Sustainable Design Update

via Jetson Green; posted by Matt Grocoff

Switch Lighting, creator of the only LED that uses liquid cooling technology, is on the cusp of a breakout year in 2012. The Switch bulb creates the same warm color of an incandescent, yet it’s made with reclaimable or recyclable materials using the Cradle to Cradle methodology. Inside the bulb is a liquid thermal cooling solution that helps cool the LEDs from all sides, producing more light from less LEDs. In fact, a Switch bulb lasts about 25 times longer and uses 80% less energy than an incandescent.

Read the full story at Jetson Green

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by Matthew Grocoff, Esq. LEED

Read the name of this blog again.  This is what Sustainable Design is all about.  Nest Labs, founded by former Apple wizards from the iPod and iPhone design team, announced today the launch of a thermostat that “learns,” making it simpler than ever to program schedules and, even better, save energy.

Nest has Auto-Away sensors.  It knows when you’re not home and adjusts the thermostat for you.  You can access and adjust the thermostat from a laptop, smartphone, or tablet.

I’m curious how this might work with a geothermal system and avoid pitfalls of using higher energy stages and auxiliary heating to bring up temps when you return.  Nevertheless, Cool School just got a new quarterback.  With a few hundred million thermostats out there, this baby is going to find a few dates to the prom.

I’ve posted a video on my Google Plus page – check it out.   Google+

http://www.nest.com/

Come join the conversation on Matt’s fan page, Facebook page, Google+and Twitter

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by Matt Grocoff, Esq. LEED

In a peer-reviewed study, James Hansen stated that “if humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted, paleoclimate evidence and ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 will need to be . . . at most 350 ppm. (See Hansen’s paper here).

During the sweltering Summer of 2011 we reached 394 ppm.  If every nation that made pledges at Cophenhagen were to fulfill their carbon targets by 100%, where would that take us by 2100?  770 ppm.  Now that’s one of those “oh crap” numbers that keeps me up at night.  That is where we are headed within my 2 1/2 year-old daughter’s potential lifetime.

We’ve got our heads up our butts if we think creating net zero energy buildings and homes is not an essential goal.

A handful of states have set goals around net zero energy (NZE) buildings.  As expected, California has among the most aggressive goals:

100% new construction NZE by 2030

50% of existing building are NZE by 2030

If all new homes were built to NZE but we neglected existing homes we would still be heading toward that 770 number.  As Joe Romm said, “What then for coral? For glaciers? For corn?” Will we ask “did I do enough?”  Existing homes are the answer.

The Mission Zero House

We need a consolidated movement to retrofit every existing home in America and beyond.  The ambitiousness of this goal is matched only by the urgency of the task.

In the meantime, the NZE for new construction tide seems to be rising.  But, will it rise faster than ocean tides?  KB Homes recently announced a national rollout of a net-zero energy home.  This Spring US NEWS reported on ways that home builders are looking for affordable ways to deliver more energy efficient and net zero homes to consumers.

I’m speaking at the USGBC’s International Greenbuild Conference in a couple of weeks in Toronto.  We know that nearly half of green house gas emissions come from buildings – 22% from homes alone.  Yet over the ten year conference history with over 1,000 educational sessions and lectures existing homes have been the topic only 13 times.

If we fail to set our ships on a net zero course, it won’t be long before we need a bigger boat.

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Sustain Design Studio MiniHome

I recently posted on pre-fabricated green designs and I’ve received several questions asking for us to expand on how pre-fab homes can be green and better than traditional “stick-built” construction.  Several years ago I worked on a series of homes that could be shipped in a standard shipping container.  The container itself was made up of Structural Insulating Panels (SIPs).  When the container arrived at a jobsite it was taken apart and turned into the finished product.  Pretty nifty huh?  No returned container (many return to the US empty)

I found the following list of pre-fab advantages at the Sustain Design Studio website.

