June 1, 2011
By Alexandra Gutierrez, KUCB – Unalaska:
Between the high prices of heating fuel and construction materials in the Aleutians, the cost of building a house along the Chain – and living in it – is higher than most places in the United States. But now, two groups are teaming up to find an affordable and environmentally friendly design that works for the Aleutian Islands. The Aleutian Housing Authority and the Cascadia Green Building Council have organized a global contest to develop what’s called a “living building” in Atka.
“Living buildings” go beyond most green building standards. Mark Masteller is the Alaska director of the Cascadia Green Building Council and he explains what buildings must do to qualify as “living.’
That means that the building’s environmental footprint would be minimal, and that the space would be practically self-sustaining. Masteller says that the buildings should also promote local food production.
The building that AHA and Cascadia want designed is a single-family home that would replace one of the houses in the village of Atka. If this housing project is deemed a success, AHA’s goal is to see homes like it sprout up across the Aleutians. Read more
March 29, 2011
By Daniel S. Friedman and Doris W. Koo of Crosscut: The world’s greenest, most energy-efficient office building is taking root in Seattle. And while the project will deliver a wide array of environmental benefits, it will also increase knowledge and create positive economic impacts that are equally significant for the people of Seattle and beyond.
The project matters for one more critical reason: As the climate changes we desperately need new models for development.
It is estimated that building construction and operations accounts for 39 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, 65 percent of waste and 70 percent of electrical use in the United States. Led by the Bullitt Foundation, a team of architects and builders aim to change these statistics through the design and development of the Cascadia Center for Sustainable Design and Construction.
Solar panels will generate as much energy as the building occupants use, showing that solar works, even in Seattle. Our ample supply of rain will provide as much water as occupants need, and wastewater will be treated on site to reduce downstream impacts. Large, operable triple-glazed windows will create offices where every worker can experience daylight and fresh air will circulate through the entire building. The use of toxic materials, which unfortunately are all too common, will be highly restricted in favor of locally sourced building products designed to last 250 years. Read more
September 8, 2009
Green roofs are sprouting up across the country from Chicago to New York to Washington. They offer a myriad of benefits including better indoor climate control for buildings and a more pleasant aesthetic than concrete. The Tacoma News Tribune recently wrote about one such rooftop meadow planted atop an eight-story high former parking garage in Tacoma, Washington.
Eight stories above downtown Tacoma, a meadow needs a beehive. Honeybees are working the dianthus, candytuft and evening primrose blooming in neon shades of pink, purple, and apricot high atop 1250 Pacific Ave. The bees, and a modest population of ladybugs, are the unexpected residents of the 30,000 square feet of green roof that surely is the most colorful in the state.
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