Flexibility for Adaption

"Responding to unstable markets the design is based on a flexible grid, allowing alteration of the program by re-designating units. These ‘pixels’ are each 60m2 square and arranged around the central core of the building, which for flexibility consists of three bundled cores allowing separate access to the different program segments."

-MVRDV, Rotterdam



::Sky Village

additional information, including diagrams and floor plans:
dysturb.net

Manifest Destiny Redux

Robert F. Kennedy Jr's article Obama's energy plan would create green gold rush discusses Obama's intentions to promote domestic alternative energy sources within the United States. Kennedy states that the vision to cease oil imports by 2012 would ultimately "sharpen our competitiveness by reducing our energy costs, dramatically reduce our national debt, stimulate our economy far more effectively than tax cuts by putting conservation savings in the hands of every American, and be the engine for creating millions of green-collar jobs that cannot be outsourced". The CNN article is provided below:

(CNN) -- Barack Obama is a transformational figure in American history who's been able to excite the same intensity of feeling among Americans as I saw during my father's 1968 campaign and my uncle John F. Kennedy's 1960 campaign.

As a six-year-old, I attended the Democratic Convention in 1960 and traveled across the country in the Caroline K [the Kennedy campaign plane].

The excitement I saw then is echoed today as Barack Obama outlines his plans to get the nation moving in the right direction, to restore America's role as an exemplary nation.

America's dependence on carbon to produce energy has eroded our economic power, destroyed our moral authority, diminished our international influence and prestige, endangered our national security, and marred our health and landscapes. It is subverting everything we value.

A sophisticated, well-crafted energy policy designed to de-carbonize America is the centerpiece of Sen. Barack Obama's domestic economic package.

It will sharpen our competitiveness by reducing our energy costs, dramatically reduce our national debt, stimulate our economy far more effectively than tax cuts by putting conservation savings in the hands of every American, and be the engine for creating millions of green-collar jobs that cannot be outsourced.

Obama understands, as John McCain does not, that an intelligent energy policy is also the natural fulcrum for U.S. foreign policy and national security. As Obama has warned, "One of the most dangerous weapons in the world today is the price of oil. We ship nearly $700 million a day to unstable or hostile nations for their oil. It pays for terrorist bombs going off from Baghdad to Beirut." See McCain and Obama energy plans

Obama's policy, which anticipates eliminating imports by 2012 or earlier, is feasible and desirable. Respected economists and energy industry entrepreneurs, high-level business representatives from Fortune 500 companies and large investors are already enlisting to invest in the infrastructure to facilitate the transition.

Every nation that has taken serious steps to de-carbonize its energy portfolio has reaped immediate economic growth. Sweden announced in 2006 the phase-out of all fossil fuels (and nuclear energy) by 2020. In 1991, the Swedes enacted a carbon tax -- now up to $150 a ton -- closed two nuclear reactors, and still dropped greenhouse emissions to 5 tons per person, compared with the U.S. per-capita rate of 20 tons.

Thousands of entrepreneurs rushed to develop new ways of generating energy from wind, the sun and the tides, and from wood chips, agricultural waste and garbage. Growth rates climbed and the heavily taxed Swedish economy is now the world's eighth richest by gross domestic product.

Iceland was 80 percent dependent on imported coal and oil in the 1970s and was among the poorest economies in Europe. Today, Iceland is 100 percent energy independent, and according to the International Monetary Fund is now the fourth most affluent nation on Earth.

There are many other examples: Brazil's efforts to de-carbonize its transportation system has resulted in the largest and most robust economic expansion in its history.

The United States has far greater domestic energy resources than Iceland or Sweden. We sit atop the second-largest geothermal resources in the world. The American Midwest is the Saudi Arabia of wind. Solar installations across just 19 percent of the most barren desert land in the Southwest could supply nearly all of our nation's electricity needs even if every American owned an electric car.

Obama's vision of de-carbonizing our economy begins with a market-based carbon cap-and-trade system designed to put downward pressure on carbon emissions. He will invest billions to revamp the nation's antiquated high-voltage power transmission system and press for cost-saving building and appliance standards that would cut our energy demand by half.

For a tiny fraction of the projected cost of the Iraq war, we could completely wean the country from carbon. Homes and businesses will become power plants as people cash in by installing solar panels and wind turbines on their buildings, and selling the stored energy in their plug-in hybrids back to the grid at peak hours. By kicking its carbon addiction, America will increase its national wealth. Everyone will profit from the green gold rush.

