“Green Building” can mean more than just building environmentally-friendly or energy-efficient structures – clean energy and green techniques can also be used during the construction process itself. This videos show how 150 construction workers in Binghamton, New York are on the job without a single conventional generator in use. Instead, their entire project is powered by wind and solar energy systems. Needless to say, the final products of their work will be energy efficient as well.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Green Construction with Wind and Solar Energy.

Additional posts you may be interested in:

• Straw Bale Construction (0)
• Solar Energy Payback (0)
• Las Vegas to Promote Green Building? (0)

From the Ground up, by a Single Mom

This is a great video from a single mom who built her own straw bale home for $50,000 while working still full time and living on the land.  She gives some excellent advice here for anyone who is considering building their own straw bale home, from labor, to coding, to construction.

She also has a great website, HouseOfStraw.com, which I definitely recommend to anyone who is considering straw bale construction for their home, or sustainable green building in general.  You will find great information, from someone who has been through it all.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Straw Bale Construction.

Additional posts you may be interested in:

• Sustainable Suite Design Competition (0)
• Soybeans for your Home? Bio-based Insulation (1)
• SIPs: Strong and Sustainable (0)

Establishing and utilizing a home greenhouse is an excellent way to save money on groceries, follow a healthier and more nutritious diet, conserve on energy, and help the environment at the same time. But greenhouses don’t grow on trees – they have to be built. Not all of us have a professional builder in the family, or the budget to hire a specialist.

This is where greenhouse kits come in handy. If you aren’t looking for elaborate design but you need a basic and simple greenhouse for home use, this is a great way to get started without a large investment of time or money.

Greenhouse kits vary widely in cost and design. A very simple and economical variety can be found for under $40.00 or $50.00. This small greenhouse might consist of nothing more than a 2 foot square fabric tent where you can house a few plants and extend their growing season.

In this price-range, you can also find a basic enclosure system for a greenhouse, which will provide the framework and support that can then be covered in the material of your choice.

Moving up the line, you can find a more serious set-up for anywhere between $400 and $900, which includes either fabric or glass walls, and provides enough space to grow a full set of vegetables or other plants. Larger greenhouses, from 10 to 20 square feet in size, cost a few thousand dollars. But this might still be far simpler than building the entire structure on your own.

Once you’ve found and purchased the greenhouse kit that’s right for you, you will need to assemble it yourself, just as you would with any other kit. But you will have step-by-step instructions and all the parts you need, cut and sized to fit, and tested by the manufacturers.

While setting up a greenhouse requires an investment of time and money, you should be able to recoup your investment over time, providing that you actually use your greenhouse. The amount of money that can be saved by growing one’s own food is easy to underestimate – particularly where large families are concerned.

Growing food inside a greenhouse is extroverting, fun, and educational. It can make it possible for you to grow foods at all times of year, instead of being limited to certain seasons.  It can be very frustrating to go out and buy gardening equipment and seeds, only to get so busy with work that by the time you are ready to work on your garden, it is too late in the year.

A greenhouse can give you the extra leeway you need, and make it possible to have fresh home-grown vegetables year-round. It might also make it possible for you to grow the plants which normally wouldn’t grow in your region at all. Such as – who knows, habaneros in Montana?

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Greenhouse Kits.

Additional posts you may be interested in:

• Three Types of Roof Garden (0)
• Vegetation Blankets for Green Roofing and More (2)
• Vegetation Blankets (0)

Pearly white molding neatly lining the ceiling and floors—a classic interior decorating touch that we all know and love.  Most homeowners choose different types of wood, painted white, for their molding in their new homes—and why wouldn’t they?  That has been the only option . . . until now, that is.  We now have a new product that looks identical to wood, but has recycles wasted materials—Introducing recycled styrofoam molding.

Post-consumer cups and packaging materials are now being transformed into elegant pieces of molding.   The process involves melting down the slew of white fluffy stuff into a near-liquid that settles in molds as long, solid pieces.  According to some estimates, polystyrene (the technical name for Styrofoam) waste products make up nearly a quarter of the trash in landfills. Now all of the styrofoam that comes with a new computer that aren’t traditionally recycled can actually be broken down into smaller parts and recast as totally new products.

The best part about a wood-alternative like styrofoam?  The light weight molding requires no fancy equipment like hammers and nails or saws and sandpaper.  All you need is some caulk, and the molding should stay adhered to your ceiling or wall for upwards of 30 years.  What’s more, the product is typically less expensive than wood.  Don’t you love it when the small changes you make to green your home are good for the environment, and your wallet.

