Green Building : Jetson Green

Landscaping Stars, Car Connections, Greener Pastures, + the Green Economy

2009-11-07T18:36:09-07:00

Starchitecture and sustainability.
Capitalizing on the growing green economy.
Five next-gen green building materials to watch.
The Living Building Challenge spreads it petals.
Going back to nature with golf's greener pastures.
Sustainable Sites Initiative gives four stars for green landscaping.
Using recycled materials, innovation to reinvent building materials.
Who is liable for green building performance?
Demolish, rather deconstruct, with care.
The connected car.

Also, follow @jetsongreen on Twitter for more news, links, and commentary.

Haptik Sustainable Suite Design by WATG

2009-11-06T00:00:20-07:00

The USGBC, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and The Network of the Hospitality Industry (NEWH) together announced the winner of the first ever Sustainable Suite Design Competition. The purpose of the competition was to showcase the best hospitality design strategies that boast environmental responsibility while enhancing the guest experience. Out of 65 professional design entries, WATG and IDEO took the top prize for their suite, Haptik.

WATG led the creative design and specification process, while IDEO contributed experience on human-centered sustainability for the design. Their creation, dubbed Haptik -- a Greek term meaning to experience interactions based on the sense of touch -- features some of the following sustainable design elements:

An "all-off" switch to ensure lights are automatically turned off;
A NanaWall that opens up the inside with fresh air and views;
Long-lasting LEDs that light the space while saving energy;
A room conditioned with a four-pipe horizontal fan-coil system;
An interior finished with FSC certified woods and zero-VOC paints;
A trombe wall in the shower that captures solar heat in order to warm shower water; and
Graywater irrigation system that filters and recycles shower water for outdoor gardens and landscaping use.

Winners WATG and IDEO will build their Haptik design, where it will be showcased at the 2010 HD Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada in May 2010.

Rendering credits: WATG.

Clay Roof Integrated Solé Power Tile

2009-11-04T21:44:56-07:00

We've seen building integrated solar by separate companies for use with both asphalt shingles and standing seam roofing. Now SRS Energy and US Tile are preparing to unveil a new Solé Power Tile at Greenbuild. The barrel-style technology was designed for a clay tile curved roofing system. Using thin film solar, the Solé Power Tile integrates seamlessly with blue glaze or earthen tone tiles. SRS Energy and US Tile will launch the system first on the West Coast and roll it out nationally through 2010.

[+] SRS Energy + US Tile.

Photo credits: US Tile.

Koda Recycled Content Exterior Material

2009-11-04T10:15:00-07:00

We first saw this 3form material, Koda XT, with the wavy transit shelters in San Francisco. Designed by Lundberg Design, the colorful transit shelters use a custom configuration of Koda XT, a material made of 40% pre-consumer recycled content. 3form says Koda XT is the only architectural polycarbonate material available to use towards LEED MR 4.1 for recycled content.

Koda XT is available in three off-the-shelf colors/specifications and can be customized with up to three layers of various color to create any one of 10,000 options. The material can be molded to match a variety of design specifications, too.

3form says Koda XT has over 100 times the impact strength of glass and over 60 times the impact strength of acrylic. And it's lightweight.

For interior materials, 3form has a variety of other green architectural materials, such as Varia, 100 Percent, and Chroma. Some of these can be used in exterior applications as well.

Photo credits: 3form.

An Affordable Free Span Solar System

2009-11-03T22:48:36-07:00

P4P Energy, LLC -- short for Power for the Planet -- recently completed the installation of its first, cable-suspended free span solar system in the parking lot of the headquarters building for REM Eyewear in Sun Valley, California. Designed and patented by P4P Energy and TenSol Power, the array spans 107 feet on low-cost cables and provides shade for cars parked below. It's expected to generate roughly 40,877 kWh of electricity per year.

The floating photovoltaic system differs from a traditional solar installation in that it doesn't require excessive columns and foundation work. Rather, with low-cost cables, hundreds of panels can span a distance of up to 200 feet, depending on the project and location.

P4P Energy envisions free standing solar systems in a variety of applications, including on spare land, on the top of buildings, or over roads or aqueducts. The applications almost seem endless, and the system can withstand winds of up to 85 miles per hour. Not to mention, P4P Energy claims their system is one of the lowest (if not the lowest) cost system for solar in a parking lot.

Photo/rendering credits: P4P Energy LLC.

