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Sunday, February 5th, 2012
HydroForce Pumps Ltd has developed a clean water pump for rainwater harvesting tanks.
The pump features an alloy bulkhead, pressure release gap and patent-pending twin chamber design which prevents ingress of water to motor, electrical components and to bearing oil.
The Hydroforce pump is pressure sensitive, and turns itself off until there is a demand for water. If no water is detected for eight seconds the pump is turned off by a printed circuit board (PCB) to protect the motor and pump from burning out. There is an automatic re-set after a period of 30 minutes. If water is still not detected, the subsequent re-set periods are one and a half, three, seven, twelve and twenty-four hours and then back to the beginning of the cycle. Additionally, a thermal switch not connected to the PCB turns the pump off if the motor should overheat and re-sets when it’s cool again.
The pump comes with factory fitted filter, connectors and non-return valve.
The new pump can be fully immersed in tank water or it can be externally connected to the tank above ground. The pump will deliver up to 3.5 bar and delivers more than 2,500 litres per hour using a one-inch connector. Rated at 800w, on a 220v to 240v power supply, the pump is electronically controlled and features logic processors in the PCB.
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Category Technical News | Tags: Tags: alloy-bulkhead, design-which, electrical-components, hydroforce, pressure-release, pressure-sensitive, prevents-ingress, pump-features, pumps, rainwater-harvesting, table-border, twin-chamber, world-pumps,
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Sunday, February 5th, 2012
Wow.
I thought Fair Companies had already shown us the coolest houses on Earth when they filmed aBerkeley home built from salvaged car parts and an Ewok Village in the forests of Oregon.
But this luxury, off-grid home in Spain, converted from an abandoned stable, might just top them all.
Fair Companies/Video screen capture
Featuring a careful use of open space and ventilation, and literally a river that runs through the house, this is one of those buildings that really does seem to become a part of the landscape that surrounds it.
Fair Companies/Video screen capture
Entirely off-grid, Carlos Alonso and his sister Camino built this country home to use water from the mountain streams and electricity from a bank of solar panels. And because, as they explain, it is an old ranchers building, it is already situated for optimal sunlight that makes it ideal for passive solar energy efficiency. Once the day closes out and the sun sets, the massive shutters on the front of the building are closed to form a “second skin” that stores the heat inside until the morning.
Fair Companies/Video screen capture
Perhaps the coolest part of this whole structure though, is that it looks nothing like your typical city-slicker conversion of traditional farm buildings. From a distance it looks almost indistinguishable from traditional farm houses and barns of Extremadura. It’s only when you get up close that you realize there’s something a little special going on here.
Fair Companies/Video screen capture
At some point you’d expect that Fair Companies will run out of unique, game changing structures to film. But in the meantime, I for one am delighted that these videos keep on coming.
Original from Tree Hugger:
Abandoned Stable Becomes Luxury, Off-Grid Home
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Category Homeowner News | Tags: Tags: design, entirely-off-grid, extremadura, hills, old-barn, spain, the-hills, turns-out,
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Sunday, February 5th, 2012
Lighter, more fire-resistant, and a better insulator, autoclaved aerated concrete caught on in the rest of the world ages ago. It’s taking a lot longer in the U.S.
The porous AAC structure comes from being “leavened” with aluminum. Photo: H+H UK
To read what manufacturers and distributors say about it, you’d think autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) was some kind of new, space-age environmental miracle.
Although it certainly has some nifty properties, AAC isn’t new and isn’t miraculous–but it’s certainly popular in Europe, and has been for decades; according to one source, it accounted for 60% of all new construction in Germany in 2006. It has enjoyed pretty flat market share (of near zero) here in the U.S., though, since it was first introduced in the 1990s.
Is there space for AAC in the U.S. market? Should the green building community be working to make space?
How AAC is made
AAC is similar to other concrete types, except that it contains no aggregate; sand or fly ash is included, with aluminum powder added to react with one of these ingredients and “leaven” the concrete, creating tiny bubbles just like baking soda does when it reacts with the buttermilk in your muffin batter. (Your muffins are full of carbon dioxide bubbles, but AAC is full of hydrogen bubbles.)
[Note: Robert Riversong points out in comments that sand is aggregate, which I also thought when I started researching it, but after some more digging, my understanding is that the sand is used as a reactant and is therefore not considered aggregate in AAC. For more, see here.]
The concrete is poured into molds, left to rise, and then “baked” in an autoclave, which uses steam and pressure to complete the chemical reactions and speed up the curing process significantly–completing in hours rather than weeks. The resulting blocks are so full of bubbles that a block of the same size has about one-fifth the material required by regular concrete.
