Green Housing Is Springing Up In Canada

Canadians have clearly expressed their interest in green housing as a second, $300 million sustainable development project is now underway in Quebec. The project, dubbed Cité Verte, will boast 800 residences starting at $350,000 and plans to cut water consumption by 50% and use 30% less energy. The community will employ several new green technologies to achieve this reduction such as: a biomass plant to convert wood waste into clean power for heating and hot water production as well as a series of vacuum-operated, color-coded waste chutes that suck material into a series of tubes to deposit waste into the appropriate waste, recycling, or compost bins. In addition to these innovations, Cité Verte will feature narrower streets to demote traffic, self-service bikes, green roofs, LED street lamps, solar panels and a basin to capture and recycle rain water.

This is the second project of its kind in Canada. The first was Dockside Green in Victoria’s Inner Harbour. Dockside Green was the first community development to apply for and achieve LEED Platinum certification and is completely carbon-neutral. The mixed residential, commercial and light industrial complex boasts several alternative energy solutions including, solar panels, building wind-turbines, a wood-based biomass gasification system, and the recovery of waste heat from municipal sewage. Additionally, the community has an on-site waste water treatment and re-use system that is estimated to save over 52 million gallons of potable water. With the addition of the 18 million gallons of non-potable water that has been treated and can be used for irrigation, flushing toilets, water features, or sold in excess, the community saves more water than Greater Victoria’s regional water use on the driest day of the year!

These innovative new housing developments are the beginnings of what is promised to be a long tradition in Canada. Canadians have expressed their interest in the projects with 82% of survey respondents claiming that they would be willing to invest more money in a home if it were certified green. Industry and government are responding to these trends, Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume claims, “We want green projects to become our trademark.” and has pledged to initiate two more green development projects within the next 20 years. With over 35% of greenhouse gas emissions coming from residential housing, Mark Hutchinson, director of the Green Buildings Programs for the Canada Green Building Council sees the potential growth in these kinds of developments, “There is a trend towards the greening of development, and green neighbourhoods are going to be the way of the future if we want to reduce substantially our environmental footprint”. These developments are a notable beginning of a long path to reducing the environmental load of residential housing.

Via $300 M Eco Neighborhood for Quebec, Green house takes on a new meaning, and Dockside Green.

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Looking For Ecological Solutions On A Residential Scale?

Here at Ecolect we often get inquires from home owners about what eco-friendly materials are best to use on residential architecture. In addition, many questions arise of available technologies, return on investment, and design solutions to make a home more efficient. Well, our friends at Planet Green have come up with a great guide for this topic. Their recommendations apply to current home owners, investment property owners, and even small changes for renters.

Have a look for yourself at planetgreen.discovery.com.

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Solé Tiles: An Integrated Solar Solution For Clay Tile Roofing

Solé Power Tiles are electricity-generating “barrel-style” tiles which can be installed in an integrated way with US Tile’s traditional clay tile roofing. The Solé Power Tiles install like a standard tile with no penetrations into the tile itself. The benefit to the consumer or developer is that the solar components are not readily visible.

Solar energy is a renewable alternative to power plants that burn fossil fuels, finite resources that contribute to pollution, global warming, as well as the reliance on imports for our energy security. Photovoltaic (PV) systems convert sunlight into electricity, powering everything from lamps to air conditioners in a residential or commercial building.

In PV systems, direct current (DC) electricity is produced. Appliances and machinery, however, operate on alternating current (AC). The DC energy produced by the panels is fed into an inverter that converts the DC power into AC power, which then feeds into the main electrical panel that powers a home or business. Any excess generation is fed back into the utility grid. Over a year, as a utility customer, your electricity bill is reduced by the energy you produce.

To learn more visit ustile.com and srsenergy.com.

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MIT Graduates Develop A Color-Changing Roof Tile

A team of recent MIT graduates has developed roof tiles that change color based on the temperature. The the tiles are white when the temperature is hot, allowing them to reflect away most of the sun’s heat. The reverse happens when the temperature is cold, they turn black to retain heat.

“The team’s lab measurements show that in their white state, the tiles reflect about 80 percent of the sunlight falling on them, while when black they reflect only about 30 percent. That means in their white state, they could save as much as 20 percent of present cooling costs, according to recent studies. Savings from the black state in winter have yet to be quantified.”

Read more at www.impactlab.com

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Weatherizing Buildings 101

Image via www.thebarrierinsulation.com

Did you know that in 2004 residential buildings in the United States used 21 percent of the nations energy consumption? The *2030 challenge demands that existing buildings reduce fossil-fuel dependence by 50 percent. Weatherization can help fight global warming by reducing the heating and cooling requirements of buildings. It involves building remodeling with the goal of improving energy performance. Weatherization can also be part of the triple bottom line by increasing the comfort of occupants and saving the planet while reducing energy costs. While energy savings can be achieved through new technologies such as solar panels or solar water heating systems, addressing energy saving through weatherization is a cost effective first step.

