Jetson Green

If you work with LEED, you’re familiar with FSC, and if you read good books and magazines, you’ve probably seen both SFI and FSC.  FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) both certify and provide labels for wood and paper products.  Consumers look to these for comfort with regard to environmental impact and sustainable harvesting of wood, but after you read Monte Paulsen’s five-part series on the topic for The Tyee, you may not be so sure about what’s going on. 

(1) Future of ‘Green’ Wood Hangs on US Decision
(2) Eco Group’s Trade Complaint Targets US Wood Certifier
(3) Wood War Sprawls to IRS, Fortune 500
(4) LEED Accused of ‘Conspiracy to Monoplize’
(5) Available 3/19/2010

The fact is, there’s a lot fighting going on in the wood industry and it’s been happening to some extent since the mid-1990s. 

The Consumer Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, found that FSC is more rigorous than SFI, but both groups could do a better job, according to statements made to Mireya Navarro for The New York Times in “Environmental Groups Spar Over Certifications of Wood and Paper Products.”

The USGBC, as you already know, is working on a revamp in how it gives points to projects that use certified woods.  Up until know, FSC has been the only certified wood allowed, but the USGBC would like to move towards a label-blind system. 

In any event, there’s no end in sight and it’s hard to say whether consumers are getting what they think they’re getting.  Feel free to sound off on the controversy in the comments ...

The same folks behind Bio-Glass, Coverings Etc, recently sent us information on another interesting product, Bio-Luminum. Bio-Luminum tiles are made from 100% recycled aluminum salvaged from retired aircrafts. Available with... Preston Koerner

The same folks behind Bio-Glass, Coverings Etc, recently sent us information on another interesting product, Bio-Luminum.  Bio-Luminum tiles are made from 100% recycled aluminum salvaged from retired aircrafts.  Available with a beveled edge on one side and straight edge on the other, the company says the strength of aircraft aluminum makes this product perfect for high-traffic flooring and high-end wall treatments.  

Upon salvage, the aircraft aluminum is melted in a block and sliced into tiles of 3”x6”, 3”x12”, and 6”x12” sizing.  The lightweight tile seems perfectly suited for any number of design styles, whether contemporary or industrial, or somewhere in between.

Bio-Luminum tiles are recyclable and have been marketed as Cradle to Cradle certified, although I haven’t been able to verify that through the products listed on the Cradle to Cradle website.  The product was also recognized at ICFF 2009 in the materials category with an Editors Award.

[+] Learn more about Bio-Luminum from Coverings Etc.

Photo credits: Inhabitat/Mike Chino (#1); K+BB (#4); Coverings Etc (rest).

Sustainable design start-up SMIT has been working on solar and wind powered facade technology for a while under the GROW moniker.  Now, the company is about to blow the lid off the solar-powered GROW with commercial availability.  SMIT is using a new name and website, Solar Ivy, for the biomimicry-inspired innovation made with recyclable polyethylene leaves, Konarka Power Plastic organic photovoltaics, and a structural stainless steel mesh system. 

SMIT standardized the product for flexibility and ease of maintenance.  If one leaf malfunctions, the company can replace it with another. 

Also, depending on the application and leaf opacity, Solar Ivy can be used to control heat gain, light transmission, and views from the inside.  It's flexible and the leaves can be made in myriad colors. 

In terms of energy production, according to a recent article in Metropolis, each leaf produces about about a half watt of power. 

[+] Learn more about Solar Ivy from SMIT.

Media credits: Solar Ivy.

Sustainable design start-up SMIT has been working on solar and wind powered facade technology for a while under the GROW moniker. Now, the company is about to blow the lid... Preston Koerner

Sustain Design Studio, based out of Toronto, makes contemporary prefab green homes, including the popular miniHome.  They're small and approachable in price terms but require no sacrifice of style.  This home, the 12x36 TRIO, currently located in Brighton, Ontario, has about 400 square-feet of living space, including a master bedroom, kitchen with open living space, and a bathroom.

