First Offshore Windfarm in US Approved

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar approved the first offshore windfarm off the coast of Cape Cod, Mass. The 130 turbine windfarm will be constructed off the coast of Nantucket. This could pave the way for future windfarms and hopefully lead us to a more sustainable energy future. The project was largely controversial, and several key politicians, such as the late Ted Kennedy opposed the farm. This is mostly due to the fact that the Kennedy's residence is on Martha's Vineyard, close to the project and some of the windmills are seen as eyesores to the public living near them.

Here's the article from the Post today:

http://views.washingtonpost.com/climate-change/post-carbon/2010/04/salazar_approves_cape_wind_project.html?hpid=topnews

University of Tennessee to launch first e-bike sharing program in the US!

By late this summer, the Univ of Tennessee will launch an innovative e-bike share program using pedal assisted solar powered electric bikes. The university specifies a 25 % decrease in CO2 emissions from campus transportation activities. This program was modeled after Sanyo's recently installed community bike share program in Tokyo using 100% solar energy.

e-bikes

"Global Solar Report Card"

This solar report card examines strategic evidence and potential for the use of solar energy. It looks at continents and regions that would most efficiently use solar technology. The report also scores countries progress towards developing solar energy. Well, the report was not too optimistic. There was only one A, with Germany receiving an A-. Poland and Russia received received grades of F with no initiatives whatsoever involving PV and marginal efforts in developing other renewable initiatives. Other countries suprisingly lagging are China, the UK, and Canada, with all three countries earning grades of D. The purpose of the report is to encourage investment of 50 billion dollars or more over the next 2 or 3 years in solar energy. The report stresses that today's solar technology can meet today's annual energy demand four times over. There are several categories for which countries (and California) are graded upon.

-Nick

http://globalgreen.org/climate/initiatives/solarreportcard/

CDC on Healthy Communities

I just came across this article about a recent workshop the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held to help improve health in the US. The American Society of Landscape Architects helped the CDC put together a report detailing the best methods for creating healthy communities. The workshop drew from a variety of organizations including the AIAS, ASLA, Congress for New Urbanism, and the National Association of Home Builders just to name a few. HERE's the article from the ASLA.

I thought this was an interesting article, but upon further investigation I discovered the CDC's site on healthy places which yielded even more information. Click HERE for this site.

Biz Markie Does Earth Day

Hey Everyone,

Nick Roldos posted this on my facebook wall and I thought you'd all get a kick out of it.

Biz Markie recorded an Earth Day Remix of his song "Just a Friend"

Enjoy!

SEED

I came across this while looking up some info on LEED for Homes. I can't quite tell how their goal is different from that of LEED and what they are trying to do. This could possibly be another standard to investigate. http://www.contractdesign.com/contract/design/New-Standard-SEEDs-1348.shtml

Green Technology Patents

Wired Magazine ran a piece today about clean energy and the costs associated with producing a patent. One example given was a Chinese car manufacturer complained about making a hybrid car low cost because of the fees associated with paying for use of a patented technology. In addition, federal law is making it difficult for patents, especially those funded and produced at universities to enter the open market without exclusive rights for one company. Hopefully, this impasse does not stall green technologies and the creation of cheaper, cleaner alternatives. Here's the link to the article: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/04/climate-desk-patents-ouellette/

Appliance Discounts for the Swift: Energystar Update

Nationwide 300 million dollars in rebate money has been allocated by the federal government. the money is being allocated to 56 territories and states to get residents to buy appliances that have the government's Energy Star Label. Hopefully that means the Energy Star program has made some changes in their system for accepting appliances as Energy Star products.
The rebates have their ups and downs since most states are facing long lines waiting for rebates, failed rebate websites and long lists of dropped calls.

Interesting note: Colorado is offering 15,000 dollars back for installing a commercial solar thermal system. This offer began this monday by now the rebate offer is most likely over.

Michelle Navarro

Earth day on the National Mall

Hello,
On Sunday, April 25th from 11am-7pm there will be a climate rally.
It will host Sting, John legend, the roots and more.
Of course on Thursday, April 22nd there will be earth day 40th anniversary events form 11am to 7pm. Two days to celebrate earthday. Sounds fun.

Michelle N.

This is an ecohouse in Australia, claiming to be self sufficient. The images are really most interesting and show the use of windows and day lighting quite nicely. The article also mentions the use of "edible landscaping" which I thought was something a little different than the same sustainability techniques we've been seeing in other homes.

http://www.jetsongreen.com/2010/04/ultra-green-hill-end-ecohouse-brisbane.html

The Civic Hybrid Model of E-readers?

So a software developer has decided to take on the notion of the e-reader and match the expectations everyone has of what a newspaper should be. By creating this ultra-light media screen, this "tech" tool would allow people to utilize the thin surface just like a newspaper.

