The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released, on Feb. 24, 2010, a list of 19 proposed federal bills that it says would advance sustainable building in the U.S. USGBC also praised the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (AR RA) and honored Rep. Ben Chandler, D-Ky., and Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine for their efforts to support and pass support sustainable building standards. In a prepared statement, Roger Platt, Senior Vice President at USGBC, asserted that green building is one of the … [Read more...]
'One Planet' Communities Aim to Set 75% Reduction in Carbon Footprint
February 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Global organization One Planet and the proposed eco-communities are set to meet and exceed LEED for carbon footprint reduction. This is due to a strict net-zero policy that improves upon LEED's 18% emissions reduction, boosting energy savings to 75%. The One Planet organization is a non-profit group, dedicated to 'true sustainability' with a timeline extending to 2020. The efforts of the group were inspired by the group's BeZed Urban Eco-Village project, which that the UK Solar Awards called … [Read more...]
New Green Building Infra-Red Tested For Energy Efficiency In Colorado
February 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment
A new building constructed for Grand River Financial Partners has been infra-red tested by green building consultancy firm EnergyWise in order to test for insulation efficiency. The new building construction has been overseen by owner Terri Hickman, who wanted to make sure that the company's new facility located in Grand Junction, CO, incorporated green technologies such as solar power and Structurally Insulated Panels (SIP). These panels are designed to provide superior insulation, utilizing … [Read more...]
Green Building and Retro-Fitting: Economic Engine to the Future
February 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment
In reading Rick Fedrizzi of the Huffington Post today, I am reminded once again of how much sustainable building practices fall in line with good old fashioned common sense. In this case for today's post, good old fashioned economic sense for industries, and for policy makers on all levels of government when looking to provide public support to local and national commerce. At this point in history, everyone who is in the know, and even most who are not, are worried about the state of the economy. … [Read more...]
Building Placement Beneficial to Green Buildings and People In Them
January 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment
As innovative and complex green building technologies are developed, a key starting point of green construction remains to be a placement according to environment. This concept is known as "passive design", a practice which not only lends greater energy efficiency, but also better environments for occupants. This tendency to create a more comfortable environment for people has tremendous implications in the design of commercial buildings. The increase in productivity due to better air quality … [Read more...]
Top 10 Trends For Green Building Growth in 2010
January 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Notable green building consultant Jerry Yudelson offers an insight into trending green building growth for 2010, despite the global economic downsurge. He has published his annual top ten list which outlines encouraging growth in a burgeoning green-based economy. “In putting together my Top Ten trends for 2010, I’m taking advantage of conversations I’ve had with green building industry leaders in the U.S., Canada, Germany and Australia as I have traveled the world over the past year.” … [Read more...]
Experimental 'Eco-City' to Test New Green Technology For Market-Readiness
January 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The 6000-resident population of St. Albert Alberta Canada is planned to be the site of a clean-energy supported green community project with the help of Rampart Avenir Communities, a Dutch investment firm. The project is meant to set up the 135 hectare area, located between Ray Gibbon Drive and Carrot Creek west of the North Ridge community in Edmonton, as a 'living laboratory' of implemented green technologies. The residential setting will then serve to measure possible commercial scalability … [Read more...]
A Royally Green Building?
January 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment
For a time, as I will tell anyone who will listen, I lived in England when in my late 20s to early 30s. It was one of the best times of my life. There were many cultural adjustments to be made, of course. But, one of the ones that I didn't mind making was the presence of grand, and centuries old architecture that I could see up close any time I wanted to. This was particularly striking while in Central London, where many of the most famous sites in the country are within walking distance … [Read more...]
Green Building Goes to the Airport
December 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment
It seems to me that airports are thought of mostly as in-between places. Those who don't work there go to the airport merely as a means to an end, to get from one city to another, or to meet someone who is. Time spent there is mostly about waiting, which perhaps makes us forget something important. Airports are on all of the time. They have massive, around the clock requirements for light, ventilation, heat, and the power demanded to keep all of the technology moving, from air traffic control … [Read more...]
Green Building: Social Consciousness, Or Gaudy Self-Promotion?
November 26, 2009 By 3 Comments
One of the key areas I'm focusing on with this humble green building blog is tracing the movement of green building toward the mainstream. There are all kinds of interesting little pockets to be explored here, mostly of the cultural sort. And that makes reading about green building, and about the innovation and technological development happening right now, a pretty fertile subject. Yet as much as there is to be encouraged about in green building, there is always a devil's advocate position … [Read more...]
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