Several factors will collide to increase the demand for IHD devices for consumers:

• Rising fossil fuel energy prices and the threat of higher utility bills.
• The likely spread of smart grid technology as utility companies work to reduce peak energy demand.
• Greater proliferation of technologies (software and hardware) that turn data from smart meters into easy to understand, actionable information.

The transformation of the garage into the gas station as more consumers purchase plug-in hybrids.

Without a doubt, consumers will increasingly find it a near necessity to have energy consumption data at their fingertips to ensure their utility bills don’t go through the roof. And IHDs displaying home energy consumption will fill that gap nicely.

Pike Research recently published a report, Home Energy Management, that suggests there will be 63 million users of IHDs by 2020, which is a significant jump if you consider that in 2011 there were only 1 million. Though the current market for in-home display devices is currently relatively fragmented, the competition is stiff, and product offerings are likely to tighten up in years ahead as technologies mature and consumers make their wishes known. In future, as both homes and consumers become increasingly wired, the IHD companies that are likely to succeed will be those that provide a combination of product offerings, including web-based dashboards, mobile energy management apps, and in-home displays.

No doubt the HED market still has much to learn as both smart grids and consumer usage patterns are put to the test. That said, potential energy savings for the consumer, according to one research firm, suggests that the average homeowner could save between 10% and 18% on their utility bills with an HED in their home.

Images Via Flickr: digitpedia and Tom Raftery.

Dr. Mark Bissett - Carbon Nanotube Solar BIPV Technology

Working from some of the most creative angles imaginable, scientists are testing new technologies all of the time to find more effective solutions for creating renewable energy through solar. And the name fo the game these days is that smaller is better. Here are two amazing solar technologies that could transform the way our society generates and uses energy.

Nanotubes Make Spray-On Solar for Windows and Fabrics Possible

Scientist and investor, Dr. Mark Bissett of Flinders University School of Chemical and Physical Sciences in Adelaide, South Australia, has developed a transparent, spray-on, flexible solar energy generation system based on nanotechnology that could have us generating energy through windows and drapes if it can be developed cost-effectively enough. Given that modern buildings are often composed of 75% glass, this technology has tremendous potential to convert ordinary surfaces into energy-generating ones.

Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) have been around for years, but some of the biggest drawbacks have been the cost of conventional crystalline silicon technology and the challenges of applying it to surfaces such as windows without impacting the view. This technology could completely overcome those challenges. Not only are carbon nanotubes – the delivery system for this technology – inexpensive, their conductivity-to-weight ratio is much greater than conventional materials.

It’s another take on the smart-façade solar window idea we’ve already talked about. Their goal: putting it on the market in 10 years.

Spider-Web Thin Solar Batteries

Spider-Thin Batteries for Better Solar Energy Conversion

Measuring at only 1.8 micrometers thick, thinner than a strand of silk and one-tenth the thickness of any other solar cells currently available, a new battery technology applied like ink is being combined with solar cells to power small devices or larger electronics and appliances at a fraction of the weight and cost. Based on an organic semiconductor formulation, one gram of this solar battery can produce 10 watts of energy.

And unlike conventional solar conversion which operates at 4.2% efficiency, these do not experience the same conversion rate drops, even when folded or bent, making them much more durable, versatile, and efficient. And they can be produced cheaply. The researchers working on the project hope to improve efficiencies to the point where it would be ready for commercialization in about five years.

SageGlass in the untinted state

10% to 25%. That’s how much your windows may contribute to your annual heating bill according to the US Department of Energy. It’s no wonder then that window innovations have been the subject of a lot of green building research in recent years, with some amazing products now on the market.

Take, for instance, dynamic glazing, which is a type of glass that contains a tint that can be switched on or off or adjusted to allow more or less solar heat and visible light into a building. In climates with colder winters and warmer summers, dynamic glazing helps to control solar heat gain depending on the season. During colder months, the tinting of dynamic glass would be minimal in order to allow as much daylighting and solar heat as possible. Then in the warmer months, dynamic glass would more often be in the tinted state to help block solar heat gain while still allowing some light to be transmitted into the building.

