Will DOW Set a New Standard with Styrofoam-A?

A new insulating foam from Dow, called Styrofoam-A, is helping the U.K. construction industry meet the high standards of the Government-mandated Code for Sustainable Homes Global Warming Potential (GWP), within the categories of Energy Efficiency, Materials and Waste.  How can a material like Styrofoam be “green”, you ask?.  In an interesting example of the potential for carbon dioxide sequestration, recycled as well as naturally occurring Carbon dioxide is employed as a blowing agent to form the ubiquitous light blue extruded foam segments one sees on many construction sites.  Like its less-green predecessor, the foam maintains the properties of lightness, rigidity, water resistance and superior cell density which make it such an effective insulator, certainly a plus as British standards for energy efficient structures become ever more stringent.  An additional benefit of the foam is that it is 100% recyclable, which aids in keeping a construction site and and overall project, more sustainable.

Dow

Code for Sustainable Homes Global Warming Potential (GWP)

How to Make a Home Out of Shipping Containers

(Image courtesy of City Center Lofts)

Soon to rise up in the heart of one of Salt Lake City’s historic districts, is a condo project called City Center Lofts, designed by architect Adam Kalkin, to be the first mid-rise building in the U.S. built from international shipping containers.  In the mode of many European architects, Kalkin has experience designing a number of luxury as well as affordable homes out of shipping containers, and he is employing his expertise to help make this residential project one of the greenest in the State of Utah.  Taking a wholistic approach, the project team is focusing on sustainable site development, water conservation, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor air quality.  The main green features within the building will be natural ventilation; no or low-VOC paints, sealants and adhesives; a high efficiency air-to-air heat exchanger and HEPA filtration; low-E windows; on-demand hot water heaters; a green roof; on-site bicycle storage; and most notably, construction from 50% recycled materials by weight, which is no small feat.  Another factor making City Center Lofts so progressive is that its central location makes it so pedestrian friendly, allowing residents convenient access to numerous neighborhood amenities as well as public transportation.

Please visit City Center Lofts for more information.

Meet the ReUse People of America

As their Mission Statement articulates, “The ReUse People of America reduces the solid waste stream and changes the way the built environment is renewed by salvaging building materials and distributing them for reuse.”  With headquarters in Oakland, CA, and a number of branches throughout the country, TRP is busy spreading the word about salvaging the overwhelming amount of materials from construction sites, in an effort to minimize waste flow to landfills.  Begun in the immediate aftermath of catastrophic floods in Tijuana, Mexico in April, 1993, with the help of San Diego and Tijana government and business leaders, the firm set out to provide over 400 tons of donated material to help rebuild devastated communities.  Once they acquire materials from construction sites, The ReUse People of America will then either sell them to customers at one of their facilities, or donate them to Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity.  The company also offers demolition services for homeowners, whereby one may acquire tax deductions based on the overall value of salvaged materials, and provides online inventories of available materials according to location at regional TRP warehouses.

Please visit The ReUse People of America for more information.

How Lilypad Cities May Save Future Climate Change Refugees

Looking like something out of an Arthur C. Clark novel, the Lilypad is a large-scale ecotectural concept designed by Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut, for housing the potential future victims (50,000 within each structure) of climate change in coastal areas. From Callebaut’s description of his intention on his website, it is quite clear that he takes seriously the many predictions of mass migration away from worldwide coastal zones following inundation by the potentially catastrophic rise of sea levels brought on by polar and glacier melting. Although such a dire scenario is not inevitable if the powers that be band together to stave off the seemingly relentless rise in CO2 levels, Callebaut is one architect who doesn’t want to wait and see until it’s too late.

Aside from their sheer aesthetic beauty, the self-sustaining Lilypads incorporate the latest (in some cases not yet feasible) approaches in clean technology and aquaculture. From rainwater purifying lakes, undulating solar roof panels, and wind turbines, to a tidal power station and CO2-absorbing titanium dioxide exoskeleton, the structures offer a well-thought out approach in how to incorporate complex technologies within a dynamic community. Some may say this concept is so far reaching and grand in scope to deem it wishful thinking, however its incredible potential suggests that bold thinkers like Callebaut, may indeed help the world come up with remarkable solutions to the daunting challenges which lie before us. With the introduction of his Lilypad concepts, he has surely gotten people thinking about his dynamic vision of things to come.

For more information, please visit Vincent Callebaut Architectures.

A Green Home Comes to Unst

No one said building a carbon-neutral house would be easy, so to build one in the often harsh conditions of Unst (100 mph winter winds!), the northern most island in the Shetlands, is a remarkable achievement indeed. Having retired from their former lives in Wiltshire, in Southwestern England, Michael and Dorothy Rea set out to design and build a house on the island that would be completely self sufficient or “off the grid”, incorporating renewable energy principles not uncommon to many of the innovative people inhabiting some of the remote islands off the Scottish coast. These include solar panels and wind turbines for power generation, a natural underfloor ventilation and heating system, a hydroponic greenhouse for vegetables, extensive reuse of rainwater throughout the house, and an effort to run the lights on no more than 100 Watts, through the aid of LED bulbs. The University of Delaware is even refitting an electric engine into a Toyota Yaris, which will be re-charged from power provided by the house itself.

It is no surprise that the house is fast becoming famous within the green building world, even garnering the attention of the Chinese Government for their planned eco-community in Guangzhou. With their Zero Carbon House Project, the Rea’s are demonstrating that homes can be built to have no negative emissions, and their website offers a number of ways to follow their progress, as well as many resources to learn about green building, alternative energy principles and technologies, and the many notable sponsors who have assisted in the process. You can even contact the Rea’s directly, so they seem to be making every effort to maintain a high level of transparency throughout the project. As Dorothy Rea exclaimed to the Guardian, “If we can do this here, anyone can do it anywhere”, so let’s hope that more homeowners take the sentiment to heart, and aspire to build their own zero-emission homes in communities throughout the world.

Please watch Living off the grid: Zero-carbon house from The Guardian for more information