Stephanie, an NCARB registered architect and LEED AP, draws upon her studies in architectural history and theory from Sarah Lawrence College and her master’s degree in architecture from The Ohio State University. Providing copy for publications and performing marketing work for the construction industry, Stephanie works as an independent freelancer from Columbus, Ohio.
Eco-friendly inventions now enable elevators to operate with much less energy, use less building square footage by eliminating traditional elevator utility rooms, and incorporate eco-sensitive finish materials. Likewise, green strategies for eco-modernizations are also available to renovate traditional elevators. Yet beyond new green technologies and renovations, an elevator itself is an important green tool.
(As previously published in Modern Contractor Solutions.) Pervious pavement is a green, sustainable strategy that can assist in lowering stormwater runoff, naturally decreasing automobile pollutants, recharging the water table supply and moderating the heat island effect. Similar to other complex construction systems, in order for the sustainable pavement to perform as it was designed, it needs to be installed with precision and maintained with diligence. To drain water effectively on any given site, different geographical areas require special adjustments to the technology as well.
Light Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA) masonry block, which was used in the construction of the Landskrona Townhouse, is a low embodied energy material, is relatively inexpensive, is lightwieght, has a high insulation R-value, and is made by heating the materials to 1200 degrees Celsius in a rotary kiln. The origins of LECA and other aggregates such as Gravelite, Perlite, and Rocklite can be traced back to the invention of Haydite (invented for the construction of the USS Selma) in 1917 in Kansas City, Missouri. In Europe, LECA block was first used in Denmark, Germany, Holland, and the U.K.
Light Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA) masonry block, which was used in the construction of the Landskrona Townhouse, is a low embodied energy material, is relatively inexpensive, is lightwieght, has a high insulation R-value, and is made by heating the materials to 1200 degrees Celsius in a rotary kiln. The origins of LECA and other aggregates such as Gravelite, Perlite, and Rocklite can be traced back to the invention of Haydite (invented for the construction of the USS Selma) in 1917 in Kansas City, Missouri. In Europe, LECA block was first used in Denmark, Germany, Holland, and the U.K.
Most of the residential architecture in coastal Landskrona, Sweden, is quaint and unassumingly beautiful. For a long time there was an empty lot only a bit wider than two dozen feet on a dense street in the center of town. One day, a stark white townhouse appeared on the block, boasting elegant geometrical proportions and a transparency that commands a place in the heart of art and architecture enthusiasts. What happens to a traditional streetscape when distinctly different, yet equally gorgeous, architectural styles are juxtaposed? Jonas Elding and Johan Oscarson of Elding Oscarson architecture of Sweden wish to reveal a few of their design secrets.
Ive Haugeland and Tyler Manchuck, of Shades of Green Landscape Architecture in Sausalito, Calif., spend many hours researching, debating the pros and cons of different products, asking questions, and working with sustainable manufacturers to provide landscapes that are not a posh-type green project, but rather areas that truly benefit the environment. Shades of Green used a newly completed residence in Sausalito as an experimental project in which to introduce new, sustainable grass seed. "The no-mow lawn uses a blend of fescue. It takes way less water and you only need to cut it once a year," says Haugeland.
"I'm a lawn hater," says Jamie Durie, the popular Australian host of HGTV's The Outdoor Room and PBS's Victory Garden, who gave a gracious presentation for garden enthusiasts who gathered at the 2010 Central Ohio Home and Garden Show. A founder of PATIO Landscape Architecture and Design, Durie specializes in transforming the everyday backyard into a private garden oasis. Durie is the author of multiple landscaping idea books which are full of details and design tips for a variety of spatial scenarios.
Passive solar is a green concept after my own heart because its principles reduce energy consumption without adding additional cost to a project. Of course, if a building is not originally designed to capture the sun's heat by day, store it, and release it at night, then active technologies must be used to help offset our consumption of natural resources. Thankfully, photovoltaic solar panels are much more effective and, frankly, more useable than they were even 10 years ago.
Corporate social responsibility is a revived buzz concept. Businesses are taking an inward look at how their actions are affecting their world at large; i.e. the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders, and all other members of the public sphere. Google is becoming one of those businesses who is a leader in forming their company based on socially responsible principles. The other thing about Google is that we can often look to them to come up with the most cutting edge technologies; in some ways they always seem to be one step ahead of the curve. Do you agree?
In 1962, Milton Friedman published the book Capitalism and Freedom in which he states that corporations do not need to worry about "social responsibility" because they end up using other people's money to do what those other people could do themselves. I think we have come to understand, after years of mulling over his opinions, that it doesn't really make sense to spend our earth's resources heedlessly. We can design products of the future that make a wiser use of recycled materials and materials that have a lower embodied energy, etc. Once again I ask, do you agree?
What do Arthur Erickson, Robson Square, and The Olympics all have in common? The ability to attract crowds.
"On Saturday night, more than 50,000 people milled around Robson Square in downtown Vancouver. 50,000 in one small area! On Sunday, it got worse. The crowds were so heavy that the media dubbed it Super Sunday," writes June Campbell.
