“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.

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Vegetation Blankets for Roof and Ground Covering

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Detroit – also referred to as “the city in ruins,” is shrinking.  Vast areas of land have remained unused and unwanted, and no one seems to be too interested in taking over – besides nature, that is.

New projects, however, have sprung up around the prospective ghost-town.  Taking advantage of vacant space, urban farming and organic gardening began to spread within the city.  As of August 2009, there were an estimated 875 urban gardens throughout the city.

Could Detrit become a self sustaining, green city?

More information on Detroit’s potential as a green city can be found at the following links:

• The Detroit Zen Center Turns Green Building into Green Jobs
• Green City Guide: Detroit
• Detroit’s Green Task Force

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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.

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It’s easy to finish construction of even the most environmentally sound building, and even easier to demolish one, without regard to the waste products of construction.  Astonishingly, building waste accounts for nearly HALF of all trash in landfills across the United States.  This can be quite easily avoided—and should be.

Salvaging and recycling materials from old construction projects is one of the most important steps in the green building movement.  To reduce landfill accumulation AND the need for raw materials…now that is green.   Fortunately, there has been an increase in material salvage services to sell and to take second hand building parts.  Habitat for Humanity is always looking for used home improvement goods.  Another option is to check out your local freecycle.com to buy and sell reclaimed materials!

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Trying to figure out how to heat your house without wasting energy? Try installing direct heat beneath the floorboards or in the wall panels.  Known as radiant heat due to its transmission of thermal energy from one object to another (i.e. heat flows from the floor directly to objects and people), this type of system is more efficient than traditional baseboard heating since much less heat energy is lost in the piping system.  The other environmental advantage of radiant heat is that it is often electrical or hydraulic, meaning that it is possible to use solar and wind generation to supply the energy.  No fuel burning necessary.

This method of heating usually involves pipes or coils in rows directly beneath the floor.  Of the three basic types of radiant heating systems (air, electric, and hydraulic), the hydraulic seems to be the most economically justifiable.  They are usually cheapest to install.   Moreover, water is thousands of times more efficient as a conductor than air is.  Make sure not to use copper piping, though.  PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) tubing is a much better alternative due to its high insulating qualities.   Install a solar hot water heating system on your roof to power your radiant heating, and you can reduce your energy usage even more.

Installing a radiant heating system can help qualify you for LEED credits for your new home or remodeling.   The Radiant Panel Association has been working with the US Green Building Council and National Association of Home Builders to promote the connection between energy efficiency, economics and the environment.   Besides increased efficiency, radiant heating systems also may reduce the materials needed for traditional ducts.   The Association also notes that people with severe allergies have a more comfortable lifestyle with radiant heating since there is no air coming out of ducts into your living spaces.

Efficiency is awesome.  Especially when it involves renewable energy.

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MIT is world-renowned for its pioneering role in sustainable technology, and boasts some of the best architecture and planning programs in the nation, and has a handful of LEED-certified buildings on its campus.

The Brain and Cognitive Science Center, completed in 2008, was awarded a LEED Silver rating; unlike the Sloan and Koch buildings that were planned from stage 1 to be green, it was an old building that was retrofitted to meet the highest standards in green design.  One of the project’s highlights is the conservation of water throughout the building.

The retrofit features a collection system that recycles rainwater that can be used in various applications throughout the building and landscaping.   Additionally, low-flow water fixtures were installed in all bathrooms and laboratories.  The Center also took a step outside of its own surroundings to address the preservation of the larger ecosystem by installing a comprehensive storm water management system to reduce the University’s impact on the Charles River.

Since 2007, M.I.T. has undertaken three more LEED-certified building projects.  Two of their buildings, the Stata Center and Simmons Hall, were green even before the LEED standard came about.  And the University started a Green Building Policy in 2001, before most schools were on board with the green movement.

Still, the Sustainable Endowments Institute “Green Report Card” gives the school an overall sustainability rating of B+.  In comparison, Harvard has achieved an A-.

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Thinking of the sprawling, materialistic metropolis of Las Vegas can send shivers up the spine of any environmental advocate: excessive water use, unsustainable urban planning, and unnatural buildings in the middle of a desert.  Over 50 green, manicured golf courses in an area that shouldn’t have one.  The ostentatious display of water flowing in monumental fountains, combined with a car-dependent population and enormous energy inefficient buildings, will leave anyone doubtful of sustainable developments in the building sector any time soon.

Yet new legislation is being considered in Las Vegas that will jumpstart the green building movement.  At least we hope.  As of March 2009, the debate continues over increasing tax credits for sustainable buildings throughout the state.  The outcome looks good, as stimulus funding is flowing from the federal government to jumpstart the green economy.    What’s more, the National Clean Energy Summit 2.0 was held in Las Vegas this past Monday, August 10th, a sign that things might be changing in this desert oasis.

Meanwhile, some developers have decided to take matters into their own hands by creating a 62- acre “eco-development.”   Spearheaded by MGM, the city’s new CityCenter is expected to be complete by the end of this year and perhaps become the nation’s largest LEED-certified project.  There is talk of other developers following suit.

