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The Largest Green Wall in North America
2009-09-22 19:09:00
A few months back, we reported that PNC (NYSE: PNC) was in the process of installing the largest green wall in North America n on the exterior of their Pittsburgh headquarters building, One PNC Plaza.  Now, as you can see in this monstrous image, PNC has successfully installed the 2,380 square-foot living wall with 602 modular panels.  Each 2'x2' panel has roughly 24 plants, so there’s approximately 14,448 plants covering the wall of this 30-story building.  Wow! Studies show the south-facing wall is 25% cooler behind the green wall than ambient temperatures. Of the eight varieties of plants on the wall, some will change in the winter and some will bloom in the spring.  It’s a beautiful display and there’s probably no more obvious way to wear your environmental commitment on your shirt sleeve.  Part of that commitment includes sourcing materials locally, and PNC acquired all hardware, plants, materials, and installers within a 500-mile radius of downtown Pittsburgh. ...
More About: North America , Green , Wall

Another LEED Platinum New World Home
2009-09-22 08:15:00
A few months after receiving LEED Platinum in Georgia, New World Home has now received Platinum certification for this home in Youngsville, New York.  It's the first manufactured home in New York to receive the certification and the first home of any type in the state to receive the same level of certification without needing solar panels, wind turbines, or a geothermal system.  Like the Georgia home, this one accomplishes the task with non-exotic things like tight construction, efficient mechanicals, and green materials. New World Home uses a design platform that they call New Old Green Modular (NOGM).  NOGM combines traditional design with green building to produce homes in about 100 days that are a minimum of 50% more efficient than commonly built homes.  They're designed to save homeowners money on electricity, water, maintenance, heating, and cooling expenses.  With this house, there's spray foam insulation, Watersense fixtures, a tankless water heater,...

Confessions of a Radical Industrialist [Giveaway]
2009-09-21 11:45:00
We have two copies of this book, which we will give away to two random commenters at the end of Friday, September 25, 2009.* Ray Anderson is probably one of the most prominent business leaders in the country and his story is incredible.  Growing up, he learned to grit it out on the football field and in the classroom.  Several years later, he applied those lessons to start Interface, the world's largest manufacturer of modular carpets.  Now, in his new book, Confessions of a Radical Industrialist, which was released late last week, Anderson challenges the business community to share a goal he set for his company: to take nothing from the earth that cannot be replaced by the earth. If you've read Anderson's previous book, Mid-course Correction, you know his story.  Anderson was tasked with giving a speech about sustainability and really didn't have much to say.  At the same time, someone had placed a copy of Paul Hawken's widely influential The Ecology of Commerce...

Green School Primer [Giveaway]
2009-09-21 11:30:00
We have three copies of this book, which we will give away to three random commenters at the end of Friday, September 25, 2009.* What kind of school did you grow up learning in?  During those formative years, did you have the opportunity to learn in a sustainable and architecturally significant environment?  Think back to those days when your mind wandered.  Would you ponder the exposed woodwork?  Or the expansive windows?  Or the structural steel?  Like many students, maybe you didn't have the opportunity to learn in a green school or anything of the sort, and that's where the Green School Primer comes in.  The Green School Primer is a new book that's been written to educate anyone -- whether a board member, teacher, student, or parent --  about the benefits of green schools. In the Green School Primer, LPA Architects shares its many years of experience with designing green schools.  LPA explains its own planning and design principles and strategies, the bene...

Affordable Metro Green Seeks LEED Gold
2009-09-20 11:40:00
Tomorrow morning, developers Jonathan Rose Companies and Malkin Properties will cut the ribbon and officially open Metro Green Apartments, a 50-unit affordable housing development in Stamford, Connecticut.  Located at 84 Henry Street, Metro Green was designed to achieve LEED Gold certification and it's already 90% leased.  As the first phase of a TOD which will include a total of 238 mixed-income residential and 350,000 square feet of Class A office, Metro Green gets this development started on the right foot.  At Metro Green, residents benefit from a number of green elements, including a rainwater harvesting system, a high-performance building envelope, bike storage room, energy-efficient mechanical systems, abundant natural light, and green building materials that use recycled, low-VOC components.  If you're in the neighborhood, there will be a ribbon cutting from 10:30 am to noon at Metro Green on Monday, September 21, 2009.  The building was designed by Perkins Ea...

