Jetson Green - 2007 January

Construction 2.0: Jeriko House + Luxury, Green Living

Jeriko is Different… Design… Strength… Green… Flexibility… Living. Jeriko House: It Lives in you. Today, New Orleans-based CEO of Jeriko House, Shawn Burst, announced his company’s plans to enter the modular/prefab home building market with 5 different models (each with an infinite number of configurations). Burst teamed up with a German engineer to use a patented, interlocking aluminum framing system–one that is strong enough to meet the strictest U.S. earthquake and hurricane building codes. The plumbing, appliances, lighting, hardware, interior finishes, and exterior cladding are all integrated into an advanced structural system through the collaborative efforts of a team and network of design/construction professionals. Starting at $175 per square foot, a Jeriko House will have such luxuries as Asian teak wood finishes, coconut skin walls, Indian rosewood door handles and stone, and marble + ceramics from around the globe. Homes will also include "biometric systems and homeowner-friendly technology." Bourne-style, I presume.

The first home will be completed in New Orleans and the company anticipates orders of 100 more relatively soon. Actually, they’re taking orders right now for May delivery. Their website says a purchaser is responsible for permits, site work, foundation, plumbing, electrical, HVAC rough in, and landscaping. Shipping is included in the cost of the home, and Jeriko will help you build it.

Green Commitment:
Straight from the website: "We feel it is our duty at Jeriko House to take a leading role in the efforts to save our planet. Sustainability, energy efficiency and environmental friendliness are at the core of our beliefs. With a R&D team searching the globe for the latest and greatest green innovations and technology Jeriko will fulfill its roll as a socially responsible company at the forefront of the Green Revolution." I like what Jeriko’s saying, but we can’t forget that acting locally, rather than globally, has its green benefits as well. Also, take a look at today’s press release. For every 10 houses sold, those 10 owners form a committee that votes to give a Jeriko House to a family in need somewhere in the U.S. I think Jeriko is taking an innovative perspective to all facets of the business and can’t wait to see the first home! Maybe I’ll just drive down and see it when they’re done.

By Jetson Green|January 31st, 2007|Modern architecture, Modern design, Prefab|7 Comments

The Energy Star-rated Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) world headquarters building in Toledo, Ohio, has added another badge of honor with Silver LEED-EB certification. Designed by Cesar Pelli (listed by the AIA as one of the 10 Most Influential American Architects) and built in 1996, Pelli spoke approvingly of the certification, "I am pleased this facility provided the solid foundation needed to earn the recognition that the LEED Existing Building certification provides." For a couple other examples of LEED-EB buildings, feel free to click over to read about Adobe + Union Bank of California Center. Owens Corning also runs The Pink Panther Energy Blog, which informs customers on insulation + energy conservation best practices.

Green Features:
Here are just a few of the green features mentioned in the certification: under-floor ventilation for energy-efficient air delivery and specific control of thermal comfort; low maintenance, indigenous landscaping; easterly facing building allowing for natural lighting control via adjustable shading; and reusable, removable, non-adhesive carpet squares throughout almost the entire building. See also CO + PRNewswire.

By Jetson Green|January 30th, 2007|Corporate, LEED, Vegetation|0 Comments

Carnival of the Green #62

As you all know, Carnival of the Green is basically a carnival of blog posts that gets passed around from one green site to another. Posting happens on Mondays. Treehugger graciously supports the endeavor, so pop on over there if you’re interested in hosting a carnival or submitting an article (carnivalofgreen [at] gmail dot com). Last week, Carnival #61 was at Clay & Wattles, and next week, Carnival #63 will be at Nonoscience.

That said, I received a ton of articles and commentary, a virtual smattering of diverse topics, so go ahead and check ’em out. Here we go in no particular order:

Greening the Green Festival (Video = 5:53 min.) – by Melissa Mansfield + Averan Gale at LAGreenLiving.
What’s Next for Nature? Innovation and a Few Ads – by Victoria E at Victoria E.
Eco-Fashion Q&A: Denim Repair and Cheap Style – by Victoria E at GroovyGreen.
Geologists Find Strong Evidence of Climate Change – by Barbara Feiner at OrganicAuthority.com.
Ecological Decline "A Greater Threat than International Terrorism": The Challenge for Business – by Leon Gettler at Sox First.
Living with Ed Makes Fun of Environmentalists and Should be Cancelled – by David at The Good Human.
Beyond the Green Corporation – by Rich at Queercents.
Beware of Greenwashing at the Grocery – by Micaela at Mindful Momma.
It’s Time Again for Nuclear (with 150 coal plants on the drawing board)! – by Jake Kearns at Real Green Tips.
Birth of an Advocate: From Sports Cars to Hybrids – by Beo at GroovyGreen.
Barenaked Ladies Look After Their Mother + ‘Firefighter’ Blows Smokescreen at Fire Retardant Legislation – by Matthew Fried at Enviroblog.
Weiners & Burgers Heating the Planet More than Cars – by Sally Kneidel at Veggie Revolution.
Harvesting Justice (marginalization & health risks of farm workers) – by Harlan Weikle (Editor of Greener Magazine) at Veggie Revolution.
Fresh Water Tanganyika – by Greener News Room at Greener Magazine.
Envirolet Composting Toilet in Stage Production of "The War Next Door" – by Scott Smith at Envirolet Buzz.
State of the (Green) Union – by Don Bosch at The Evangelical Ecologist.
Tear Up CRP Ground and Contracts for Ethanol? + Now It’s the Ethanol Surge – by Ken Cook at Mulchblog.
Illegal Coffee Growing Threatens Wildlife, Kraft Major Buyer + Follow Up: Nestle & Starbucks Respond to Illegal Coffee Report by The Bird Barista at Coffee and Conservation.
Keeping Wildlife Coverage Wild, Engaging – by Jeremy Bruno at The Voltage Gate.
Professor Quippy: Climate Change Scientists Get Angry – by Mark A. Rayner at The Skwib.
High Anxiety: Thoughts on the Sustainability of High-Rise Developments – by Roger Butterfield at Words and Pictures.
Green is Making Me See Red (L-O-N-G) – by Wenchypoo at Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket.
Top Socially Responsible Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Firms – by H.S. Ayoub at BioHealth Investor.
Jim Webb: Is a Star Born? – by Rey Thomas at The Thomas Political Report.
Patching Holey Clothes – by Kevin Surbaugh at Becoming & Staying Debt Free.