We will create a decentralized and highly distributable grid that is far more resilient and safe for our country; a terrorist might knock out a power plant, but never a million homes. And for the first time in half a century, we will live free from Middle Eastern wars and entanglements with petty tyrants who despise democracy and are hated by their own people.

::CNN

Olympic Village Awarded for Green Design

Henry Paulson, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, recently honored Chinese officials with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold award for the environmentally conscious Olympic Village.





The Olympic Village, which presently houses 16,000 athletes in 42 six to nine story buildings, is the first residential neighborhood in Beijing to be awarded LEED status. The village incorporates such sustainable design features as solar power and solar thermal power for lighting and hot water, various water reuse systems, custom heating and cooling systems, and rainwater collection.

Once the Beijing Olympics have ended in early 2009, the developers plan to convert the Olympic Village into a luxury apartment development. The residences have already generated significant publicity for the energy-efficient design elements, as 80% of the planned residences have already been sold.

::Olympic Village wins award for 'green' design, Associated Press

Image from Flickr user shajahanmoidin shared with a Creative Commons Attribution License.

Offshore Wind Farms a White Elephant?

Although the wind turbine industry continues to surge, the availability of construction commodities is steadily plunging. After years of fighting, Cape Cod NIMBO(cean)s may have beat Cape Wind's Jeff Gordon at his own game.


The economic viability of sea-based wind farms has been hindered by the decreased availability (thus rising prices) of:

• Steel, aluminum, and copper


• Construction vessels (such as The Resolution in Lincolnshire, depicted to the right)


• High-voltage cables needed to link wind parks to the electricity grid


• Cranes


• Sea-bed platforms

This combination of material shortages and rising costs has delayed the European Union's $120 billion investment in offshore wind turbine projects--including the London Array. The proposed London Array, which was intended to supply enough energy for approximately 25% of London's homes, would have consisted of 341 wind turbines located on Britain's southeast coast.

According to the Danish wind power consultant BTM Consult APS, "The price of offshore turbines rose 48 percent to 2.23 million euros ($3.45 million) per megawatt in the past three years." Since land-based turbines require less installation materials, onshore turbines are becoming the reality of wind energy industry's future. Comparatively, "land-based rotors cost 1.38 million euros per megawatt after rising 74 percent in the same period."

Despite this bleak outlook of wind energy's future, the steadily rising demand for turbine construction may encourage industrial companies to focus on the emerging wind energy industry. A boom in industry will allow the supply to become more compatible with demand, thereby reducing costs and securing the stability of the wind energy industry's future.

More at Bloomberg.com

Image from Flickr user Luc Van Braekel shared with a Creative Commons Attribution License.

Windows Become More Efficient than their Homeowners

The morale of homeowners has hit an all time low with yet another breakthrough development in energy-efficient window technology. Window glazings had homeowners doubling their morning coffee intake, and multiple-pane windows with argon gas fillings had homeowners running off to work on Sunday mornings. But finally--solar concentrators have some homeowners hitting the snooze button and calling it quits.

Engineers at MIT have recently developed a solar technology (known as "solar concentrators") for glass surfaces that may allow for a substantial 40% increase in solar cell power generation. The glass pane is painted with a layer of dye molecules (color choice to the buyer's discretion) that harvests sunlight across a variety of wavelengths. The sun's energy is then absorbed by the glass, and then is efficiently transported at different infrared wavelengths to the edges of the glass pane. The concentrated energy is then collected by solar cells that rest along the edges of the glass surface.

Not only does this technology increase the potential energy output of solar cells, but it also reduces the surface area needed for those pricey silicon solar cells as well. This cost effective energy development is likely to be applied to the windows of homes, where a portion of sunlight entering a home will be collected for solar energy conversion.

MIT has launched the company Covalent Solar to develop and market the product for wide-spread use. Jonathan Mapel, the co-founder of Covalent Solar, provides an explanation of the technology in a video.






::MIT Press Release
::Covalent Solar
::MIT's Technology Review
::Energy-Efficient Windows Guide

San Francisco's Recycling Power Trio

On trash day in San Francisco, the "Fantastic Three" are a home's curbside hero. Three colored plastic carts line up at the end of driveways to await collection--a black cart for garbage, a blue cart for recyclables, and now a green cart for composting. San Francisco has initiated a citywide composting program to strive for the goal of reaching 75 percent citywide recycling by 2010.