Dynamic glazing can either be passively controlled by the temperature of the light hitting it (thermochromic) or by the quantity of light (photochromic). Alternatively, dynamic glazing can be controlled electronically (electrochromic) either manually or automatically managed.

SageGlass in the tinted state

Sage Electrochromics is one of the leading companies in this space, and they’ve been marketing their SageGlass concept for a variety of applications, with some pretty beautiful results. SageGlass technology starts with five extremely thin coatings of specialized ceramic applied to the inner glass layer of a window. By applying a voltage to the coatings, they trigger a reversible solid-state change which allows the coating to tint and absorb light. When the voltage is reversed, the glass is returned to its clear state. Their latest innovation is the ability to set intermediate levels of tinting, which up until recently was not possible.

CASE electropolymeric dynamic daylighting concept

More innovations in dynamic glazing are on the horizon. The Center for Architecture, Science, and Ecology (CASE) is currently developing electropolymeric dynamic daylighting glazing that can be customized to include advertisements, artwork, and other images to add interest to the building design.

According to Sage, electronically tintable windows can reduce operating costs by 20%, reduce peak demand for energy by 24%, and decrease heating and cooling system costs by 25%. Though most of their projects to date have been commercial, the glass is also available for sustainable residential applications, and can assist any project with the achieving LEED goals.

This supposedly disaster-proof house prototype has been installed in the Lakeview region of New Orleans. Its box-like design comes in a box. In fact, the 1,100 square foot, one-story house ships in pieces in a single shipping container to its intended location where the pieces are removed and assembled like an erector set. The home is designed with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a great room, and a kitchen.

These homes are meant to be incredibly sturdy. They’re constructed with steel structural insulated panels (steel panels with a polystyrene core) – the same technology used to insulate walk-in refrigerators, making the home very efficient. Once assembled, the walls are tested to withstand 156 mile per hour winds, deter termites, prevent mold and mildew, and survive an earthquake.

But these homes are also incredibly green. In addition to the well-insulated walls (superior R values), the arch on the exterior of the homes is meant to hold 22 solar panels which are sufficient for routine power requirements of a home this size. The home is also designed with a slanted roof that opens into the home where the rainwater collects into a 6,000 gallon cistern. The addition of a filtration system could make the rainwater potable.

All of these features work together to make these homes self-sufficient, which is incredibly important following a disaster when electricity and water systems may be inoperable for extended periods of time. Climate control for these homes is also important, and as such they come with an air conditioning system and individual thermostats for every room, all powered by a quiet outdoor compressor.

From start to finish, it takes about 14 weeks to put together a house like this. But if the company gets a larger order from an organization like the Federal Emergency Management Agency, they may be able to have houses ready to go for the next disaster.

Some of the listed green features include the following:

• 72% energy efficient
• Wind resistant up to 190 mph
• Fire resistant
• Earthquake resistant to 8.1R
• Mold and mildew resistant
• Waterproof
• Termite proof
• Superior “R” values
• Low maintenance
• Discounted homeowners Insurance
• Best indoor air quality

The RPHD is also the first is the first passive house built completely in BC using primarily local materials, including cross-laminated timber decking. The flooring is also bamboo, and the windows are triple-paned to provide superior comfort and climate control.

But most importantly, the house will be affordable long-term. The duplex is 2,150 square feet with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an unfinished basement. Because of all of the passive house features, the home is predicted to consume 90% less energy for heating and cooling, with utility bills amounting to about $150 per year – a standard home of this size would cost $1,500 for heating and cooling annually by comparison.

The house was built as part of the Resort Municipality of Whistler’s Price Restricted Housing Initiative to demonstrate that passive house designs can be very affordable. Prefabricating the house significantly cut down on construction costs, as did the fact that the house was constructed in 4.5 days (a conventional home of this size would normally take several months to construct on site).

In the end, the duplex cost about $250 per square foot, which is very affordable given than anything in that region under $300 per square foot considered affordable. Additionally, the construction company, Marken Projects, is working on five other passive house prefab projects that will come in around $180 to $200 per square foot. This will be yet another example of how well a tight building can perform in cold climes, while saving significant money during operation and costing less to build in the first place.

Check out the time-elapsed YouTube video on the constructive project.

