In the 1960s Dustin Hoffman movie, “The Graduate,” a man hoisting a drink at a cocktail party declares to a business associate: “The future’s in plastic.” As time marched on, it turned out these words were absolutely correct, whether or not you happen to like the material, and the chemical formulations that make the material…
Author Archives: GBE FACTS
24
Jun
Jun
The lifespan sees practical application of Mycoform blocks used for housing in third-world countries. Planetary ONE has sought out grants to send its building materials and development plan to emerging economies to encourage startup manufacturing of the Mycoform bricks. Initially potential manufacturers spend $150 on a hydraulic press and $50 for the steel mold used to shape the aluminum. Manufacturers also need to build a greenhouse for growing the spores.
19
Jun
Jun
For many businesses the economic situation of the last few years may have proved testing in a number of ways. However, one way that money could be saved and a brighter future secured is by going green. Here are a few ways this might be achieved and the good news is that many of the…
17
Jun
Jun
Getting your garden into the perfect state may seem a daunting task but with hard work and commitment it can be achieved. With summer now upon us, this is the ideal time to be digging up weeds, planting seeds and bringing your garden to life. Follow these tips to get started. Flowers and Vegetables Nothing…
07
Jun
Jun
The building serves as an educational model for sustainable building, as it is expected to become the first Alameda County building to receive the coveted LEED Platinum designation from the U.S. Green Building Council. From top to bottom, the designers featured green elements including a vegetated green roof, integrated roof-top photo-voltaic panels, rain gardens, natural ventilation, extensive north-facing glazing for art and activity rooms, and south-facing building recesses and projections providing shade. To reach the LEED Platinum recognition, product selection was crucial, and choosing Crossville’s tiles for interior and exterior applications provided not only the aesthetic features but also the sustainable requirements in product manufacturing to support LEED.
17
May
May
The US National Association of State Fire Marshals has suggested that a number of today’s green developments discourage pedestrian traffic and favour large walkways which make it harder for fire-fighters to obtain access to building interiors and that the use of some lightweight materials can pose a bigger fire risk to those tackling the fire as well as the public and surrounding buildings.
05
May
May
In late 2011, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced increases in the minimum efficiency standards of residential furnaces and air conditioners. In the 30 northern states, the minimum efficiency rating of new furnaces was to be raised to 90 percent from its current level of 80 percent, starting May 31st, 2013. In the 20 southern states, the minimum efficiency of air conditioners is set to be raised from 13 SEER to 14 SEER starting January 1st, 2015 (SEER is the estimated BTU’s of cooling provided by each watt-hour of electricity, so a 14 SEER unit will use about 7 percent less energy than a 13 SEER system). These changes were expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 113 to 143 million tons, and to reduce residential energy consumption by one-fifth.
18
Apr
Apr
The College’s goal of the 2 1/2 acre downtown location was to revitalize the existing campus with multifaceted LEED-certified buildings with sustainability focused education for both high school and adult learners. The first phase of development was to implement a two-story Adult Learning Center (15,000 S.F.) that offer a full array in-person adult basic education non-credit classes. It also provides regional support services for the College’s online students, such as testing, academic advising and tutoring services. The site improvements included learning gardens; shaded outdoor lounge area; pervious paved pathways; monuments/wayfinding; covered parking; student drop-off; and ornamental steel perimeter fencing and gates.
12
Apr
Apr
Every man needs his cave, or should I say that every woman needs a place for her man to go? Either way you want to put it; this is a space that benefits everyone involved. So why not turn it into a fun project? Green was once the way of the future; no longer, it…
08
Apr
Apr
There are tons of ways buildings are going green these days and there are new methods being seen every day. The best part about this is that not only are they great for the environment, but they’re sustainable and they’re just as good as traditional methods.
04
Apr
Apr
Also, the use of natural paints such as plant oils, mineral and extracts are highly recommended. If you choose other ordinary types of paints, you should always be keen on the VOC concentration level. Try as much as you can to select the zero-VOC paint or the low-VOC concentration option.
01
Apr
Apr
Planting a green garden on the roof of a building can help increase its energy performance; the vegetation infrastructure of soil, insulating and waterproof material and the vegetation itself, form an effective insulation layer on the roof of the building. Considering that the roof constitutes the primary source of energy waste in a building it is evident that planting a garden on the roof will effectively reduce unwanted energy gains from radiation in summer and reduce internal heat losses in winter – see green buildings: Rational solutions.
28
Feb
Feb
While environmentally friendly business practices are often viewed as an added cost, energy efficient lighting is one area where cost savings and environmental benefits go hand in hand. Take for instance a recent retrofit completed on a tennis court just outside of Chicago; this custom – engineered retrofit has a payback period of just two years.
28
Feb
Feb
Updating old and inefficient windows will allow you to recoup up to 90 percent of your initial investment within the first few years. Adding Energy Star-rated windows is thought to save you up to $500 each year in heating or cooling costs and you’ll even receive green energy tax credits for doing so.
14
Feb
Feb
To elaborate, biomass is the energy that comes mainly from living things like trees and plants. These store energy from the sun that can be further transformed into heating energy. A biomass system produces significantly less carbon dioxide than some fuels and costs less. Studies have shown the possibility to reduce the costs dedicated to this issue with up to 50 percent. Who would refuse to pay less and contribute to the protection of the environment?
08
Feb
Feb
Rather than drive, think about walking more. A number of advocate groups celebrate a newfound urbanism developing throughout popular US cities. The following cities usher in a new-defined sense of urban living, enticing inhabitants to walk about more often.
06
Feb
Feb
To combat this environmental challenge, we need a holistic, integrated approach towards reducing the energy consumption in buildings yet maintaining a high standard of building services, internal comfort and quality of living. An integrated approach requires that every stage from conceptualization and design to construction and end building usage is ‘tuned’ towards reducing net energy needs.
25
Jan
Jan
Wire mesh has a surprisingly broad range of uses due to its adaptability in size and shape, with the same wire weave principle being used to sieve lumps from flour for your favourite cake, separate golden nuggets from sand, construct cages to protect the chickens from fantastic Mr Fox or providing large scale cladding on commercial buildings.