Every year, as the calendar turns over, a host of new regulations take effect. In California, January 1, 2011 marked the introduction of CALGreen, the California green building code. The California government has produced a guide to CalGreen, which I found informative:
“The 2010 California Green Building Standards Code is…….. Click to Read the rest.
I have been amazed at the immediate interest generated by the International Green Construction Code (IGCC).
Chris Cheatham, To offer free webinar, The Reality of Implementing Green Building Codes Wed, Feb 23rd. 2pm EST. Despite the fact that the IGCC is still in its infancy, there are a number of states and municipalities closely studying it for adoption. We have already discussed Rhode Island’s adoption of IGCC for public buildings. More significantly, legislation was introduced in Maryland just a few days ago to allow statewide adoption of the IGCC.
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Decrying the high cost of “optimization” of development in a lean time, Andres Duany called for a return to common sense development principals that harken back to the 19th Century and predicted declining use of the LEED standards for building efficiency.
Speaking at the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference here, Duany took aim at one of the banes of the modern developer’s existence: excessive regulation of development, particularly the high cost of certification of buildings under the U.S. Green Building Council’s ……………. Click to read more.
– Dow Polyglycols, Surfactants and Fluids (PS&F), a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, today announced the introduction of DOWFROST(TM) GEO 20 heat transfer fluid. DOWFROST(TM) GEO 20 is a ready-to-use, inhibited propylene glycol-based fluid specially formulated for geothermal heat pump systems. Nicole Gorsuch, NAA Marketing Manager for Low Temperature Thermal Fluids, said the new geothermal fluid complements Dow’s existing line of heat transfer fluids for………… Click to read more.
Colombian tropical town Villanueva’s popular library is an example of non pretentious architecture gone right. Projected by Alejandro Piñol, Germán Ramírez, Miguel Torres and Carlos Meza, it was built with local materials and workers (some former members of guerrilla groups), low budget, and designed to adapt harmoniously with the surroundings, need low maintenance and provide great indoor weather.
The building -via Plataforma Arquitectura- is made of two different volumes: a big one containing the actual library on the first floor and other services such as theater, offices, toilets in the second; and a side corridor that acts like a public plaza.
Each volume is constructed with different materials: the big one with blocks of stones collected from a neighboring riviera, and the second with pine wood from a sustainably managed forest. Both are permeable, allowing natural ventilation to get in.
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Heat your home by throwing a dinner Party? This concept may sound bizarre, but it’s feasible in cutting-edge green homes that are so well-insulated, they don’t need a furnace or boiler. They’ll stay warm simply with body heat. A hairdryer might also suffice.
The windows never feel cold, nor do the concrete floors, even though they don’t have in-floor heating, says Joe Turner of his “passive” home in Salt Lake City. “The house is also super quiet.” ……….. Click Here to read more.
