Jetson Green

Home Design + Construction, Consumer Environmentalism + Corporate Sustainability (WIR)

Why is new housing so big and lousy? Why do builders build these homes?
Despite unwavering focus by the media, government and business, "going green" is only of moderate concern to most consumers, according to a recent research study.
There is a reason why homes rot (hint: it has to do with much more than age).
Shades of Green – with more large companies going green, the entire industry is under scrutiny.

Housing slowdown offers a chance to get real about HOME SIZES … good design and quality construction ultimately will prove more worthwhile than square footage.
Nine ways to make your home more energy efficient.
Thin Film PV market could top $7 billion by 2015 … low cost, low weight, ease of manufacturing, and success on roof, wall, and window applications is driving the growth (see also Nanosolar).
U.S. House of Representatives passed a Democratic rewrite of U.S. energy policy that strips $16 billion in tax incentives away from Big Oil and puts it toward renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.

Eco-cities, centers that showcase the cutting-edge of land use and urban planning, are being planned for the UK and China but do they have what it takes to solve environmental challenges?
Atlanta’s The Streets of Buckhead will be one of the first cities in the southeast to gain a luxury, eco-friendly hotel in the new Starwood Capital Group brand, 1 Hotel & Residences.
An increasing number of businesses are making a commitment to the environment, but it seems that consumer perception of "going green" businesses could be mixed.
The Tale of Two Green Homes – one is efficient and thrifty, and the other is stylish and opulent. They both help the environment, right?

Rooftop vegetation and gardens are catching on–though there are still many questions about how and when to apply the technique.
Cleantech venture capital investments are small but growing.
Monster Homes: Enough is Enough – some places will make you pay for that big thing.
Developer sells its LEED certified project and it was "certainly a stellar return."

88% of new homes are crappy, greenhouse gas spewing energy hogs – meaning they don’t meet the comparatively weak Energy Star standards.
Las Vegas golf courses are using better water-efficient landscaping to save over 1 billion gallons of water per year.
Regency Centers is teaming up with the USGBC to implement a pilot program aimed at developing green shopping centers across the country (this is badly needed).
Wells Fargo passes the $1 Billion mark in financing for LEED certified buildings with loans ranging from $10 to $225 million per project.