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Evaluating Whole Building Carbon Emissions
Two years ago, the Society of Building Science Educators* (SBSE) partnered with the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE), Educator/Practitioner Network, and Sustainability Discussion Group to spearhead the Carbon Neutral Design (CND) Project. This year at the 2009 National AIA Convention, Dennis A. Andrejko, FAIA, moderated a discussion of the CND…
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Cycling for Transportation: More Than Just Nice
Ah, a windmill and bicycles. Where else could this idyllic scene be other than the Netherlands? This windmill in Amsterdam is indeed a quaint historical relic, but the bikes most assuredly are not. In fact, they are the dominant mode of transportation in the modern-day city by the banks of the Amstel River. What, you…
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Sripadanna Residence: Going for the (LEED for Homes) Gold
Is it possible to achieve a 20 °F difference between indoor and outdoor spaces using passive design when it’s a blazing 100 °F outside? Yes, it is possible, and architect Hari Sripadanna has proven so in his house.The Sripadanna Residence is located in Saratoga, California, an area which experiences hot weather in the summer and…
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Integrated Design for Renewables (IDR)
As designers and implementers of design, we know that integrated design theoretically makes sense. However, when it comes to installing renewable energy systems, it is more and more critical that we actually put theory into action. So I’d like to go through a couple of real world examples of what can happen (or not happen)…
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Simplify Rainwater Harvesting with HOGs
How can you beat a name like Rainwater HOG (HOG)? When I walked through the March 2009 PG&E Water Conservation Showcase in San Francisco, my attention was drawn to a group of tall, handsome, and eye-catching Australians. They were 6 feet tall and dark green, with the word “HOG” subtly inscribed on them. The What:…
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The Story of The Fireside: Seeing the Green in Value Engineering
Value engineering. The term often evokes trimming down a project. However, used properly, it can be a positive tool that helps one take a systematic approach to evaluating a building system or product from different perspectives. In the realm of greening a project, value engineering is an important part of the decision making process. Value…
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Mosaica: A Sustainable Community
Years ago, I came upon a bustling weekend flea market situated on a lot disfigured by broken concrete and asphalt, and anchored by a dilapidated warehouse structure in the middle of the site. Who would have thought that I would end up as the construction manager working for the developer who gave the site a…
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The Story of The Fireside: Green, Affordable Housing
Right off of California Highway 101 and along the way to Stinson Beach, there sits a project “that could.” It accomplished many feats over the course of its development. As the construction manager on this project, I’ll be sharing my insight on the project’s green building process over a series of articles. Almost ten years…
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The First Green Replacement for the Concrete Block
Four years ago, I asked a contractor and architect whether or not there exist concrete masonry units (CMU) with recycled content. “CMU is CMU, just use the standard specs,” they said. Fast forward to 2009, while speed-walking through the exhibit aisles at the 2009 Green California Summit and Exposition, I came upon Integrity Block. The…
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Berkeley’s Latest Super-Green Project
During my student days at U.C. Berkeley, my friends and I would go to the Great China Restaurant for dinner and the California Theaters for a movie. Along the way, there was a big parking lot which was often viewed as an eye-sore. More than 10 years later, this lot has been transformed into two…