Given the climate change coming to most regions of the US, this new roof idea is a great passive cooling solution worth looking at even if you don’t live in the desert regions… now. Because, by century’s end; you might. “Summer temperatures in Florida could rise by 10.5F, with the heat effect multiplied by decreased…
Author Archives: Susan Kraemer
21
Jun
Jun
If every building had a white roof, we would be able to cool the surrounding areas. That is the reasoning behind a California law about to go into effect next month requiring light reflective roofs on all new buildings. It is already the law for new flat roofs here. Here, architect Richard Meier and his…
04
Jun
Jun
Steel is just about the most recyclable building material on earth. You could be well reading this in an office building built with steel originally smelted from iron in Julius Caesars day. So it makes good green sense to build eco prefab houses with steel.
03
Jun
Jun
The traditional gabled roof that we are all familiar with was engineered to slough off snowfall. But in an uncertain post peak oil future of possible energy shortages and water shortages, more and more houses are showing up with roof-shapes engineered to harvest their own rainwater, and support solar power generation.
This cooling effect is a bonus in addition to gathering rainwater or overnight dew for water use. In VisionDivision's prototype, the umbrella element will funnel the cool water to a central holding tank to supply the hospital with clean water. The hospital rooms are gathered in clusters around the tank to benefit from the cooling effect of the water.