For more information about the recycling process, check out PlanetGreen’s interview video with Todd Sutton.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Recycled Styrofoam Molding.

Additional posts you may be interested in:

• Sustainable Suite Design Competition (0)
• Straw Bale Construction (0)
• Recycling #2 . . . And I’m Not Talking Plastic (0)

You already know why utilizing solar energy to power your home is an awesome decision:  it reduces the need for nonrenewable oil, diminishes greenhouse gas pollutants, and ultimately puts money in your pocket by not being dependent on the utility provider.

Unfortunately, solar panels are like hybrid vehicles: right now most owners are those who have dispensible income and and a concern about the environment.  Installing a photovoltaic system (in Greek, “photo” means sun and voltaic refers to power) for the eventual monetary gains is usually not the primary reason people go solar—for most people its more about the environment than anything.   The average time period for making back the money you put into the installation is about 10 years, depending on the system size and the state you live in.

But here’s the key:  right now most states have incredible public incentive programs that you should absolutely take advantage of.  Federal stimulus money has boosted these programs, yet the real spur is the changing attitude among planners and politicians who finally see the need for a renewable energy future.  States are drafting plans that mandate the use of a certain percentage of renewable energy within the next five or ten years and there is real momentum in the political arena to encourage citizens to install photovoltaic systems on their homes.

In New York State, for example, the NYS Research and Development Authority is responsible for administering funds to homeowners, businesses, and municipalities.  If your application is accepted (which in most cases is almost guaranteed), then your incentive package can cover up to 50% of your total installation cost.  On top of that, you can get up to $5,000 in federal tax credits!  Municipalities and non-profits have slightly better incentives than homeowners and businesses, yet they are all quite substantial.

What are the limitations for solar incentives from NYSERDA?   For residential applications, you cannot get funding for any system larger than 10 kw.   That’s okay though, since the average American home doesn’t usually require a system much bigger than that.

But should you procure a system that covers your buildings entire energy load?  That depends.  You must have enough available roof space with no shading issues.  However, you can always get a ground mount if you have ample space in your yard.  It is more economically and environmentally effective to go for the larger system, but keep in mind your incentives probably have a cap.

One reason that homeowners might choose to install a system that covers their whole load and then some, is that you can sell back excess energy to the grid.  That’s right, with net metering, if you generate more than you use, the utility company pays you.   In most cases, you cannot have a grid-tied system that produces more than 110% of your load, so the utility does have some discretion.

A few more reasons to take advantage of such incentives: You will rarely have to maintain or clean your panels (maybe once a year, or if they’re accessible in the winter to brush off the snow) and most come with at least a 30 year warranty. They’re virtually indestructible.   The only cost to you is the initial installation price, which varies but on average is in the $10,000 to $50,000 range for an average homeowner.  Remember, with state and federal incentives, that number can be cut in half.  Incentive money does run out, so plan accordingly.  Solar installation is easier than every before and is on its way to becoming mainstream as people recognize the benefits.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Solar Energy Payback.

Additional posts you may be interested in:

• The US-China Clean Energy Research Center (0)
• The Net Zero Energy Home (3)
• Biomimicry Lets Nature Take the Lead (2)

Maximizing energy efficiency starts with large south-facing windows, which help to naturally heat your home in the winter and keep it cool in the summer.    Also known as passive solar design, this is a key element in new homes that are working towards zero carbon emissions. Natural sunlight controls temperatures and also reduces your building’s lighting requirements and can therefore cut back on your electricity bill.

But what if you have an existing non-south-facing home and you want similar effects?

While retrofitting existing buildings to utilize passive solar design tends to be difficult, there are some easy ways to capitalize on small changes.

• When possible, retrofit your home with skylights to allow natural light to penetrate.
• Replace your existing windows with double-paned glass.  This prevents heat loss during the winter and keeps out the heat during the summer.
• To keep your home cool during summer months, install awnings or low-emissivity blinds over windows.
• Plant deciduous trees on the southern and western sides of your home.   They’ll shield the sun in the summer, and with the loss of leaves in the fall and winter will still allow light to access your windows.
• Really take advantage of the sun:  install a solar hot water system to heat your hydraulic radiant floor!

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at South-Facing is Best—But What If My Home Is Already Built?.

Additional posts you may be interested in:

• The Net Zero Energy Home (3)
• Can the average person really afford to build green? (0)
• Should I Use Earthen Plaster: the Pros and Cons (0)

Okay, toilet talk probably isn’t your favorite topic. When you think about the fact that the average American wastes 7,665 gallons of water each year just flushing the toilet—suddenly toilet talk raises to the level of appropriate and relevant conversation.

