In Eastside Costa Mesa, California, there is charming “green” home which combines perfectly luxury and sustainability. And the result pays off. The home was recently remodeled from the ground up with the primary goal of conservation, and adheres to the stringent Build It Green Greenpoint-Rated Certification system. The resulting design offers a practical, yet elegant abode fit for virtually and personality.

“I have the greatest admiration for this program”, said Bill Switzenberg, the owner of the house, when he referred to his dealings with the Build It Green organization. “They are extremely affordable and are willing to work with you on an individual bases. I would recommend this program to everyone,” he added.

The house has been specifically designed to maintain the authentic look and feel of a traditional home, while offering a wealth of modern, green features comparable to it’s futuristic, green home counterparts.

Remarkable finish work and beautiful materials used throughout, including French oak flooring, Viking appliances as well as limestone and granite counter tops. Soothing natural colors and materials throughout the home’s interior inspire relaxation and rejuvenation. The home’s large 7 kilowatt solar system, which is seamlessly integrated to blend in with the rooftop itself, could provide enough power to cover all of your electricity needs.

In an effort to reduce the need for artificial lighting during daytime hours and limit electricity costs, the home was built with a maximum window surface to allow as much sunlight in as possible.

The whole remodelation process was thought. Household items that weren’t reused in the renovation process were given to Habitat for Humanity, a donation-driven organization that provides homes for the needy. All leftover materials, such as concrete and construction scraps, were given to two different facilities to either reuse or recycle as deemed appropriate.

Other sustainable features of this green home include:

× A Whole House Fan System which automatically removes hot air and replaces it with cool, filtered air

× Soy-based carpet padding made with 100 percent post consumer recycled materials

× Low flow toilets

× CFL lighting in most areas, with a few remaining incandescent and halogen lights on dimmers

× Doors made with 93 percent recycled materials

× Interior moldings made from MDF recycled products

× Benjamin Moore’s Nutura Paint throughout the interior of the home, one of the most durable & “green” paints on the market today

× 5/8 inch thermal mass walls for energy conservation

× Radiant barrier sheeting on the roof which acts as a layer beneath the roofing tiles and reflects heat away from home and attic

× Hardy Board cement planked siding for both insulation, and durability

× Exterior wood trim made from recycled finger jointed wood

× Low E 2 dual glazed windows for energy efficiency

× A 24” overhang on all eaves which lets plenty of daylight into the home, without allowing the harsh heat of direct sunlight

× Pervious concrete driveway and walkways which protect the environment by not allowing rain water mix to with harmful chemicals (such as fertilizers) that flow into city sewers and empty out into the ocean

× Extensive grading and drain pipes that “harvest” rain water by allowing the diverted water to seep into an underground cistern. The cistern then allows the water to filter itself back down to the water table, and not into storm drains which carry pollutants to the ocean

Via: Green energy news

Virginia Tech for the Lumenhaus

The 17  houses were probed, prodded, and evaluated on their form, function and innovation. The winner needed to pass a total of ten different contests including: Architecture, Engineering and Construction, Solar Systems, Electrical Energy Balance, Comfort Conditions and Appliances, Communication and Social Awareness, Industrialization and Market Viability, Innovation and Sustainability.

Over one thousand students took part in this architectural design-build competition which challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive to boot.

The competition pretends to demonstrate that the projects presented are much more than solar homes, they are fully integrated systems completely compatible to comfort, health and aesthetic, avoiding the harmful impact of fossil fuels dependence or the destruction of natural resources.

The Solar Decathlon is a competition organized by the U.S. Department of Energy in which universities from across the globe meet to design and build an energetically self-sufficient house that runs only on solar energy, is connected to a power grid, and incorporates technologies that maximize its energy efficiency.

Via: Inhabitat | Solar Decathlon

The FTSE Group (FTSE) announced last week, jointly with the Carbon Disclosure Project and ENDS Carbon, the launch of two UK indices; the FTSE CDP Carbon Strategy All-Share Index and the FTSE CDP Carbon Strategy 350 Index. Both indices have been designed in response to growing awareness of the significant potential impact of climate change on investment returns.

The FTSE CDP Carbon Strategy 350 Index assesses how Britain’s largest companies are dealing with climate change. It compares them on cutting carbon emissions, making their products more energy-efficient and setting the most ambitious reduction targets. On the top of this new index there is Unilever, with a final Carbon Scorecard result of 2.49, followed by BT Group (2.44), Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets (2.43), Rolls-Royce Group (2.40) and Centrica (2.38).

