Category Archives: Energy
19
Mar
Mar
Cooling in the heat of summer can be a daunting challenge in congested urban areas. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg have been working on innovative sorbents that can store a particularly large amount of water vapor that can be used for cooling purposes. This research information released today…
18
Mar
Mar
Guest writer Michael Craig provides GBE readers with this glimpse of important construction and building innovations he is looking at this year. Radical advancements that will significantly impact building and construction concerns in 2014 and beyond By Michael Craig With the construction industry on the upswing, with 2013 construction starts on the whole advancing 6%…
16
Mar
Mar
Since we have published useful information today pertaining to electric cars, it seems appropriate to publish this chart from CleanTechnica. Thanks to Zachary Shahan. We are excited to witness the growth of the EV industry. Following up on the European EV market share charts I just shared a few moments ago, here’s one more great…
14
Mar
Mar
We already knew that New York City had huge problems with managing trash for some 8.3 million residents: there is little or nothing left nearby in the way of landfills for trash disposal. Present Architecture and the Green Loop project features a very appealing solution for managing part of the city’s trash, the organic kind….
12
Mar
Mar
A week-long series of events—starting with a ticketed gala on Saturday, March 8—will celebrate the grand opening of Emerson Los Angeles (ELA), a spectacular new academic and residential facility that will enable the College to significantly expand its contribution to the city and to the entertainment and communication industries. Guests scheduled to attend the gala include…
11
Mar
Mar
One of the most popular places to visit at GBEÂ concerns buildings on the cheap, the remarkably alluring Hobbit-like house Wales residents Simon and Jasmine Dale built into a hillside using a hodgepodge of used and organic materials. Â Their estimated cost for the entire project came in at less than $5,000. This was a tremendous accomplishment…
11
Mar
Mar
Chris Magwood’s comprehensive book concerning sustainable construction for homeowners and contractors has just been released by New Society Publishers. For those wanting to know more, here are some comments: “Making Better Buildings is essential reading for home builders, owner-builders, or anyone interested in hiring a contractor to build their dream green home. This book is…
07
Mar
Mar
On the surface, some homes are deceptively clean-looking, with visible vacuum cleaner lines running down the carpeting, and the smell of household cleaners fumigating the air. However, there are many hidden health hazards that can lurk in air filters, air ducts, carpet fibers, fans and more that can make breathing very difficult. Replace Air Filters:…
16
Feb
Feb
Thanks to David Glenn for providing this thoughtful article on solar power. Energy is expensive. Thanks to the laws of thermodynamics, it’s just not possible to get more energy out of a system than you put in. Thus, when it comes to generating power, you’ll always be stuck with a bad investment. However, there is…
12
Feb
Feb
(Yokohama, Toyota, Keihanna [Kyoto], and Kitakyushu) Steadily Yield Results;Â Japan Smart City Portal Reports from the Front Lines The next-generation energy and social operational experiments that are being promoted in four regions in Japan (Yokohama, Toyota, Keihanna [Kyoto], and Kitakyushu) toward the realization of smart cities and smart communities are steadily yielding concrete results. The Japan…
12
Feb
Feb
As compared to traditional lighting, light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been getting a lot of publicity for the benefits and advantages as far as energy efficiency goes. LED lighting is by far smartest solution as well as the most power saving compared to other illumination methods available in the industry. The LED revolution is a…
12
Feb
Feb
The Green movement has reached the construction trade. From affordable public housing that has adopted green construction methods — such as ergonomically designed furniture in common areas and the use of sustainable, renewable building materials — to the use of green building standards throughout the country, construction companies are embracing the opportunity to construct eco-friendly…
06
Feb
Feb
To better understand the integral quality of home’s structure, inspecting its unseen parts will usually tell the best story. Try structural sheathing, for instance. Is it plywood, particleboard, or some other concoction? What glues or chemicals were used? Does it contain formaldehyde? OX Engineered Products, a division of OX Paperboard, specializes in a line of…
05
Feb
Feb
As the focus for sustainability has been gaining strength throughout the last decade, many developers are trying to accommodate the mindset. Standardized rating systems provide a measure for those developers to strive for in order to connect to a growing market need. While some of these rating systems may have some good points to them,…
31
Jan
Jan
I’m inspired and intrigued when I find a designer or a firm that’s basis is found from the always changing, always amazing, purest form of systematic design: Nature. Vito Selma, furniture designer from Cebu, Philippines, takes the complex notions that nature puts forth and breaks it into simple components of lines, forms and movement. His…
15
Jan
Jan
The companies that are the most inspiring are the ones that grew out of necessity for a product and stand the test of time by continuing to grow their product, meet the demands of industry and introduce new cutting edge materials. One such company that has been around for over 60 years is the Construction…
09
Jan
Jan
Ecovative Design manufactures Greensulate, a remarkable insulation product that is grown from mushrooms and an appealing alternative to Styrofoam products. See the story link below from TED Talks, featuring Eben Bayer. TED Talks link
09
Jan
Jan
Leading Energy Supply and Services Company Uses the CPF Market to Further Invest in Distributed Solar Clean Power Finance (CPF) and Integrys Energy Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Integrys Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE: TEG), a leading Midwestern utility holding company, today announced the creation of a residential solar finance fund through the CPF Market®, an online platform that…