The developers hope to reduce utility bills, decrease energy use, and foster a healthier environment for guests and employees.

The increased attention being paid to Las Vegas as a potential center for environmental leadership will help make green building mainstream.  While Nevada may lack water, it certainly does not lack sun.   As the National Clean Energy Summit leaders remarked, “Nevada has abundant clean energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, and efficiency technologies that could be developed to meet its future energy needs. The question is whether Nevadans—and all Americans—will shift to a clean energy economy.”

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So you’re building a new home, or adding an addition, and you want to pursue the most sustainable options available.   Surprisingly, soy and bio-based materials have recently been spotlighted by the green building industry as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional insulation like fiberglass.   Home and Garden TV recently featured a home being sprayed with white goop in between the 2-by-4s of the new walls that expands as it dries.  Soy insulation is apparently safer for human health and for the environment.  It might even cut back on the amount of wood needed for construction, as the substance’s insulating properties are so great.  And, as a biopolymer, soy won’t support the growth of mold or attract hungry critters living in your basement.

With bio-based building products, there is no risk of coming into contact with formaldehydes or VOCs (volatile organic compounds).  It has proven very effective for people with severe allergies. As far as energy efficiency, it has a high thermal insulation capacity to keep heating bills down and fewer resources used for energy generation.

The United Soybean Board is working hard to promote the application of soy in industrial and building projects.  Currently, BioBased Insulation is one of the leading manufacturers of the soy foam insulation that is used in new construction projects.  The product is sprayed on in liquid form, dries and expands up to 100 times its original size, completely filling in all holes and giving your home air-tight protection.

If you’re looking to build up LEED credits, the soy-foam insulation can count significantly towards your certification.  Apply it towards a number of different LEED categories: Energy Efficiency, Low-Emitting Materials, Rapidly Renewable Materials, or Innovation in Design.

Another word about safety—bio-based insulation is virtually fireproof.  It has a class I rating according to the National Fire Protection Association, meaning that it won’t go up in flames.

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Over the past few years we’ve been hit by a wave of new eco-friendly product labels, designed to help consumers pick out the most sustainable brands.  But in the long list of certifications, one of them stands out as the most comprehensive: Cradle to Cradle.

Pioneers in the realm of sustainable design and green building, architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart have started one of the most all-inclusive product certifications.  Made famous by their book by the same name, published in 2002, their entire approach to sustainability trumps all others because they envision products that can be entirely recycled or biodegraded at the end of their life cycle.

What’s more, a product can only be certified by Cradle to Cradle if the company adheres to principles of social justice in its relationship with employees and the community at large.   One of the founding principles of the C2C philosophy is that industry and the environment can be compatible; capitalism and ecological goals can and should work simultaneously in the new industrial age.   Waste does not need to exist.   Smart design is good for the planet, the people, and the economy.   They call it the New Industrial Revolution.

Cradle to Cradle has concentrated its efforts on certifying green building products, although one of its most recognized customers is the U.S. Postal Service, which uses paper and a manufacturing process that are incredibly sustainable.  Its green building companies include Steelcase, ACCO brands, TimberSIL Wood Products, Centria, Herman Miller Inc., and Eagle Corporation concrete products.  From small to large, companies the world over have to meet extremely rigorous qualifications to get this prestigious certification.

Take IceStone LLC, a Brooklyn-based company that manufactures countertops from reclaimed glass and operates by a triple-bottom line approach to business (people, profit, and planet).  What exactly did they have to do to get their Silver Cradle to Cradle product certification?  The five main categories in the criteria program are material health (i.e. no harmful chemicals), material reutilization (i.e. can it be recycled at the end of its lifecycle?), water usage in the manufacturing process, energy use, and social responsibility.  The company must generate or buy a significant portion of its energy from clean sources.  The water used in the industrial process must be limited to grey water systems and have strict chemical quality standards.

From a design standpoint, the material reutilization component is one of the most interesting and challenging; most companies haven’t received the Gold rating yet because designing for complete reintegration into the environment is something very new in industry.  Still, all Cradle to Cradle products like IceStone countertops have been given a thorough life-cycle analysis and take the environment into account at every step of the industrial process, from manufacturing to shipping to how well the company treats its employees.  Most eco-labels are not yet this comprehensive.

McDonough and Braungart have a special interest in materials and surfaces, from carpets to house siding.  Centria is a C2C-certified brand that specializes in roofing and siding materials.  Its innovative roof panels, for example, are not only made with recycled materials and meet the rigorous manufacturing qualifications, but their insulating capacities will increase the energy efficiency of the building they’re installed on.  The company’s EcoScreen products are perforated screen walls that provide air circulation and ventilation for indoor or outdoor applications.

Cradle to Cradle’s innovation in design, sustainability and industrial philosophy have helped it become recognized as one of the most comprehensive and prestigious certification systems available.

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