Green Building Blog - Jetson Green

Mesa Del Sol: New Urbanism in Albuquerque

Mesa Del Sol will be located just outside of downtown Albuquerque and is comprised of twenty square miles of land, 3,200 acres of which are said to remain as open space.  Albuquerque is famed for it's 300 days a year of sunshine, was named by Forbes Magazine as one of the best places for businesses and careers in the U.S., is just under a three hours drive from world class skiing in Taos, and is a short two hour flight from L.A.  Mesa Del Sol's New Urbanism approach means that virtually everything you need will be within walking distance -- stores, work, schools, homes, and parks etc. 

Photo Tour: Swaner EcoCenter, the Greenest Building in Utah

The other day I was able to tour Swaner EcoCenter with the Salt Lake City Professional Chapter of Net Impact.  I took several pictures in an attempt to let you see everything I saw, so scroll down and make sure to visit the Swaner EcoCenter flickr set for more views.  Although I'm an amateur when it comes to taking photos, I hope you get the idea how impressive this building is.  It has beautiful woodwork, artful touches of 3form, and incredible views.  The folks behind Swaner are seeking to obtain the first LEED Platinum certification in Utah, but nonetheless, the building is the greenest in Utah. 

California Finds the Missing Piece of the CO2 Emissions Puzzle

This article was written by Charles Lockwood, a green real estate authority and consultant based in southern California and New York City.  His articles have appeared in the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Barron’s.

California—the state that invented freeways and suburban sprawl—has become a trendsetter again, and not a moment too soon in our new age of global climate change.  In October 2008, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law SB375, which was supported by environmentalists, homebuilders, and cities and counties.  SB375 will limit the state’s CO2 emissions by curbing suburban sprawl and increasing transit-based development through various incentives. 

If a community plans walkable, mixed-use, transit-oriented growth that reduces automobile use and greenhouse gas emissions, for example, it gets moved to the front of the line for state and federal transportation funds.  If a proposed building is located near a transit line, it will have an easier environmental review process.  Why is SB375 important?

Justin Timberlake Seeking LEED Platinum for Golf Course Buildings

Justin Timberlake (you know: singer, actor, songwriter, producer, etc.) is a single-digit-handicap golfer, and loves the sport.  Recently, he noticed that the first course he ever played golf on as a kid was going up for auction for development.  Originally called Woodstock Hills, Timberlake was able to buy Big Creek with a consortium of owners.  Soon after purchase, Timberlake discovered he could "green" the course, so he decided to build the upscale clubhouse, cart cottage, and maintenance facility to LEED Platinum certification standards. 

Nubanusit Could Be Greenest Neighborhood in the Northeast

Maybe you've never considered living in a cohousing* situation, but some of the greenest neighborhoods in the country are trying to use this pattern of living for their communities.  The images in this article show a peaceful, cohousing condominium community called Nubanusit Neighborhood & Farm.  Nubanusit is located in Peterborough, New Hampshire, and all the homes will be super green -- that is, if they're all not LEED Platinum certified.  Imagine that: 29 homes on 70 rolling acres and all of them are LEED Platinum certified!

Samsø Gaining Recognition for Off-Grid, Carbon-Free Way of Life

A few months ago, I became interested in Samsø after reading Elizabeth Kolbert's column in The New Yorker entitled The Island in the Wind.  With news of this Danish Paradise chilling out in the recesses of my mind, just this week, I noticed a photo essay of Samsø in The Guardian with pictures from Nicky Bonne.  What's interesting about Samsø is that it's a producer of energy -- the entire island produces more energy from renewables than it uses.  They sell the rest and have been doing so since 2003.  Which makes me wonder, how did they get to this point? 

South Waterfront Named World's First Salmon-Safe Certified Neighborhood

The South Waterfront area of Portland is a new and interesting neighborhood.  All the buildings in South Waterfront will be LEED certified and thoughtfully planned.  The 35-acre, 17-block district abutting the Willamette River is also the first urban neighborhood to achieve Salmon-Safe certification.  The mission of Salmon-Safe is to restore the health of watersheds so salmon can spawn and thrive.  Here's what the certification tells us about South Waterfront:

Serenbe, Luxe Conservation Community

Serenbe is located in Palmetto, Georgia, about 30-45 minutes southwest of Atlanta.  The 900 acre community will preserve 70% of it's land and eventual plans include about 600 homes.  All Serenbe homes will be EarthCraft certified and the community offers a variety of options including work/live townhomes, cottages, and estates.  The architecture is diverse and charming and is often inspired by historical buildings.  There's a Dwell Home being built (see below), and the above home by Redbone Construction was featured in various green building articles in local Atlanta publications. 

Prairie Crossing Nature-Centric Community

Prairie Crossing is located in Grayslake, Illinois about 40 miles north of Chicago.  This beautiful, nature-focused community has preserved more than 60% of its 677 acres.  An impressive measure which clearly points to the good intentions of the "developers", a group of neighbors who bought the land in the 1980's with the goal of truly responsible development.  The community has 359 homes and 36 condos versus the 2400 homes that another developer had plans for.  The condos have received the highest energy star rating possible.

Geos, a Sustainable GeoSolar Community

Geos is a community located in Arvada, Colorado.  With homes starting in the low $200,000, it is an affordable green community seeking status as the first fossil fuel free community in the United States.  The homes combine the benefits of both geothermal and solar energy.  Homes range from 850 to 3500+ square feet and include a variety of living options from live/work townhomes to single level flats.