Posts filed under ‘Uncategorized’
Social Distancing Help?
One of the biggest problems in California where I live is traffic and one solution is an increase in the use of mass transit, in our case, buses. However with the recent emergency that is problematic. Enter Arrival a bus designed around this issue. https://inhabitat.com/arrivals-zero-emissions-buses-are-designed-for-social-distancing
Cool Bike Stand Designs
One of the most small, but common problems I see at my client’s sites is a lack of bike parking and while the article at Eco Friend shows designs that are no where near the market yet, it is hopeful to see such creative solutions! 
As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com
Energy Efficient Windows – Retrofit Opportunity?
Foam Insulation Gets Healthier
OSHA is finally making one of the building trades less dangerous. As a Lifelong asthmatic I applaud this change. The full story is here at BuildingGreen.com (http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/2013/7/28/OSHA-Puts-the-Squeeze-on-Asthma-Causing-Polyurethanes/).
As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com
Building Technology Update for 5/23/2010
Hello Everyone,
Real life got in the way of regular posts, which for now is solved. I will be posting again every week on Sunday evenings for the foreseeable future.
Tonight we have one update and several interesting technologies. The update is on the Chinese drywall problem where the product was off gassing dangerous level of toxic chemicals. On Building Green (http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/2010/5/17/Chinese-Drywall-Manufacturers-Liable-for-Millions-in-Damages/) we have an update where cases have come to court and the plaintiffs have started getting big awards. I am glad that this has finally started and I hope that it will cause importers to more carefully screen where they are getting their products.
Here is Southern California we are finally starting to attack the air conditioning monster we need for living in a desert! In Glendale the first of I hope many projects is getting underway where they will be using ice created overnight with cheap wind energy to provide the cooling that was previous provided be the energy hungry conventional HVAC units. The complete story is on Clean Technica (http://cleantechnica.com/2010/05/22/53-megawatt-ice-energy-storage-trial-begins-in-california/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+cleantechnica%2Fcom+%28CleanTechnica%29)
Prices and availability on LED bulbs is about to improve radically! The article on Ecogeek (http://ecogeek.org/efficiency/3167-affordable-high-performance-led-bulbs-finally-hitt?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EcoGeek+%28EcoGeek%29) gives me great hope that this much needed technology is finally going to become affordable!
Lastly tonight we have two stories about growing your outside wall covering. Both from Treehugger, one is about growing the map of Europe on your wall (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/05/living-map-europe-grows-copenhagen-wall.php?campaign=th_rss_design) and the other is about simply growing plants on your wall to improve your local environment. (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/05/lifewall-modular-vertical-garden-tiles-eat-pollution-feed-plants.php?campaign=th_rss_design)
As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com
Housing California 2010 Day1
Hello everyone out there from rainy Sacramento California! Today was day one of the annual conference about low income/special needs housing development. It was a great day, except for the rain.
You can see the conference offerings here: http://www.housingca.org/events/annualconference/
Tomorrow we should have a great speaker and I will give you a post about the topic in the evening from the airport!
As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com
Ghost Towns and Abandoned Places around the World
Looking over my post statistics for this blog I am surprised to find that one of my most popular posts has to do with “Ghost Towns – Past, Present or Future?“. So I spent a little time this morning looking into other sites that delve into this obviously popular subject.
I am surprised at the shear number of sites to be found by simply typing in “abandoned places” into Google.com. Here are a few of the ones I like best. First is the Abandoned Places Blog (http://community.livejournal.com/abandonedplaces) a fairly comprehensive resource on the subject. Of course the main draw of these sites are the photos to be found there.
Next we have Abandoned-Places.com (http://www.abandoned-places.com/). The interface is a little confusing and hard to use, buy the pictures and attached stories are worth the effort.
From the DIRJournal (http://www.dirjournal.com/info/abandoned-places-in-the-world/) there is a wonderful article about abandoned places in the world. It has some of the better pictures from a number of sites and is a good starting summary of the topic.
I also found a pretty good post in the Atom Community (http://community.atom.com/Post/The-Six-Creepiest-Abandoned-Places/03EFBFFFF0182C7B8000800BC1459) in an attempt to define the 6 creepiest places in the world. This is a pretty daunting challenge for anyone, but you will just have to make your own judgment on whether you agree with the list.
Excerpt : “This is Gunkanjima, Japan, also known as “Battleship Island.” It once had the densest population in the entire world: 1.4 people per square meter. Do you realize how insane that is? Let me put it this way: If you were a fat guy on Battleship Island, there would technically be another person partially inside of you, like the aftermath of some horrifying teleporter accident.“
Lastly today I would like to point you to the WebUrbanist site that does a fabulous job in showcasing all sort of interesting architecture. I have two links to give you here:
1. 100 + Abandoned cities, towns, building and property (http://weburbanist.com/abandoned-buildings-towns-and-cities/).
