Green Building : Jetson Green

2009 AIA COTE Top Ten Green Projects!

It's that time of year again -- the AIA Committee on the Environment ("COTE") just published its annual list of Top Ten Green Projects.  There's some definite superstars in the group, and we've mentioned a few of them already, including the Chartwell School and Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation.  Perkins+Will has two projects in the group, but this just confirms what we already know: the firm is a leader in sustainable design.  Below, we've included direct links to AIA case studies for each project, as well as a link to the lead architect. 

Five Common Green Building Mistakes

Depending on the method of construction, green building consultant Mark LaLiberte tells us there are a few common green building mistakes to watch out for -- errors he's seeing more and more as builders move forward with greener practices.  Read through this list and then tell us what you think ... are you seeing any other common mistakes with green construction?

Seven Green Trends to Watch in 2009

Last year I talked about five green building trends and most of that, generally speaking, was spot on.  This year's going to be a little tougher nut to crack, however, because things are changing every day.  After a week or two of new information, it could be that everything below will not make sense any more.  I don't believe that will happen, but it could.  Anyway, to cut to the chase, all of this is informal and anecdotal.  I'm making these predictions based on approximately thirty years of seeing, studying, reading, working, and observing as a human being.  You will certainly have a different perspective, but hear me out.  When you're done, make sure to tell me what you think below. 

40 Innovative Green Homes of 2008

If you liked our article on 34 Stunning LEED Platinum Projects, you'll probably like this one, too.  As with the other, this is a retrospective on the past year.  We've seen some awesome green homes and are constantly inspired:  So much creativity, innovation, and style!  That said, unless you're living in a cave, you'll probably note that most websites are looking back -- it's a tradition this time of year.  For intance, the Wall Street Journal showcased a list of what they call A Decade's Most Remarkable Homes.  Michelle Kaufmann contributed thoughts to WSJ for their article and then decided to create her very own list of Top 10 Housing Designs from the Past Decade.  We're keeping our list limited to built homes shown on this site in 2008:

34 Stunning LEED Platinum Projects

Update - 12/29/08: added one more that's now going for Platinum.

There's so much innovation in the green building space, it's pretty hard to keep up with it all.  I mean, check out these articles below.  In the past year alone, we've discussed at least thirty-four different LEED Platinum projects -- some are done, some are under way, and some are still on the boards.  Wow, what an incredible year in green building news!  Innovation at the highest rung of the USGBC's LEED system continues.  And so you know, we plan to pay more attention to the greenest of green projects over the next year.  Keep us informed if your project is a legit Platinum contender, we're certainly interested:

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

Must Follow Green Twitter Feeds

The venerable HuffPo just posted a list of what they call the "Best Green Twitter Feeds."  It's an okay list, but when you name streams like @Sprig (13 total updates and nothing in 7 days), @globalwarming (sporadic tweets with nothing in 7 days), and @greennews (sporadic tweets and nothing in 12 days), it's tough to take the list seriously.  No offense Sprig, GlobalWarming, and GreenNews.  HuffPo's list includes some stalwarts, don't get me wrong, but when you assume the title of "Best," you have to bring it.  You have to name more than sixteen or seventeen Twitter* feeds.  Right?

Anyway, here's my list (not a "best" list, just a list) of environmental and green related twitter folks that you might be interested in following.  To clear the air, we're @jetsongreen.  Some of the following are no different than straight blog feeds.  Some are mixed blog feeds with conversation.  Others are pure conversation. 

Five Excellent Green Buildings, As Chosen By ...

[+] Top Five American Green Buildings [Building]
[+] Leading Ecoblogger Reveals Top Green Picks [Building]

Top 10 Green Building Products [Sustainable Industries]

Just recently, Sustainable Industries announced their list of the Top 10 Green Building Products for 2008.  To get that magic number of 10 products, SI accepted roughly 80 nominations and narrowed those products down based on their ability to meet the following criteria: LEED compatibility, environmental performance, value, scalability / market impact, innovativeness, and design aesthetic.  Without further ado, here are the Top 10 Green Building Products for 2008:

Five Suggestions for Businesses Confronted with Green Fatigue and Green Noise

You may have noticed an article by Alex Williams in the NY Times yesterday entitled "The Era of Green Noise."  The article hits on some trends we're seeing, especially in the green lifestyle area, with people worn out by the green barrage of choices and information.  Green advertising and/or pitches might get a roll of the eyes, or worse, some backlash.  People may just repel and fight against the message.  So businesses are starting to get concerned about the proper way to move forward given this "green fatigue" from the "green noise."

I've been thinking about this and have a few suggestions for businesses that want to keep a quality connection to their customers.