Like conventional concrete masonry units, AAC is sold in a variety of block shapes and sizes, but unlike conventional units, most don’t have cores. They are porous and light, like muffins, but not hollow.
Benefits of AAC
The main advantage of AAC when it was first developed in Sweden in the early 20th century was simple: it wasn’t wood. It’s still not wood, but in North America (unlike in Sweden at the time and in most of Europe now), wood is still plentiful and cheap.
Compared with conventional concrete, AAC still has advantages, though:
- It uses less material–important for concrete, since portland cement is one of the most energy- and carbon-intensive building materials.
- Despite the energy-intensive autoclaving process, manufacturers say it takes about 50% less energy to make, because of the lower portland cement content by volume (we’re haven’t found anyone to challenge those claims, but are still looking for data).
- It’s lighter, which cuts down on transportation costs and fuel use.
- It’s a better insulator, with a steady-state R-value just a hair above R-1 as opposed to something more like R-0.2 (neither of these factors in thermal mass, which we’ll get to later).
- Air leakage is minimal.
- AAC also has excellent soundproofing properties.
- It can also be used as a firebreak.
Drawbacks of AAC
In a report written for UC–Davis (PDF), Stefan Schnitzler finds few disadvantages to AAC. Here are the two demerits on his list:
- There are few manufacturers in the U.S. (that was in 2006, and now there are almost none, since Xella has moved its Hebel operation to Mexico); this means higher costs, which is a huge barrier for adoption.
- AAC requires a learning curve for builders, because the mortar application is more precise.
We would like to add a few drawbacks that we’ve found:
- The barriers for builders don’t stop with the mortar. According to Derek Taylor, owner of AAC distributor SafeCrete, the only manufacturer in North America right now is a German company whose block dimensions don’t work for U.S. builders. These often need to be sawed, adding labor and fuss to a building system that’s supposed to be simple. (Taylor’s looking forward to two new plants coming online in the States in the next couple years.)
- Since right now your AAC is most likely coming from Mexico, the advantages offered by lighter weight will diminish significantly as the mileage increases.
- Thermal properties are better than those of conventional concrete, but they aren’t good enough to make AAC a viable wall material (relative to BuildingGreen-recommended R-values) in most U.S. and Canadian climates without additional insulation. (The European climate, where AAC is popular, is milder.)
- Unless rebar is added–which adds to the weight and amount of material in the blocks–AAC can only be used for low- and mid-rise construction. But it seems to be popular for single-family homes as well as schools.
- Unlike conventional concrete, AAC can’t be used as a finish; it is more porous and needs cladding or stucco on the outside so it won’t absorb moisture.
AAC is popular for residential construction but not suitable for high-rise buildings without structural reinforcement. Photo: SafeCrete
Would you use AAC?
That said, AAC does appear to have significant advantages for applications where conventional concrete would normally be the best material–like in the American Southwest and in other climates where thermal mass can increase the“effective” or “mass-enhanced” R-value of the wall. Even then, its performance may still be outmatched by that of insulated concrete forms, depending on the needs of the client.
Unfortunately, much of the information we have on AAC performance in the U.S. comes from manufacturers. We’d like to hear some empirical evidence from the field.
Are you using AAC on any of your projects?
If you’ve used it, how did it perform? If not, what would it take for you to try it out?
Original from Building Green.com
Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC): Will the U.S. Ever Lighten Up?
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Category Technical News | Tags: Tags: aac, concrete, europe, european, german, green, greenspec insights, mexico, mortar, north, north-america, pdf, sweden, time,
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Sunday, February 5th, 2012
There’s nothing like the crackle, warmth and glow from a real wood-burning fireplace. But for apartment dwellers without an existing fireplace, alternatives to the traditional chimney and flue are necessary. Ventless designs powered by eco-friendly biofuel are now available in modern materials and as ceiling-mount, wall-mount and floor standing units. Here are a few sleek designs that won’t leave you feeling left out in the cold.
All of these featured fireplaces run on ethanol, a biofuel that is clean-burning, renewable and environmentally-friendly. Here are a few of the many advantages of biofuel:
- Compared to wood, biofuel is 40% more energy efficient.
- It does not emit smoke or unpleasant odor when burning; and only produces steam and a little amount of carbon dioxide, so does not contribute to greenhouse gases.
- It is not messy to use because no ashes are left after burning.
- No installation is needed and no maintenance is required because of the absence of ashes and dirt.
- Biofuel burning fireplaces are generally less expensive compared to traditional fireplaces.
Not yet convinced? Check out these cool ways to heat up:
- Cocoon Fires Hanging Fireplace Set is my favorite of the ceiling-mount models and burns up to 6 hours depending on the adjustable heat setting. The Cocoon is customizable to six height positions, available in chrome or black, and starts at $2,990.
