GreenCoast 2008

ASMS Class Visits Local Architect's Green Home

2008-02-24T19:58:00.002-06:00

The Advanced Placement Environmental Science class from the Alabama School of Math and Science had a wonderful opportunity to tour a home that was designed from the beginning with the environment in mind. Rebecca Bryant, a local architect, designed her family's home to have a low impact on the land. From the beginning the planning focused on energy efficiency, the way the home was placed on the land, and what the materials' life cycle costs would be. This home tour was an excellent way to see some of the design elements that we will be developing in our green building demonstration kitchen. The tour started outside and we talked about how the screened wrap around porch allowed extra living space without having the extra environmental costs of heating and cooling it. The house is oriented to allow windows in every room, usually on both sides of the house. This allows light into the rooms, but due to eaves designed to block direct summer sun, this does not heat the room in the summer. Due to the ample natural light, the family normally does not even use their energy efficient lighting during the day. Another major feature of the house was the spray foam icynene insulation. Although this insulation costs more, it allowed the design to incorporate a smaller air conditioner, which payed for the difference. The insulation will continue to pay back even more in energy savings throughout the year.

Although there were many more environmentally friendly choices made, I could never cover them all. The combination of so many smart ways of building a house was wonderful to see. Despite the contractor's reluctance, this home proves that a green building is not very much more expensive than a normal building, that it will pay for itself over time, and that the impact of a house can be greatly reduced by simply trying to work with the land, not against it.

--Daniel Toxey

daniel.toxey@gmail.com

Guess who's sold 145 million energy saving lightbulbs since 2005! Wal-Mart

2008-01-25T13:21:00.000-06:00

Think a giant retailer doesn't have influence? Think again! Wal-Mart has a five-year plan. Read more...

Diesel Engines Are Surprisingly Efficient

2008-01-16T09:09:00.000-06:00

Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, discusses the merits as well as the benefits of clean diesel. Read more...

High School Students are Green Ambassadors

2008-01-13T18:28:00.000-06:00

Green Ambassadors is an environmental education program that motivates students who attend Environmental Charter High School in Los Angeles to set a "Green" example.

How Green Is Your Presidential Candidate?

2008-01-06T20:44:00.000-06:00

Take a look at Grist's guide to determine just how green your presidential candidates are!

Best Green Cities Ranked

2008-01-06T20:26:00.001-06:00

Sperling's Best Places and Country Home Magazine joined forces and ranked the 379 major metropolitan areas, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, according to the best places to live a green life. Read more...

Architects use Innovative Techniques to Build Green Data Centers

2007-12-20T22:30:00.001-06:00

The challenge to build energy-efficient green data centers calls for high-tech as well as low-tech solutions. Read more...

Architects & Interior Designers Take Note!

2007-12-19T11:20:00.000-06:00

Retro-fitting an old building is not new news, but retro-fitting green is! Feast your eyes on the green and truly spectacular Haworth's New York showroom !

Scroll down the page on the link and read about the economic savings using green building on the project!

Home Grown Marks Pelosi's Greening the Capitol Initiative

2007-12-18T12:50:00.001-06:00

Members of the House of Representatives will get a taste of locally grown foods on Monday! This move toward a healthier food service that dishes out more than 2.5 million meals every year is part of Nancy Pelosi's initiative "Greening the Capitol." Read more...

Nanosolar's Innovative Solar Panels

2007-12-18T11:46:00.000-06:00

Nanosolar, a Silicon Valley start-up, announced that it will sell relatively low cost and extremely efficient photovoltaic panels...that is solar innovation providing environmentally friendly power!

Environmental Books on HarperOne's Horizon

2007-12-17T11:54:00.000-06:00

HarperOne is introducing four major titles about going green in 2008 & 2009 ! Read more...

GreenCoast 2008 Conference and Expo: Save the Date! April 9 & 10, 2008

2007-12-05T21:44:00.000-06:00

Organizers of GreenCoast 2008, the premiere green build conference on the Northern Gulf Coast, recently toured Pensacola's impressive green built Navy Federal Credit Union--a 56,000 square foot remote call center. The LEED™ Gold certified building was designed as an employee-focused facility with goals to reduce capital costs, energy costs and health care costs and to increase employee productivity and retention. According to Navy Federal representatives, those goals have been met and exceeded.

February 2008 Bus Tour
We're scheduling another bus tour of the Navy Federal Credit Union in February 2008. Stay tuned for more information and let us know if you want us to add your name to the list of participants. Just send an email to info@smartcoast.org.

Green Coast 2008 Conference & Expo
GreenCoast 2008 Conference and Expo will take place at the Mobile Convention Center on April 9-10, 2008 and will feature interactive education sessions on commercial, residential, and public green building. The Green Expo will feature sustainable products and services used in a green building. While this special trade show will be available to conference attendees; it will be free and open to the public on Thursday, April 10 from 1-4 PM.

Save the date: April 9-10, 2008 and visit us online to learn more, http://www.greencoastonline.com/. GreenCoast 2008 is presented and produced by Smart Coast and the U.S. Green Building Council, Alabama Chapter.

Sponsorships
Sponsorships are welcome and still available! Contact info@smartcoast.org or phone 251.928.2309 to find out more information.