Green, greener, greenest

Sure, there are the greenest ways to generate power -- wind and geothermal, say. But green also means making current operations greener. For example, using fossil fuels more efficiently. One way is through combined heat and power (CHP), or cogeneration. That's the idea behind this 79-page PDF document from Energy Business Reports, specifically,

CHP or a bottoming cycle captures the by-product heat for domestic or industrial heating purposes, either very close to the plant, or for distribution through pipes to heat local housing.

In Europe, the use of CHP presents a substantial potential for increased energy efficiency and reduced environmental impacts. It is considered to be a priority area for many Member States. The efficient use of fuel, in simultaneous production of heat and power, can offer energy savings and avoid CO2 emissions compared with separate production of heat and power. In addition, development in the use of fuels used in CHP applications show a trend toward cleaner fuels.

Seems a bit pricey at $297, though, I think.

Bed of greens

JC Penney will soon be offering a line of eco-friendly beds made by Simmins. The mattresses feature "natural, biodegradable and renewable components such as natural rubber tree based latex and a layer of base foam enhanced with soy."

Reminds me of the night I dreamed I ate a 10-pound block of tofu ... and when I woke up, my pillow was gone!

Natural high

The Eco Everest Expedition 2008, an ascent on the Earth's highest peak intended to attract attention to environmental issues, achieved its goal with a successful climb to the summit yesterday.

Saving energy on hot water

GE has announced a new line of tankless hot water heaters. These heat water on demand, so that you don't waste energy keeping water hot and unused. According to GE, these devices can save you 25 percent on your water heating bills.

Taxing carbon

Seems that some San Francisco businesses will be grappling with a new carbon tax.

The promise of LED lights

Everyone knows that the days of the incandescent bulb are numbered. But the most common replacement, the CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulb, has its own disadvantages, especially that of disposal, since it contains mercury. The LED (solid state light emitting diode) bulb promises to beat both the CFL and the incandescent -- thanks to a combination of energy efficiency and lack of waste. That's what Renaissance Lighting, a maker of LED lights, is saying.

But LEDs have their limitations too. For now, at least, they are directional. That means they are useful only for lights you point at things, such as recessed lights (point down), floodlights and flashlights (point out), and task lighting (points at your task). So LEDs are also not the perfect answer, though the technology is improving.

Renaissance, for example, has announced a new 4-inch LED light. The light is smaller than the company had heretofore offered, and may be a good fit for a wider range of applications.

Ace Hardware, Home Depot, now carry composting toilet

Biolet, a Swedish manufacturer, just announced that Ace and Home Depot are now stocking its composting toilet. The eco-friendly system uses no water and needs to be emptied every two months under normal daily usage. According to the maker, the toilet can be self-installed in two hours and does not require access to a septic tank or sewer system.

Home Depot is selling the toilets online from $1,399 (for a nonelectric model, shown in this post) to $1,999 (electric).

Hi-rise condo wins top LEED honors

According to this report on Greenloop, the first high-rise condo complex in the United States has earned a "platinum" LEED rating. The 16-story condo tower is located in the Pearl District of Portland, Ore. The tower received 55 LEED credits -- and only 52 are needed for Platinum certification. The building, named The Casey, features solar panels and an "ecoroof" for storm-water management.

Report on green retail from Housewares Show

Here's an interesting report on green retailing from a blogger who went to the International Home & Housewares Association Show in Chicago.

We have created through supply and demand, the experience of walking into a store and expecting to see new seasonal products. We anticipate seasonal colors, products, and innovation. This experience has resulted in a lot of new products developed in haste and without much regard for environmental responsibility. The question is, how can retailers maintain the “new” experience while being a sustainability leader.

International Council of Shopping Centers to hold first RetailGreen Conference

The ICSC's event will focus on issues of sustainability in retail settings, on reuse and reduction of environmental footprint, and on indoor environmental quality. It will be held Sept. 15-16, 2008, in Dallas, at the InterContinental Dallas Hotel, Addison.

Canadian painter opens eco-exclusive store

Here's an interesting profile of a husband -- he's still runs a commercial painting business -- and wife who opened a store that sells a wide array of environmentally friendly products. The store, called ShopEco Environmental Products, is located in Tecumseh, Ontario, close to Detroit, and opened last fall. Graham and Eleni Hughes carry AFM Safecoat paint in their store, as well as many other eco-friendly products, from apparel to cosmetics to cleaners.

New bags from old

Mettler Packaging's new "everlasting bag" is a plastic bag that can be recycled to make more plastic bags. The idea is that retailers sell the bags for a small fee, and then replace them for free when customers bring in old ones. The bags are made of EcoLoop recycled plastic, and they can be themselves recycled back into EcoLoop.

