March 11th, 2010
With the economy the way it is, retiring folks are downsizing or losing their homes, while newly educated folks are graduating with slim pickings. Not to be grim, but this is causing people to use property in new ways, such as with accessory dwelling units. The space can be used for family or as a rental to cover loose ends. In Vancouver, this is happening with laneway housing. Smallworks, a Vancouver-based design and build firm, specializes in small and laneway houses, just like this one, the West House.
West House is a two-level home with 610 square feet of living space — living/dining/kitchen area, loft bedroom, nook desk space, and bathroom — and a 226 square-foot garage.
The energy-efficient home, designed by Birmingham and Wood, was on display at LiveCity Yaletown, David Lam Park, during the Olympics.
On the exterior, West House is clad in cedar, while on the inside, the home is set up with locally sourced materials and smart technology. The appliances are Energy Star and per occupant energy use is estimated to be about half of that of someone using a standard-sized home.
When a home is built to be efficient from the ground up, a little bit of on-site green energy can go a long way. The roof has integrated, grid-connected solar panels that generate about one kilowatt of electricity per day.
[+] Learn more about West House at Smallworks.
Photo credits: Smallworks and Keith Henderson Photography.
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March 11th, 2010
The Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary in India. Image credit: Raveesh Vyas
India has had a system of wildlife sanctuaries since 1928. Now, there are more than 500 in the country ranging from dedicated tiger and bird reserves to more general areas intend to protect habitats rich in biological diversity.
Unfortunately, <a href="http://www.eurekale… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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March 11th, 2010
Photo: Public domain
Other Truck Fleets, Pay Attention
Did you know that replacing a pre-1994 diesel truck (or at least the engine) with a 2004-2006 model could cut soot pollution by about 2/3, and reduce smog-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions by more than half? Post 2007 diesel trucks are even better, with a reduction of soot particles by about 95% and NOx by at least 3/4. That’s a pretty big difference (though it doesn’t solve CO2 emissions), and it esp… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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March 11th, 2010
Cyclists assemble in Yerevan, Armenia, for a bike tour to Teghut Forest. Photo by Ruzanna Hovasapyan via ride-earth on Flickr.
Armenian environmental activists fighting plans to build a copper mine in an endangered forest got a boost recently when former System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian, surely the world’s most famous Armenian-American rock star, sent a me… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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March 11th, 2010
Photo via Andrew Evans of the National Geographic
King Penguins are notorious for their prim, tuxedoed appearance–but a recently discovered all-black penguin seems unafraid to defy convention. In what has been described as a “one in a zillion kind of mutation,” biologists say that the animal has lost control of it’s <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/01/rare-brown-and-whit… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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March 11th, 2010
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March 11th, 2010
Late nights spent shouting over loud music, day long speaking engagements, or a tickle in the throat – all can be cause for a less than perfect voice. And when the occasion calls for brilliance, it’s the crowd you want speechless, not your performance.
Take it from famous musicians like Joss Stone and Rob Thomas, Vocal-eze Professional Throat Spray is a life-saver. A proprietary blend of marshmallow root, osha root, licorice root, echinacea and other natural ingredients, this little spray gets you back in the groove without the use of harsh, synthetic chemicals ($10.99). So whether you’re a teacher, preacher, musician or sales rep, keep a bottle of Vocal-eze handy because as they say, “the show must go on!”
March 10th, 2010
Across the pond in the London Borough of Hillingdon, this infill development of five ultra-green buildings continues to garner attention. The project, Birchway Eco-Community, was built to Level 5 of the Code of Sustainable Homes (with 6 being the highest possible score) and provides 24 one- and two-bedroom affordable housing units. These buildings were finished on site after being prefabricated and delivered with kitchens and bathrooms already installed.
Designed by Acanthus LW Architects for Paradigm Housing, these homes were built with recycled steel and minimal construction waste.
Green features include a sedum-covered green roof, photovoltaics, solar thermal, rainwater capture for toilet usage, high insulation, abundant natural light, passive ventilation, biomass boiler for heating and hot water, and heat recovery systems.
It’s rare to find style, sustainability, and affordability in one package, but when you do, people tend to notice — even if they’re located halfway across the world.
[+] Watch a video on Birchway Eco-Community.
Photo credits: Paradigm Housing.
March 10th, 2010
Just a few days ago. the $41 million Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental & Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE), a 55,000 square-foot building designed to LEED Platinum certification, was dedicated. The facility was built to be a living laboratory and platform to showcase technological innovation. Currently, the south facade of the laboratory wing includes a spot to test building envelope and window systems, and it’s currently testing this innovative integrated concentrating dynamic solar facade.
The facade system provides electrical power, thermal energy, enhanced daylighting, and reduced solar gain, all at the same time. It was designed by the Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE), which is a research consortium co-hosted by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
According to the Associated Press, a company called HeliOptix is licensed to market that system which is currently being tested at SyracuseCoE. The 8′x8′ prototype installation has 64 concentrators.
Here’s how it works. There’s small concentrating PV technology housed within a weather-sealed window. Inside the window panes, several clear pyramid lenses track the sun and concentrate solar rays onto a high-efficiency PV cell. Power not converted to electricity is captured for hot water or radiant heat for the facility, and some solar gain is minimized through absorption or reflection.
You can see a video of the system tracking the sun’s rays at HeliOptix. The integrated concentrated solar facade system is interesting … we’ll see how much success is achieved through prototype testing at SyracuseCoE and report back in the future.
Photo credits: HeliOptix.
March 10th, 2010
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Until the 20th century, the Palos Verdes peninsula—a small spit of land south of Los Angeles—was the only home of the blue butterfly Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis. Unchecked development, however, eroded this small habitat and nearly caused the extinction of the fickle butterfly.
After years of work rebuilding the degraded ecosystem, conservationists released 80 Palos Verdes blue b… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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