The city has provided the green carts are at no cost to residents with trash collecting services. Residents may place foodscraps, soiled paper, and yard trimmings in the composting container (as illustrated by this composting poster).

The compost is then collected and transported to Jepson Prairie Organics, a compost facility that then processes your leftovers from last week and sells the nitrogen-rich compost to vineyards, soil bagging operations, highway erosion and control projects, landscape material yards, golf courses, nurseries, et al.

The compost carts can be lined with compostable and biodegradable liner bags, which are increasingly appearing in the cleaning supply section San Francisco's hardware and convenience stores.

::Jepson Prairie Organics
::SF Recycling

Image from Flickr user ToastyKen shared with a Creative Commons Attribution License.

Boston's Green Initiative for Municipal Buildings

In continuing to set a precedent for fostering the growth of a state-wide environmental consciousness, Boston's Mayor Thomas M. Menino has recently enacted the Green Building Maintenance Order. The policy will act to require sustainable practices within the city of Boston's 400 municipal, government-maintained buildings and facilities.

The decision will serve to both "reduce costs and harmful chemicals from City buildings," and "improve operations" in general. Menino's Executive Order mandates a variety of green regulations, including setting guidelines for environmentally friendly cleaning and maintenance products / services, the expansion of each municipal building's internal recycling program, and establishing a "Green Operations coordinating committee" to generate further recommendations for sustainability within municipal operations.

A summarization of Menino's Executive Order, as revealed in a press release from the Mayor's office, is listed as follows:



1.All City of Boston departments adhere to the City’s new Green Cleaning Policy both for all City-managed building maintenance programs and for any new contracted maintenance services;

2.Within 60 days, the City of Boston Purchasing Agent and the Chief of Public Property, in consultation with City departments, shall publish Environmentally Preferable Procurement (EPP) guidelines covering all goods and services purchased for building maintenance and operations;

3.All City departments shall seek to expand recycling programs in all municipal buildings and new cleaning services contracts;

4.Within 60 days, the City of Boston Chief Information Officer, in consultation with City departments, shall issue a Green Information Technology Roadmap to further reduce municipal consumption of resources;

5.The City will establish a Green Operations coordinating committee to further pursue and develop additional measures to reduce municipal consumption and increase efficiency.


The underlying goals of the Green Building Maintenance Order certainly appear to focus on increasing operations efficiency and reducing financial costs incurred by excess consumption. However, the policy will serve to empower a green sense of thinking, regardless of the policy's primary motivators.

::Official Press Release
::Boston.com's The Green Blog

Image from Flickr user Shortcipher shared with a Creative Commons Attribution License.

Massachusetts Governor Signs "The Best Clean Energy Bill in America"

Governor Deval Patrick has recently enacted the Green Communities Act, which he has proclaimed as "the best clean energy bill in America". The bill will impose regulations on fossil fuel dependent energy utilities within the state while promoting alternative energy sources.

The energy bill offers grant rebates to residents and businesses for the installation of energy-efficient technologies. Utilities are are expected to develop customized alternative energy plans (such as the option of renting solar panels for a reduced upfront cost) for individual homeowners and businesses. The bill ultimately aims to increase the state's output of solar power by 600% within the next four years. Excess energy generated by solar energy systems and wind turbines may also be sold back into the grid.

The governor's office released this outline of the Green Communities Act:

Lower Energy Costs Under the new law, the state will make energy efficiency programs compete in the market with traditional energy supply. Utility companies (NSTAR, National Grid, Western Mass. Electric, etc.) will be required to purchase all available energy efficiency improvements that cost less than it does to generate power, ultimately saving money on consumers’ electricity bills. Utility companies will offer rebates and other incentives for customers to upgrade lighting, air conditioning, and industrial equipment to more efficient models, whenever those incentives cost less than generating the electricity it would take to power their older, less-efficient equipment. Existing efficiency programs have already shown savings at 3 cents per kilowatt-hour versus 9 cents for power generation. Customers who take advantage of these incentives will save money as they reduce how much energy they use. The incentives will encourage more efficient energy use, lowering the overall demand on the system and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

::The Boston Globe

IMAGE COURTESY COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

IzzitGreen.com

I now have a blogging position at IzzitGreen.com, and will no longer be using this blog (for the time being).