2. Abandonment in action (http://weburbanist.com/2009/08/13/8_cities_abandonment_deserted_modern/) which showcases several still inhabited places that look to become a future abandoned places feature.
As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com
Green Power Technology Update for June 23, 2009
Just when you think that the various green, alternative power types are getting going we have a whole slew of bad news. There are serious potential issues affecting both wind and solar power’s affordability and overall return on investment.
The easiest to fix is the problem built into California’s net metering law that sunsets it once the amount being generated from alternative sources reaches 2.5% of the system peak grid load. The story on Cleantechnica (http://cleantechnica.com/2009/06/23/sunset-clause-to-dim-solar-in-california/) makes the point that we are already alomost there and we are just getting started. This problem is easily fixed but will probably get lost in my state’s annual budget fiasco.
Excerpt: “One of the key ways that solar is economical is through net metering. Because our utilities pay more for afternoon electrons, you can send electricity to the grid that sells for 40 cents in the afternoon, and use that generation as a credit towards the electricity you get back from the grid for 11 cents at night.
This lowering of utility bills is key to increasing home values. If a home saves $1,000 in a year with solar then the value of the home goes up $20,000. This improvement is essential to getting mortgage financing for solar; so it’s all circular. Net metering down; savings down; bankers frown = energy brown.”
Next we have an unusual enemy for solar power, at least the solar tower/ heliostat type, the US Air Force. Apparently these folks are not in favor of large areas near there installations that can potentially blind their pilots. The story is on Ecogeek (http://ecogeek.org/solar-power/2820-new-enemy-for-solar-tower-plants-the-air-force) has what details have been realeased.
Excerpt: “The Air Force, in fact, is not saying precisely why they don’t want the power plant. They say it could interfere with radar systems, but, more importantly, there are other reasons…all of which are classified. Col. Howard D. Belote, installation commander at Nellis said, “Because of the sensitivity [of information], I can’t tell them why. Unfortunately for them and us, there’s stuff on the Nevada testing range we don’t tell anyone about.”
We assume it has something to do with the aliens.“
Too bad as this is prime area for installations such as these…..
Next there is concern over the problems Spain is having regarding wind power that might tarnish the technology’s reputation for affordability. Some think that the country’s investments in wind generation are causing potential insolvency issues. The story is on Leonardo Energy (http://www.leonardo-energy.org/wind-energy-really-affordable) is from mu perspective brings up some very valid points.
Lastly tonight we have a little good news, if tightening or belts can be called that. A new report put forth by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) says that by reducing unnecessary demand by up to 20% through demand use technologies. The story is on Sustainable Business (http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/18422) and it has all of the details if you are interested.
Personally I am more interested in continued development of alternative power generation as a means to get us out of our current mess, but I suppose that efficiency will always have its place.
As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com
Housing California – Day 1
It was a great day yesterday with many wonderful sessions from policy and lobbying sessions to disaster preparedness.
My favorite was all of the great information on the Mental Health Services Act housing component (MHSA). It is apparent from these sessions that this is a program still evolving although there are some very successful projects already in place and in process.
The agenda today, day 2 includes the current Sec. of HUD! I am looking forward to that for sure.
As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com
Solar Power Update for December 8, 2008
There are so many solar power news stories this week I don’t know if I can get them all in one post, but I will give it a try!
First off I have a local ( I live in Southern California) story about our Public Utilities Commission okaying a very large solar thermal contract between Southern California Edison (SCE) and eSolar who has plans for power plants that could generate up to 245 MW of power. The story is on Greenbang.com (http://www.greenbang.com/6800/california-oks-solar-thermal-contract/).
Excerpt: ” Under the 20-year contract, inked earlier this year, Southern California Edison will purchase energy from a planned eSolar plant in the state’s southern Central Valley. The 105-megawatt Gaskell Sun Tower Project is being backed by Google.org, Idealab and Oak Investment Partners.”
Also here in California another company is looking for approvals to build an 850 MW solar power plant. It is a solar thermal type application and it is to be built in the Mojave Desert by Stirling Energy (http://www.stirlingenergy.com/default.asp) and the story can be found at Treehigger.com( http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/12/850-megawatt-solar-thermal-plant-seeks-california-approval.php).
Excerpt: ” Built in two stages, the 850 MW Solar One project will occupy about 8,230 acres and consist of about 30,000 solar thermal collectors (called SunCatchers by Stirling). Construction should start in 2010 and take 40 months to complete. The first phase of the project will be 500 MW in capacity, with an additional 350 MW to be completed at a later date. All of the power output of the facility will be sold to Southern California Edison under a 20-year power purchase agreement.”