That’s about 28 articles, so this should be enough to keep you busy for the next week. Thanks for letting me participate Treehugger!!

By Jetson Green|January 29th, 2007|News|0 Comments

Taking a page from local developer Harwood, it looks like Hillwood decided to throw its hat into the green development ring with One Victory Park. 1VP is a 20-story, 450,000 square-foot, LEED-Silver office building slated for completion in 2008. I’ve read a few conflicting reports on the actual details of the building, so we’ll have to watch and really determine the true specs. Hines + Hillwood will be co-developing the project, which includes a Two Victory Park that seems identical to 1VP. Boka Powell is the lead architect with Austin Commercial as the general contractor.

1VP already has a tenant for six floors of the building. Haynes and Boone recently announced that it would relocate from the Bank of America tower (tenant of 22 years), retaining Gensler as the interior design architect. A recent news article pointed to suggestions that all the offices would be the same size, meaning senior and junior attorneys would be indistinguishable according to office size. Why? Efficiency and money savings. Use your imagination on this one. Image via.

By Jetson Green|January 27th, 2007|LEED, Modern architecture, Skyscraper|0 Comments

Massachusetts Power Plants to Pay Emissions Penalties: State Rejoins a Northeast Greenhouse Gas Initiative – Massachusetts power plant owners will have to pay a penalty for every pound of emissions that contribute to global warming under an agreement signed by Governor Deval Patrick yesterday that is expected to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for an ambitious energy conservation and renewable energy program.
Green Schools the Hottest Market for Green Building According to McGraw-Hill Construction’s Latest Report – MHC found that the education sector is the fastest-growing market for green building, good news for the industry, given that education construction (at the K-12 and university levels) is the largest construction sector, by value, at $53 billion for 2007.
Wind Farm Building Boom to Continue in 2007: Wind Power Capacity in the U.S. Grew 27% Last Year – The U.S. now has enough installed wind power capacity (11,603 megawatts) to power between 3 million and 3.5 million homes, which reduces annual greenhouse gas emissions by 23 million tons of carbon dioxide. The number of homes relying on electricity produced by wind energy will rise to nearly 4.5 million by year’s end if the AWEA’s forecast is accurate.
The U.S. Climate Action Partnership: Big Businesses and Eco-Advantage – The companies in the U.S. Climate Action Partnership are Alcoa, BP America, DuPont, Caterpillar, General Electric, Duke Energy, Lehman Brothers, PG&E, PNM Resources and FPL. These big businesses have a goal help the U.S. create public policy that would act aggressively and sustainably to slow, stop, and reverse the growth of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. See also NRDC.

By Jetson Green|January 27th, 2007|News, Week in Review, Wind|0 Comments

Recently, I attended a guest lecture by a seasoned real estate developer, and he was talking about the profitability of his projects. This speaker has major experience will all types of investments including retail, single family, industrial, condo, etc. I put him on the spot and asked him about the numbers he’s seen on sustainable developments. His answer: "They’re expensive, a break-even proposition at best. Development is going that direction, but not now. They’re not cheap, at all. We’re talking 20, 30, 40% more expensive. I won’t do them." I was blown away.

In stark contrast, on Monday, January 22, Rick Fedrizzi, CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council, said to the Miami Herald, "We are now at the point where you can build to LEED standards and it is not one penny more than conventional buildings. We are more experienced now. We have a proliferation of green building products and services." From this perspective, it’s profitable and financially responsible to be environmental and build green.

Someone’s wrong, who is it?

When I hear Fedrizzi’s statement, I’m led to believe that he’s accounting for construction on a first costs basis (not including the operational savings). And I think he is. He’s saying it costs the same to build green as non-green, on a first costs basis. I mentioned the obstacles to building green recently, so is this a case where the developer was unaware? What’s the deal? I’m interested in hearing some real world discussion here.

By Jetson Green|January 25th, 2007|LEED, News|7 Comments

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