Sustain Design Studio designed the TRIO for passive ventilation and cooling and energy efficiency.  With a high-performance envelope, carefully placed windows, and appliances and lighting optimized to require the smallest load possible, the TRIO is capable of off-grid living.

TRIO is built with green materials (i.e., low maintenance, durable, non-toxic, renewable, formaldehyde-free, FSC-certified materials).

The 400 square-foot 12x36 California Edition starts at $134,900, and can be expanded up to 1,110 square feet with other modules.  TRIO is available most anywhere in North America.

[+] Learn more about the 12x36 TRIO. 

Photo credits: Sustain.

Sustain Design Studio, based out of Toronto, makes contemporary prefab green homes, including the popular miniHome. They're small and approachable in price terms but require no sacrifice of style. This... Preston Koerner

Most of the energy monitoring tools on the market right now gather aggregate information about the overall electricity use of a home. But the new eMonitor from PowerHouse Dynamics could... Preston Koerner

Most of the energy monitoring tools on the market right now gather aggregate information about the overall electricity use of a home.  But the new eMonitor from PowerHouse Dynamics could change all this with circuit level monitoring.  The eMonitor solution combines hardware, software, and service elements to provide home electricity use, electricity cost, and carbon footprint information by the minute.  Past and present information is then available online and on the iPhone (starting in about Q2 2010). 

Information gathered by the eMonitor is detailed and thorough and, in the hands of the right homeowner and home, could help save 5-20% or more on energy bills. 

The single-unit solution monitors 24 circuits, or 2 main and 22 additional circuits, in either the 120V or 240V variety.  eMonitor can also be integrated with solar PV, solar thermal, or wind installations. 

eMonitor has a ZigBee antenna to control various add-on devices, such as smart outlets, smart thermostats, etc, but these capabilities may not be available until Q3 2010, or thereafter. 

According to a press release, Energy Circle is selling the system online.  Purchasers should have the eMonitor installed by an electrician, but there's a video on Energy Circle's product page explaining how that works.  The single-unit system is available for pre-order for $799.00 and includes five-years of bundled monitoring service. 

[+] Learn more about the eMonitor from PowerHouse Dynamics.

Photo credits: Energy Circle.

Nearly two years ago, I followed reports by Curbed LA, which was tracking the sale of the Office of Mobile Design's ShowHouse.  At the time, the one-bedroom, one-bathroom home was listed at $175,000, and I always wondered what happened with it -- until the other day when Allison Arieff tweeted a photo of the Jennifer Siegal-designed structure on a beautiful desert lot.  The 720 square-foot portable house found a new home. 

The desert prefab, measuring 12'x60', has rooftop solar panels, metal cladding with translucent polycarbonate panels, radiant heat, tankless water heating, and high-end finishes and sustainable materials. 

[+]  Learn more about OMD/Jennifer Siegal prefab.

Photo credits: Office of Mobile Design; noticed at Inhabitat.

Nearly two years ago, I followed reports by Curbed LA, which was tracking the sale of the Office of Mobile Design's ShowHouse. At the time, the one-bedroom, one-bathroom home was... Preston Koerner

You've probably seen one of the latest Apple commercials.  The husband turns to his wife and asks, "Did we turn off the lights."  The savvy wife, with her iPhone and Schlage LiNK app, responds with something like, "WE turned off the lights," while she does the same on her phone without her husband's help.

The commercial caught my attention, and I wanted to see what kind of capabilities this Schlage LiNK app had.  Turns out the system is powered by Z-Wave technology to smarten typically unintelligent aspects of living.  Some of the things you can do include:

• Lock and unlock doors;
• Turn on and off Z-Wave enabled lights;
• Control your thermostat remotely;
• Monitor access and use of a lock; and 
• View video of your home.  

The Schlage LiNK app is free, but you'll need a monthly subscription of $12.99 to run it.  And you'll also need to purchase Schlage LiNK products (or other compatible products) to do these things.

The system seems perfect for deep green types -- you can control heating, cooling, and lighting from afar -- but maybe it's not.  Schlage's light module won't work with CFLs or LEDs.  And if you have a programmable thermostat already, the ability to remotely control it may or may not provide additional energy savings.