The index describes Unilever’s track record on cutting emissions as "superb". The company aims to have cut its emissions by 25% by 2012. The multinational has also improved its carbon intensity by 20% –amount of carbon emissions per pound sterling of turnover– over the last three years, and by 40% since 1995.

The Carbon Scorecard assessment approach gathers the following areas in the analysis (the best performers are in brackets):

× Policy commitments and quantified carbon reduction targets (Pearson)

× Measuring carbon emissions (British Sky Broadcasting Group)

× Assessing and benchmarking carbon performance (British Sky Broadcasting Group)

× Taking account of carbon in decision-making (Lloyds Banking Group)

× Achieving carbon efficiency outcomes (Unilever)

× Disclosure (United Utilities Group)

Via: Guardian | FTSE

There is no bus in the world as famous as London’s. Since the 1960s the UK’s capital has been going its own way by designing its own vehicle specially for the city use rather than using the bus manufacturers’ standard products used elsewhere. But now, London’s classic double decker buses are joining the new trend in green transport by turning to hybrid diesel-electric its engines.

This measure is a part of the Mayor of London’s plan to power the city’s transport infrastructure by increasing reliance on energy efficient vehicles. 2007 was the first year in which Transport for London, the British agency responsible for public transportation, introduced for the first time a hybrid bus in the city, across route 141. Since then, several buses have entered service in the city as part of a trial run. If all goes according to plan the New Bus for London, which is based on the much-famous Routemaster, is predicted to enter service in 2012.

Using the latest green technology, the bus willl use 15 percent less fuel relative to existing hybrid buses, and it will be 40 percent more efficient than conventional diesel double decks, as well as it will be much quieter on the streets.

The pioneering design is a result of a colaboration between Foster + Partners, Aston Martin and Capoco Design. The new bus makes use of lightweight materials, featuring wooden floors, reconstituted leather upholstery, and a glazed roof that incorporates solar cells to generate energy and filter heat and daylight, offering panoramic views to its users.

In case you took the title of this post literally, let us clarify that the double decker’s classic red color remains.

Via: Inhabitat

Last year he introduced a bill to create a program to study how behavioral sciences can be applied to energy policy. It was passed, but hasn’t been paid much attention. Besides, most political opponents argued that it was a way of mind control, and that people only take economics into account when using energy, somewhat contradictory.

Baird tells us to remember some of the recent economic theories which show us that human behavior is often irrational. So, you may be well aware that it’s cheaper to use less light, but there’s a psychological factor that affects your behavior. If we were completely rational, we wouldn’t be destroying our planet. That’s why it’s important to understand what is behind our actions.

Baird says that we should profit from what social sciences can do to help us understand how people interact with technologies. If we understand this better, we will be able to provide people with useful information. Baird mentions an example of how fighter planes need to be tested, to see whether people can read the dials, understand the alerts and the radar information.

Similarly, we should analyze whether adjustable thermostats should be pre-programmed at the store or not. “These are little, simple things about how to interact with technology”, explains Baird. “The argument that it’s all economics just fails repeatedly, but people continue to make it”

Baird suggests his own strategy to achieve a 20% reduction in our energy consumption in 20 weeks, which includes “relatively simple changes in our actions”. He says we should gather public figures, like politicians, religious figures, economists, maybe even some pop stars, and get them to state simple, clear messages about how to save energy. There should be one easily accomplished task each week.

Baird also speaks about the common impression that behavioral change implies sacrifice. To this he answers that taking a short shower may mean making a small sacrifice now, but “Not engaging behavior change is also a sacrifice — it’s a sacrifice of our children”. It is them who will inherit a rotten world, and will have to deal with environmental disasters.

VIA: Grist

The winner team of the 2009 version of the competition was the Technische Universitat Damstadt of Germany, which designed a two-story house almost entirely covered in solar PV panels. It generates twice the energy it needs. Construction costs were more than $650,000. The team got the highest score possible, 150, on the net metering contest, which evaluated the constructions’ ability to generate all the energy needed and more.

The houses were exhibited in October last year, on the National Mall in Washington DC.