I remember seeing compost toilets out in the middle of a national park. It made sense there and I was willing to do my part by tossing in a handful of compost material after I finished my visit to the outhouse. But there are several versions of these no-water, environmentally-friendly toilets available for purchase and home installation.

What is a composting toilet?

A toilet which use little or no water and treats toilet wastes on-site for reuse as valuable compost.

How do they work?

Composting toilets use “oxygen loving-bacteria present in human waste to do the work.” They do not require water hook-ups and they let nature’s decomposition process reduce waste by about 90 percent. With the proper installation and equipment, there is no odor, nor do you have to use bugs or worms to aid the process.

A composting toilet can be used just like a regular toilet. The biggest difference is that you toss in a scoop of compost mix after each use—instead of flushing. You do have to empty the compost tray occasionally, but you are emptying environment-enhancing composted soil. There are many different designs of composting toilets, but all carry out this basic process of aerobic decomposition.

There is a free on-line book entitled The Humanure Handbook. It probably is in the category of “too much information,” but if you’re serious about the specific workings of composting toilets—this may be the book for you. Another excellent resource is the “Composting Toilets Systems Book” that gives you info and options for not only composting toilets, but for installation of greywater systems as well.

What do they cost?

Many individuals make their own very inexpensive versions. There are several companies that make compost toilets that won’t leave you yearning for the “olden days” of flush toilets. They are good looking and highly functional. They started at about $1500 and go up to about $3000, but that is a drop in the bucket compared to installing a septic system or a city-wide sewer system. When you start calculating water savings (each American spends about $30 a year just on toilet water) and the positive environmental impact (no waste, just a usable end product), composting toilets become a very attractive option.

Are they approved by health authorities and do they meet building codes?

Check with your municipality. If you have access to a city sewer system, you’ll need to ask a lot of questions. Some municipalities allow them—those who are well-informed and have experience with composting toilets. In areas where there is no sewer system available and water is limited, there is usually no problem. Some building codes require, at a minimum, that the septic system be installed and then you can install your composting toilet —a ridiculous waste of money, I know. There are many individuals and organizations working to change these outdated, environmentally unsound building codes and requirements. Perhaps you can be the first in your area to help educate and get the changes made.

The final word

If you only trust government recommendations, then you’ll want to visit the EPA’s “Water Efficiency Technology Fact Sheet: Composting Toilets.” It’ll give you some history as well as the pros and cons of owning a composting toilet.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Recycling #2 . . . And I’m Not Talking Plastic.

Additional posts you may be interested in:

• What color is your roof? (0)
• Vegetation Blankets for Green Roofing and More (2)
• Three Types of Roof Garden (0)

I have already mentioned many of the newly emerging technologies from the field of biomimicry , but the building technologies developing from the simplest of creatures, the sea sponge,  deserve particular attention.

The most notable of sponge-inspired buildings is architect Norman Foster’s creation in London, the Swiss Re Tower.  The Swiss Re not only uses a unique system of three-way lattice beams much like a sponge’s exoskeleton, but a network of shafts and holes through its many floors replicates the filtration and circulation system sponge’s depend on for survival.  This unique ventilation system has allowed the building to run on half the energy costs of a typical building its size.

This is just the beginning. Sea sponges, which make incredibly durable structures out of the most flimsy and flexible of materials, hold unfound potential for influencing our building practices.  According to a scientist Joanna Aizenberg at Bell Labs, a sponge is a “textbook lesson in mechanical engineering, offering valuable knowledge that could lead to new concepts in materials science and engineering design.”  Efficient construction practices and more durable buildings mean less waste, which means greener building practices

For example, the Euplectella sponge uses a complex lattice of glass beams to create its amazing strength. With spiral-patterned ridges along the outer wall structure where they get too wide, sponges naturally defy a problem designers already acknowledge causes collapse when cylindrical-shaped buildings are too wide.   There is said to be seven different levels of structural hierarchy in this sponge.  True architectural integrity. The Aizenberg Biomineralization and Biomimetics Lab out of Harvard is now studying this sponge to build highly durable fibers out of glass and organic glue.

Additionally, the Euplectella and other glass sponges are composed of the strongest glasses on Earth, or anywhere else as far as we know.  These sponges are now under study in order to discover the science necessary to produce an unbreakable glass.

Who knew a creature most people don’t even consider a creature held the key to revolutionize building practices.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Sponges Provide Inspiration for Eco-Design.

