Category Archives: architecture

Steet Lights Are A Total Waste Of Time – Turn them off

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OK. So I can see leaving a few on but one of the biggest office buildings for the State of Illinois in Springfield is the Stratton Building and it can NOT turn its lights off at night.

That is right night after night after night. But then the rest of the world looks like this:

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-city-lights-space

hentziapalarum.jpgWritten by Michele Collet

The Greatest Cities on Earth Shining into Space

Nile River Delta at Night

Photo: NASA

Not only stars light up the sky at night; these incredible photographs taken from the space stations show earth in a whole new light.

The Nile Delta is illuminated above and shows the incredible distribution of the population. NASA describes it as a flower, with Cairo being a particularly bright spot at the base. Almost all of the people live along the life-giving river, while Tel Aviv, Israel is another bright spot, as is Amman in Jordan.

City Lights at Night along the France-Italy Border

Photo: NASA

A stunning image of the city lights along the border of France and Italy. With the alps separating the two countries, you can clearly make out the centers of Lyon, Marseilles and Torino. The island of Corsica is just behind the brightly lit moon.

Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio city lights seen be STS-62

Photo: NASA

This image was taken by space shuttle Columbia and shows Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. The three bright lights in the center are Springfield, Daytona and Cincinnati, with Indianapolis in the lower left. Lake Erie, Cleveland and Akron are in the upper left, and Lexington is at the center right edge. The white light at the top is a phenomenon called “airglow”

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Energy Efficient Roofs – Paint it white or

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It’s Jam Band Friday – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvYsBlg4QEM

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http://www.professorshouse.com/your-home/environmentally-friendly/energy-efficient-shingles.aspx

Energy Efficient Roof Shingles

Home > Your Home > Environmentally Friendly > Articles > Energy Efficient Roof Shingles

image of energy efficient shinglesThe right roof is essential to designing an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient home. If you’ve got typical shingles or hot asphalt on your roof—as many homeowners do—you could be doing better. Below are a few cutting-edge roofing techniques that can cut your energy costs and make your house greener at the same time.

Use recycled shingles. If you want an environmentally friendly roof, the worst thing you can do is install 15-year, non-recycled shingles. These are among the most disposable building materials, are hardly ever recycled, and contain toxic volatile organic chemicals that evaporate under the heat of the sun. This means that just by sitting under the sun and heating up, your home is releasing toxic chemicals into the air. For a greener option, use recycled asphalt shingles that use reclaimed materials, reducing waste. These shingles often have a 50-year lifespan instead of 15, so you won’t have to replace them as often.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kilR-4rQS5g

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Consider metal. Metal roofs are more energy-efficient than shingles. Metal roofing is typically made from aluminum, copper, or steel, and you should ensure that your roofing is lead-free. Metal does not have the kind of heat-absorption qualities shingles have, so it will absorb and radiate less heat into your home. In fact, the right color metal will actively reflect sunlight, keeping your home cooler in hot summer months when the sun is most intense. Metal roofing also stands up to the elements better than shingles typically do—it’s the best for rainwater catchment systems, and snow slides off it easily.

Reflective coatings. To make your shingled roof more energy-efficient, brush a reflective coating on. Uncoated shingled roofs typically absorb around 80% of the sunlight that hits them—heating your home in the summer and driving up your air conditioning bill. A coated roof, however, can reflect about 80% of heat—giving you significant energy savings.

Clay and slate. Two natural materials that make excellent green roofing choices, clay and slate are both energy-efficient, can be disposed of without pollution, and are much less toxic than shingles. Corrugated clay tiles encourage air flow on the surface of the roof, keeping the home cool in the summer. However, hail will shatter it, which is why it’s typically only used in warmer climates. Slate is far more durable—it can last up to 100 years with minimal maintenance. Slate can also be reclaimed and recycled.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B7YeDmmTFc

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Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). This is a roofing system that’s coated with a film that converts sunlight into electricity—a solar-power coating for your roof. This system uses tiles or shingles, and the electric current flows on the edge of the roof. The tiles look like slate, and can be installed by most roofers—an electrician will also be needed to hook the solar-energy system up to your home’s electrical system. The charge it generates isn’t huge—about 1 kilowatt of energy per 100 square feet of tile