The home designed by the German team is almost completely covered in photovoltaic (PV) cells. The roof has single-crystal silicon cells, whereas the walls are covered in around 250 thin-film copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) panels. These are a bit less efficient than silicon ones, but they work better when days are cloudy.

Besides, the cube-shaped building is highly insulated, and has shades that open or close automatically according to the weather. Inside, there is one single multifunctional space, with a bed, furniture and appliances; some of which fold away when needed.

Germany also won the 2007 version of the Solar Decathlon; that team collaborated with the 2009 winning team.

In the second place, came out the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, which designed the Gable House.

To access the winning house’s website click here

VIA: Iamchiq

With information technology (IT) growing as much as it is nowadays, data centers are all over the place, and consume impressive amounts of energy. That’s why the EPA’s initiative is most necessary. Data centers will have a way to measure their energy efficiency and show it to others. Besides, the environment is becoming an increasingly important concern for society, so this could work as a marketing strategy for companies.

First, data centers will have to enter specific information online. According to this data, they will be scored on a scale of 1-100. What will be evaluated is the power unit efficiency (PUE), which represents the total power used by the data center, divided by the amount of power that reaches the IT equipment.

A higher score means a more efficient operation. Data centers need to achieve over 75 points to be eligible for obtaining Energy Star. Those who do get the necessary score, are then audited by the EPA, and may get the sought certification.

VIA: Ecogeek

PC World

One of the most inspiring books I’ve read lately is Michael Braungart and William McDonough’s “Cradle-to-Cradle, Remaking the way we make things”. The authors claim that today’s popular green strategies of using energy efficiently and reducing waste are not enough. They argue that most proposed solutions to environmental problems fall short in addressing what they consider to be systemic design flaws.

Our society’s design model is one of cradle-to-grave, in which products are designed to become obsolete in short periods of time and end up being trash no one wants to handle. What we need to do is change this paradigm. We need to imitate nature’s cycles, in which there is no waste, because all things are re-used infinitely and what may be dump to me is a nutrient for someone else.

McDonough and Braungart present the fantastic example of buildings that instead of contaminating, using up water, and making people feel sick, are sources of health, clean air, and energy. How is this possible? By “remaking the way we make things”. By letting go of the antagonism between industry and nature, and integrating them.

The new paradigm is one of cradle-to-cradle design, which “can transform the making and consumption of things into a regenerative force”. Materials circulate in closed-loop cycles, providing nutrients for either nature or industry.

Today, many products include toxic chemicals among their components. One example I found rather funny in the book is that if I had some friends over to lunch, I shouldn’t have to tell them “this food is free of lithium”. I shouldn’t reduce lithium to the least amount possible, but rather dangerous components shouldn’t even come close to my poor friends’ lunch.

Braungart and McDonough stress that the need for regulating the amounts of hazardous ingredients shows that there is a design problem. I certainly agree. According to the authors, one of the causes of the problematic conventional industrial design is that when it developed, not many people understood how deeply related economy and ecology are.

In an article, McDonough includes data from the World Resources Institute, saying that “one-half to three-quarters of annual resource inputs to industrial economies are returned to the environment as wastes within one year.”

Cradle-to-cradle suggests that efficiency can work as a transition tool to a smarter design model. But what we should aim at is effectiveness, at which nature is an expert. We need to be effective in creating products that are healthy, that will nourish whoever receives them, that will have rich by-products.

Materials are nutrients, and they flow in two different metabolisms. One is the biological metabolism, in which organic materials circulate, waste being biodegradable. The other one is the technical metabolism, which tries to mimic natural nutrient cycles. Through it flow synthetics and mineral resources that go from production to recovery and remanufacture. Both metabolisms are closes-loop cycles.

We will continue to analyze cradle-to-cradle design and whether we can expect to see it applied in real products and real life situations.

For more: William McDonough’s website

Energy efficiency is the relationship between the amount of energy consumed and the products and services obtained. It can be improved by the use of technology, legislation and education.

A program of energy efficiency should include the following issues: power consumption for residential, commercial and industrial sectors, efficient machines, cogeneration, sustainable architecture, and transportation. It should also include  appropriate legislation; because for example, low energy prices cause an artificial increase in demand. Finally, education at schools, universities and companies is crucial; we must all be involved in this subject. Energy efficiency should be part of the long term energy planning.

Countries with low energy resources have the highest levels of energy efficiency in order to reduce imports, examples are Japan, Denmark and Chile.

