Green Building Blog - Jetson Green

REI Round Rock Second Gen Green Store To Use 48% Less Energy

Mounting on the green building success of their previous stores, including the green Boulder REI we wrote about previously, REI today opens the doors to its second generation of green prototype store in Round Rock, Texas.  The Texas store is projected to consume 48% less energy than a typical store and generate a portion of its power from a solar panel installation, building integrated photovoltaics, and a solar hot water system.  After that, Round Rock will rely on Solatubes to displace a portion of articifial lighting and the purchase of green power generated from biomass digesters. 

The Second Annual Plenty Twenty

I always find these lists interesting, but here's the idea: "There are game-changers and then there are world-changers.  From Internet giants working to make renewable energy cheaper than coal, to a sea captain monitoring the ocean’s plastic waste, to the growth of intentional communities (they’re not just for hippies anymore)—welcome to Plenty’s second annual list honoring (in no particular order) 20 dynamic individuals and 20 pioneering companies that are bettering the planet, plus 10 innovative ideas that will revolutionize how we live."

                                                -- the Second Annual Plenty 20

Eco-friendly Founding Farmers Restaurant Seeking LEED Gold in D.C.

The green design and sustainability movement is gradually taking over all types of real estate and the restaurant industry is no different.  Later this month, and pending certification, Founding Farmers is expected to become Washington D.C.'s first LEED Gold restaurant.  It will also operate as a Certified Green Restaurant and serve sustainably farmed, locally produced food and products.

Palo Alto Law Firm Installs Large 87 kW Solar System

The Silicon Valley-based law firm of Cooley Godward Kronish has just brought online the largest on-site solar system of any Bay Area law firm.  The 465 panel, 87 kW system was installed on the roof of their Palo Alto-Hanover building of 130,000 sf.  Installing a solar system of this size has almost lost its newsworthiness, especially with tons of companies placing monster solar arrays in service by the end of this year to take advantage of the tax benefits.  But what's really interesting, I think, is one of the reasons the firm decided to generate some on-site green power: their clients are in this business and inspired them to go green. 

Frieze Harley-Davidson Gets LEED Gold

We're seeing all sorts of companies going for LEED Certification, and the most macho of motorcycle manufacturers is no different.  Just recently, the USGBC announced that the Frieze Harley-Davidson Dealership in O'Fallon, Illinois has been LEED Certified at the Gold level.  It's the first, LEED Harley-Davidson dealership in the Nation.  The 33,000 sf dealership was sustainably designed and built with ICFs with an R-value of forty.  Plus, with over forty Solatubes and all the various green elements that led to a credible Gold certification, it's also partially powered by a wind turbine. 

A Green Business Rule

This went popular on Digg the other day ... just thought I'd share because we have opinions on the related concepts of lifestyle minimalism and consumption ... Jetson Green focuses on new construction, renovations, sustainability, and the like, but we're also thinking about consumption, conservation, and minimalism. 

Giveaway: MOO Green Pack of Eco- friendly Business Cards

This is part of the Jetson Green birthday giveaway, so make sure to leave a comment by midnight Friday, July 25, 2008, if you want to be considered for the contest.*

I've been a MOO mini-card customer for probably two years and am what you might call a gargantuan fan of the company.  Every time I give someone a MOO, I get a reaction from them.  I gave one to Ed Begley, Jr. and he was blown away by the small design.  So I was excited to hear that MOO began offering eco-friendly business cards within the last couple weeks.  I designed a set using Jetson Green logos (imported from Flickr) and they shipped to me in a snap.  They're absolutely incredible, too.  I just love the look and feel of these green business cards.  If you want to get a set, MOO Green cards come in a 50 pack with pricing from $21.99 plus shipping.  They're made with 100% recycled fiber, completely recyclable and biodegradable, and totally chlorine free.  Plus, they look so good and you can make as many unique cards as you have imagination. 

[Video] GM Installing $78 M World's Largest Solar Roof

Earlier this week, GM announced that they were adding the world's largest, rooftop, solar photovoltaic power installation to its car assembly plant located in Zaragoza, Spain (a factory that manufactures Opel vehicles for sale in Europe).   When the project is completed in the fall of 2008, the solar installation will have 85,000 solar panels covering about 2,000,000 sf of roof space.   Bloomberg further reports that the $78.5 million installation will avoid about 7k tons of emissions per year.

Green For the Wallet, Green Prefab in Demand, Popular Geothermal, City Scoots, + Dirty Cities [WIR]

• Appraisers look to measure value of green.
• Green buildings expected to receive lower financing.
• Going green is good for your wallet. 
• Eco-friendly, custom-built prefabs in high demand.
• Life and death of green design and forgoing LEED.
• Geothermal heating/cooling systems hit home.
• Habitat for Humanity LEED home blends into neighborhood.
• Here are ten of the world's dirtiest cities.
• How to scoot in a city built for cars.
• Green energy blooms in the desert of New Mexico.

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

Home Depot To Save $16 M/YR By Switching to CFLs

You may have noticed recent news that Home Depot will be providing free, in-store recycling of CFLs at all of its U.S. stores.  But buried in that story is another interesting factoid -- a tidbit of information in the likes of plucking the low hanging fruit.  Home Depot announced that they will be switching to CFLs at all U.S. Light Fixture Showrooms and expect to save roughly $16 million in annual energy costs.

This news isn't all that sexy, but it's important.  Make the switch, if you haven't already and stop throwing money out the window.  With the low hanging fruit, it's true: money grows on trees!