The Living Building Challenge is based on the idea that nature (a flower) provides a metaphor for sustainable buildings. Just as a flower generates all of its own energy, recycles water within a closed system, and adds beauty to its surroundings, so too should a building. In essence, this standard asks: “What if every single act of design and construction made the world a better place?”

The Living Building Challenge is a certification system that is based on this idea, encompassing 7 different petals, or sets of principles, as follows:

• Site: This includes limits of growth, urban agriculture, habitat exchange, and car-free living.
• Water: The aim is to achieve net zero water, as well as to enhance the ecological water flow.
• Energy: Ultimately, buildings that achieve the certification need to be net zero energy.
• Health: Certified buildings must contribute to a civilized environment, healthy air, and biophilia.
• Materials: When selecting materials for an LBC building, care must be taken to avoid Red List products, and to look for materials that minimize embodied carbon, come from responsible industry, are appropriately sourced, and stress conservation and reuse.
• Equity: A Living Building will consider human scale, humane places, democracy, social justice, and a right to nature.
• Beauty: This means incorporate beautiful, even spiritual concepts that inspire and educate.

Though few buildings have yet to meet the standard, the ones that have are truly extraordinary. Check out the Phipps Conservatory, for instance, whose newest building is both net zero water and net zero energy.

The Living Building Challenge standards are being touted as the most stringent in North America, and though they are typically applied to commercial buildings, they can be applied to residential ones as well. It certainly is something to which to aspire.

SolarOr Smart Facade Design

Make your home the envy of all your friends by adding some of the newest, most brilliantly designed solar photovoltaic smart façade features you’ll find on the market today. Seriously, these building integrated solar photovoltaic (BIPV) systems are stunning to look at and amazingly efficient in generating renewable energy, bringing the net zero green house plan closer to reality than ever before.

HeliOptix Smart Facade Window Design

Perhaps one of the best concepts in this field is being developed by Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental & Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE). Called integrated concentrating solar façade (ICSF), this multi-functional design incorporates solar photovoltaics fitted with magnifying lenses, as well as solar thermal. The pyramid lenses capture light from any angle and concentrate it on the tiny PV cells, so that these systems mimic heliotrope plants that follow the sun’s movement generate energy throughout the day.

And since they are transparent, they can be installed in place of conventional windows to allow natural daylighting as well. Plus, any heat that is generated by concentrating the sun’s energy is used to warm water for the building. They are currently being sold by HeliOptix.

SolarOr’s Smart Facade Window Concept

Another option is that being promoted by SolarOr. Their beehive design is also transparent and can be used in place of conventional windows, but these come in small block sizes that can be installed much like glass blocks in conventional architecture, making it easy to retrofit almost any window opening. Like the HeliOptix, the SolarOr has a concentrating component for getting as much out of the solar energy that hits them, though they don’t have the integrated solar thermal system. Nevertheless, they are insulated to ensure there is no unwanted solar heat gain to the interior of the house.

Though many of these technologies are just in their initial stages of design (and relatively expensive at present), there is huge potential for these concepts to become commonplace in buildings to serve the purpose of window, renewable electricity generation, and water heating, all without having to install panels on rooftops. In fact, if all windows were converted to these types windows, it could go a long way to decentralizing electricity production and minimizing building energy consumption.

This film is a great introduction to how the Passive House movement began and why it has so much potential to reduce North America’s building energy consumption. By exploring the various techniques of the Passive House concepts, the film shows the potential for this type of green house plan to reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 90%.

Hoxie interviews many people through the course of the film, including Wolfgang Feist, the founder of the Passivhaus Institut in Darmstadt, Germany, and Katrin Klingenberg, founder of the Passive House Institute of the United States. One of the biggest advantages of a Passive House, for Feist, is that it is incredibly air tight and extremely well insulated. That means you end up with a structure that doesn’t experience fluctuations in temperature but rather is very evenly heated and cooled for comfort throughout the day and from season to season. The air tightness also means there are no drafts or breezes, and no disturbances from exterior noises.

The film also explores the first true Passivehaus in the US in Brooklyn, NY. It’s a retrofit project that hopes to set an example of how to apply Passive House standards in the US to demonstrate how effective and straightforward the process can be.