Roof turbines. Companies in the Netherlands, Scotland, and Britain are developing small turbines designed to install on roofs and convert wind power into home electricity. The turbines are typically around six feet across, and are usually mounted on the roof or a pole. Roof turbines feed energy into a converter, which transforms it into electricity for home use. They can typically provide enough power to operate lights, a refrigerator, a television, and a computer—providing significant energy savings. However, the amount of energy an individual house sees will depend on how windy its location is

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More next week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EAog6Crv7c

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Energy Efficient Doors – They save year round

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http://www.homedoctor.net/doors-windows/residential-doors/energy-efficient-doors

Energy Efficient Doors

If you live in a cold climate, chances are that your home is equipped with a variety of defenses against the frigid air outside. A sufficient amount of insulation and storm windows throughout the home are just a few ways to keep the interior of the home warm and cozy. But because a third of heat loss typically occurs through windows and doors, energy efficient doors are among the best defenses against heat loss.

Making Your Current Doors Energy Efficient

Energy efficient doors are insulated and sealed tightly to prevent cold from entering and warm air from leaking out. Regular doors can also become energy efficient doors by adding a few simple weatherproofing accessories, including bottom sweeps, typically made from vinyl, and magnetic weatherstripping.

Energy Efficient Material of Choice: Wood

Energy efficient doors are made from a variety of materials, but wood is considered an excellent insulator. According to professionals, wood is 2,000 times more efficient as an insulator than aluminum, 415 times more efficient than steel, and 16 times more efficient then concrete. For additional energy efficiency, storm doors may be added as well. Storm doors work by trapping air between the main door and the storm door.

High-Quality Materials for Energy Efficient Doors

A good energy efficient door will have high quality hardware. It will also have the best weatherstripping, which offers the best seal. When choosing a door made of materials other than wood, make sure it has a finish that won’t rust. If you are purchasing weatherstripping or replacing your existing hardware, choose the highest quality products you can find. High quality products will not only provide the best seal, but they will also last much longer than lower quality products.

Energy Efficient Doors and Savings

Energy efficient doors provide a wide variety of benefits. Because they keep warm air in and cold air out, you will use less artificial heat; the same is true for the warm summer months. Instead of running the air conditioning all day, you will use it less as more cold air will stay inside.

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More tomorrow.

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Windows That Lock In Your Energy – Never heard of Marvin but I am sure they have been around

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I believe these are custom made windows so they are not cheap either. ( on further review – I was wrong about that )  You can take that however you like.

http://www.marvin.com/?page=Energy_Efficiency&gclid=CP39jvGm4qQCFcu7KgodfGqqJw

Stimulus Package Offers Up to $1,500

Our windows and doors aren’t just beautiful – they can help you save energy. Virtually all Marvin products already meet or exceed federal ENERGY STAR guidelines. Now, you may qualify for a federal tax credit of up to $1,500 under the new stimulus program when you install energy-efficient Marvin windows and doors. At Marvin, we’re committed to providing you with durable, high-performance products that bring lasting value to your home. Your Marvin dealer will help you choose the windows and doors that give you the personalized look you desire – and the energy efficiency you need. Whether you’re building new or looking at remodeling or replacement, there’s never been a better time to purchase distinctive, energy-efficient windows and doors that are Built around you®.

Energy Efficiency Made Easy

Always striving to meet the needs of an ever-changing environment, Marvin builds energy effiency into product performance while bringing your inspiration to life. Marvin offers a variety of energy efficient glass options:

Stimulus Room

Low E II – Low E II features a double metallic coating on the inside glass surface to reflect or absorb the sun’s warmth and reduce damaging UV rays. Offers enhanced U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient.

LoE?-366? Glass – Featuring three metallic layers of silver, this glass rejects solar heat and features a lower Solar Heat Gain Coefficient than Low E II. Recommended for warm climates where cooling costs are high and also for areas where intense exposure to the sun is an issue.

High-R Tripane – Features two layers of Low E glass with a clear center pane for a lower U-factor.