Portland Eco-Districts, OLED Lighting, Efficiency First, + Sustainable Path
2009-09-19 11:00:00
The green case for city living.  Sustainable cities are the solution. A major price drop for solar panels. Panels of OLED lights fascinate designers. Interest in sustainable buidling grows. Portland establishes eco-districts to reduce GHGs. New green buildings put efficiency and environment first. The two different paths toward sustainability. Off-the-grid and self-reliant new homesteaders. The business of sustainability. Congratulations to Ben and Aaron for each winning a copy of the Earth DVD in our recent contest.  Also, follow @jetsongreen on Twitter for more news, links, and commentary.
More About: Lighting , Efficiency

Greener Jobs Roundup 9/17/09
2009-09-19 10:05:00
The Federal Reserve Chairman pretty much declared the recession over, but he also said there will be some tough times to come in the job market.  That is, if we have nothing to say about it.  We're building up a green job board, and you're invited to check it out.  Here are a few of the jobs listed in the last week: Energy/Green Building Manager, Jones Lang LaSalle, Richmond, VA LEED EB Program Manager, Jones Lang LaSalle, Charlotte, NC LEED Project Manager, Sustainable Design Collaborative, Hastings, NY Director of Marketing, Hycrete, Inc., Carlstadt, NJ Sustainability Manager, City of Tacoma, Tacoma, WA Also, follow @greenerjobs on Twitter for more green job listings.
More About: Jobs , Roundup

A Positive Energy Landscape Hub
2009-09-18 07:53:00
Yes, it has a Wilson bi-fold garage door.  Yes, it has translucent photovoltaic panels that also illuminate the interior workspace.  Yes, it's heated and cooled by a geothermal system.  And yes, it's pretty much the most amazing landscape storage shed around.  Designed by Gray Organschi Architecture, this storage barn -- more appropriately a storage rack that doubles as an 800 square-foot building -- is the central hub for a landscape business in Washington, Connecticut.  In order to hold the heavy landscape materials, Architect Magazine says Gray Organschi developed a cantilevered shelf standard with structural steel that accepts a standard 4 foot wide pallet.  The resulting look is both dramatic and undetermined.  Now, if you've ever used a forklift, you know that although you can get something to just about the right height, you might bang the side of the structure putting it into place.  It'd be pretty unfortunate to poke a fork through one of the pol...
More About: Landscape , Energy , Positive Energy , Positive

Modern Green Concept Home in Bellevue
2009-09-17 15:15:00
Owners Millie Leung and David Huang just broke ground on this modern green home in Washington.  "The Green Concept Home " is the first single-family home registered under LEED-H in Bellevue, and the owners hope to obtain Built Green certification, too.  David (of Modus V Studio) designed the home, and both Millie and David will direct its construction over the next year.  Here's the layout and what they're planning in terms of green elements: Solar hot water heater; Solar photovoltaic panels; Structural insulated panels (SIPS); Rainwater collection system; Heat recovery ventilator; Radiant heat flooring; Bamboo flooring; Recycled content countertops and recycled content metal roof;  Energy Star appliances and fixtures; and Low flow water fixtures and low maintenance landscaping.  The Green Concept Home will not only be a prototype, but it will be a demonstration home, too.  Along these lines, the owners are locking down partner relationships, so...
More About: Modern

Kebonization Process Creates an Alternative to Tropical Hardwoods
2009-09-17 05:37:00
The photograph above may not be what you would expect.  The outdoor bench in this detail is not made from an unsustainably harvested tropical hardwood.  The wood itself is actually maple, a widely available species that can be farmed and harvested without ripping up acres of rainforest.  But maple and many other similar woods are too susceptible to decay and rot when used unprotected outdoors.  The usual alternative has been treatment with chemical pressure treatment.  Now, through a method called kebonization, a Norwegian company, Kebony ASA, treats soft woods in a non-toxic process that allows readily available woods to be used for outdoor uses. The process of kebonization is similar to pressure treating wood (which is another way to make soft woods usable for exterior use). But, instead of soaking the wood in toxic chemicals like chromated copper arsenate (CCA, which is now banned for most uses in the US and the EU) or alkaline copper quaternary compounds (ACQ,...
More About: Tropical , Alternative , Process