You’ll also hear about how Passive House systems don’t have to cost more than conventional green house plans. In fact, because Passive Houses don’t require components like radiator systems, ductwork, and hot water heating for the entire home, tens of thousands of dollars can be saved, thereby opening up the potential for a Passive House design to actually cost less than a typical retrofit or new build project.

Check out excerpts of the video here or buy the full length film on Amazon to get the full story.

Using the database wheel feature on the site, you can flip through various product categories to see what options are available through Home Depot, which will also give you a guide to how many eligible points are available with that product. Product categories include the following:

• Prerequisites
• Adhesives and sealants
• Appliances
• Cabinets
• Countertops
• Decking and patio
• Doors
• Faucets
• Flooring
• Hot water equipment
• Insulation
• Lighting
• Paints and coatings
• Roofing
• Sheathing
• Showers
• Siding
• Toilets
• Trim
• Windows

The hope is that this database will make it possible for homeowners to achieve the benefits of green home building – lower utility bills, greater interior comfort and safety, better durability, and overall sustainability, etc. – with much less hassle by giving them a clear indication of which products are both sustainable and affordable. This will be particularly beneficial to help clear the air of greenwashing by pointing consumers toward products that will truly help them save energy and water, and also to products that are produced using verifiably more sustainable methods, such as FSC-certified lumber and recycled content flooring.

“The LEED green building program helps homeowners measure green home performance across a range of categories, and products play an important role in achieving certification,” said Nate Kredich, vice president of Residential Development at USGBC. “This database represents just one of the many ways in which The Home Depot is advancing sustainable, efficient and healthy homes by supporting green building and green products.”

The database was launched during the recent TED Conference in conjunction with the release of a new LivingHome C6 design. C6 is an affordable LEED for Homes concept that was developed in partnership with Brad Pitt’s Make it Right project to rebuild New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward following Hurricane Katrina.

If you’re unfamiliar with the LEED for Homes program, check out our Step by Step Guide to LEED for Homes Certification as well as this quick video introduction.

The report, called Green Building and Climate Resilience: Understanding impacts and preparing for changing conditions, looks at both individual building design as well as entire neighbourhood designs in light of a changing climate. The report covers some examples of how climate data informs decisions in the built environment, such as these:

• Building materials: Given the chances of experiencing more violent weather, such as increased storms, flooding, and pest ranges, building materials will need to be adapted in order to ensure they remain standing. Much more research is needed in this area.
• Decreased effectiveness of natural ventilation: Unfortunately, as temperatures rise in many regions, natural ventilation techniques (like opening a window) will become less effective, which will drive up energy consumption for cooling of buildings, both day and night. Buildings will need to incorporate more effective passive cooling techniques as well as energy efficient systems for keeping temperatures manageable.
• Landscape design: Some regions will see more precipitation while others will see more frequent droughts. Landscape designs based on current weather data will likely fail under future climate conditions, necessitating new landscape designing techniques and methodologies.
• HVAC and building energy: As climate extremes become more normal, building energy use will increase to compensate for colder and warmer swings in temperature. HVAC systems will need to be designed based on future climate models, not on historic weather data.
• Transportation infrastructure: Since materials like pavement are impacted by climate, freezing, thawing, and solar radiation, they will take more abuse as the climate warms and becomes stormier. Transportation infrastructure therefore needs to be redesigned in order to be more durable under these conditions.
• Stormwater management: Climate change will bring heavier precipitation in some regions, which may result in storms that overwhelm existing stormwater management systems, causing flooding. These need to be redesigned to handle larger quantities of precipitation. Better still would be redesigned neighbourhoods that absorb more of their precipitation locally to mitigate these impacts.

The report concludes that there is currently limited knowledge available for how to adapt building designs to future climate conditions. They call for a significant increase in research into these subjects, and soon, in order to prepare for the impacts of climate change on buildings. Certainly it’s easy to see why organizations like FEMA would be interested in creating disaster-proof buildings, but should we all be looking for ways to make our homes more resilient and durable? Seems like a no-brainer.

Images via Flickr: Greg L. photos & David Jackmanson