Recent years have seen an explosion of advances in design, technology and other resources to reduce waste and drive down utility bills. The problem is that many property owners still don’t take advantage of energy saving opportunities, even when they demonstrably save money over the long run.
Tag Archives: Energy
11
Jan
Jan
Join me for Part IV of this interview series with John Perlin concerning our forests. Today’s subject: “Fighting for Photons,” a subject about which Perlin knows plenty. He is the author of two diverse and important books which explore this subject: “A Forest Journey: the Story of Wood and Civilization,” and “Let It Shine:…
09
Dec
Dec
When it is cold outside, Freeaire Refrigeration is busy helping customers save money on electricity use. As spokesman Josh Sarnowitz puts it, “Although many despise the frigid cold that comes with a New England winter there is one company embracing it, putting it to work for their customers in order to save thousands of dollars…
17
Aug
Aug
Umisol Infrared Blocking Filter was recently installed at the Coca-Cola headquarters in Brussels. The project is expected to create a net profit of 14 €/m²/year. Energy efficiency is central to the European strategy with the 2020 – 2030 – 2050 EU Directives for smart and sustainable growth and the progression to a resource-efficient economy. By 2050…
26
Jul
Jul
A ground source heat pump is the most efficient way to heat or cool your home or business. Tax credits and creative financing are critical to wide adoption.
01
Jul
Jul
What Is R-Value For Insulation? Simply put, R-value is a measurement of how insulating a building material is, protecting one side from the heat or cold on the other side. A higher R-value means that a material insulates better than one with a lower value. In order to get an idea of what these…
24
Mar
Mar
Spray foam insulation can help save up to 50% in energy costs, protect a building from moisture intrusion, and provide sound insulation. In addition, it provides two to three times more insulation that traditional fiberglass. However, according to Environmental Working Group, most common spray polyurethane foam insulation contains methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, or MDI, a synthetic chemical…
07
Oct
Oct
The importance of energy efficiency has become gospel in many parts of the world- most notably in countries like Japan, which have committed to making all new public buildings passive and net zero energy structures from here on out. In the US, companies like Turner have said that the future of the commercial market is…
02
Oct
Oct
Passive House is an international building standard developed by the Passive House Institute (PHI), which is located in Darmstadt, Germany. Building to the Passive House Standard recognizes buildings which have been optimized through passive measures and components such as insulation, air-tightness, heat recovery, solar heat gains, solar shading and incidental internal heat gains. Buildings which…
10
Apr
Apr
In a move that brings science fiction predictions to reality, Philips is introducing its OneSpace luminous ceiling to the world. OneSpace integrates LED lights with a fabric to create a white light ceiling surface that hides the source of light completely. The result is a smooth and clutter-free ceiling that emits a uniform and glare-free light. “This innovation…
21
Jul
Jul
As products are developed to be internationally used, it is important that they can be made from local products, wherever they are needed, affordable in those locations, and sustainable in all aspects. Many of these products take years to develop but are a necessity for the future of underdeveloped and overdeveloped areas. One such product,…
11
Jun
Jun
People across the country, and the world, are finally recycling paper products, aluminum, glass, and cardboard as a matter of course. And yet, there’s more that can be done. We must continue to push the importance of green, making sure that we use recycled material wherever possible, and stay conscious of the need to reduce our carbon footprint.
23
Feb
Feb
Two different types of environmentally sustainable homes are being incorporated into neighborhoods or developed as their own neighborhood community across the country giving people the choice to not only be green but to be entirely sustainable in their living situation. They are Modular
Guest Post: You may be aware that your home is not energy sound. The first thing to do is to find the source of the energy loss.
It’s time to revisit Colorado architect Doug Eichelberger’s trash barn and comment on the refreshing economic and sustainable philosophies that are behind the outbuildings he’s created using little more than scrap that was destined for the landfill or found materials.
30
Jan
Jan
For those sustainability designers and innovators wanting a net-zero product, take a look at the Chip House, a 2011 entry in the DoE’s Solar Decathlon, placing sixth.
28
Sep
Sep
As sustainable design becomes a more common practice, it is the aesthetic appeal and technological advances which are used in collaboration with these practices that make each building more inspirational. The Bahrain World Trade Center (BWTC) in Manama, Bahrain is a beautiful example of sustainability meets design. It was designed by Atkins with the goals…
DAtE is a global architectural competition meant to find solutions to the problems occurring due to climate change. “Climate change refers to the variation in the Earth’s global climate or regional climates over time scales ranging from decades to millions of years. Changes may be driven by internal processes, external forces or, most recently, by human activities.” This is the third competition of its kind all originating in the Philippines with the winner being announced in early 2011.
- 1
- 2