Monthly Archives: September 2009

//September

Affordable Metro Green Seeks LEED Gold

Tomorrow morning, developers Jonathan Rose Companies and Malkin Properties will cut the ribbon and officially open Metro Green Apartments, a 50-unit affordable housing development in Stamford, Connecticut.  Located at 84 Henry Street, Metro Green was designed to achieve LEED Gold certification and it's already 90% leased.  As the first phase of a TOD which will include a total of 238 mixed-income residential and 350,000 square feet of Class A office, Metro Green gets this development started on the right foot. 

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By |September 20th, 2009|Affordable, LEED, Multifamily|2 Comments
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Portland Eco-Districts, OLED Lighting, Efficiency First, + Sustainable Paths

The green case for city living.  Sustainable cities are the solution. A major price drop for solar panels. Panels of OLED lights fascinate designers. Interest in sustainable buidling grows. Portland establishes eco-districts to reduce GHGs. New green buildings put efficiency and environment first. The two different paths toward sustainability. Off-the-grid and […]

By |September 19th, 2009|Week in Review|0 Comments
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Greener Jobs Roundup 9/17/09

The Federal Reserve Chairman pretty much declared the recession over, but he also said there will be some tough times to come in the job market.  That is, if we have nothing to say about it.  We're building up a green job board, and you're invited to check it out.  Here are a […]

By |September 19th, 2009|Uncategorized|2 Comments
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A Positive Energy Landscape Hub

Yes, it has a Wilson bi-fold garage door.  Yes, it has translucent photovoltaic panels that also illuminate the interior workspace.  Yes, it's heated and cooled by a geothermal system.  And yes, it's pretty much the most amazing landscape storage shed around.  Designed by Gray Organschi Architecture, this storage barn — more appropriately a storage rack that doubles as an 800 square-foot building — is the central hub for a landscape business in Washington, Connecticut. 

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By |September 17th, 2009|Modern architecture, Solar, Vegetation|1 Comment
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Modern Green Concept Home in Bellevue

Owners Millie Leung and David Huang just broke ground on this modern green home in Washington.  "The Green Concept Home" is the first single-family home registered under LEED-H in Bellevue, and the owners hope to obtain Built Green certification, too.  David (of Modus V Studio) designed the home, and both Millie and David will direct its construction over the next year.  Here's the layout and what they're planning in terms of green elements:

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By |September 17th, 2009|LEED, Modern architecture, Single Family|6 Comments
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Kebonization Process Creates an Alternative to Tropical Hardwoods

The photograph above may not be what you would expect.  The outdoor bench in this detail is not made from an unsustainably harvested tropical hardwood.  The wood itself is actually maple, a widely available species that can be farmed and harvested without ripping up acres of rainforest.  But maple and many other similar woods are too susceptible to decay and rot when used unprotected outdoors.  The usual alternative has been treatment with chemical pressure treatment.  Now, through a method called kebonization, a Norwegian company, Kebony ASA, treats soft woods in a non-toxic process that allows readily available woods to be used for outdoor uses.

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By |September 16th, 2009|Materials, Modern design|14 Comments
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