Exploded View

1. ‘Green’ Materials

Renewable & non-toxic choices minimize life cycle environmental impacts such as global warming, resource depletion and toxicity.

2. Energy Efficiency

Energy loads are reduced by correct solar orientation, a small building “footprint” and a highly insulated building envelope; renewable energy resources are used when appropriate and possible.

3. Durability

Long lasting materials and quality construction ensure an enduring home.

4. Operation and Maintenance

Systems are simplified to ensure easy operation; making sure you get the most out of every feature while materials and hardware are selected to be long lasting and low maintenance.

5. IEQ

Indoor Environmental Quality is improved by eliminating the possibility of mold growth and using non-toxic materials and finishes.

6. Site Integration

Works with natural assets and conditions to reduce energy footprint and increases comfort with minimal impact to the surrounding environment.

7. Fresh Air

Passively cools using natural ventilation.

8. Daylight

Naturally brightens and warms interior spaces by optimizing solar orientation.

9. Water Conservation

Landscaping using indigenous vegetation reduces run off and irrigation demands outside, while efficient appliances help limit water waste inside the units.

10. Off Grid Potential

Optimization of all of the above with the use of renewable energy (solar, wind, biomass and geothermal)  makes it possible to become completely self-sustaining!

I’ll add that construction in a controlled environment reduces materials exposure to the elements.  (studs and plywood shouldn’t be soaked before closing in a building).  The time it takes to put up a pre-fab is just a fraction of the time it takes to build by hand in the field.  Also a pre-fab shop has tools to make everything square, plumb and true.  In the shop you have much greater control over tolerances.

Aptera – Production Model

Aptera Motors unveiled the final “for real this time” production model of its super efficient tricycle wheeled car today.   Aptera reports that it is getting closer to financial stability and the car should be on the road – next year.  While prototypes have shown up in various high profile venues over the last two years, this just may be the final pre-production announcement.

The Aptera 2e is an electric car that is extremely lightweight and aerodynamic. While the company is several months behind schedule company CEO Paul Wilbur says not to worry. He says Aptera Motors is in line for fresh cash and it has lined up key suppliers for the two-seater.

The Aptera is in line to challenge for the Progressive Automotive X Prize. The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE is a $10 million competition to inspire a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles that people want to buy – not concept cars or science projects but real automobiles. The competition kicks off in April at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, MI.

The Aptera 2e is now scheduled to hit the market just after the Nissan Leaf, the Chevrolet Volt and possibly the Coda from Coda Automotive. So it is possible that all the groovy green air will be taken up by the advertising budgets and superior timing of the competition.

Related Posts:

Cool Cars of 2009 and Beyond

Aptera at TED

Aptera Rolls Into NYC

Automotive X-Prize Contender

Automotive X-Prize

Aptera Electric Hybrid Car – Revisited

Empire State Goes Green

Even if every building built from this date forward consumed zero energy, the built environment would still produce enough greenhouse gasses to raise the carbon level dangerous new heights.  What we need is a new dedication to retrofitting existing buildings with the latest in energy efficient technologies + a change in occupancy.  Tenants need to feel comfortable wearing a sweater in winter and not wearing a suit and tie in summer.

The Empire State Building is undergoing an exceptional renovation.  From their website:

Built during the Great Depression, the Empire State Building symbolizes America’s limitless potential.

Today the building is undergoing a major sustainability retrofit to become a leading example of economic and environmental revitalization.

Consulting, design, and construction partners Clinton Climate Initiative, Johnson Controls Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle, and Rocky Mountain Institute recently completed an eight-month modeling and analysis project which will save 38 percent of the building’s energy and $4.4 million annually.

Creating a leading example for the design of commercial retrofits was at heart a learning experience for the team. In the process of developing specific project recommendations, the team uncovered several key lessons for the retrofit of large multi-tenant commercial office buildings. Read more “Lessons Learned”

More at: Empire State

Related Posts:

Empire State Bldg Goes Green