Haiku Ceiling Fan: Quiet & Efficient
Big Ass Fan recently debuted the Haiku, a ceiling fan they deem as the quietest and most energy efficient fan in the world .
Blog
- March
18
2012 - 2061
- 0
- March
- March
18
2012 - 1973
- 0
Gorgeous Norwegian Outdoor Fireplace Combines Reuse with Local Traditions
There’s nothing quite like gathering around a crackling fire out of doors, and it’s easily argued that modern homo sapiens spends far too little time around this primal element. This simple, cozy but elegant fireplace dome by Norwegian firmHaugen/Zohar Arkitekter — built for children in a residential neighborhood — is one place that will get people quickly re-acquainted with a timeless and universal tradition.
- March
- March
18
2012 - 2759
- 0
Skip the Laundry Room: Portable Washers & Drying Racks Renters Solutions
We’ve all faced it at one time or another. You walk into the laundry room, fully weighted down with a bulging basket of dirty clothes, only to discover that every machine is being used … and there’s a queue of other baskets stacked up next to it. Skip the laundry room, head back to the comfort of your apartment and freshen your clothes with these portable washers and drying racks.
- March
- March
18
2012 - 1439
- 0
How to Slash Domestic Gas Consumption by a Factor of Five
How to Slash Domestic Gas Consumption by a Factor of Five OilPrice.com Below is a plot of temperature within our house over the course of 8 days in late December, 2011. Except for the “experiment” on Christmas (day 359–360), the house went along its usual, passive undulation. The average inside (blue) temperature ..
- March
- March
18
2012 - 1671
- 0
10 ways to save water in commercial buildings – Consulting-Specifying Engineer
10 ways to save water in commercial buildings Consulting-Specifying Engineer Commercial rainwater harvesting systems (see Figure 5) can be a viable option for owners and designers where a building with a large roof area also requires a high demand for nonpotable water. Again, this is based on the …..
- March
- February
18
2012 - 1659
- 0
Alley Flat Initiative fits small, green homes into unexpected places – CultureMap Austin
You probably don’t spend much time in Austin’s alleys — those unpaved no-man’s-lands that bisect city blocks. You might store your garbage bins in the one behind your house. You might take an occasional shortcut through one. But if you’re a law-abiding citizen, you probably don’t see Austin’s alleys as full of opportunity.
But that’s exactly what the Alley Flat Initiative does; they view alleys as a solution to Austin’s lack of affordable housing. When you think of affordable housing, you might envision overcrowded apartment complexes or new tract homes on the outskirts of town. Instead, the Alley Flat Initiative tucks small, single-family homes behind the existing main house on large lots in central East Austin. The second house, accessed via the alley, is highly sustainable and earmarked for residents who
- February
- February
18
2012 - 1707
- 0
Is Sustainable Home Construction Booming? It Depends Who You Calling Sustainable.
With the construction industry still recovering in the U.S., companies offering “green” services may be able to set themselves apart and grow business faster, according to a survey conducted by McGraw Hill Construction.
In 2011, green builds in the residential sector made up 17 percent of construction, totaling $17 billion in economic activity. And the value of the residential green building market is expected to grow fivefold by 2016, taking up to 38 percent of the market and representing $87 billion to $114 billion.
McGraw Hill defines a green building as “one built to LEED standards, an equivalent green building certification program, or one that incorporates numerous green building elements across five category areas: energy efficiency, water efficiency, resource efficiency, responsible site management and improved indoor air quality.”
- February
- February
18
2012 - 1977
- 0
Learning Thermostat
Nest Labs. The Nest Learning Thermostat monitors homeowner behaviors and preferences to create a customized heating and cooling schedule. It learns residents’ personal schedules in a week and automatically adjusts heating or cooling when the home is vacant to save energy. An Energy History function shows how much energy has been saved. In addition, users can change the temperature, adjust their schedule, and check energy usage via laptop or
- February
- February
18
2012 - 2087
- 0
Happy Birthday Thomas Alva Edison. You Were Right About Direct Current After All
Everybody is mad about Nikola Tesla these days, claiming that he was a greater inventor than Edison. They even name cars after him. Certainly, Tesla was a genius; he and Westinghouse won the first round of the Current wars, and most of the world has been using alternating current for the last century. But Thomas Alva Edison had something to celebrate on his 165th birthday this weekend; He lost that first battle, but has won the war. It’s like William Gibson said; The future is here, it’s just not very evenly distributed. Five years ago, when I first said Edison was right, I got pounded in the comments, but now the evidence is incontrovertible, and even that car with Tesla’s name on it runs on DC.