- Inspired by the look of two burning logs, the Wahrmann Tabletop Fireplace, designed by Gido Wahrmann for Carl Mertens Germany, features two stainless steel oil lamps resting on a 10″ x 14″ slate base and sells for $418.
- Also from Carl Mertens Germany, the Apollo Tabletop Fireplace, designed by Wolf Wagner, features 18/10 satin stainless steel and tempered glass, measures 13.8″H x 11″L x 4.7″D, and sells for $825.
- Bioflame produces several ventless designs, including the free-standing Blocco, combining a concrete base available in natural, charcoal and white, 8mm tempered glass, and a 16″ burner. The Blocco measures 27″H x 48″L x 36″D and begins at $2499.
- Also from Bioflame is this wall-mount model, the Avante, which consists of a stainless steel firebox with brushed aluminum panels, includes 3 fuel canisters or a 13″ burner, measures 23.8″H x 33.4″W x 6.6″D, and starts at $1299.
- EcoSmart produces several high-end ventless fireplaces in space-age designs. The Zeta Fireplace, designed by John Dimopoulos, is so-named because of its elliptical shape that pays homage to its Greek ‘origins’. A clever fusion of timber, leather and stainless steel, this portable fireplace sits on a brushed or polished stainless steel swivel base, and will set you back $10,900.
- The EcoSmart Q Fireplace takes futuristic fireplace design to a new level. The Q is created from weatherproof fiberglass, stainless steel and glass, and is portable so can be used both inside and out. The base allows rotation of the fire box and the package is available in black or white for $5695.
- The Ponton Fireplace by Wolf Udo Wagner combines tempered glass and stainless steel and burns for 1.5 hours. At 11″H x 7″D, it’s compact size makes it highly portable and storable; $495.
- For a completely flameless solution, I love the whimsical Match Light, designed by Chaiyut Plypetch. Looking like a giant matchstick leaning against your wall, the wood and plastic lamp measures 70″H x 6″W x 6″D and comes with both a red and white tip and 25W bulb; $339.
- There are several DVDs available which deliver the crackling fire experience on your TV, and my favorite isLight The Box – The Ultimate Fire DVD, which includes a stunning selection of traditional and contemporary firestyles playing on a seamless loop; $19.99.
Visit link:
The Ventless Fireplace: A Cool Idea Worth Warming Up To
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Category Homeowner News | Tags: Tags: cold, crackle, feeling-left, floor-standing, the-crackle, the-traditional, traditional,
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Sunday, February 5th, 2012
The Army is still going for Gold and Platinum despite recent legislation calling a halt to LEED spending.
Fort Carson is piloting net-zero energy, water, and waste–and expects to meet that target by 2020.
The federal government has been one of the biggest supporters of LEED certification in the last few years, with the General Services Administration (GSA) requiring basic LEED certification for all federal buildings starting in 2003 and then upping that requirement to LEED Gold in 2010.
The military has been on the cutting edge of green building from the beginning. The Navy adopted sustainable design principles before LEED even existed, as we reported way back in 1998. The Army embraced LEED in 2006 and recently began the much more radical work of moving all its installations to net-zero energy, water, and waste. As Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy, and the environment, put it to EBN earlier this year, “Energy security is mission critical.”
It doesn’t cost more
We feared that might all change when we saw that the most recent military appropriations legislation requires explicit justification for any spending on LEED above the Silver level. What’s worse, this decision pretends to be about money but appears to have been made over certified wood credits. (Watch this space for in-depth coverage of the “wood wars” in coming weeks.)
Hammack is having none of it. In a call with reporters yesterday, she reiterated the Army’s commitment to net-zero and LEED and gave an update about some of the progress that’s already been made. “We’re finding it does not cost more to design and construct to LEED” standards, Hammack said.
On the warpath for LEED
Will the Army then be submitting cost-benefit analyses for each project, as the legislation seems to require? Hammack said no.
“The challenge right now is one of education,” she explained. “If a building got a Gold-level certification and we were striving for Silver, that does not mean there was an incremental cost. We’re working to help prepare a report for Congress so they understand the benefit of high-performance buildings.”
Hammack clearly views these benefits as, at least in part, financial.
Can they do this?
The legislation in question does have a loophole for LEED Gold and Platinum projects as long as they don’t cost more. As we reported at the time, “Exceptions may also be made without a special waiver if achieving Gold or Platinum ‘imposes no additional cost’.”
That loophole is big enough to blithely drive a tank through without bothering to show ID at the checkpoint. You apparently don’t have to prove that it didn’t cost more–or the Army is interpreting it that way, at any rate, while working closely with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on “educating” Congress.
