Efficient things
Efficient things
The new head offices for Manitoba Hydro, in downtown Winnipeg, will be a model for extreme climate design. Winnipeg is one of the coldest large cities in the world. Temperatures vary 100 degrees over a year. The design of the 700,000 ft² office tower is targeting a 60%+ reduction in energy consumption, through the use […]
Manitoba Hydro Tower: 60% Energy Savings, 100% Fresh Air, Maximum Daylight Read More »
Germany plans to boost the percentage of electricity generated by renewable resources to 45 percent by 2030 in a bid to curb global warming, environment minister Sigmar Gabriel said Thursday. Gabriel told reporters that a progress report on a renewable energy law passed in 2000 showed that the country had already surpassed the quota of
45% Renewable Energy For Germany By 2030 Read More »
There’s a small town in Germany called Dardesheim, that relies almost entirely on renewable sources for its energy needs. The town’s goal is to use 100% renewable power, and become known as German’s “Town of Renewable Energies”. Dardesheim already has some huge wind turbines in place, and many solar roofs installed. Last year they installed
German Town Will Soon Use 100% Renewable Power Read More »
The city of Durango will soon be powered by 100% renewable energy (we believe that wind power will be used). Green power currently constitutes about 10% of city power purchases. The extra the city pays for green energy will add about $120,000 a year to its electrical bill officials said. But the extra cost will
100% Renewable Power For Durango City, Colorado Read More »
King Island is a small island off the Australian coast, near Tasmania. King Island isn’t connected to the mainland power grid, and apart from its own small wind farm it relied for a long time on diesel generators for its electricity. That changed in 2003 when the local utility company installed a mammoth rechargeable battery
Australian Island Using Flow Batteries To Store Wind Power Read More »
The goal of the Danish island of Samso, home to about 4000 people, is to power their island with completely green power. They heat their homes with grass burned in a central heating system. Their electric come from the wind, and they power their vehicles on biofuel which they also grow. Since 1998, Samso began
Danish Island Is Energy Self-Sufficient Read More »
A San Francisco-based company, Hornblower Yachts, is working with Solar Sailor of Sydney, Australia, to construct two 600-passenger trimarans for Alcatraz (at a cost of between $6 million and $8 million apiece) that will run on as much on sun and wind power as they do diesel fuel—and will emit half the pollutants of a
World’s First Sun and Wind-Powered Ferry Read More »
Here’s an example of daylighting at the Hong Kong Science Park. Notice that the light is filtered through translucent skylights and clerestories in a central atrium, thus reducing glare and overheating. The top of the building has shades, see them after the jump: Sunshades are extensively incorporated into the external facades to shield direct sunlight
Daylighting and Shading: Green Building In Hong Kong Read More »
Conventional sunscreens have a number of ingredients that have been linked to hormone disruption in animal tests and are readily absorbed by skin. Some these ingredients include: parabens, benzophenone, homosalate and octyl-methoxycinnamate. Also, sunscreens containing nanoparticles have come under scrutiny because they may be harmful to human tissue. Nanoparticles are added because they make titanium
Sunscreens Without Toxins or Nanoparticles Read More »
Incorporating a Trombe Wall into a house is one of the most efficient ways to capture the heat of the sun. They work in the mildest to the most severe of climates. Basically, sunlight strikes the wall through a window, and the Trombe Wall heats up, causing warm air to flow into a room.
Metaefficient: Trombe Walls Read More »