Jetson Green

Green Container Condos in Early Planning for Detroit

A Detroit-based group has a container project in mind for a blighted chunk of land near Wayne State University.  News of the project hit the press this morning and local citizens didn't quite know what to expect (see comments).  The project is currently being called "Exceptional Green Living on Rosa Parks" and would feature containers stacked four high with windows and doors cut out into various places.  In total, the 17-unit condo project would have units ranging in size from 960 - 1,920 and price from $100k - $190k.  Not bad really for a modern, green pad.

Combating Climate Change by Tackling Sprawl

There's a lot of talk here on Jetson Green about the (adverse) impact that architecture and materials choice can have on the environment.  So it's nice to know that housing can actually be an essential factor in combating climate change according to a new study from Smart Growth America.

While attending the recent EcoCity World Summit in San Francisco, I heard panelist Reid Ewing, research professor at the National Center for Smart Growth, discuss urban development and its (negative and positive) effect on climate change.  The study, published by the Urban Land Institute, documents how key changes in land development patterns could help reduce vehicle greenhouse gas emissions. 

Wind Could Power 20% of US Grid by 2030

Here's some interesting news: a new Department of Energy report claims wind turbines could generate 300 gigawatts of electricity -- roughly 20% of the US electrical grid -- by 2030.  There's already a website in support of the news at 20%Wind.org.  The report doesn't necessarily predict the future of the wind industry, but it paints a picture of what a particular 20% wind scenario could mean for the nation.  The wind industry currently produces about 17 gigawatts of electricity, so we're talking about significant growth over the next twenty-something years.  That said, wind industry growth has been fierce in recent years and is on track to meet these numbers if growth holds pace.

Any Thoughts on Quick Crete's Greener Concrete Mix?

After extensive R&D, Quick Crete was able to come up with a house blend of greener concrete called Ecocast.  Ecocast is made of 70% post-consumer and industrial waste.  The blend may help contribute towards LEED credits for your project and contains recycled aggregates and other materials such as pozzolans.  The new formula produces an average compressive strength of 5000 P.S.I. in 28 days and comes in four colors: strata, geo, erosion, and stone.  Ecocast can be used in standard and custom designs, so check it out to see if it's better than what you're currently using.  Anyone have any experience using Ecocast?

Énóvo House, Modular and At One With Nature

I pulled out the April issue of Dwell this weekend and noticed an ad for the Énóvo House.  My interest was piqued by reading the copy, so I went online to research more.  There's a website for the Énóvo House, which is currently being built just north of Montreal.  But from my research, the Énóvo name seems to represent something bigger -- the idea that a green, modular home can evolve with the needs of the owner.  According to the website, Énóvo can be adapted to most any terrain, and because it's configured by modules, the design can morph according to the various particularities an owner's life and needs. 

YAWNs, a Smarter Grid, Oblivious Homebuilders, + the Green Building Market [WIR]

• Smarter grid could be key to saving power.
• Tips on saving water when watering your lawn.
• USGBC co-founder talks about the green building market.
• Report: US Homebuilders oblivious to green homes, sustainable design.
• Real estate lull has developers selling off land.
• New study compares AIA's goals with various ratings systems.
• Jargon watch: YAWNs = Young and Wealthy but Normal. 
• Planning ahead for green building disputes.

*WIR = Week in Review; a Saturday showcase of excellent links.

Smart Home: Green + Wired Debuts at MSI

Architect Michelle Kaufmann has made a big splash in Chicago this week during the opening of her Smart Home: Green + Wired exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry. The PrairieMod crew and myself were fortunate enough to be able to spend the past two days previewing the home and are excited to share some details with you. If you're interested, feel free to check out our podcast interview with Michelle where she explains how the project came to be and the 5 eco-principles utilized by her firm.

The showcase "Smart Home" is Kaufmann's mkSolaire plan, which is designed for a city lot and has a loft-like feeling to it. Its goal is to address the space challenges found with infill lots and standard row home configurations. The brilliant thing about this exhibit is that it is fully functional, not just a shadow of what the design could be. And in case you're wondering, the house will be dismantled after the exhibit closes in January 2009.

Botanist Blank Canvas Project Fuses Sustainability with Style

Anyone going to be at ICFF 2008?  I received an email about Orange22's launch of the Botanist Blank Canvas Project at ICFF and it looks pretty interesting.  Orange22 enlisted the help of eight iconic designers to place their fingerprint on the popular Botanist line of indoor/outdoor furniture.  The designers include Yves Behar, Margo Chase, Milton Glaser, Kahi Lee, Karim Rashid, Joe Ricchio, Massimo + Lella Vignelli, and Claude Zellweger.  Pieces come in a variety of designs and can be used as end tables, benches, cocktail tables, or anything else you can think of. 

Projects Recognized for Green Roofs, Living Walls

Recently, several green roof/wall projects were honored by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities. Green Roofs for Healthy Cities established the Green Roof Awards of Excellence in 2003 with an aim to increase general awareness of green roofs and walls and spread awareness of their benefits. This year, seven projects in various categories received Green Roof Awards of Excellence and here they are:

[Video] Drivers of Green Building in Today's Market

Make sure to check out this short little interview with Kavita Gupta, Director of Business Development for Perkins + Will, an architectural firm with a solid reputation for designing cutting edge green projects. Ms. Gupta talks about some of the drivers of green buildings, many of which are listed below. Green buildings: