What Is Solar Concrete?
The solar market is booming, and it’s expected to grow exponentially over the next few years. Solar is one of the most heavily used renewable energy sources, as it offers plenty of benefits to both residents and businesses in a community. Solar power technologies convert sunlight into energy through photovoltaic (PV) panels. They can also […]
Architectural Algae
The Earth provides so many natural resources for us to utilize responsibly, and the latest environmental buzz is all about algae! From carbon-neutral fuels to high-protein food, microalgae is even being used to… build buildings? This week we break down the benefits of architectural algae, can you turn it into clothing, and why you should never build a chili dog stand next to a scenic cliffside.
Passive Housing: A Greener Way of Living
We’re all looking for ways to cut back on our energy usage and, in turn, reduce our utility bills. Actions such as replacing old light bulbs with efficient LED models and using household appliances only when they’re full or almost full help to conserve energy, but if you truly want your home to be as […]
What the World’s Greenest Building Would Look Like
Seattle Bullitt Center image by Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wiki Creative Commons license The first thing you see when approaching my house is not the house. It’s the twin solar panel arrays, pivoting toward the sun. You might momentarily be fooled into thinking that my century-old farm house is also a green house. Sadly, […]
Eco Designs: 4 Inventions and Ideas Inspired By Nature
Biomimicry is the process of studying nature’s design, then taking that design and incorporating it into or imitating it in specific man-made materials, goods, technology and architecture. Nature has so many wonderful ways to enhance sustainability and survival. We, as a society, would be remiss if we didn’t learn from nature and use nature to […]
5 Environmental Designs and Ideas Spearheaded By Today’s Youth
Image by T Lindenbaum / Creative Commons Companies, governments and individuals all across the world are searching for ways to lower our carbon footprint, improve sustainability, and turn towards a more environmentally-friendly way of life. Thus it is no surprise that the youth of today are not only getting in on the “green movement”, but […]
Sustainability 2012: Greening the London Olympics
Image from Inhabitat.com Well, the summer Olympics are upon us and I’m sure millions, upon millions, of people around the world will have their eyes glued on London and the 2012 Olympic games. As we go into the Olympics, I wanted to share some of the green efforts that have been made to lower the […]
Net-Zero ‘Ready’ Schools: Energy-Efficient Design at a Whole New Level
Jody Richards Elementary photos courtesy of Sherman Carter Barnhart A few years ago I wrote a blog about Richardsville Elementary School, the first Net-Zero Energy public school in the United States. Well, it’s been almost two years since that incredible accomplishment, so I figured it was due time to give you an update on Richardsville […]
8 Homes That Exude Sustainable Living
In this day and age, finding ways to lower our environmental impact are front and center not only in the minds of individuals around the world, but at the state, federal and international level as well. In fact, actions are being taken across the globe to combat the impact we are having on the environment […]
5 Eco Cities of the Future Coming to the Here and Now
Over the years, many ideas have been placed on the table for eco- or biofriendly cities. Designs have shown futuristic buildings, domed communities and places most of us never would have thought of, even in our wildest dreams. Image by Emma Buckley So what makes up an eco city? Well sustainability should be a key […]