Marvin also offers these enhancements to further increase the energy efficiency of your windows:

Energy Panel – Often confused with storm windows, an Energy Panel is a glazing option consisting of a removable, exterior glass panel finished on the edges by a surround. Energy panels cover the exposed glass surface of each sash, and offer added energy efficiency for wood windows with single glazing.

Storm and Screen Combos – A combination unit is composed of two movable glass panels and one movable screen panel. The individual panels can be configured multiple ways, and can be easily removed from the interior for cleaning.

Things To Know About Energy Efficiency

Understanding these common terms will help you select the right windows and doors.

U-factor – This measures the rate of heat loss and how well a product insulates. The lower the number, the better a product is at keeping heat inside a building. The U-factor is key in the winter months, and important to consider in choosing a window.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) – This measures how well a product blocks heat from the sun. The lower the number, the better. In southern climates or high sun intensity areas, you might actually want to keep the sun’s heat out of your house. Windows can help do that.

R-value – This measures resistance to heat loss. Many people are familiar with the R-value because of its use in home insulation. But actually, for windows and doors, U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient are more important measurements.

Design Pressure Rating – The “DP” measures the amount of pressure a door or window will withstand when closed and locked. Each DP rating also establishes other performance factors such as water penetration; air infiltration; structural pressure; forced entry; and operational force. The higher the DP numbers, the better the performance. Look for the certified hallmark of the Window and Door Manufacturers Association.

To request more information about Marvin’s energy-efficient product offerings, click here.

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More tomorrow.

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Residential Geothermal Is The Way To Go – Damn the cost…full speed ahead

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One of the best purveyors of geothermal in the country and it is right next door in Fort Wayne.

Save energy with water furnace, geothermal, or geoexchange systems.

Choosing a Residential WaterFurnace Comfort System Is Simply Smarter

WaterFurnace manufactures and sells more geothermal systems for homes than anyone else in the business. Why? Because we offer a wide variety of residential geothermal products. Our dealers and installers are the most highly trained in the industry. And we are wholeheartedly committed to customer support. All that makes us the first—and smartest—choice for a residential WaterFurnace system: the system that’s “Smarter from the Ground Up.”

Geothermal vs. Ground Water vs. Water Furnace
Geothermal energy has been used to heat and air condition buildings for several decades, and, during that time, these geothermal systems have been called many different things. Some of the more popular variations include geo-thermal, geoexchange, ground-water, ground-water assisted, ground-water-source, water-to-water, and even our company name, water furnace heating and cooling.

All of these terms, though, convey the same thought: use of geothermal heat pump technology to tap the energy in the earth’s surface and drive a heating and air conditioning system for both residential and commercial uses. The result is a green or natural heat pump that saves energy and benefits the environment.

For more information on geothermal technology, go to How it works.

Geothermal Heat Pumps
Cleanest, Safest, Most Reliable choice.
Savings Calculator
Keep more of what you earn.
Literature
Product Brochures & Technical Literature

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More tomorrow

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Jetson Green – What a cool site

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Everyonce in awhile you come across a site that is just the bees knees. This would be one.

http://www.jetsongreen.com/2010/10/versatile-origin-prefab-from-blu-homes.html

Versatile Origin Prefab from Blu Homes

By Preston Koerner | October 11, 2010 | topics: Prefab, Residential, Single-family

Blu-homes-origin-haney

Shown is a new installation of three Origin series prefabs by Blu Homes.  Each with a mixture of standard and custom elements, these modules were installed behind a company co-founder’s existing home in Wayland, Massachusetts.  The prefab cluster is used as a photo studio, art studio, and media room and was built with radiant floor heating, cedar sunshades, a roof deck, galvalume siding, heat recovery ventilation, and bamboo flooring.

Blu-homes-origin-haney-sunshades

Anne Haney, spouse of Blu Homes co-founder Bill Haney, said, “I adore my new home studio – it’s modern, airy and bright. I no longer have to commute, pay rent, and we both get to see more of our kids,” according to a statement.

