In a recent article on Indian Country Today Media Network, journalist Nate Seltenrich covered the sustainable building initiatives of several Native American tribes who were the country’s “original green builders.” Through efforts to improve upon substandard housing and economic hardships, indigenous populations are returning to traditional methods of home construction while incorporating modern technologies. Contemporary sustainability calls tribal members back to their cultural heritage and opens up avenues for attainable home ownership and lower energy costs, with the potential to revitalize communities.

Read more »

The new, sustainably built, 15,205 square foot structure for the Jungers Culinary Institute on the Central Oregon Community College (COCC) campus, designed by Yost Grube Hall Architecture, was made possible by $3 million in grants and contributions from the Bend, Oregon community, for which students serve lunch, happy hour, and dinner in the 60-seat public restaurant, Elevation, alongside a three instructional kitchens that include a baking and pastry kitchen, a fifty-seat demonstration theatre, and classroom space for up to 100 students per year.

Read more »

Earlier this year, the World Record Academy awarded a home in Dillingham, Alaska with the record for the Tightest Residential Building.

In a video that documents the blower door test, the home’s owners and residents, Dr. Tom Marsik and Kristin Donalson, who designed and built the extremely insulated building, explain their motivation to push the limits of green building methods. The blower door test, which used a special attachment to get the most accurate reading, pressurized the building and then measured the flow that was needed to maintain the difference in pressure from the outside.

Read more »

Earlier this year,  the U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency held their annual ceremony to honor 118 companies on its list of 2013 Energy Star Partners of the Year and included Grayhawk Homes, the home builder based in Columbus, Georgia, whose production and construction standards consistently meet Energy Star guidelines. Last year, Grayhawk Homes was awarded the Energy Star Leadership in Housing Award.

Read more »

This week in Jetson Green Energy News, Australia has a new addition to its list of carbon neutral cities, the Indian state of Gujarat will reduce water evaporation and produce energy from solar panels over canals, a new shower head from New Zealand engineers reduces water flow by fifty percent, Wisconsin is reducing pollution from a coal plant, New England is getting new high-performance housing communities, a new solar panel reduces cooling costs, a report shows the United States is the largest wind power market, and a Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative aims to improve the U.S. manufacturing sector’s energy productivity, and we have new upcoming green events.

Melbourne Achieves Carbon Neutral Status

Low Carbon Australia, an independent carbon offsetting authority for the Australian Government, has certified the City of Melbourne to join Sydney, Yarra, and Moreland City as having met the National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS) for carbon neutral status.

Read more »