The products were selected based on their environmental performance, scalability/market impact, innovativeness, design aesthetic, value and compatibility with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. Read on to find out more about the winning products in no particular order. (more…)
Popularity: 4% [?]