These completed Origin modules cost about $100,000 each, though the newly revamped Origin series starts from $82,000 for a shell and from $109,000 for a full home.

Origin is available in 18’x24′, 18×36′, and 18×48′ plans, with up to one bathroom and two bedrooms.  Blu also offers flat, shed, or gable roof lines.

Standard features include energy-efficient recessed lighting, Energy Star appliances, efficient ventilation, low-flow fixtures, and cement board siding.  Custom options include LED lighting, cedar v-groove siding, FSC certified floors, and cedar screens.

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More tomorrow.

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Energy Conservation According To Google – Mixed record

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Google has this Feeling Lucky button that just sucks when it comes to energy issues. The company itself has a mixed bag. They helped push an energy fuel cell of a dubious nature by installing 3 of them on their main campus. They do like solar and wind and have both in operation or have bought energy from those sources. But this button is just rotten. I am usually bored with posting when I do this now, but in the beginning I was excited. I know you say, “How could Doug be bored with the exciting field of residential conservation”? I guess I want another oil spill or maybe Russia to catch fire again. Sick isn’t it. The first three you get if you used the regular search are not much better:

  1. Residential Energy Efficiency

    www.ServiceMagic.com Get an Energy Audit For Your Home. Free Auditor Listings. Search Now!?

  2. Residential Energy Efficiency

    www.Dow.com/HealthyHome Show Us How By Sharing a Video. Win A Renovation Makeover Package!

  3. Energy Efficient Building

    www.energyefficientbuilders.com Green construction & contracting Save 50-80% on heating and AC

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I mean DOW?

And too my surprise you can not even use the get lucky button anymore. Really? Why do they even have it up there. Apparently the “read your mind” algorithm they just introduced broke the get lucky thingie because as soon as you type in a single letter that option goes away. But when you just click on it empty it thinks you want to get lucky about the google LOGO. These people are dorks.

http://www.businessinsider.com/google-just-effectively-killed-the-im-feeling-lucky-button-2010-9

Google Just Killed The “I’m Feeling Lucky Button”

Nicholas Carlson | Sep. 8, 2010, 1:35 PM
Google just effectively offed one of it’s oldest, quirkiest features – the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button.

The good news is that in the process, Google added at least another hundred million dollars in revenue.

It used to be that you could go to Google.com, type a search query into the search box and then, by clicking “I’m feeling lucky,” go directly to the page that would have been listed as the top search result.

But then today happened, and Google announced “Google Instant.” Now, when you go to Google.com and start typing a search into the search bar, Google instantly begins showing search results. Users no longer have a chance to click the “I’m Feeling Lucky Button” before they begin seeing search results. Yes, the button is still there on Google.com – but essentially, the feature is dead.

So, how does killing the “I’m feeling lucky” button gain Google more than $100 million?

In 2007, Google search boss Marissa Mayer estimated that 1% of all Google searches go through the I’m Feeling Lucky button – skipping Google’s search results pages entirely

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More Tomorrow

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Living Roofs Are Possible Even On Smaller Roofs – Try it on an outbuilding

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http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/alternative-waterproof-membranes-for-living-roofs/

Alternative Waterproof Membranes for Living Roofs

July 12, 2010 by Owen Geiger

There’s growing interest in living roofs or green roofs. The difficulty is deciding on the waterproof membrane. Rubber pond liner (EPDM) is the most waterproof and durable material, and the most common choice due to proven performance, but it’s also very expensive and made from nasty petro chemicals.

Living roof at Heartwood HomesteadsLiving roof at Heartwood Homesteads

I think a number of less toxic, more affordable materials are possible, including recycled materials in good condition. One reader suggested pool covers. Heavy duty trucker tarps are another option. You could add 6 mil poly (plastic sheeting) underneath and/or above these other materials for extra moisture protection.

For my dome, I used 2-1/2 layers of 6 mil black poly and have had no leaks so far after about three years in a rainy climate. (The half layer is a small piece on the very top.) You need to cover 6 mil poly carefully to avoid punctures. Some use old carpet or cardboard against it while adding soil. (Screen out rocks.) In our case, we simply packed soil on the plastic, starting at the bottom and working up, with no protective cardboard, etc.

