Green Building Elements

Resiliency Is Goal Of Greener New Orleans

Date Added: 8/28/2015

Resiliency is the ability to bounce back following adversity. After the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans, many questioned whether the city could ever be rebuilt. But actor Brad Pitt organized a campaign called the Make It Right Foundation. It has built more than 100 homes in New Orleans, most of them in the worst hit area of the city — the Lower Ninth Ward. Read More


London Sky Pool Is Awesome

Date Added: 8/21/2015

The London Sky Pool connects two 10 story apartment buildings. It is 82 feet long and 10 feet deep. It uses glass 8 inches thick to contain all the water. Read More


Market For Energy Efficient Windows Growing Fast

Date Added: 8/21/2015

Big things are happening in the world of energy efficient windows. Where once window manufacturers simply added another layer of glass and called it a day, new research and materials make it possible to create windows that can cut annual energy bills by up to 20%. Apply that number to all the buildings in the world and you have removed millions of tons of carbon dioxide from the air, not burned millions of barrels of oil for heat and electricity and saved families and business billions of dollars. Read More


Building Materials, Fossil Fuels’ Ugly Cousin

Date Added: 8/21/2015

We still live in a time when we do plenty things that are very harmful to our planet. It seems we’re all aware that fossil fuels like oil and coal create a considerable portion of our greenhouse gas pollution. But many people don’t understand that we also do a lot of harm to our planet with the materials we use to build and remodel our homes and buildings. Read More


Tiny House Trends: Homelessness & Sustainability

Date Added: 8/21/2015

Having been interested in tiny houses for a while now, I continue to be pleasantly surprised by new developments in the movement. One of the more recent developments in the many uses for tiny houses is making permanent housing the first, most crucial part of a comprehensive strategy to help counteract homelessness. Read More


Coca Cola Saves Energy With Umisol Window Film

Date Added: 8/21/2015

Umisol Infrared Blocking Filter was recently installed at the Coca-Cola headquarters in Brussels. The project is expected to create a net profit of 14 €/m²/year. Read More


13 Redwood Refinishing Tips

Date Added: 8/25/2015

Redwood is a wonderful material for outdoor structures like decks and fences, but not everyone is in love with its gray, weathered look. Refinishing redwood is actually quite easy and can be done by novices and professionals alike. Read More


Solar Powered Windows Generate Electricity

Date Added: 8/26/2015

Solar powered windows that generate electricity without spoiling the view? That’s the stuff of science fiction, right? Not anymore. Two groups of researchers — one in the US and another in Italy — have created functioning prototypes for solar powered windows that look clear but harvest electricity from the sunlight passing through them. Read More