Additional posts you may be interested in:

• Biomimicry Lets Nature Take the Lead (2)

How does a $0 electric bill sound?  Read on to find out about homes that earn their keep.

A net zero energy home produces its own electric power and is efficient enough that it actually produces more than it consumes, resulting in no overall electric cost.  These models of efficiency are not just limited to new construction.  Older buildings can often be upgraded to peak efficiency.  With the addition of renewables, they become net zero energy buildings.

In the middle of winter, even the most efficient home will consume more energy than it can produce from a rooftop solar system.  This is where the grid intertie comes into play. The net zero energy home pulls from the grid at times of low energy production and pours energy back into the grid during times of high production.

Many of the net zero energy homes touted in the media top $1 million dollars, leading the rest of us to believe that we’ll just need to slog along with our polluting energy sources.  Not so.  Ideal Homes of Norman, Oklahoma, constructed a zero energy home featuring geothermal energy and photovoltaics for under $200,000.  Net zero energy is far more about smart efficiency and balance than it is about the price tag.

A net zero energy home doesn’t have to have all the sexiest, trendiest green products available.  In fact, it can be quite simple.    The first step in turning an ordinary home into a Net Zero Energy home is tightening up–mainly through insulation and high quality windows and doors.  Then the focus is turned on energy efficiency within the home, namely appliances and lighting.  The third step is the addition of renewables, like solar electric and hot water systems.

You can take your first step toward net zero efficiency today by doing something as simple as insulating your hot water tank and making sure all your lightbulbs are compact fluorescent.  A new energy-efficient refrigerator is far cheaper than a photovoltaic system but will have a significant and immediate impact on your electric consumption.  Incremental steps over time will yield an impressive cumulative effect.

What if you’re designing a new home?  Keep in mind the benefits of passive solar orientation and thermal mass.  Thermal mass like a concrete slab or masonry stove will keep your interior temperature stable, while southern exposure allows you to make the most of the sun’s heat and light. Design your own or find plans at http://www.zero-energyplans.com.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at The Net Zero Energy Home.

Additional posts you may be interested in:

• South-Facing is Best—But What If My Home Is Already Built? (0)
• Solar Energy Payback (0)
• Green Flooring Options (4)

Saves you and the environment some green

Rainwater harvestingis “the process of intercepting storm-water runoff and putting it to beneficial use.”  Pretty simple concept.  Oddly enough, it is illegal in some states.   The Colorado legislature, in its 2009 session, legalized rainwater harvesting for residents with private wells.  Other states and municipalities are in the process of changing their laws.  You’ll need to do a little research to determine what is lawful in your state.  Whatever the case, I don’t think the police are going to show up at your door if you choose to harvest rainwater.

Why would I want to harvest rainwater anyway?

According to the EPA, a homeowner can save 1,300 gallons of water a month.  That will help with your water bills or reduce stress on your well.  You can use the water in your evaporative coolers, to water plants, your lawn, your pets or livestock.  It reduces your carbon footprint by saving on electricity to pump water and then deliver it to your home.   Besides, it simply makes good sense to have water stored to guard against times of drought or emergency.

So I’m building or rebuilding a home and want to incorporate this.  How?

You can begin by designing your home, buildings, and surrounding landscape to maximize the amount of rainwater catchment.   You can do it like Jerry Brock of Monte Sereno, California and use four gravity-fed 5,000 gallon tanks.  Or, there are companies like Rain Harvesting Systems (RHS) that specialize in elaborate and wonderful systems for your home or commercial building.

You can do it like people have been doing it for thousands of years—with some type of cistern.   Cisterns, now, aren’t some Biblical clay container thing , but are usually some type of composite plastic.  Here are some links to places you can buy one and also some “do it yourself” harvesting systems.

http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?cat=187

http://www.rain-barrel.net/category/rainwater-harvesting

http://www.ehow.com/how_5126202_harvest-rain-water.html

http://www.off-grid.net/2009/06/20/how-to-harvest-rainwater/

Bottom line:  it can be as simple as putting a big bucket out under your rain gutter and using the water for dry spots on your lawn.   Get an elaborate rainwater harvesting system or get a container with a cover (keeps mosquitoes from breeding and slows evaporation) and do your part to help your budget and your planet.

This article was first published on Build and Rebuild. To continue reading, please view the original post at Rainwater Harvesting.

Additional posts you may be interested in:

• Vegetation Blankets (0)
• Sustain Your Sustainable Landscape With Mulch (2)
• White Roofs? (2)