Green Building : Jetson Green

April Monthly of Green Articles

Wow, it's been an incredible month!  This site has seen the most activity in its history, and I'm constantly amazed at the pace of green building innovation.  We're in a crazy market, yet this space isn't letting up at all.  Certainly, we now know that Living Buildings can be cost effective, Earth Day will be controversial, homes can be better and more affordable, and buildings should consume less energy.  Check out some of the articles we've written in April -- right click and open?  Also, try Twitter, if you're looking for a greener job. 

A Reclaimed Straw Bale Bunkhouse

Readers liked Caleb Schafer's $70k Simple Modern Home, so I thought it'd be interesting to quickly mention his thesis project, which was all about green design and construction.  The project was to design and build a modern, straw bale bunkhouse for his parents.  Caleb and his dad built the structure with reclaimed barn beams (power washed and sealed), reclaimed Malaysian hardwood flooring, local straw, locally harvested lumbar, and materials from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.  It's a reclaimed straw bale bunkhouse!

Update: Caleb tells me they spent a total of ~$15k to build this.

Modern Passive Solar Cascade House

This house -- designed by Paul Raff Studio -- has been recognized by GreenSource Magazine as the Best Green House for April 2009.  The 3,500 square-foot home was optimally situated to receive natural light and efficiently built using SIPs.  With automated shades, passive ventilation, and mature deciduous trees, the Cascade House stays cool in the summer and absorbs warm light in the winter. 

Modern "Good" Eco-Urban Community

There's an interesting green community in development in West Sacramento, California with 35 homes.  Good is a pilot project under LEED-ND and recently received the 2009 Smart Growth Award from Breathe California!  LJ Urban is the developer with a simple mantra:  Dream big.  Living Small.  Do Good.  That's the idea behind this community, and phase one is sold out.  Phase two is underway with prices from the mid-200 thousands, so check these out if you're in the market.  Good has an impressive list of the following green features:

How to Cut Energy Use by 60% by 2050

At the beginning of the year, when we wrote that energy efficiency would come into greater focus, we didn't know the World Business Council for Sustainable Development ("WBCSD") was going to say "energy efficiency is fast becoming one of the defining issues of our time."  But this is the message in a new report published by the WBCSD.  They invested four years and $15 million in what's being called the most rigorous study on energy efficiency in buildings ever conducted.  According to the report, energy use in buildings can be cut by 60% by 2050, but action is necessary soon.  Let's take a closer look ...

Four Architects Design the Green House of the Future

The Wall Street Journal asked four architects to draw up plans for the most energy-efficient, environmentally sustainable house they could imagine.  Moreover, the Journal asked them to do it without thinking about cost, technology, aesthetics, or the way people habitually live.   The plans were published yesterday.  What do you think about these green houses?

Eco by Cosentino Green Countertops

Cosentino, the world's largest manufacturer of quartz, has just launched a new eco-friendly countertop called ECO by Cosentino.  The new countertop is the embodiment of six million dollars of research over a three year period.  It's available nationally through Lowe's at a price of $68-$118, depending on the thickness and color.  ECO contains 75% post-consumer and post-industrial recycled raw materials, as well as 25% natural elements. 

Old 1940s Grain Silo Converted to Boutique Texas Inn

I just love this grain silo home -- it's a fantastic example of adaptive reuse.  In 2007, Gruene Homestead Inn purchased the 1940s grain silo and remodeled the interior and exterior.  The result is authentic and incredible.  Can you imagine chilling on that front porch, enjoying a little Texas summer?  The Silo includes one bedroom and one bathroom in a loft-type setup for the rental price of $175/$210 a night. 

Building Future, Green Hotels, GSA Stimulus, + Recycled Countertops

• Have a green hotel stay.
• Building for a green future.
• Earth Day is for everybody, everyday.
• Developers often see green as a requirement.
• Get up to speed on the GSA's green stimulus.
• Going green with recycled countertops.
• Don't give up on sustainability now!

Follow @jetsongreen on Twitter for more news, links, and commentary.

National Children's Museum LEED Design

On Earth Day, the National Children's Museum unveiled plans for a new building designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects.  If all goes as planned, the building will obtain LEED certification and open in 2013.  The design reflects the Museum's mission to inspire children to care about and improve the world.  NCM's new, 150,000 square-foot facility will be built at National Harbor with some of the following green features: