News Room : Archives : April 2010

Peer+ Unveils Energy Generating Windows With Controllable Opacity

Sunday, April 4th, 2010

Windows are a two-way street when it comes to efficient green building. We need them for light, fresh air, beauty, and the connection they create to the outdoors, but even the most efficient windows, installed perfectly, are akin to having a hole in the wall as far as energy is concerned. Enter Peer +, who has developed a new type of energy-generating smart glass that can change its opacity to filter sunlight, significantly reducing the energy costs of solar over-exposure. You can select settings from bright to dark to private (scattering), and the windows will actually generate electricity from the blocked sunlight. Pretty nifty

Original article by Trey Farmer, Inhabitat

USGBC’s Green Home Guide Beta

Friday, March 5th, 2010

Many of us are familiar with the LEED rating system from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), which is a third party green building rating system for commercial and residential buildings. The LEED rating system has been adopted by the U.S. government and is used with all new construction and major renovation of federal buildings. LEED certifies buildings on a point based system in the areas of Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality, Locations & Linkages, Awareness & Education, Innovation in Design, and Regional Priority. Points are then added up to achieve Silver, Gold, or preferably Platinum certification. While mainly regarded as a tool for commercial building, there is also a LEED for Homes section that allows you to certify your home or neighborhood.

Recently, USGBC has launched a Green Home Guide. The site is an awesome resource for those of you looking to remodel or build a home in the near future. The site contains a myriad of resources for the casual and the serious green homemaker alike. The “Know How” section guides you through green building advice and educational articles to help you make better-informed decisions. They cover a diverse range of topics, and the content is growing everyday. With the rapid growth in the green building world, it’s a great resource if you need to get an idea of what’s out there.

1. Remodel, Reuse, Renew and Restore with the RE-Store – Green Home Furnishings
2. Green Materials for Eco Friendly Design – Sustainable Materials and Green Building Products
3. Plyboo Bamboo Plywood and Durapalm Palm Tree Sustainable Flooring

My favorite part of the site is the “Ask a Pro” section, which allows you to connect to green building experts from around the country and get answers to questions. Perhaps you’ve been shopping around for a countertop, and you’re wondering which is more environmentally friendly. Or maybe you want to know what solar power options exist for those of us living in apartments or condos. The site has many LEED accredited professionals ready to answer your green building questions.

If you’re ready to have someone come in and do the work for you, there’s the “Find a Pro” section. This directory of green building LEED accredited professionals is your key to getting green-minded professionals working on your new home or remodel. They have everything from green cleaning services and interior designers to architects and electricians.

Although the site is still Beta, I feel like it has the potential to grow into a valuable resource for the eco-conscious homeowner. As green building has become more mainstream, it has made quality green building easier to access for the average person. The site is still growing, but I was satisfied with the information that I did find. Also, the ability to ask the pros questions has made it easier for me to feel secure with my decisions and has cut down some of the research time for my home projects. Remember, USGBC is just one of many sites out there to help you remodel your house in a green way. Use as many resources as possible to ensure that you come to a well-researched, unbiased conclusion. Hopefully USGBC’s Green Home Guide will provide you with a great start.

Original Post by The Chic Ecologist

Green Materials 101: Your Guide to Green Building, Remodeling, and Home Improvement

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

Photo credit: Dieter Spannknebel / Getty Images

When it comes to building or renovating a home, there are few simple choices. From styles and colors to location and design, there’s an awful lot to consider. Thankfully, you don’t have to settle for materials that have big-time negative impact on the planet. Here to help is the Green Materials Guide, over on our sister site, Planet Green, which has eight robust sections to help guide you through the process of finding green materials for every green project in your home.

Building Blocks

The building blocks for your home — those materials that make up the structure for your home — are often hidden beneath siding and drywall, but it can be one of the most important decisions you make when building or remodeling a home. Your decision will tempered by history, culture and climate, and it is not a simple choice. From highly engineered materials like structurally engineered panels, to materials used just as Mother Nature made them, like rammed earth, read all about the choices you have in the Green Materials Guide for Building Blocks.

Efficient Heating and Cooling

Efficient heating and cooling in your home has become all about throwing tons of energy at the problem of staying warm in the winter and cool in the summer, but efficient systems and smart designs can help cut back on energy while cranking up your comfort level. From old standbys like natural gas, to new favorites like pellet stoves, to cool green tech like solar (for heat and air conditioning), check out the Green Materials Guide for Heating and Cooling to help you heat and cool with green in mind.

Insulation for Green Building

Everyone knows the rolls of pink insulation, made popular by a certain big cat, but there’s a wide variety of green options out there, too. Proper insulation is one of the big keys to a green home, so, even though you don’t see it every day, it’s important to carefully consider the material that keeps heat in, and the cold out (and the other way around). Sure, the pink stuff is an option, but green materials as diverse as recycled denim and bio-based spray foam will do the job, too; read the Green Materials Guide for Building Insulation to learn about all the green materials to choose from.

Options for Green Windows

There are many different kinds of windows. Each operates in a different way, and each can serve a different function. All factors have an impact on how green your home is, and there are a lot of materials to consider to determine how green your windows are. From aluminum to vinyl to wood, casement to hopper to double hung (not to mention glazing and screening options), we’ve got all the window choices and materials covered. Read the to get started.Green Materials Guide for Flooring for the full story.

Green Flooring for your Home

Just because your flooring is underfoot doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay attention to what materials are there, and which green material choices are best for any given flooring situation. Whether you need flooring for high traffic areas, a modular option that can be partially replaced, or something that’ll wear beautifully for the life of your home, there’s a green flooring option out there, from bamboo to hardwood, cork to linoleum, carpet tiles to rammed earth. Read our

Green Kitchen Design Materials

Your kitchen is the heart of your home, so it follows that a lot of time, energy, and money gets spent on just that one room. A green kitchen goes from floor to ceiling — and the countertops and cabinets in between — and there’s a lot to think about. You need it to be functional, durable, and aesthetically pleasing, so check out the Green Materials Guide for Kitchen Design to learn how to marry all your needs with the best in green materials.

Bathroom Designs with Green Materials

Though bathrooms are often one of the smallest rooms in the house, there is no shortage of design decisions to make to maximize function, beauty, and sustainability. From the best bets for water conservation to the materials designed to stand up to the daily moisture exposure, all the info you need is in the Green Materials Guide for Bathrooms.

Green Wall Coverings

Deciding what goes on your walls can seem like an easy decision — solids vs. patterns, paint vs. wallpaper — but it can have a lot to do with the environmental health in your home. Green is much more than a paint color when it comes to wall coverings, but you’ll want to pick the right material for the right room, considering how long you want it to stay the same, and how it’ll wear over time. There’s a lot to think about; get started with our handy Green Materials Guide for Wall Coverings.

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