Next we have the currently largest CIGS solar power array going live in Tuscon Arizona. The story on Cleantechnica.com (http://cleantechnica.com/2008/12/04/world%E2%80%99s-largest-cigs-thin-film-solar-array-goes-live/) has all of the details. Please note I gave you the disclaimer about “currently” the largest as I am sure it is only a matter of time until a bigger one is built!
Excerpt: ” The 750-kilowatt system, located at Global Solar Energy’s Tucson, Arizona, manufacturing facility, features a ground-mounted solar array consisting of 6,600 thin-film solar cells generating more than 1.1 million kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity annually. Owned, operated, and financed by MMA Renewable Ventures, the plants power will be sold to Global Solar under the terms of a long-term commercial financing agreement.”
Lastly on the bigger is better front we have the plans to build a 1 Gigawatt solar power plant in Jordan. The story on Treehugger.com is self explanatory: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/12/1-gigawatt-solar-power-plant-planned-jordan.php
Excerpt: “The plan is over the next three years to build the 200 MW thin-film solar PV factory (producing amorphous silicon, CIGS and related hybrid PV modules), with 22 MW being completed by the end of 2009. The output of this factory will then be used to build a 1 GW solar power plant which will reach full capacity by 2017. The factory will also produce solar modules for use in other Amelio Solar projects around the world, as well as for sale in the open market.”
Every day I read somewhere about businesses adopting solar and other alternative energy sources to help run their sites. This week on Environmentalleader.com (http://www.environmentalleader.com/2008/12/08/california-growers-processors-tapping-sun/) we have a story about the boom in this practice in the California agricultural economy, especially among the state’s wineries.
Excerpt: ” A small but growing number of California growers and processors are tapping the sun to help power their operations, San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Bernadette De Chiaro, a clean energy advocate with Environment California, told SFC that she has seen a growing number of agricultural companies install solar panels over the last five years. The trend has been particularly visible among wineries and packing plants that have high refrigeration and air conditioning costs.”
Not to be left out is the state of Texas, already in the news for potenially getting some very large wind farms says that it wants to have 4000Mw of solar generated power by 2020. The story on Sustainablebusiness.com (http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/17271) is all about the state’s desire to once again become a global leader in energy.
Excerpt: ” A coalition of elected officials, business leaders, and community groups announced a plan to revitalize Texas’ economy through state investments in solar power and energy efficiency. The group called on the Legislature to renew Texas’ leadership as the energy capital of the world by adopting policies to boost manufacturing and installation of clean energy products.”
Now we go on to the area of research and prototype products! First into the ring is a story out of MIT (http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/21755/?a=f) talking about how a new thin film type cell using photonic crystals is showing promise.
Excerpt: ” The design combines a highly effective reflector on the back of a solar cell with an antireflective coating on the front. This helps trap red and near-infrared light, which can be used to make electricity, in the silicon. The research team is licensing similar technology to StarSolar, a startup in Cambridge, MA.”
Among the more strange news items comes one on Treehugger.com (http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/12/thermal-storage-concrete.php) where concrete is being looked at to become the solar storage medium of the future.
Excerpt: ” Their plan is to create and test high-performance concrete. They will observe different mixes of concrete, discover which mixes can store the most thermal energy and attempt to use those mixes to create a super-solar-energy-storing concrete. To evaluate the super-concrete, scientists will expose their creation to high temperatures, paying close attention to the rates of thermal loading and the effects of temperature cycles. Computer models will also be used.”
Lastly and finally tonight is a story about using the technology that helps with SETI and the Quake Catcher Network (https://askthefm.wordpress.com/2008/10/07/can-your-laptop-help-with-earthquake-research/) to help design the next wave of solar cell technology. Harvard and IBM want to employ distributed computing networks to help with the computational needs for this project. The full stories can be found on Cleantechnica.com (http://cleantechnica.com/2008/12/08/ibm-harvard-use-distributed-computing-to-find-ultra-powerful-solar-cells/) and on Greenbang,com (http://www.greenbang.com/6819/your-computer-could-help-develop-a-better-solar-cell/) as well as the original story on Reuters.com (http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4B70QS20081208).
Excerpt: “NEW YORK (Reuters) – Scientists at Harvard University and IBM are hoping to harness the power of a million idle computers to develop a new, cheaper form of solar power that could revolutionize the green energy world.
Researchers have launched the project using IBM’s World Community Grid, which taps into volunteers’ computers across the globe to run calculations on a myriad of compounds — potentially shortening a project that could take 22 years to just two years.”
I plan on contributing my extra cycles how about you?
As always I thank you for your time and interest. Please take the time to Digg, Stumble Upon or add to the other social network of your choice to help me spread the word about these issues. Please forward any questions or suggestions to: askthefm@gmail.com
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