Chile installed the Energy Efficiency Program (PPEE) in 2005.  PPEE includes an educational program for primary schools, replacement of electric engines in the industrial sector, efficient lighting in the residential, commercial and public buildings; and studies of cogeneration for the power system.

Japan has an Energy Saving Program which “contributes to promoting the efficient use of energy, protection of the global warming and sustainable development”.  This Program was launched in 2000.

In the United States, the Department of Energy (USDE) “is committed to reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil and developing energy efficient technologies for buildings, homes, transportation, power systems and industry”. Some Energy Tips can be found at the USDE website.

The Ministry of Power of India is promoting energy conservation through the National Awareness Campaign.  The program focuses on the need of conserving energy by educating children and getting their parents involved in the cause.

In Finland, the Government is encouraging people to use energy efficient ways of transport like walking, cycling and using public transport.  Besides, people using private cars are informed about energy efficient vehicles.

As we can see, countries are creating innovative ideas in order to reduce consumption of energy. We will shortly describe one that is growing steadily.

Sustainable Architecture improves energy efficiency.  It uses different techniques to reduce the energy requirements of buildings. It considers weather conditions and surrounding ecosystems of the buildings in order to obtain the maximum performance with less impact. It also considers building materials, reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling (insulating materials), lighting, using renewable energy sources.

The following video describes the construction of a building using sustainable architecture techniques.

VIA: U.S. Department of Energy

Today we will analyze the case of the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), which was awarded $16.8 billion for its programs and projects.

The funds are being allocated into either energy efficiency projects or renewable energy ones.

We’ll start with energy efficiency. There are several projects in this area.

1) Solid-state lighting

$37 million have been awarded to more than 15 projects. Some of them will research, others will manufacture, and develop this type of lighting which includes LEDs (light-emitting diodes) and OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes). This solid-state lighting system has the “potential to be 10 times more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent lighting”, according to the EERE. Besides, lighting consumes around 24% of the electricity generated in the US.

2) Industrial technologies

In this area, projects will work on the application of energy efficiency to industries, and information technology (IT) sectors. The funding they have received amounts to more than $200 million. The information technology sector is growing very much, hence the importance of it to consume energy efficiently. Funds are going to projects that research, develop and demonstrate equipment and software that optimize energy use, as well as investigate ways in which to minimize the amount of power lost and the heat generated during the power supply chain. And lastly, projects will explore and analyze how to cool IT equipment using the least amount of power possible. IT and telecommunications facilities use up 3% of the energy in the US.

Regarding the greening of industries, projects include the development of industrial combined heat and power systems, and district energy systems for industrial facilities. Industries as a whole use more than 30% of US energy, and emit around 30% of US greenhouse gases.

3) State and local energy program

This area receives around $6 billion in funding. On the one hand, we have the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG), which provides funds to “US states, territories, local governments and Indian tribes that develop and implement projects to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions in their communities”.

On the other hand, there is the State Energy Program (SEP), which funds US states in their quest for adopting renewable energy and energy efficient technologies.

4) Weatherization Assistance

In this area, the Recovery Act works with the Weatherization Assistance Program, which seeks to lower energy spending for low-income families by increasing home energy efficiency. The total funding available is $5 billion, and it is distributed in all US states.

5) Vehicle technologies

Funding is around $3 billion. Projects include improving efficiency in trucks and passenger vehicles, as well as investigating alternative fuels and transportation electrification, among others.

In the next article, we will address funding for renewable energy projects.

VIA: Scientific American

For more: US Department of Energy EERE

The Australian Green Loans program is a bright idea to make green technology more affordable. Also, by fostering demand, production is being fostered, which will eventually lower sale prices.

The program started in July 2009, and will run until 2013. It works in Australia, for Australian citizens or residents, and for homes that have been occupied for at least 12 months.

How does it work? First, you need to ask for a home sustainability assessment, and report. The government offers this for free. Before six months, and according to the suggestions made in the report, you can request the green loan to one of the government’s associated financial institutions. The loans are up to $10,000, which are to be returned in up to four years, without paying any interests.

The assessment evaluates your general energy performance and your environmental impact. It checks major energy and water systems, heating and cooling, lighting, refrigeration, cooking, water efficiency, waste management and entertainment. It then recommends changes to improve your energy efficiency, which will simultaneously help you save money.

