This New House

This New House-Net-Zero Design

Thursday, 11 November 2010 18:41

With energy efficiency in the forefront of the building landscape, functioning "off-grid" is the ultimate realization of efficiency. The only way to achieve that is to have on-site renewable energy in one form or another. There are all kinds of pros and cons with different systems of renewables. One benefit they all share is tax incentives in the form of credits and deductions, and in some cases both.

This is New House-Recycling vs. Embodied Energy

Tuesday, 09 November 2010 18:36

For many years people with an environmental conscience have lived and breathed and pushed for the necessity of recycling, and with good measure. However, as we progress down this road of reusing our current products, whether it be an aluminum can or a quart of motor oil or a slab of concrete, we have learned that it is more important to think about the energy it takes to make these recycled products, than the recycling of them itself.

This New House-Ensure a Healthy Indoor Environment

Thursday, 04 November 2010 22:14

Agreen home should be a healthy home. It shouldn't grow mold, mildew, and dust mites. It shouldn't introduce significant quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or other hazardous chemicals into the indoor environment. It should have plenty of fresh air for its occupants.

This New House-Return to the White House

Tuesday, 02 November 2010 09:33

Coinciding with its push for more renewable energy development, the executive branch of the US federal government has decided to install solar panels on the White House. This is a quarter century after President Reagan took down the previous solar panels installed by his predecessor, President Carter. The Obama Administration will install new solar panels as a way of promoting its clean energy program.

This New House-Renewables

Friday, 29 October 2010 09:14

Renewable energy - particularly the main contenders of wind and solar - may be on the point of moving into the mainstream as governments around the globe look to a clean energy future as a way out of economic gloom and looming environmental catastrophe.

This New House-Eliminate Waste in Design Phase

Tuesday, 26 October 2010 22:12

The impact of construction and demolition debris on the environment is staggering. More than 135 million tons of debris from construction sites is brought to U.S. landfills every year, making it the single largest source in the waste stream (Source: USGBC White Paper -Planning for Construction Waste). Reducing the amount of waste in a project is an important part of sustainable building and begins with the design process. Choosing alternative methods of construction such as prefabrication, preassembly, modularization, and off-site fabrication techniques is an effective way to design out waste.

This New House-Water Nexus

Thursday, 21 October 2010 16:22

Water is scarce in generally arid areas like the Middle East, Africa, Australian desert, etc. But even in areas that seemingly have plenty of water, a mix of growing population, pollution, poor management, and development has led to the surfacing of water issues in the most unsuspecting manners.

This New House-City Planning and Sustainable Design

Tuesday, 19 October 2010 18:24

Sustainable design is such a major part of the concept of design that it is now often included in the planning and design process by urban and city planners, in their strategy for either designing a new city, or extending an existing one.

This New House-Efficiency in the Home

Friday, 15 October 2010 10:50

People these days are always looking for new ways to reduce the impact their actions have on the natural world, and one of the main ways they try to achieve this is through reducing their energy consumption. The reasoning behind this is that the energy you use comes primarily from non-renewable energy sources that produce pollution and damage the environment. Reducing the amount of energy you use at home therefore reduces the amount of pollution, and so prevents damage to the environment.

This New House-Ensure Durability

Tuesday, 12 October 2010 16:48

No. 6 on my list of the top 10 green building priorities is to ensure that the home is durably built or renovated.

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