Buzz, Columns--Check it out!

A Couple Get-the-Point Graphs

::Architecture 2030

Solar Utility Industry

Generally, homeowners are discouraged from installing solar power by the initial costs of installation and the costs to maintain the system-- but a revolutionary solution has emerged. Companies are forming to provide homeowners with the option of renting solar systems. As opposed to owning expensive individual solar panels, the system is installed at a substantially lower upfront cost. Homeowners are then charged a fixed rate for the electrical output used from the solar system.
While ownership of solar panels can require an upfront $30,000 investment, Sun Run Generation LCC of San Jose, California charges an initial fee as low as $3,500. Sun Run charges clients 13.5 cents per kilowatt hour, which is lower than the 15 to 35 cents currently charged by traditional electrical utilities. Sun Run guarantees a minimum output produced by the solar system, and also includes system maintenance, monitoring, and repairs at no extra cost.
The emergence of such companies should surge the prevalence of economically-feasibly solar energy systems in the domestic sector, thereby ensuring the continued promotion of alternative energy sources for individual residences.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Solar Water Heats Up

Hawaii has recently announced that all new residential constructions are to be equipped with solar hot water heaters. This regulation illuminates the significant role of solar hot water heaters in reducing a household's energy consumption.

Solar hot water heaters are simplistic, as such design aspects typically associated with photovoltaics (e.g. nanotechnology, monosilicon crystals, and DC to AC conversion) are not necessary. A solar panel is placed on a roof, and a pipe then runs from the panel down to the household.

Up to 90% of an American household's water can be supplied by a solar hot water heater. On average, this reduces a home's energy bill by about 30 to 40%, or $450 / year.

Since a single therm of natural gas emits 11.7 pounds of CO2, and a small home of two adults and one child that uses natural gas as the water heating source uses 300 therms per year (3,510 emitted pounds of CO2 per year), the 90% reduction rate would reduce a home's CO2 emissions by a striking 3,159 pounds per year.

Of course, the 90% reduction rate is applicable only to regions with high exposure to sunlight (such as those in the Sunbelt). Yet even in the cloudiest regions of the country, solar hot water heaters are expected to supply an absolute minimum of 30% of the home's water usage.

Three types of solar hot water heaters exist:

Flat-plate collectors -- Insulated & weatherproofed boxes house an absorber plate underneath a glass or plastic covering.

Integral collector-storage systems (aka ICS or Batch Systems) -- One or more black tubes or tanks is located in an insulated and glazed box. Cold water passes through the solar collector, which preheats the water, and then is channeled to the backup water heater. Since the outdoor pipes of flat-plate collectors risk freezing in cold weather, batch systems provide a solution for cold weather climates.

Evacuated-tube solar collectors-- Transparent glass tubes are arranged parallel to one another in a row, with each tube containing both a glass outer tube and a metal absorber tube. These tubes are attached to a fin that has a coating that absorbs solar energy. Evacuated-tube collectors are most prominent in U.S. commercial structures. A diagram of an evacuated-tube solar collector:




Although solar water heating systems can provide either active or passive solar heating, active systems are usually substantially more efficient. Active solar heating functions with either a direct circulation systems (water is pumped through the collector and then into the home) or indirect circulation systems (non-freezing, heat-transfer fluid is pumped through collectors, and then through a heat exchanger--where the water is heated and circulated into the home).

While inefficient, passive solar water heating systems tend to be less expensive, are more reliable, and tend to have a greater life-span. Passive solar systems are either integral collector storage systems (ideal for warm temperatures) or thermosymphon systems (where water flows through the system when cooler water sinks, causing warm water to rise).


On an interesting note, this Chinese farmer managed to construct a solar water heater out of beer bottles. Water is able to channel through the bottles, and then provide his family of 3 with enough hot water for daily showers. Finally, a contraption that can justify binge drinking with sustainability.

::EERE

Blogged with the Flock Browser

GBCI to take on LEED Certification

Starting January 2009, the USGBC will outsource the official LEED certification process to the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). Michelle Moore of USGBC asserts that the new system of independent "third-party certification" will both accommodate and further the growth of the LEED system. USGBC's move to abandon its dominant role in the action certification process will allow LEED to conform to the norms of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

What's next--GBCI will train "certification bodies" (CB) to serve as ISO-registered firms that will manage the certification process. GBCI will also approve and contract assessors who will then provide technical reviews of LEED applications.