- February
- February
18
2012 - 1890
- 0
Study shines a light on builders’ risk when pursing LEED
A new study says that some LEED credits might carry an additional risk of worker injury of up to 41%. The study, published by the Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering Department at the University of Colorado Boulder, used empirical data to support their finding that a number of LEED credit carry substantial risks. The results might be a little frightening.
The UCB professor behind the study says that his interest was piqued when he saw statistics that suggest worker injury occurs up to 50% more on LEED projects. Instead of making a case study out of this interesting statistic, the professor elected to craft an empirical examination, using data collected from a wide sample of LEED projects. The study looks at each credit in the LEED system, comparing it to traditional construction. For example – sustainable( living) roofing v. traditional (fabric sealed) roofing.
- February
- February
18
2012 - 1742
- 0
Unique Habitat For Humanity Home Boasts Ultra-Energy Savings
Unique Habitat For Humanity Home Boasts Ultra-Energy Savings WPTZ The Champlain Valley By Jill Glavan CHARLOTTE, Vt. — The final of three homes built by Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity in Charlotte is completed and leaders say the ultra-energy efficient model is already catching on
- February
- February
18
2012 - 2991
- 0
Green wall system saves energy, increases air-cleaning efficiency
The Active Phytoremediation Wall System is a modular system of pods, housing hydroponic plants. Its main purpose is to encourage airflow and contribute to the quality of life through its air cleaning capacities. The project is a result of a collaborative research between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
It is a bio-mechanical hybrid system that produces ‘fresh air’ from within buildings, thereby reducing the energy consumption. Because the plants’ roots are exposed, instead of being buried in soil, the plants’ air-cleaning capacity increases by 200 to 300 percent. The pods themselves are made from vacuum-formed plastic, and the form allows the maximum amount of air to reach the root rhizomes while using the minimum amount of material. It also creates a beautiful base for the plants.- February
- February
18
2012 - 1568
- 0
Manhattan Architect Lives & Works in 78 Sq. Ft Apartment (Video)
In this surprisingly small space, one young architect adapts by designing and building his own custom transformer furniture.
We’ve seen many ingenious ideas being put into small and efficient spaces in order to make them work. But this 78-square-foot living space may be one of the smallest we’ve seen (aside from tiny “tiny houses”). Located in the midtown Manhattan neighbourhood of Hell’s Kitchen, it’s the home and office of architect Luke Clark Tyler, and one has to see this Fair Companies video it to believe it.
- February
- February
5
2012 - 1569
- 0
Proof That The Greenest Building IS The One Already Standing Released in New Report From Preservation Green Lab
“The Greenest Building is the one already standing”, Carl Elefante’s great line, has been the mantra of the green preservation movement, and I have used it a lot on TreeHugger. But while we knew it intuitively, we never had any real data. Until now, with the release of The Greenest building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse, released this morning. The report uses Life Cycle Analysis, (LCA) to compare the relative impacts of building reuse and renovation versus new construction.
- February
- February
5
2012 - 1689
- 0
Saving Food From The Fridge: It Will Taste Better, May Even last Longer, And Reduce Your Energy Bills
Korean artist Jihyun Ryou, a graduate of the Dutch Design Academy Eindhoven, translates traditional knowledge on food storage into contemporary design. She found the inspiration for her wall-mounted storage units while listening to the advice of her grandmother, a former apple grower, and other elderly. Her mission: storing food outside the refrigerator.
- February
- February
5
2012 - 1525
- 0
Hydroforce pump for rainwater harvesting – World Pumps
Hydroforce pump for rainwater harvesting World Pumps The pump features an alloy bulkhead, pressure release gap and patent-pending twin chamber design which prevents ingress of water to motor, electrical components and to bearing oil. The Hydroforce pump is pressure sensitive, and turns itself off until ..
- February
- February
5
2012 - 1901
- 0
Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC): Will the U.S. Ever Lighten Up?
To read what manufacturers and distributors say about it, you’d think autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) was some kind of new, space-age environmental miracle.
Although it certainly has some nifty properties, AAC isn’t new and isn’t miraculous–but it’s certainly popular in Europe, and has been for decades; according to one source, it accounted for 60% of all new construction in Germany in 2006. It has enjoyed pretty flat market share (of near zero) here in the U.S., though, since it was first introduced in the 1990s.
Is there space for AAC in the U.S. market?
- February
Search
Latest Posts
Kitchen Lighting Ideas for Modern Houses in Atlanta- January 31, 2023
- How to Design Modern Homes in Alpharetta In a Thoughtful Way
- January 29, 2023
- Bedroom Design Trends for Georgia New Homes
- January 27, 2023
© Copyright EcoCustom Homes | 5784 Lake Forrest Dr | Suite 216 | Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328 | 404.303.7280