Recycled vinyl billboards are another possibility, but I wouldn’t use them because of the health hazards of leaching chemicals into the soil around the house.

Roof pitch is another consideration. Steep roofs shed water faster and are less prone to leaks. But you need to strike the right balance or top soil and nutrients will wash away, and your roof will dry out too quickly.

Another consideration is the value of the structure. It’s no big deal experimenting with alternative waterproof membranes on a simple $2,000 guesthouse. But you might want to use better materials or multiple layers on expensive homes.

Photo credit: Heartwood Homesteads

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More Tomorrow.

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Rubber Roofs – An alternative roofing material with a bounce

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We return to alternative roofs again this week. Rubber roofs last a long time BUT when they fail…they fail all at once..

http://www.flatroofsolutions.com/

*We are looking for wholesale distributors and stocking stores for our new Multi-Surface Patch Kits* click here

EPDM Rubber Roofing – The Flat Roof Solution

Due to inflexibility, weathering and failing joints, sooner or later conventional flat roofing methods will leak. If you have been struggling with a flat roof leak, or you have a flat or gently sloping roof project, you’ll be excited to discover EPDM rubber roofing. With billions of square feet installed, EPDM has been proven to give many years of leak free service. Best of all, it is simple to install yourself.

Flatroofsolutions.com is the only company dedicated to Do It Yourself residential and smaller commercial applications of EPDM roofing. Since our start in 1993, we have helped thousands of customers solve their flat roof problems. We sell

 Roof-Top® EPDM and adhesives and accessories. Everything needed for application, including a installation DVD that takes you step by step through the installation process. We even have EPDM for your RV rubber roof.  Our friendly, knowledgeable sales staff is available to answer any question and help you with your materials purchase.

Click Here for Estimate Guide 		If you would like to learn more about EPDM rubber membrane, please click on About EPDM at above left. If you would like to know more about the installation process, please click here.

For pricing and ordering information, click Prices & Ordering

If you would like to place an order or contact our sales staff, please call (866) 630-7660 or email

 sales@flatroofsolutions.com

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More tomorrow.

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Foam Roofs – They’re better than tar and gravel

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This is so cool in so many ways. No heat absorption. High insulation values. Walkable. Why would anybody do anything else.

http://www.getwithgreen.com/2007/11/11/roofing-looking-for-an-eco-friendly-alternative-for-a-flat-roof/

ROOFING: Looking for an eco-friendly alternative for a flat roof?

November 11 2007

Do you have a flat roof, or an area of your roof that is flat?   Some of us do, and when you talk to almost any roofer they will give you standard options such as tar and gravel, or large asphalt sheets.  Both of which are not good for decreasing urban heat.   Well there is an option that is a bit greener.  Foam.  Yes a foam roof.

Cedric, and his wife Mai, in Redwood Shores, CA, recently installed their foam roof as an alternative to tar and gravel.  Using a product from Sierra Spray Foam Roofing the couple simply removed the gravel from their existing room, and applied the foam product from Sierra Spray.

spray foam green roof spray foam green roof alternative
OLD ROOF                                                              NEW ROOF

GetWithGreen.com does not know the chemical breakdown (environmental friendliness) of the actual foam contents itself, or its sustainability, but we like the other eco-friendly positives that Cedric and Mai talk about in their blog:

  • We didn?t need to rip out the existing roof, just to remove the gravel
  • The roof is white so it is a ?cool roof?, keeping our house cooler in summer and avoiding the ?urban heating? effect of dark roofs
  • The foam material provides both water-protection and insulation, thus improving the energy efficiency of our house
  • In 10 to 15 years when the roof needs to be redone, we simply need to add another layer of foam to give it another 10 to 15 years of life!

Cedric also tells GetWithGreen.com that the insulation value of the foam roof is extremely high because there is no air circulation at all — the whole roof is one piece.  The effective insulation of this roof is much higher than equivalent R value using traditional technologies that let some air circulate at the junctions between the insulation boards.   The roof can also be walked on.

Pricing:  $6 per square foot

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More tomorrow.

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