A new type of architecture has been infiltrating the traditional world for years; homes, condominiums, offices, and all other manner of buildings are being built from industrial storage containers that we would normally see on the back of an 18-wheeler or a shipping barge. The containers are easily stacked, and work quite well for the inhabitants once they are properly insulated, and turned into homes.

These new structures are subtly environmentally-friendly, in the most obvious way. We are all familiar with the chant “Reduce, re-use, recycle,” and this type of construction is a legitimate way of re-using the excess industrial storage containers that are finished with their initial use.

Shipping container architecture has been around for several years, but this topic presently comes to light again because the… [view entry]

The newest beneficiaries from the “green” energy policies of Massachusetts will be comprised of cities which have already taken steps in limiting their carbon emissions through alternative energy solutions. Yesterday, Governor Deval Patrick visited the city of Hopkinton, which has taken major advancements towards solar energy development with a cutting-edge 325 kilowatt solar panel system, unveiled last year. During his trip, the governor met with Linda Donahue of the Housing Authority, and promised to support green-energy efforts throughout the state with a portion of the 7 million dollars designated for green energy spending from RGGI and other sources; §10b. Under the new system, nearly 36 cities and towns will receive the state’s “Green Community” designation, including Newton, Sudbury, and Natick. To qualify for the grants, cities must submit paperwork… [view entry]

No more leaky toilets: The Boston Housing Authority plans to spend $63 million on energy-efficient retrofits of public housing, part of $238 million worth of improvements for the city of Boston. The retrofits will take place in 13 public housing developments that range from Brighton to Charlestown. The goal of the retrofits will be to improve energy efficiency and save money over the long term. Planned improvements for the developments include:

more efficient LEDs and compact fluourescent lighting
cleaner natural gas burners to replace inefficient older boilers
low-flow toilets
improved heaters and thermostats
white reflecting roofs and solar panels to replace heat-absorbing tar roofs

Part of the energy-efficiency changes will involve public outreach, teaching public housing residents to conserve energy even though they do not pay utility bills.

Retrofitting buildings… [view entry]

You might be familiar with cool roofs, the idea of using a bright-colored or reflective roofing material to reduce heat absorption. This has the dual effects of both cutting down on the urban heat-island effect as well as reducing a building’s solar gain and the attendant cooling load. Alas, a disadvantage of such a roof (especially in northern climes) is the loss of an extra boost from a warm dark roof in the winter. Therefore researchers have been working on a means of eating ones cake and having it too.

Last fall an MIT startup announced that they had developed a color-changing tile dubbed Thermeleon. More recently, a New York firm announced a different, simpler material that could compete with your neighbor’s biodiesel-fueled car for used fry oil.

After a series of public hearings, the Cambridge City Council adopted the stretch energy code on December 21st.  The stretch code is about 30% more efficient than the baseline building code and has different requirements for both the residential and commercial sectors.  Visit the city’s website to learn more about the stretch code, which includes a summary table that outlines the new requirements.

By passing the stretch energy code, the city of Cambridge demonstrates its continued commitment to reduce its carbon footprint, by requiring higher efficiency standards for buildings, which produce 80% of all carbon emissions in the city.  In addition, the city of Cambridge has now met one of the requirements of the Green Communities Act, that may provide grant funding for  efficiency and renewable energy… [view entry]

On Monday, as another step in leading by example, the Obama administration initiated a government-wide suggestion box for ideas to green the executive branch. For two weeks federal employees will have the opportunity to submit and vote on ideas which will then be referred to committee.

The existing suggestions are available for perusal on GreenGov at right, below the video. They include (many copies) of the usual suspects, like occupation sensors for lights or double-sided printing, as well as gems such as:

Replace grass lawns that require mowing with wild flowers that do not. This will save on pollution from lawn mowers. —Kris, Bethesda

Good idea. That should also cut down on run-off and water used for irrigation, as well as providing useful habitat for wildlife Kris.

There… [view entry]

If any of our readers have the opportunity to build on a vacant lot, we recommend they visit this page at the Jetson Green website.

This week, they are featuring a story on David Schmit, a Minneapolis photographer who decided he wanted a home in the suburbs with the design features of his downtown rental loft. After some investigation Schmit found a company called Hive Modular that supplies prefab homes. Actually prefab home parts which are then shipped, assembled and fitted out on site.

If you’re thinking trailer home, make sure you scroll down to view some of the interior shots of Schmit’s home after it was finished and furnished.

If you want to read the whole story behind the approval, construction and siting of the house, visit… [view entry]

Want to know a quick, relatively easy way to reduce global climate change?  Paint your rooftops white. Yes, it’s true.The way rooftops—as well as roadways are currently constructed (using dark asphalt and color scheme) creates a feedback loop of heat absorption in the atmosphere. Dark colors absorb heat, meaning less is reflected back into space. It’s a dangerous cycle. According to Professor Steven Chu, the US Energy Secretary, white roofs could be a relatively inexpensive way to cut carbon, but are also doable with immediate results. In fact, Dr. Chu commented that ”lightening roofs and roads in urban environments would offset the global warming effects of all the cars in the world for 11 years” .

One could argue however that producing all the toxic paint used to complete such a massive intiative would out-weight the… [view entry]

Wood Ant Hill

The current green revolution looks to renewable energy and green products to replace the polluting industries of the modern era.  What is often left out of the discussion is our relationship with the living biosphere and how our technology much revolutionize itself to not just being low-carbon, but operate under the principles of how nature organizes itself.  Janine Benyus, a scientist and founder of the company Biomimicry Guild, has been looking to nature to develop technologies that maximize efficiency prinicples inherent in the natural world.  This new movement, labeled biomimicry, asks homo sapiens sapiens to tap into the intellengence of nature in our design principles.  The natural world is not seen as a dumb organic machine, but rather a dynamic force… [view entry]

Fenway Park is home to the Green Monster, but it’s the LEED-certified Nationals Stadium in Washington D.C. that is the true green monster.

As National Geographic’s Green Guide points out, the Washington Nationals aren’t the only sports team building green.

The new Yankee Stadium and Citi Field (New York Mets), on the other hand, passed on the option to build sustainable venues, even though they were able to spend $1.5 billion and $900 million respectively to build their new stadia.  The green upgrades in Nationals Park, by contrast, cost but $2 million.