This decision should increase the availability and accessibility of LEED certification professionals, thereby improving relations amongst certification officers.and potential / current LEED users.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

First LEED Silver Certified Home in Greater Boston

In August of 2007, Miller/Boehm Architects collaborated with construction mangers Marc Truant & Associates to construct Greater Boston's first LEED Silver certified home in Newton, Massachusetts. The key components of the project's sustainable design include:

• Redwood deck constructed from recycled materials:

+Reclaimed staves used from twenty foot diameter wine vats.

• Underground rainwater storage system:

+Available 32,000 gallon capacity offsets summer irrigation demand.

• Solar electric system:

+Photovoltaic 9.9 kW.
+Generates up to 10,000 watts daily.
+Feeds electricity to grid when the home's demand is low.

• Gray shingle exterior from sustainable source:

+Cedar trees grown in a managed forest in Maine.

• Construction recycling rate:

+87% for all waster materials.







More at Marc Truant & Associates, Inc

LEED Leads Market

According to a study released by the CoStar Group, the sale prices and rental rates of buildings with either LEED® certification or the Energy Star® label are higher than that of traditional buildings.

The study reveals:

LEED building pricing:
$171 per square foot higher than non-LEED buildings
LEED rental rates:
$11.24 per square foot higher than non-LEED buildings
LEED occupancy rates:
3.8% higher than non-LEED buildings

Energy Star building pricing:
$61 per square foot higher than non-Energy Star buildings
Energy Star rental rates:
$2.38 per square foot higher than non-Energy Star buildings
Energy Star rental rates:
3.6% higher than non-Energy Star buildings

Andrew Florance of CoStar has remarked that this study purports a "strong economic case for developing green buildings." The large margins on pricing noted, particularly that of LEED building pricing being $171 per square foot higher than its counterpart, should encourage future investments in green residential and commercial development.

For information on how the CoStar study was conducted, visit USGBC.org

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Efficiently Inefficient Solar Parking Lots

If you're concerned that maybe the shopping strip down the street wasn't such a great idea after all--worry not! Envision Solar is helping to justify unsustainable practices by providing the façade of sustainable solutions. The "Envision Solar Grove" is a canopy of photo voltaic solar panels that covers a parking lot.

My first thought when finding out about the solar canopy was: GREAT! Sure hope my gas guzzling SUV will fit under one of these things! And--as provided by the Envision Solar gallery--here you have it:



Yes, your SUV will fit under the solar panels. With all that energy saving, heck, why not upgrade to a Hummer!

Although solar canopies do provide a source of alternative energy, by no means should sustainablility be associated with parking lots. Frankly, the construction of a parking lot that vehemently parades the title "Solar Grove" is a step backwards in green building.

Envision Solar

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Offshore Wind Farms a White Elephant?

Although the wind turbine industry continues to surge, the availability of construction commodities is steadily plunging. The economic viability of sea-based wind farms has been hindered by the decreased availability (thus rising prices) of:

+Steel, aluminum, and copper
+Construction vessels (such as The Resolution in Lincolnshire, depicted to the right)
+High-voltage cables needed to link wind parks to the electricity grid
+Cranes
+Sea-bed platforms

This combination of material shortages and rising costs has delayed the European Union's $120 billion investment in offshore wind turbine projects--including the London Array. The proposed London Array, which was intended to supply enough energy for approximately 25% of London's homes, would have consisted of 341 wind turbines located on Britain's southeast coast.

According to the Danish wind power consultant BTM Consult APS, "The price of offshore turbines rose 48 percent to 2.23 million euros ($3.45 million) per megawatt in the past three years." Since land-based turbines require less installation materials, onshore turbines are becoming the reality of wind energy industry's future. Comparatively, "land-based rotors cost 1.38 million euros per megawatt after rising 74 percent in the same period."

Despite this bleak outlook of wind energy's future, the steadily rising demand for turbine construction may encourage industrial companies to focus on the emerging wind energy industry. A boom in industry will allow the supply to become more compatible with demand, thereby reducing costs and securing the stability of the wind energy industry's future.

