Category Archives: Green Building
14
Sep
Sep
A new smart home study released by Lowe’s found that while Rosie the Robot is the futuristic feature consumers would want most from “The Jetsons,” more than 70 percent of smart phone users in America just wish they could control something in their home from their mobile device without getting out of bed. Lowe’s 2014 Smart Home…
28
Aug
Aug
One of the fundamental qualities of good architecturally designed buildings is that they fit into their own unique site. Two examples that couldn’t be more different but that are both beautifully designed buildings for their spaces are the Transustainable House and the Sempachersee Golf Course Club House. The Transustainable House is a residential home designed…
23
Aug
Aug
As cities re-develop and re-define themselves in new urban and sustainable ways, mixed-used mini-cities are becoming popular oasises in the midst of traditional metropolitan areas. In Houston, Texas, one of such, ‘city-with-in-a-city’ exists and is called Memorial City. It is 7.6 million SF of a place that intertwines the living, shopping, working and play parts…
30
Jul
Jul
Thanks to writer Jacob Petit for drafting this article on green roofing options. The roof is one area of the home that is often overlooked for purposes of energy efficiency, but it shouldn’t be. A large amount of the heat in a home is lost through the roof, which makes insulating it one of the…
25
Jul
Jul
In design, when concepts become creations that the world hasn’t seen before, then the job is well done. A young and upcoming firm is Penda and their goal is to create nothing that isn’t unique and thought out. Penda was started in 2012 by Chris Precht and Dayong Sun. Every project that they undertake becomes…
18
Jun
Jun
A new creation has come to fruition on the plains of Colorado. The first of its kind is called “Zulu Queen” and it is a Corten steel shipping container ‘high cube’ turned home. The designed home emerged from a team of an artist/architect and an outdoor woman/tech guru of Sam Austin and Jan Burton as…
29
May
May
There is something amazingly raw and beautiful in cast concrete forms and buildings. These forms can become any shape imaginable and all that is required is the form to hold the concrete as it dries. Panels of remarkable sizes can be placed on site in construction zones, allowing buildings to rise in record breaking time…
22
May
May
The evolution of pioneer solar passive architect David Wright’s career demonstrates the importance of exposure to the solar works of the ancients, as provided in this guest column by John Perlin based on his new book, Let It Shine: The 6000-Year Story of Solar Energy. This is the first of five articles. David Wright was…
01
May
May
In homage to our previous post on all natural building products, here is a photo collection of earthbag buildings – built from bags of dirt or sand, stacked brick-like, and covered with mud mixed with straw. Divine Nectar retreat cabin – This stunning earthbag cabin was built as part of a retreat center in the desert…
21
Apr
Apr
Borrowing from Discovery.com’s 2012 top ten list of natural building materials, here are ten earth-friendly building materials, some old and some new. 1. Rock Locally sourced rock is the most earth-friendly, due to short transportation distances. Extraction may be the most energy intense part of the life cycle of this material. Rocks can be mortared together…
17
Apr
Apr
Everyone has their heroes, their role-models, their if-I-could-be-like-anyone-it-would-be persons and I am no different. I wrote about his past accomplishments, including his cardboard cathedral and paper tube relief houses on GBE a couple of years ago and now my career hero was given the ultimate award in architecture this past month. He is Shigeru Ban…
03
Apr
Apr
Built in collaboration with UC Davis in California, the Honda Smart Home is a three-year green building project that will monitor typical energy use needs for average Americans and their families.
31
Mar
Mar
Log homes are great examples of sustainable homes. The wood used to build the home, when properly managed, can be grown again. The abundance of beetle-killed pine, coupled with potential fire dangers, make log homes a good option for building materials. And who isn’t drawn in by the beauty of a log home. This guest…
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%…
12
Mar
Mar
There are many places we can be smarter about the water we use. Start with the toilet, for one. Give it dual-flush capabilities for starters, then put a sink on top. Featured here is the Caroma Profile Smart Dual Flush Toilet with Sink. Caroma provides this profile information: Unique design and advanced performance make the Caroma…
11
Mar
Mar
One of the most popular places to visit at GBE 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. 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:…