TOP 3 RENOVATIONS ESSENTIAL TO WEATHERIZATON

1. Seal the building envelope
Leaks in the building envelope can be located with the help of a weatherizing contractor. Air sealing techniques such as caulking or weather stripping can be utilized to seal doors and windows. Henkel OSI® GreenSeries™ is a low-VOC line of caulks and sealants capable of improving building performance at a minimal cost, while improving indoor air quality.

2. Insulate
Unnecessary heat loss can be avoided by adding insulation in attic areas. Cellulose spray insulation can be used on top of existing insulation or in exposed cavities. Nu-Wool Cellulose Insulation is made from recycled paper that would other wise end up in a landfill. It fills in gaps and voids better than other insulation materials. A project typically costs a few hundred dollars and is considered a great long term investment in terms of energy savings.

3. Reduce unwanted heat gain
Installing reflective roofs can reduce unwanted heat gain in the summer months. Energy Smart Roof is a highly reflective roof membrane that will reduce cooling costs attributed to heat island effect which can raise temperature 5 to 10 degrees This is likely the most expensive weatherization method costing thousands of dollars. However, a two year study done by the EPA **in Austin, Texas demonstrated a savings of 7.2 cents per square foot with a lifetime saving of $61,000 to $71,000.

All of the above mentioned products can be found in Ecolect Materials library.

*Buildings Energy Data Book, Chapter 2:1 http://buildingsdatabook.eren.doe.gov/TableView.aspx?table=2.1.1

**Study Proves White Thermoplastic Roof Saves Money http://www.sarnafilus.com//lbnl_study_r.htm

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Eco-Innovative Residences from a Rag Factory

Images from Onion Flats

A Philadelphia architecture firm, Onion Flats converted a rundown industrial site into a creative residential complex. Previously a collapsed and vacant dump site in Fishtown, Philadelphia, “Rag Flats” is the result of experimental exploration of local urban dwelling and energy efficiency.The Rag Flats exemplifies innovative conversion of historic buildings into modern living spaces. The site features a 6000 gallon cistern to store rainwater. Different scales of residential units reflect Onion Flats’ consideration of density, intimacy, and privacy in an urban community. The building features an individually metered, 32KW photovoltaic panel system, green roof gardens and earth friendly flooring.

Today, the Rag Flats established itself as a hub for the community, bringing people from the Southern Philadelphia and Fishtown together. Tenants and friends are able to enjoy parties and other events in this remarkable green space.

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Utilizing The Urban Forest (Fallen Trees = Lumber)

When a tree falls in the city, where does it go? More than likely, it is made into firewood or mulch, but it could be utilized as hardwood lumber thereby saving old growth trees and forests. These trees fall for various reasons ranging from storms, old age, insects or construction, but we could use this lumber for furniture, building, cabinets, and even paper products.
According to Stephen Bratkovich, a forest products specialist with the USDA Forest Service, using these trees could satisfy 30 percent of the country’s hardwood needs. Really all we need is someone to mill them into lumber. Bruce and Erica Horigan have a mill, Horigan Urban Forest Products, just North of Chicago and say “we are committed to the environment by reducing the number of trees removed from the forest, the amount of fuel consumed for transportation, and the amount of carbon that is released into the atmosphere by sequestering it as hardwood lumber. ”


The wood produced is very beautiful, has character, and the user knows exactly where it came from. This chair was made from an Ash tree that was infested with the dreaded Emerald Ash Borer, a wood eating beetle. Also recently, a synagogue in Evanston, IL used the maple trees cut down in construction for the new building.

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Humboldt Squids Inspire New, Environmentally Friendly Composite Materials

All squid species have protein-based teeth which are lightweight and tough. Scientists are looking to use this material to make products which are environmentally friendly as it’s an organic compound. They anticipate it being somewhat inexpensive to manufacture as the reactions involved in making squid teeth don’t require temperature extremes, exotic ingredients or harsh chemicals. The shells of clams and oysters, squid beaks, and exoskeletons of shrimp and lobsters are made of proteins and minerals in crystallized form. In the structures of shells and exoskeletons, crystals are the strength provider while the proteins acts as shock absorbers. It turns out that the circular teeth which are found in Humboldt Squids, don’t contain any crystals which was a big surprise to many scientists.

Through Biomimicry, biological adaptations have been playing an increasing role in helping designers, engineers, architects, and business leaders solve sustainable design and engineering challenges (see AskNature.org). In this case, scientists were intrigued by the architecture of the squids teeth, realizing the potential to use the same design in environmentally friendly composites. The basic principal is that the teeth are made from a mono-material with variations in the density and spacing of the pores at points in the structure of the teeth. At and near the base of the tooth, scientists found the pores to be closer together, making for a material which was softer and able to absorb the thrashing of the prey without breaking.

Via Discovery.com

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