More at Bloomberg.com

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Green Thumbs

Have you ever wanted to be a groundhog?
Are you trying to hide from Google Earth's aerial views?
Want to build "green," but have strong ambitions to confuse local birds?
Concerned that your roof isn't post-modern yet?

Then turn your roof into a "green roof."



"A green roof system is an extension of the existing roof which involves a high quality water proofing and root repellant system, a drainage system, filter cloth, a lightweight growing medium and plants."

Continued at Green Roofs for Healthy Cities

The city of Chicago's Guide to Rooftop Gardening illustrates the composition of a typical green roof:



A green roof serves as a more efficient form of insulation than traditional reflective or tarred roofs. Green roofs absorb and store daytime heat, and then distribute the heat at night to provide warmth for the home. This process reduces a buildings reliance on costly interior heating and cooling systems. Green roof systems retain rainwater (anywhere from 50-90%), thereby minimizing the runoff of destructive stormwaters that could otherwise contribute to flooding or overflowing sewers. Not only is the lifespan of the average green roof substantially greater than traditional roofs, but the green roof acts as a form of sound insulation as well. Sounds like you won't have to hear your roof-mounted wind turbine after all.

A variety of green roof models exist. Here's a break down of some reoccuring green roofing plans.

Located on top of a nursing home, this is the in-it-for-economic reasons AND NOTHING ELSE EVER green roof. Everyone who works and lives in the building probably wishes it didn't exist:



Located on top of a corporate building, this is what I refer to as the can you believe we can actually afford this? model. Mostly a novelty, but does serve to provide space for leisure and stress-relief:



The HI WE HAVE A GREEN ROOF in Fukuoka City, Japan:


And the regular ol' quaint and charmin' rooftop garden--just like playing in the garden behind your house when you were a kid (but this time someone's watching you from the window and it's not your mother):

Finally, You Can Live In Your Storage Container

Ever realized that the rent you pay for your bedroom is more than the monthly fee of a self-storage container twice the size? While many have taken initiative to relocate behind vertically opening front doors (and perhaps faced legal repercussions), you can now live in storage containers without living in perpetual fear of the U-haul guy.

EXTREME MAKEOVER: STORAGE CONTAINER/HOME EDITION!

THEN!


AFTER!


"A Detroit-based group hopes to use empty shipping containers to build one of the most unusual -- and certainly one of the most innovative -- residential projects in southeast Michigan.

The project would stack empty containers four high, cut in windows and doors, install plumbing, stairways and heating, and add amenities such as balconies and landscaped patios."

Continued..


Sustainable living: now at the price of living in what may be a McDonald's Play Place. Throughout the U.K., "Container Cities" are emerging as a green, affordable, transportable/prefabricated alternative to traditional construction materials . While the ideals may be there, this design is an absolute eyesore. As seen below, this "Container City" expresses a blatant Greener Than Thou mindset. Such developments fail to incorporate any aspect of the local architecture or culture within its design.


More at ContainerCity.com



Unlike Container's City resemblance to an epic game of Special Edition Jenga, architect Pierre Morency's "Container Cottage" manages to reflect the structure's environment within the design of the storage container residence. Interestingly, Morency primary intention was to "ensure that the black-painted metal boxes
remained identifiable yet were subtly transformed into something family
friendly and fun for two adults, three kids (the couple also have a
young daughter) and a sheepdog." Of course, those whom live in storage container structures will forever be known as "those people who live in storage containers". Social approbation may not serve as the best primary motivator for environmentally-conscious actions, but it's getting somewhere--and that may be a place where I kept my stuff last year.


More at Azure Magazine

"Efficient Building In Seattle Requires No AC"

"This new building in Seattle by Weber + Thompson requires no air conditioning. To achieve this feat, the architects made use of numerous passive cooling elements throughout the building. Passive cooling means no electricity or other fuel is needed — instead strategic shading and orientation is used, rather than high-tech gadgetry."

Continued..

"First Zero-Carbon House in UK Unveiled"

In the UK, various companies are building cutting-edge green homes as part of the Offsite 2007 Exhibition. Yesterday saw the official launch of a “zero emissions house” called the Lighthouse built by the Kingspan company. It will be the first home to meet the UK government environmental standard, level six of the Code of Sustainable Homes, which all new houses must meet by 2016.

Continued..