Build to the standard but don’t certify?
Another reporter asked if you could bypass the requirements by building to LEED standards but not bothering with certification. Hammack wasn’t warm to that idea.
“We like the LEED program because it gives another set of eyes on the construction details and helps guide the direction of architects and engineers,” Hammack replied. “The cost of LEED certification is very minimal in comparison to the benefits of LEED certification and the recognition that the building has achieved certain goals.”
Zero energy wasted on dithering
“With a limited amount of water, a limited amount of resources, and an increasing world population,” Hammack said, “we need to improve our stewardship over the resources we have.”
Most of the call with Hammack was devoted to the progress on net-zero pilot projects. She and the rest of the Army clearly are not wasting time on questions of whether to LEED or not to LEED.
See the original post:
Army to Congress: LEED Doesn’t Cost More
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Category Technical News | Tags: Tags: construction, environment, progress, progress-on-net, reporter, requirements, silver, space, time,
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Sunday, February 5th, 2012
2011 marked Sustainable Industries’ sixth annual competition where more than 100 entries were received and evaluated. The requirements to make the top ten list are environmental performance, scalability/market impact, innovativeness, design aesthetic, plus value and compatibility with LEED.
The top ten were:
- Adura Wireless Lighting Contols
- Breathe Living Wall
- Greensulate
- HydroRight Dual Flush Converter
- Indow Windows
- Juice Bar
- Mobile Solar Power Systems
- Modlet
- SageGlass
- SmartSlope Living Retaining Wall
Adura Wireless Lighting Controls is designed by Adura Technologies and is a secure wireless lighting control that lowers electricity use and costs.
Breathe Living Wall by DIRTT
Breathe Living Wall is a product from DIRTT and is a simple wall system that incorporates living plants into its design.
Greensulate is green insulation produced by Ecovative Design. This is a grown structural material which thrives on waste products & plastic bi-products.
HydroRight Dual Flush Converter was invented by MSJI Inc. It is a converter system used to change standard, in-stalled toilets into having dual flush capabilities. There is a quick flush for liquid and paper waste which uses 70 percent less water than a standard flush. The dual side is the full flush for solid waste.
Indow Windows from Indow Windows are thermal window inserts that act as double-paned windows do, limiting hot/cold air transfer, but are much more cost efficient.
The next two on the top ten list are questionable as building products but are definitely innovative, green materials.
They are Juice Bar by Green Garage Associates and Mobile Solar Power Systems by Pure Power Distribution. Juice Bar is an electric vehicle charging station and Mobile Solar Power Systems are mobile solar generators for job sites.
Modlet designed by ThinkEco is an outlet that automatically turns appliances off when you are not using them, allowing you to monitor and manage your power consumption more thoroughly.
SageGlass by Sage Electrochomics
SageGlass from Sage Electrochromics is electronically tintable glass to reduce glare and the use of shades/blinds but allowing natural light into a space.
SmartSlope Living Retaining Wall is Furbish Company’s awarded product. It is similar to the Breathe Living Wall only for use on site not interior spaces.
SmartSlope Living Retaining Wall by Furbish Company
With all of the great green advances being made in the design industries it is exciting to revisit last year’s list and to learn what products were deemed the best building products of 2011. It is also exciting to see what will come forth to claim the title this year.
Original story here.
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The Pentagon is the world’s largest consumer of petroleum, and so control of the world’s oil is necessary in order to control the world’s oil in order to “protect” the American Way of Life (AWOL).
Half the Pentagon’s oil goes to the Air Force, 85% of that for jet fuel to move fuel, personnel & weapons around the world in order to control the world’s oil in order to keep fueling the war machine in order to “protect” the American Way of Life (AWOL).
The US military budget is now more than a Trillion dollars a year and larger than all the other military budgets on earth combined, requiring well more than half of total government revenues (that means your hard-earned money). This non-productive use of financial resources leaves the US well behind even “developing” nations in serving the common good, and undermines the economic health of the nation.
Which means that the “defense” of AWOL is the leading cause of economic collapse, lack of basic social services that every other industrialized democracy offers its citizens, global pollution, global warming and the consequent destruction of AWOL.
Additionally, the US Navy is the world’s largest consumer of diesel fuel and now the largest user of “green” biodiesel from GMO soybeans that we can’t sell to the EU because they don’t trust its safety. As the largest converter of food to fuel, we are reducing the world’s food supply, causing hunger, displacement and social unrest that fuels terrorism.
Which means that the “defense” of AWOL is perhaps the major cause of global strife that requires a defense of AWOL which is destroying AWOL.
Catch-22
“Greening” up the US military doesn’t make it any less a tool of empire and global destruction.