11 Net-Zero Energy Workforce Homes
2009-09-16 14:45:00
One of the islands off the coast of Washington, Lopez Island, has seen rising land prices, which in turn, has put the squeeze on teachers, health care workers, and others in need of affordable housing.  In an effort to help, Mithun partnered with the Lopez Community Land Trust to create eleven economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable homes.  These homes are now complete and the community, Common Ground, is absolutely incredible.  The net-zero energy homes feature some of these green elements: Small footprints designed to reduce energy and resource use; Overhangs for heat gain in the winter and shade in summer; Vegetated trellises designed to shade lower windows; Super insulated walls and roofing; Straw bales at north, east, and west walls; High efficiency, operable windows; Solar shades on window interiors; Insulated night and light shades at windows; Concrete floor as thermal mass; Energy Star appliances and CFLs; Low flow plumbing fixtu...
More About: Homes

2009 AIA COTE Top Ten Green Projects!
2009-04-15 05:54:00
It's that time of year again -- the AIA Committee on the Environment ("COTE") just published its annual list of Top Ten Green Projects .  There's some definite superstars in the group, and we've mentioned a few of them already, including the Chartwell School and Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation.  Perkins+Will has two projects in the group, but this just confirms what we already know: the firm is a leader in sustainable design.  Below, we've included direct links to AIA case studies for each project, as well as a link to the lead architect.  Charles Hostler Student CenterBy VJAA (credit: Paul Crosby Studio) Chartwell School By EHDD Architecture (credit: Michael David Rose) Gish Apartments By OJK Architecture and Planning (credit: Bernard Andre) Great River Energy HeadquartersBy Perkins+Will (credit: Don Wong Photo Inc.) Jewish Reconstructionist CongregationBy Ross Barney Architects (credit: Steve Hall, Hedrich Blessing) Portola V...

New Financial Study: Living Buildings Are Cost Effective
2009-04-14 09:25:00
Today the Cascadia Green Building Council published their findings of a financial study of Living Buildings .  The study -- officially named The Living Building Financial Study : The Effects of Climate, Building Type and Incentives on Creating the Buildings of Tomorrow -- is extensive and we're still going through all the details.  But there's one major takeaway that I noticed: investing in Living Buildings is the financially smart thing to do, especially for institutions, corporations, and homeowners looking to hold on to their real property assets for more than a few years.  The study was put together by Cascadia, SERA Architects, Skanska USA Building, Gerding Edlen Development, Interface Engineers, and the New Buildings Institute (referred to below as "contributors").  Let's look a little deeper.  What is a Living Building?A Living Building is a LEED Platinum building on legal steriods.  A Living Building goes beyond Platinum certification and into the realm of tru...
More About: Cost

737conserve Venice Green Home
2009-04-13 16:51:00
Remember when we mentioned project7ten?  We were probably one of the earliest to mention the wildly popular home, so we were interested to notice that some of the same folks behind project7ten just finished another green home called 737conserve.  Located at 737 Milwood Avenue and designed by Patrick Tighe, 737conserve has the same warm and modern feel that project7ten has.  Here are some photos and a list of of its many green elements: An expansive green roof; On-site, solar photovoltaic array; Smart home energy management system; WaterSense plumbing by Kohler; Non-toxic glues, solvents, and paints; Energy-efficient Lennox HVAC system; Energy-efficient windows; UltraTouch denim insulation; and A green, natural lap pool; The Venice , California home is absolutely stunning and progressive with flourishes of green.  In a recent Huffington Post article, Tom Schey, general contractor and owner of 737conserve, asks if anyone's interested in his green home exp...
More About: Home , Green