Web site pushes eco-friendly bird control

Bird-X has launched a new version of its Web site -- bird-x.com -- to offer info on bird control and to sell its eco-friendly bird control products. The site offers links to articles and humane bird control solutions.

House of straw

There are some interesting possibilities on the alternative edge of the green building movement, including the use of non-traditional materials, like bamboo. Or even a return to very old traditional materials, like straw. Yes, there are people out there today who build houses out of straw. According to enthusiasts, the advantages of straw bale construction include insulation, use of natural materials, and sturdiness -- these structures are very resistant to fire, earthquake, and even the huffing and the puffing of the big bad wolf.

Here are a few links for those who want to learn more.

• This realistic introduction to the topic considers both strengths and weaknesses, especially the danger of moisture.
• The Australian Straw Bale Building Association site has a lot of good info.
• This overview of green building is skeptical about the benefits of straw bale construction.
• This collection of straw bale links has many that are out of date, but many that are still quite good.

On the scene at the Green Building Conference

[Here's a first-person report from HCN's Kate Fazzini.]


Wow, I am really busy. Sorry for the late blog entry. I thought this was supposed to be the "big easy"?!

I'm down in New Orleans for the National Association of Home Builders Green Building Conference, the 10th year for the show. It's hot, the weather's great and I'm learning a lot -– a LOT -– about green building. The highlight of my day yesterday was a tour of several storm-damaged areas, some that saw homes marinating in more than eight feet of water for days after Hurricane Katrina. Toni Wendel, owner of Olde World Builders in New Orleans, served as my spitfire guide. Wendel is in the process of rebuilding two homes under recently adopted Crescent City Green guidelines. I'll be writing about her and several others in the next issue of Home Channel News.

But for now, some of the most striking images from our trip around the city yesterday were the homes in need of repair. To say houses are in "various states" of rebuilding is a vast understatement. Homes, shiny and new and remodeled, sit next to homes in the middle of complete demolition and rebuilding. And those both sit next to homes that look as though they haven't been visited since the storm, except by vandals –- and some haven't been.

There is definitely a deep rebuilding movement here, and a long way to go. The main thing, though, is the builders here love their city and are working overtime to make the rebuilding effort happen. I've included some photos of our trip and hope to have more up here before the end of the conference.

News from the Green Building Conference

The NAHB's Green Building Conference is going on in New Orleans, and HCN has a reporter at the event. Associate editor Kate Fazzini's report (free registration required) covered an educational session on how remodelers can best “sell green” to consumers who might be overwhelmed with information. She also reported on a tour of a number of green homes recently built or remodeled in the New Orleans area.

We'll hear more from Kate once we get some technical problems cleared up.

Elsewhere on the Web, check out blog posts by Smart HomeOwner magazine's Tony Napolitano, who is also at the show. He writes about the large amount of work still needed to restore New Orleans, and he has some interesting thoughts on how building professionals have to do a better job of making themselves sources of green info for customers.

Also at the show, the National Association of Home Builders gave Mountain Ranch LLC its "Mixed Use Development of the Year" award in recognition of the green aspects of its new Del Sur community in San Diego, Calif.

Castle tilts toward windmills

A riverside hotel just north of New York City, Castle on the Hudson, has announced that it will be getting 100 percent of its energy from wind power. The hotel is being supplied with electricity by Juice Energy, which is touting the deal as a way to "deliver electricity at a lower cost with more predictability," that is, without "wild market swings," according to a statement by Juice. As oil prices continue to rise, will more businesses look for solutions like this one?

New green cleaner has no VOCs

For Life Products released its new Rejuvenate Refresher cleaner at last week's National Hardware Show. The company's environmentally friendly floor cleaner is water based and has no volatile organic compounds.

Tim-Br Mart names green buyer

Canadian LBM co-op Tim-Br Mart has named its regional buyer for building materials, Phil Temple, as its new "green buyer." According to a company press release, Temple will start by looking at energy efficient products and those with low VOCs. He will also serve as a resource specialist on LEED issues.

Temple will augment the company's current green product line-up. The Calgary, Alberta-based buying group launched its "EnerGrade" initiative last year.

Green gypsum board maker opening plant in New York

Serious Materials, maker of EcoRock gypsum board, plans to open a plant in Lysander, N.Y., a town near Syracuse. The plant will cover 240,000 square feet and employ over 100 people. EcoRock requires no heat to dry, saving a lot of energy in its use.