Once you request the loan, the government may or may not approve it. If it does, you establish an agreement with your chosen financial institution. The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (in charge of the program) pays a subsidy to this particular institution to reduce the cost of the loan for the applicant.

Let’s hope the program succeeds in improving energy efficiency, and helping green tech industry.

VIA: Department of the Environment

One of the latter is Malmo, a city located in the south of Sweden, with a population of about 280,000 people. Malmo has set itself the target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 25% between 2008 and 2012. By 2030, the city plans to run entirely on renewable energies. To achieve this, different measures are being applied.

To start with, sustainable transport is being promoted. Public transportation is being fostered, as well as car-pooling, a more eco-friendly way of driving, and more sustainable cars and buses. Regarding buses, these are connected to traffic lights, so as to get green lights faster than cars, and they have separate lanes. 42% of them run on biogas created from the city’s waste.

Eco-driving is taught to municipal employees; it is also offered in several driving schools, and it has been spread to some of the largest truck companies.

Besides, the city encourages the use of bicycles; it has more than 410 km of cycle ways, and in 2004 it was named Bicycle City of the year in Sweden. So far, one fourth of the city’s daily trips are made by bike!

Renewable sources of energy are being developed in Malmo. Among them, solar energy, specifically photovoltaic panels are being deployed all over the city. Malmo has the largest area of PV installations in Sweden, around 3400 m2. The city is investing a lot in solar energy. Also, the Swedish government funds PV technology, so the conditions are quite optimal. Other renewable sources of energy being developed in Malmo include wind energy, and bioenergy. About 25% of the heat energy comes from the city’s incinerator which transforms waste to energy. And 16% of the city’s heating comes from water warmed by the excess heat released from industrial plants in the area.

Attention is also being paid to energy efficiency. An interesting example is Sadelmakarbyn’s preschool, which is the municipality’s first low-energy preschool. Its walls are a half meter thick, to help insulate, and reduce the energy consumed for heating and cooling. Plus, in this preschool, lights are controlled by sensors. On the whole, since 2001, energy consumption has been reduced 20% in municipal properties.

Another interesting initiative is that schools will increasingly be offering healthier, greener food to its students. Nowadays, 50% of the food offered in schools is ecological, and the aim is to reach 100%.

Concerning recycling, 96% of household waste is collected. Whatever can be recycled, is in fact recycled. The rest is used to generate biogas, including food waste.

There are three main neighborhoods that are specifically being led to greater sustainability. These are Western Harbor, Sege Park, and Augustenborg.

Western Harbor runs exclusively on renewable energy, produced locally. Its main sources of energy are the sun, the wind, the water and organic waste. With the organic waste, biogas is produced, and with it some buses are powered.

Augustenborg is well-known for its green roofs. These reduce water runoff, help insulate buildings, and add vegetation to the area. The district also has photovoltaic panels, some of them used for shading. Besides, the world’s first emissions-free electric street trains were created there.

Way to go Malmo! A truly inspiring initiative.

VIA: HowStuffWorks (PDF)

Malmo

Their plan focuses mainly on clean energy. The idea is that the implementation of clean energy will be studied and fostered, and that emissions will be hopefully reduced thanks to natural gas and the development of carbon capture technology.

Main actions to be taken

The US and China will create a common Clean Energy Research Center, that will enhance joint research and the development of clean energy technologies. At least $150 million in the next five years will be dedicated to the Center, and split between the two countries.

Electric vehicles are another key element of the plan. An Electric Vehicles Initiative will be launched, seeking to develop joint standards, educational projects, and demonstration projects.

Energy efficiency could not be left behind, so an Energy Efficiency Action Plan will be established. The US and China will unite their efforts in improving energy efficiency in buildings, industrial facilities, and consumer appliances. Also, common standards will be set. A forum to discuss such topics will, from now on, be held once a year.

As for renewable energies, the two Presidents announced the creation of a Renewable Energy Partnership, through which they will help each other to enhance the development of renewable energy in their countries. They will share information on grid modernization. A forum will be held, also, once a year.

China and the US want to work together to achieve cleaner uses of coal. This is related to their quest for investigating and developing carbon capture and storage.

It is encouraging to see two super powers trying to work together to find possible solutions to the environmental crisis we are all in today. As Al Gore says, “if you want to go far, go together”. Let’s hope all these plans are in fact carried out.

Via: Treehugger

More: White House