LABhaus Modern Modular Eco Homes
2009-04-13 07:34:00
I've been talking with LABhaus, a new prefab company, about their affordable modular homes.  LABhaus set out to create a progressive, modern home that mainstream consumers could actually afford.  In the process, they ended up creating not just one home but three: Slide, Stretch, and ecoVilla.  The models range in size from 1693 to 5071 square feet and in price from $199,900 to $649,000.  Here's what you can expect from a LABhaus home: Designed to LEED Gold and Energy Star; Advanced energy-efficient lighting packages; Icynene foam insulation for a tight envelope; High recycled content in key building components; Construction in minimum waste environment; and Optional 3 kW grid-tie roof-mounted photovoltaics. LABhaus has agreements to manufacture these homes in 31 states through Indiana Building Systems in the Midwest and Sun Building Systems in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.  The company also tells me development projects are underway in New Jersey an...
More About: Homes , Modern

Green Banks, Energy Star Homes, LEED Sprawl, + Using Urban Alleys
2009-04-11 23:54:00
Five ways to build affordable, Energy Star houses. Does sustainability trump historic value? Sprawl collides with LEED Platinum certification. Green banks sprout from the ruins of the economic crisis. Baseball stadiums take a swing at energy efficiency. Hundreds of federal buildings will be greener. Cities are cleaning and greening urban alleys. Moving beyond Sustainability 101. Follow @jetsongreen on Twitter for more news, links, and commentary.
More About: Banks , Urban

Babcock Ranch 100% Solar Powered City
2009-04-10 06:51:00
We've heard about ecocities in far away lands, but now there's one planned for the Unities States.  Located near Fort Meyers, Florida, Babcock Ranch will be powered entirely by solar power.  It's a bold and progressive plan, and if Kitson & Partners can secure all the necessary regulatory approvals, construction will begin this year.  The city includes a 75-megawatt, on-site, photovoltaic facility constructed by Florida Power & Light for nearly $350 million.   The 17,000-acre City of Babcock Ranch is surrounded by the 73,000-acre Babcock Ranch Preserve.  The nature reserve will be protected and maintained in perpetuity, while the city will be chock full of greenways, parks, and lakes.  In short, the entire project has an element of preservation combined with an element of development.  Although Babcock Ranch will be solar power positive, the renderings indicate that small wind will also provide a portion of the city's energy.  All commercial b...
More About: Solar

100 Gold Brooklyn Green Condos
2009-04-09 19:06:00
Green building is bursting at the seams in New York, and if you don’t believe me, just read Green Buildings NYC.  The REDD Group shot us an email of a project they’re working on in Brooklyn (or more specifically, Vinegar Hill and Dumbo) called 100 Gold .  They tell us 100 Gold is one of the first green residential developments in the area, which is surprising considering all the activity I read about on gbNYC.  The 10-unit, condo building will open a model apartment on Earth Day, April 22, 2009.  Here is what to expect from 100 Gold: Radiant floor heating Energy-efficient mechanical systems Operable floor-to-ceiling windows Abundant interior natural light Energy Star appliances Water-efficient dual-flush toilets Zero-VOC Ivy Coatings paints Recycled finishing materials Locally-made hand blown glass light fixtures Roof pavers made from 100% recycled tires Rooftop gardens with landscaping and deck The place will have free storage, a 15-year tax abatement, and ...
More About: Green

How to Design Livable Streets
2009-04-08 20:24:00
It’s no secret that Good produces the best graphics to illustrate the most current and important points.  They tend to go viral and get passed around.  I like their popular graphic on vampire energy and guide to prefab construction.  Good has a knack for distilling complex information, and I think their new guide to livable streets is worth reading.  In it, they explain ten ways to redesign and transform streets to become livable: Allow street vendors Provide pedestrian street lamps Install curb extensions at crosswalks Create dedicated bus lanes Create dedicated bike lanes Install raised, textured crosswalks Adjust street lights to give lead to pedestrians Install bollards at intersections Nurture street trees and plantings Use speeds bumps where necessary Growing up in Texas, I never really had experience with urban streets.  My suburban street was quiet and livable, although when young, I almost planted my bike directly into the side of a...
More About: Design , Streets