Tempe Transit Center Covered in Green

2009-11-03T11:05:00-07:00

We've seen solar-powered transit shelters, but this eco-friendly transit center with transit stops outfitted with green walls may be a first. With the help of greenscreen green walls, the City of Tempe Transit Center is seeking LEED Platinum certification. The mixed use facility, designed to be 52% more efficient than a traditional building of its kind, went with green walls to provide a buffer from the harsh Arizona sun and heat.

As you can see below, the green walls help to cool and shade the surrounding areas through evapotranspiration. Plants used in the application include Queen's Wreath and Cat's Claw vines, while the installation also integrates with a rainwater downspout that transfers water into a bed of soil

Manufactured by a Los Angeles-based company, greenscreen is a three-dimensional, welded wire trellising system that provides space for plants to grow and intertwine. The trellis panels can be applied in conjunction with the built environment, such as with this ASU School of Sustainability, or used in other ways. And we're seeing the product used with greater frequency.

Photo credits: Greenscreen.

Hive Modular Completes X-Line Prefab

2009-11-02T23:39:00-07:00

Hive Modular, a Minneapolis-based company that sells modular, contemporary homes, recently sent us photos of this X-Line prefab in Vadnais Heights, Minnesota. The X-Line 003 features an exterior of fiber cement, steel, and locally harvested cedar, while the interior features stylish modern elements. Pay particular attention to the translucent polycarbonate walls by Polygal, the red IKEA kitchen, and the custom tables from Eastvold Custom Woodworks.

All the windows and doors are Low E II with argon and help flood the interior with natural light. Also, the X-Line 003 is set up with a whole house lighting system and thermostat controllable by an iPhone. The owners can control what's going on inside without even being there.

On the outside, you can see how Hive Modular used gabion baskets in place of concrete retaining walls. They went with the gabion baskets because they're just as strong and durable as concrete and have much less embodied energy.

Hive Modular is probably one of the most popular prefab companies in the Midwest because, in all likelihood, they provide a product that's economically approachable. If you like this X-Line 003 prefab, you may also like this St. Paul Prefab or this B-Line Small Prefab by Hive.

Photo credits: Hive Modular Picasa Album.

Small Modern Green Home in California

2009-11-02T08:17:56-07:00

Michelle Kaufmann is continuing her work on a modern green home in Northern California. Located on a constrained lot, the 1,550 square-foot home will be prefabricated -- as currently planned -- with two modules. And although the home will be a lot smaller than the average new construction home in this country, Michelle Kaufmann Studio has designed it to feel bigger.

Of course, there's the accordion glass doors that provide a nice transition from the indoor to the outdoor. The open interior is also shaped with angular walls that blend the rooms together.

In terms of sustainable design, the butterfly roof will provide a nice overhang with windows just below for natural ventilation. Solar panels will fit just right on the angled roof, while a rain water catchment garden will benefit from water collected at the fulcrum of the roof.

In addition, there will be smart insulation, high performance windows and systems, LED and CFL lights, Energy Star appliances, and a grey water system. The efficient design, when combined with the solar PV system, should make it a net zero energy home. Follow Michelle Kaufmann's blog for more:

[+] Michelle Kaufmann Blog.

Rendering credits: Michelle Kaufmann Studio.

October Monthly of Green Articles

2009-10-31T23:14:11-06:00

Hope you're enjoying a relaxing Halloween weekend. Don't forget to turn back the clock. In the mean time, now that you have an extra hour, feel free to browse through some of last month's coverage. We had a heavy amount of Solar Decathlon coverage, as well as several articles on prefab homes. Lots of homes are getting finished, and we'll keep covering the green ones. Plus, shout out to our newest sponsor, Green Build Post, a community to discuss current trends and products in green building.

Prefab & Homes:

Developments & Projects:

Technology & Products Innovation:

Interesting & Green News:

Team Germany Wins Second Straight Solar Decathlon
Investing in Energy Efficiency Pays off in LEED Projects
Are You On Our Green Twitter Lists Yet?
Week in Review: One, Two, Three, Four, + Five

Prior Monthly Roundups:

October Monthly Word Cloud by Wordle.

Green Building Trends, Wood Wars, Productivity Issues, + the Water Crisis

2009-10-31T10:04:46-06:00

Building green with less green.
Green building tips for remodeling.
Feud continues between wood certifiers.
Designer pinpoints trends in green building.
New online tool shows a building's carbon usage.
Open space in green buildings reduces productivity?
The coming national water crisis.
As green as you care to be.

Also, follow @jetsongreen on Twitter for more news, links, and commentary.