Stimulus Bill Expected to Grow Green Movement

A $60 billion portion of the estimated $825 billion stimulus bill that President Barack Obama and Congress are working on will be dedicated to promoting clean and efficient energy.  Not only will this help to reduce America’s carbon footprint, but many new jobs will be created.  Where will the money go? “Smart” grid technology and [...]

Making Solar Panels Affordable Through Leasing

If you’re interested in harnessing the power of the sun to supplement your electricity generation, but can’t afford the upfront cost of purchasing photovoltaics, leasing solar panels may be the answer you’re looking for.  Photovoltaics are a clean source of energy and can produce a significant portion of a household or building’s electricity.  This reduces [...]

A Shining Example of LED Lighting in Times Square

A lot has changed since 1907 when the first New Year’s Eve Ball descended from the flagpole atop One Times Square in New York City.  The first ball was made of iron and wood and adorned with one hundred 25-watt light bulbs.  It was 5 feet in diameter and weighed 700 pounds.  This year’s ball [...]

How to Increase Your Fireplace’s Efficiency

A roaring fireplace definitely seems warm and inviting on cold winter nights, but many older fireplaces are only 10% efficient!  How does improved comfort, energy conservation, reduced energy costs, reduced noise, and improved indoor air quality sound?  Here are some tips to increase your fireplace’s efficiency:

Designs Sought for 3rd Annual Lifecycle Building Challenge

Calling all students, architects, engineers, designers, planners, contractors, builders, reuse experts, educators, and environmental advocates!  Innovative ideas and designs that further advance green building are wanted for the national competition of the Lifecycle Building Challenge.  The key is to promote “the designing of buildings which facilitate disassembly and material reuse to minimize waste, energy consumption, [...]

World’s First Green Airplane Hanger

Construction of Hangar 25 at the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California was built to high performance, sustainable design standards.  Now complete, the new facility is the first of its kind in the world to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest award — LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification.

Windows, Part II: The NFRC Label

In Part I of my series on windows, I talked about low-E coatings which enhance a window’s efficiency. Today, I’ll discuss the NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council) label which appears on all products certified by the third-party, non-profit, and on all window, door, and skylight products rated by ENERGY STAR®. The NFRC label provides detailed [...]

Backyard Wind Turbines

The government wants you to generate clean, green power! This past October, a 30% federal tax credit (not to exceed $4,000) was signed into law that makes the cost of installing a small wind system more affordable for owners of homes, businesses and farms. Many U.S. states have rebate or tax credit programs in place [...]

Windows, Part 1: Low-E Coatings

Feeling a draft through those old windows? If caulking and sealing around your existing windows doesn’t do the trick, or if you have inefficient or uninsulated windows that are not well-suited for your climate, it may be time for replacements. Whether you are looking for windows for new construction or replacements for an existing house, [...]

Calculating Your Carbon Footprint Made Fun & Easy

We all want clean air to breathe, safe water to drink, healthy food to eat, secure shelter to live in, etc. to meet our basic needs. But our very existence and our everyday actions affect all of those things. I’d like to think that most people are aware that our actions have an impact on [...]

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