Solar Homes
March 8, 2010
OC's First LEED Platinum Certified Home
Developer Steve Blanchard built the Costa Mesa Green Home in the OC, the first to receive LEED Platinum certification. The home is a huge 5,000 sq. ft., and has 7 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms and a three-car garage. It has enough photovoltaic panels to power up the entire home, and has water recycling, high efficiency HVAC equipment, Energy Star lighting and was built with highly insulated walls and windows. Don't get too excited. The purchase price of the Costa Mesa home is $2,999,000.
Via Costa Mesa Green
March 2, 2010
Home of the Future Debuts at Olympics
During last week's Olympics, the Home of the Future was put on display at the BC Hydro Power Smart Village in downtown Vancouver. Made of 2 shipping containers and covered in cedar and pine beetle wood, the 680 sq. ft. home has solar panels and a plug for the owner's electric car, of course. The home has smart appliances and an energy management system. A green wall acts as insulation, filters pollutants and can grow veggies for dinner.
Via BC Hydro
March 1, 2010
Solar System Stores Heat on Sunny Days
It's a good thing to have a solar heating system, even better if it could also store power for overcast days. This house in New Zealand is being built with a prototype system that does that. Solar panels on the roof are stored in a heat core of dirt that is insulated by polystyrene below a concrete pad. On bad weather days, the heat is transferred from the pad to heat the house. The eco-friendly home will also have thicker exterior walls and double glazing.
Via ODT
February 26, 2010
Site O' the Week - Design Your Genesis Home Online
Thinking of building a house and want it to be green? The GO House by Genesis Homes is a prefab that can be built in about 90 days and will fit in almost anywhere. Those who are interested can configure plans online for a base floor plan as well as other floor options and garage design. Genesis, this week's SOW, sends the price of the module and estimates site costs for prospective customers.
Via Genesis Homes
February 22, 2010
Fab-Homes Offers Passive Housing
The company Fab-Homes is offering pre-designed passive houses for North America. Based in Vancouver, the homes use about 90% less energy and cost about $155.00 a square ft. Building options include solar photovoltaics, solar hot water panels, green roof gardens and a heat recovery system. In addition to offering prefabs, town homes and multifamily models will also be available.
Via Fab-Homes
February 15, 2010
Solar Decathlon Features International Designs
The Solar Decathlon Europe 2010 will take place in Madrid this June and will feature housing from 20 universities in America, Europe and Asia. While the teams take two years to develop their designs, they then assemble them in the Solar Village. Hit the link to see other ideas like the Sunflower from Tianjin University (TUC) that utilizes the sun's movement to gather energy and is based on China's construction philosophy, harmony between humans, nature and housing.
Via Solar Decatholon Europe
February 9, 2010
HGTV Green Home 2010 Giveaway
Every year, HGTV gives away a green home and this year it is located in Plymouth, Mass. It is being constructed with sustainable, green materials and will have a solar roof, rainwater collection, Smart Sun efficient windows and soy-based spray foam insulation. The contest ends in April.
Via HGTV
February 5, 2010
Gary Neville's Rural Solar Home
Make Architects will be designing a flower-shaped home for Manchester United player Gary Neville. Built mostly underground, each petal is a room that meet in a central kitchen area. The £8m Lancashire home will be using solar panels, a ground-source heat pump and wind turbine. Any excess energy will go back to the national grid. If all goes according to plans, the construction will commence later this year.
Via BBC
January 22, 2010
Abandoned Site Becomes Solar Apartment Complex
What was once an abandoned industrial site in Oakland, California, has become a 99-unit housing development that cost over $41 million to complete. The Ironhorse at Central Station not only has a unique name, it has affordable one, two and 3 bedroom apartments that are solar powered. They have a total of 185 photovoltaic modules and 42 solar water heating collecting. Designed by David Baker and Associates, and built by J.H. Fitzmaurice, the Bridge Housing owned complex targets families with incomes from $18,000 to $50,000. The company is accepting applications now.
Via Bridge Housing
January 11, 2010
Canada Plans Eco Friendly Cité Verte
Canada tends to be on the quiet side of things, but not with the planned Cité Verte. Backed by Quebec's government, the $300 million project includes 800 homes that use 30% less energy and reduce water usage by 50%. The project includes on-site solar power, LED street lamps, waste recovery, rainwater management and narrow streets to encourage less car usage and promote self-service bicycles.
Via Canada.com
January 5, 2010
Clarence House to Go Green
Because Prince Charles was poo-pooed for going to the recent UN COP15 in his private jet, he has decided to make his residence a lot greener. He is planning on installing solar panels on the roof of Clarence House, his residence in the UK. Estimates say the conversion could cost as much as £150,000 (~$243,000) but that he could make up for the loss by 2021. Note that "officials" say that they will only install them if they "do not compromise the appearance." Yeah, that's a green comment.
Via Daily Mail
December 31, 2009
Spring Leaf Begins Solar Community
Spring Leaf has completed its model home in North Boulder, Colorado. Designed by George Watt, it has a 9.9kW grid tied to its solar PV system, a geothermal system, a heat recovery ventilator, spray foam insulation and enough efficiency to make it LEED Platinum. When all of the homes are built, the community will consist of 6 townhomes about 2,800 sq. ft. and 6 single family homes between 2,300 - 4,000 square feet.
Via Spring Leaf
December 29, 2009
The Mews Green Community
RLG Properties is building a single family development of 23 homes with eco-efficiency. Located in Atwater Village, California and designed by Corsini + Stark, each home in The Mews has 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and an open floor plan with prices beginning at $599,000. Green features include a solar power system, clerestory windows, bamboo flooring and energy efficient appliances.
Via The Green Mews
December 11, 2009
Site O' the Week: Villages at Heritage Solar Community
Comstock Homes, our SOW, has created an entire solar-powered community that is said to be the largest on the planet. The Villages at Heritage Springs is located in Santa Fe Springs, California, and will have a total of 384 homes when completed. Priced between $385,000 - $457,000 for a townhome or $485,000 - $576,000 for a single family unit, each has solar roof tiles that should reduce energy bills by up to 60%. The residences also have dual pane windows, tankless water heaters, energy efficient lighting and high-efficiency heating and air conditioning systems.
Via Villages at Santa Fe Springs
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