I guess you could argue that this is for those people who really don't have to have an IPad to read their paper, but this seems a lot more technologically savvy than that.

http://inhabitat.com/2010/04/19/the-page-flat-foldable-e-reader-protype/

LEED GA Prep

Hey all,

I wish I had come across this before the exam, but here is a link that gives the 411 on all the study materials available. I can say from experience, the LEED Core concepts and study guide are not all that need to be studied unfortunately. http://www.reallifeleed.com/

Education: Sustainability Comes of Age

New York City College has begun a master's program in sustainability in the urban enviroment. What makes the program so interesting is students will be able to focus on either arcitecture-sustainability issues relating to buildings and parks- or engineering where recycling and clean power will be important.
The program is interdisciplinary so people with different backgrounds work together.
Architecture and enginnering students working together in school. This should be more common.

Michelle N.

Polystyrene Insulation Doesn't Belong in Green Building

Here's an interesting article criticizing ICFs (insulated concrete forms) for the hazardous chemicals that are found within the insulation.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/04/polystyrene-insulation-green-building.php#ch02

Passivhaus in America

I have been looking at articles recently regarding the Passivhaus method of energy-efficient focused building. This one article on Treehugger offered some critiques on the Passivhaus system. As we all know there are more extreme temperature swings on a seasonal basis in many areas of North America when compared to the more stable European climate from which the Passivhaus standard originated. One critique on the system is that there is a bias towards smaller housings because the system is based on energy used per square foot and offers no "penalties" for building large and smaller houses are apparently harder to certify. The standards for retro-fitting and certifying existing buildings are also apparently very stringent and therefore discouraging to those thinking of renovating. I am glad there are articles describing the negative aspects of a particular rating system so that we can learn the areas of weakness and not accept a standard as infallible.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/04/passivhaus-too-rigid-for-america.php

Terrapass Green Driving Tips

Green Driving Tips, some suggestions:
Don't have a lead foot... accelerate slowly.
Don't carry excess weight in your car.
Slow down in advance before a corner.
Try to coast as much as possible... watch for red lights ahead in the distance and avoid the gas.
Also, check your tire pressure.
http://www.terrapass.com/blog/posts/green-driving-tips-you-actually-use

Roofing Materials: Cooking oil and Chameleon-like tiles

Scientists Develop Efficient Roof Coating That Can Switch Roles From Season to Season:
Roofing material made from waste cooking oil can supposedly reflect sun in summer and absorb heat in winter... of course the article doesn't mention how...
http://www.ecohomemagazine.com/finishes-and-surfaces/scientists-develop-efficient-roof-coating-that-can-switch-roles-from-season-to-season.aspx


A Roof That Changes Color?
These tiles are white in summer for high reflectance and turn black in winter to absorb heat. This one is more believable... but quite pricey no doubt.
http://www.ecohomemagazine.com/news/2009/10/a-roof-that-changes-color.aspx

Mexico City Reductions in Air Pollution

In what is surely a step in the right direction, Mexico City has had significant reductions in air pollution. From the city that was labeled as one of the dirtiest cities in the country, this is a major step for all others to follow. Emissions from buses were cut, and building was done more environmentally and steps were taken to reduce waste and contaminants. If Mexico City can start cleaning up and work toward a cleaner solution, many other cities should follow and do the same.

Here's the link to the Post article

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/31/AR2010033103614.html

-Anthony

The Hazards Lurking at Home

I was reading an article in Time magazine called "The Perils of Plastic. There was also an interesting illustration not directly related to the article called the hazards lurking at home. I found it interesting how this can also relate to building materials and how people assume products are safe, but in reality, there just isn't enough testing to determine whether these materials are safe or not. In some cases there are known unsafe chemicals used, but the claim is that they use a "safe amount" of these toxic chemicals.

Plastics article:
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1976909_1976908,00.html

Illustration:
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1976909_1976895_1976914,00.html

Greening NYC

Hello All,
Global Green's website has been a bit slow at putting up interesting news so I wanted to comment on this article from The New York Times regarding NYC's goal to become more energy efficient. It starts by describing an adaptive reuse like project, the Hearst Tower which is the first skyscraper to be built since September 11th. It is surprisingly the cities first green commercial building, earning a LEED gold certification. Since the Hearst Tower nearly every new commercial project in the city has been LEED certified. The article then describes how city officials are troubled by the poor energy performance of old/historic existing structures. Thousands of existing structures need to be upgraded with better insulation and mechanical systems (future career opportunities). Four new bills have been set in motion to revise codes related to retrofitting existing buildings. There has been much red tape however and a review of the 111 or so new/modified codes will take some time. This article is important to us as young architects as much of our future work will be adaptive reuse (I am not in the 601 adaptive reuse studio or anything.....).

-Nick

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/04/05/05greenwire-nyc-begins-hard-long-slog-to-energy-efficiency-78815.html?pagewanted=2

"new urban century"

I found an interesting article on CNN about 5 different cities and a few of the things they are doing to develop the downtown areas using green technology and other approaches. It is pretty interesting and has a lot of great images.

The article is called "Americans Rebuild for the 'New Urban Century'"

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/04/01/infrastructure.rebuild/index.html?hpt=C2

enjoy
Michelle C