Feature Article
Cohousing: How Green Is My Village?
Photo courtesy of Wonderland
Hill
Development Co. |
As conventional land-use patterns remain predominantly
automobile-based, one alternative style of development is
gaining popularity. The community-based "cohousing" model
not only revitalizes the idea of neighborhood, but brings
with it a unique set of opportunities for designing and
living sustainably. In this article, we examine environmental
opportunities as well as some challenges of cohousing, with
lots of examples and a table listing the green features
of 80+ communities in North America.
Mail@BuildingGreen
Lighting Design and Sustainability:
The International Association of Lighting Designers has
lots to offer on electric lighting issues.
The Construction Contractor's Perspective:
A General Contractor appreciates our recent specifications
article, and argues that her profession deserves as much
time on the green building learning curve as designers have
had.
What's Happening
ASHRAE Standards in the News:
States are scrambling to meet a federal requirement that
they update their energy codes to a more recent standard;
ASHRAE has expressed its own commitment to sustainability;
the Society is developing a GreenGuide for HVAC engineers;
and it has proposed an Addendum to Standard 90.1-2001that
makes it applicable to energy-efficient buildings.
Problems With Dishwasher Energy Ratings:
A glitch in the DOE's dishwasher energy performance test
brings dishwasher ratings into question. Solutions are apparently
on the way.
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What's Happening
(cont.)
Newsbriefs:
Quebec phases out non-farm pesticides...Straw-bale houses
found to be more energy efficient and require less wood...European
environmental organizations launch the Natureplus label
for building materials...USGBC approves "Portland LEED"...U.K.
enacts a tax on aggregates ...and much more.
Awards & Competitions:
U.S. Green Building Council has announced a new awards program...The
American Society for Healthcare Engineering is seeking applicants
for their first Sustainable Design Awards...and Creative
Office Systems, Inc. has been recognized by the EPA.
Then & Now: 1992-2002
LEED's Distant Origins:
In 1992 EBN reported on an ASTM subcommittee working to
describe green buildings. That effort led to the formation
of the U.S. Green Building Council, which now boasts over
1,700 members and manages the LEED(TM) Rating System for
commercial buildings.
Product News and Reviews
Soy-Based Polyurethane Now in Carpet Backing:
Photo: Cabot Corporation |
Dow's soy-based BioBalance is being used in carpet backings
produced by UTT, providing a fraction of soy-based content
to the otherwise-petrochemical-based backings.
Interface Announces LCA Results:
Interface's Life Cycle Assessment compares virgin polyester
to the recycled material used in their Terratex(R) fabrics.
From the Library
Green Urbanism: Learning from European Cities
The Limitless City: A Primer on the Urban Sprawl Debate
Energy-10 version 1.5 from the National Renewable Energy
Laboratory
Calendar
of Events |
