Awesome Green Innovations

       Green technology is constantly growing and it is becoming hard to keep up with the newest innovations. From windows that absorb solar energy to apartments made from used shipping containers, the green revolution is taking shape.


1. Windows that double as solar panels. Solar company Konarka has developed a transparent solar cell that it hopes will be built onto electricity-generating windows. The advantage of these flexible cells is that they can be used for a wide range of applications, such as power-generating military tents, portable chargers for electronics, and sensors.

2. Green Roofs are systems of living plants and vegetation installed on the roof of an existing or new structure. Benefits of green roofs include reducing heating and cooling usage, reducing rainwater runoff, filtering pollutants, enabling agriculture growth in areas that were traditionally unable to grow vegetation, and creating habitats for wildlife. 



3. Structural insulated panels is an insulating layer of rigid polymer foam  between two layers of structural board. The structural board can be Oriented Strand Board, sheet metal, plywood, or cement.

4. Buildings created from used shipping containers. This building technique can be used to design anything from offices, to restaurants, to office buildings.  It prevents the containers from sitting in a dump and cuts down on materials typically required for new buildings.

5. Low or no VOC paints which are beneficial by lowering the amount of potentially harmful chemicals released into the air during the painting and drying process.






6. The Kill a Watt is a tool that measures the energy use of any electronic device plugged into it. Enabling the user to see exactly where the energy in the home is being used the most. For the average cost of $30 this tool will easily pay for itself several times over in electricity savings over the lifetime of the device.

Green Building Systems Review; Part 1

 
      I am beginning to educate myself in green design.  The challenge is finding what green building system is the best. So in an attempt to decipher one system from the other I will be doing a series of Green Building System reviews.
      There are nearly 50 regional and national green home labeling programs around the country. While each program approaches green building a little differently, each incorporates important elements such as:


• Energy-efficient construction techniques and products.
• Improved indoor environments through environmentally-friendly materials and building practices.
• Water-efficient products and processes.
• Renewable energy options, when feasible.
• Waste reduction and recycling during the construction process.
• Smart growth and sustainable land development practices.

 1. LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is one of the most widely known (among industry professionals) and highly accredited green certification organization. The downside in both professional accreditation and building certification is the cost and high load of paper work involved. (I am working on my LEED, GA (Green Associate.) LEED is most often used in commercial building due to the high cost and time involved.


 2.  The  Energy Star symbol is known in most households in the country. For the homeowner this is one of the best ways to gain recognition for making a home energy efficient. It has less paperwork and cost much less than LEED.  For building professionals they offer a partnership, but not accreditation. However the ease of implementation makes Energy Star a great choice of industry professionals and homeowners.



3. EarthCraft House "is about constructing a healthy, more valuable home while minimizing environmental impacts." EarthCraft House follows a systems approach to home building that stresses an understanding of how the different components of a home work together. Part of the EarthCraft criteria the home must meet Energy Star requirements of energy efficiency. This system offers a low cost way to build an Earth friendly home, as well as, educational opportunities for builders, architects, and designers. However it does not offer a professional accreditation.