Green Dwell Home II Moving Forward
2009-04-08 06:43:00
The latest Dwell has an article by Geoff Manaugh on the Dwell Home II.  After four years in "home design and permitting," homeowners Glen Martin and Claudia Plasencia have broken ground.  They're moving forward with construction.  The homeowners are building this design from Escher GuneWardena Architecture, which they chose because sustainability was presented as "an integrated system," as opposed to as an afterthought.  Here are a few of the home's green elements: Abundant natural light with 360-degree wraparound veranda; Optimized site exposure for winter and summer sun; Backyard leach field without a city sewage connection; Roof with greenery, solar, solar thermal, and hydronic roof radiators; Facade holes that naturally ventilate the underbelly of the home; and Movable and fixed shade devices that provide privacy and ventilation. When you get your copy of Dwell in May, you may notice slightly different renderings.  The newest renderings have a larger rooftop ...
More About: Green , Moving , Forward

First LEED Platinum Home in Ohio
2009-04-07 17:45:00
This is an affordable green home that is also the first, LEED-H Platinum , single-family home in Ohio .  In addition, the home is said to be the first in state to feature both solar thermal and photovoltaic solar panels on one roof.  It's beautiful and traditional -- definitely the kind of home our non-modern readers dream about -- and accented by a leisurely large front porch.  If you're in the area, there's an open house on Thursday, May 21, 2009; if you're not, we have some great photos to give you a peek inside.  Check out its green features: 2 kW photovoltaic system generates on-site energy; Solar thermal system installed on long-lasting metal roof; Local, recycled materials used to build and decorate; No- and low-VOC materials off-gas less than normal materials; Built to a 24" module to avoid material waste; Built with tight envelope and thorough venitilation; Backyard rain garden absorbs water runoff; and Yard is landscaped with native, drought-...
More About: Home

Buzz Combines Style, Sustainability and Accessibility
2008-04-17 08:48:00
I used to drive by Buzz Lofts all the time and check out the construction progress. It's a modern, green, and affordable condo-loft community immediately south of downtown Dallas. The...
More About: Residential , Green Building , Development , Style

Breaking: President Bush Excerpts on Climate Change and GHG Emissions
2008-04-16 20:43:00
[Live] 2:45 EST - President Makes Remarks on Climate Change !!
More About: Bush , Government , Pollution

Architectural Record's Unbuilt Houses 2008
2008-04-16 15:45:00
Eight houses were chosen for Architectural Record's special, web-exclusive list of Unbuilt Houses . They're all green. If you take a look, you might notice something familiar. You've probably seen many...
More About: Residential , Magazines , 2008

Holy Cross Project Show House Now a Reality [NOLA]
2008-04-16 06:30:00
We talked about renderings and plans for the Holy Cross Project back in August last year, but it's now becoming a reality. The first home is finished and Global Green...
More About: House , Residential , Reality , Development , Show

Nau Examines the Pros and Cons of LEED
2008-04-15 19:14:00
Nau is a budding clothing products company that is committed to sustainability and social awareness in various facets of its business. They build very cool stores (pictured above) and build...
More About: Corporate , Cons

The Freshaire Choice: Home Depot's New, Green Paint
2008-04-14 20:30:00
I have to admit, I was very skeptical when I first heard about Home Depot's new, green paint, The Freshaire Choice . I associate large corporations like this, who are not...
More About: Green , Materials , Sarah

Bahrain WTC Wind Turbines Actually Work! [S2]
2008-04-14 10:59:00
Believed to be the world's first integrated, wind-powered mega structure, Bahrain WTC looks to be working. The above video doesn't really say anything, but it doesn't need to: those twirling...
More About: Video , Skyscraper , Wind , Work

Green Ghostbusters, Economics and Progress, Green Hotels, + Teardowns [WIR]
2008-04-13 02:44:00
Green Ghostbusters nab hidden power leaks. Will recession be a green giant killer? Architects must encourage progress, not greenwash. Costs and red tape hamper colleges' green efforts. Building a green...
More About: Economics , Hotels , Green , Progress

[Video] Al Gore, the PPT Presentation v2.0
2008-04-11 19:11:00
[Time - 27:54] The optimism of environmentalism isn't about belief, it's about behavior. And we need a hero generation. We have the capacity to do it. Rise to the challenge...
More About: Video , Government , International , Pollution , Al Gore