Now that we are all in danger of losing our homes, and the young are so burdened by their unthinkably immense college loans, perhaps we need to find out how to build with absolutely nothing down.
Who better to show us how to DIY on a budget of zilch, than the homeless builders of Berkeley who [...]
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February 28th, 2009 | Posted in Bums Paradise, Pacific Coast, Passive Systems, Site & Development, earthsheltered barbecue pit, green building, paleolithic building technique
As part of its well-publicized 2030 plan (reducing the fossil fuel use of buildings by 50% in 2010 and carbon neutrality by 2030), the American Institute of Architects is offering a wonderful guide to 50 strategies for greening up buildings. The strategies provided in the “50to50″ book range from “Active Solar Thermal Systems” to “Windows and Openings.”
As [...]
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February 28th, 2009 | Posted in 2030 plan, 50to50, AIA, Design, carbon neutrality, fossil fuels
Welcome
We’re excited that BuildingGreen’s newest residential website is on its way to becoming the complete go-to resource for sustainable design, remodeling, and building information and insight. We encourage you to tour our site and get to know t…
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February 27th, 2009 | Posted in Books & Media, Bulletin, The Industry
The Wilson family moved into a new home last summer. Within days, they were feeling ill. Their eyes were burning, they had sore throats, and they were chronically tired.
Many chemicals in new homes can cause respiratory and skin irritation. Formaldehyde, a common chemical in new wood products and finishes, is an asthma trigger. New construction [...]
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February 27th, 2009 | Posted in Ventilation & Indoor Air Quality, foramaldehyde, indoor air quality, new home, sick house
Instead of usual colors that we associate with wine such as white or dark red, our color paradigm might shift to say Gold. With the CADE Winery just about to open, this solar powered and organically farmed winery, hopes to garner LEED Gold status and if so, would be the first Estate Gold LEED certified [...]
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February 27th, 2009 | Posted in Design, Energy, Heating & Cooling, Materials, Pacific Coast, Passive Systems, Structural Materials, Ventilation & Indoor Air Quality, bicycle_racks, blue_jeans, cade, cade_winery, concrete_mass, electric_car, fly_ash, gold_status, hybrid_electric_cars, indoor_air_quality, land_trust, low_flow_showerhead, napa_valley, natural_ventilation, oak_cask, organic_farming_methods, solar_power, sustainable_cuisine
This week, in preparation for my "Green in the Stimulus" presentation, I have been providing what I hope is interesting and useful information about the stimulus. Today we are briefly going to review a new website in Virginia, Stimulus.Virginia.gov, which is vitally important to anyone expecting to take part in Virginia projects resulting from the [...]
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February 27th, 2009 | Posted in City, Codes and Regulations, Federal, Stimulus, Trends, Virginia
link to video
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February 26th, 2009 | Posted in Books & Media, Politics
Cleaning products and air fresheners can produce formaldehyde. UC Berkeley researchers found that chemicals in pine oils and citrus oils react with ozone in the air, producing formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a strong eye, nose, throat, and lung irritant. Formaldehyde is also an asthma trigger and a carcinogen, according to the EPA.
Formaldehyde can cause red watery [...]
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February 26th, 2009 | Posted in Ventilation & Indoor Air Quality, cleaning products, formaldehyde, indoor air quality
In December 2007 I posted about a video called The Story of Stuff.
From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is …
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February 26th, 2009 | Posted in Books & Media, Politics
This is the second post about strawbale building today. The other is Building Science for Strawbale Buildings.
Regular readers may recall that post back in June about the straw-bale construction briefing organized by the Environmental and Energy S…
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February 26th, 2009 | Posted in Miscellania, The Industry