That said, it's interesting to see smart products paired with smart phones.  This is where some folks can learn and save energy, such as with Wattvision (sells a sensor paired with online access to an electricity monitor), PowerHouse Dymanics (provides circuit-level electricity information and has an iPhone app in development), and Control4 (provides a free app with home automation). 

Are you using any apps to monitor or save energy?

Media credits: Apple.

You've probably seen one of the latest Apple commercials. The husband turns to his wife and asks, "Did we turn off the lights." The savvy wife, with her iPhone and... Preston Koerner

• How green is my mansion?
• Green homes face financing difficulties.
• What makes green building products green?
• Deep-energy retrofits take root in homes.
• Paying for green with a guaranteed ROI.
• Restaurants get a little greener.
• Environmental hypocrisy. 

Also, follow @jetsongreen on Twitter or fan Jetson Green on Facebook for more news, links, and commentary.

How green is my mansion? Green homes face financing difficulties. What makes green building products green? Deep-energy retrofits take root in homes. Paying for green with a guaranteed ROI. Restaurants... Preston Koerner

A few months ago, Alchemy set this weeHouse in Dundee, New York, and it's now complete.  The two-bedroom, two-bathroom home sits at the end of a private road on Seneca Lake.  On the exterior, the prefab has corrugated steel siding, while on the interior, there's bamboo flooring and wall wrap, doors and windows made with FSC-certified wood, and Energy Star appliances. 

The home has a small footprint and was built with two factory-built modules, which have in-floor heating installed with dual-zone boiler and on-demand heaters. 

If you've ever wanted to relax in the Finger Lakes area, or you live on the east coast and want to test out a weeHouse, the owners have this home for rent part-time.  Homeowners have taken weeHouse coast-to-coast with the Oceanside Prefab for rent in Oregon and now this one in New York.  

[+] You can also build your own green prefab weeHouse.

Photo credits: Alchemy Architects and the homeowners. 

A few months ago, Alchemy set this weeHouse in Dundee, New York, and it's now complete. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom home sits at the end of a private road on Seneca... Preston Koerner

The Fourth Annual Green Building Survey, published by Allen Matkins, CTG, and Green Building Insider, was just released.  It’s quick and to the point with some interesting perspective on the attitude of design and construction professionals.  That is, green construction and design remains a top priority, while LEED certification may not necessarily carry the same weight.  The survey was conducted in February 2010 and received over 1,600 responses. 

When asked whether it is worth the time and effort to build projects green?  Or, to obtain LEED certification?

The survey found that 92.3% agree that it is worth the time and effort to build green, while only 61.7% feel it is worth the time and effort to obtain LEED certification.  This response shows an increasing gap in sentiment between building green and obtaining certification for the same.  The authors explain that the gap could be caused by current economic conditions, the proliferation of other green building standards, or greener minimum code standards.

When asked about the importance of various factors in building green projects:

The survey found that the top reason for building green was to save energy and other operating costs.  The next best factor was to improve the environment, while factors such as achieving higher rents and improving tenant productivity were important, but not as important as other factors.

When asked about the likelihood of incorporating energy saving elements in future projects:

The survey found that 88% of respondents said they were more likely to incorporate energy saving elements going forward, representing a 14% increase of last year’s survey conducted by the same group.

And, for those respondents that had actually helped to build and certify a LEED-NC project to the Gold level, when asked about the cost premium to achieve LEED Gold certification:

The survey found that 51% of respondents believed the cost premium to be greater than 4%, while 30% of respondents believed the cost premium to be somewhere less than 3%.  Also, respondents seem to agree that obtaining Gold certification for existing buildings would be more expensive than for new construction.

The Green Building Survey also includes some additional survey detail on carbon credits and offsets, green leases, and green development risks, which is good to know.

[+] Download the 4th Annual Green Building Survey.

The Fourth Annual Green Building Survey, published by Allen Matkins, CTG, and Green Building Insider, was just released. It’s quick and to the point with some interesting perspective on the... Preston Koerner

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.