Gary Chang takes us on a tour of his tiny Hong Kong apartment where he has made the most with very limited space.
Gary Chang, a Hong Kong based architect, shows us around his tiny 300+ sq ft apartment he has transformed with moveable walls and other nifty techniques. The wave of the future? View the video, part of the World’s Greenest Homes series on you tube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg9qnWg9kak&feature=player_embedded
Gary Chang - architect and master of the small space
Philips EndurLed Light Bulb
According to Troy Wolverton writing in the SJ Mercury News on 6/29/10, a new generation of LED light bulbs is starting to hit store shelves. Here are some of the upcoming options he highlights:
Philips: Plans to introduce a 60-watt replacement bulb in the fourth quarter this year. The EnduraLED bulb is expected to cost about $60 apiece but will run at 12 watts and is expected to last 25,000 hours. (A typical 60W incandescent bulb is rated to last about 1000 hours.)
Lighting Science Group: Plans to launch a 60-watt replacement bulb in its Definity line in the third quarter this year. The bulb is expected to be priced at less than $35 apiece and will run at 9 watts.
Pandigital: Bay Area company plans to begin selling an odd-shaped 40-watt replacement bulb dubbed the Light Engine in the fourth quarter. The bulb consumes 9 watts; the company hasn”t released the price yet.
Home Depot already sells some LED bulbs including the EcoSmart LED 40W Equivalent, priced at $20.
Generally, at this point you would need to carefully compare the original bulb purchase price, how many hours they are expected to perform, and your cost per kWh to run it, in order to calculate if they are worth the extra upfront cost. Of course as more and more are purchased and LED’s become more mainstream, prices will come down. And don’t forget to factor in cost of replacing bulbs in hard to reach locations, especially in commercial applications.
And this from Sam Alpert, engineer with GDS Associates: “Be aware of any LED product that seems like it has a “too good to be true” price. It may be worth it to research it for reviews first as the light quality and color may not be as expected (as I found out by purchasing a $9 – 40 W equivalent from Amazon.com).”
I attended this past weekend’s Generation Green Expo in San Jose, CA, June 26 and 27. It didn’t quite seem to live up to my expectations. Spoty crowds, not sure if it was due to lack of marketing and advertising (I happened to catch a print ad for it on the back of the Mercury News; there was a small sign stuck in the ground near my local Costco in Mt View.) The SJ Convention Center may not have been the best venue – it was large and noisy.
On the other hand, the lineup of speakers and presenters was plentiful and the ones I heard were knowledgeable and informative. Alternative fuel (natural gas, electric…) vehicles were on display and well represented. Michael Brown and Shari Prange from Electro Automotive, long time vets of the electric car business, were showing off their all-electric VW Rabbit. There were a number of quality solar PV and hot water companies, including REC Solar which was represented by Evan Sarkisian. A number of “green” products, like no-VOC paints and flooring products, actually appeared to be quite green.
The “green” business is becoming more mainstream everyday!
When attending “green” expos it’s important to pick and choose carefully to make the best use of your time. I would rate this one a C.
3200 LONG RIDGE ROAD, La Honda, CA
Offered at $2,195,000 Please contact Max Greenberg, Realtor DRE#01879103 at 650-833-9200 or email max@maxgreenberg.com.
Rare opportunity to own an off-the-grid home, very private on 38 wooded acres with an ocean view. Passive solar designed home – modern open floorplan – private acreage, secluded gated community. CHEERS2 rated energy efficient home – magnificent forest setting, great views, plus 2600 sq ft multiuse shop/barn – radiant heated – living unit roughed in. Endless lap pool, greenhouse, fruit trees, gardens, decks, large yard. Solar PV with battery storage, and solar hot water systems. Adjoins Open Space Preserves with endless trails to the ocean. 3200 sq ft home with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths.
This private gated community is a desirable solution for the client who needs a private sanctuary very close to the Bay Area (top of Page Mill Rd)
www.3200LongRidgeRoad.com to view the virtual tour.
For an appointment to view this property please contact Max at 650-833-9200.
Bio – Arran Blattel, Co-founder and Chief Building Scientist, Innervation Energy Solutions. 408-365-4351 info@innervationenergy.com.
Arran spent his youth in the very environmentally friendly area surrounding Berkeley, constantly in the outdoors, going backpacking at least every other month since the age of 9. Prior to co-founding Innervation Energy Solutions, Arran worked for the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, focusing on automating large scale commercial buildings to reduce their energy loads during times of strain on California’s electric grid. Arran holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Earth Systems from Stanford University.
Max Greenberg: Tell me about your company – please describe the services that your company provides.
Arran Blattel: Our company, Innervation Energy Solutions, provides home energy analysis and efficiency remodeling services. The primary focus of our work is on saving our customers money on their bills, and we won’t take a penny if we don’t believe that we can achieve that goal. We want to show people, and homeowners, in specific, that making efficiency improvements in your home envelope, your appliances, and lighting systems is not just the “green” thing to do, but that it can actually save you money today.
We provide other services, as well, however. Some customers come to us because they are concerned about temperature disparities, or health-related concerns, such as mold, which are often related to household airflow and building performance. And yet others would just like to have a comprehensive energy profile and/or rating done on a home, sometimes for real estate, or selling purposes.
In many cases, our work involves an energy audit. As part of this process, we send a team of our certified professional auditors to do a full 360-degree assessment of the home, from building materials, to construction quality and air leakages, to HVAC systems and appliances to determine what measures can be taken to reduce cost and improve comfort and health aspects of using the home. We aim to provide a “one-stop shop” for our customers, from assessment, to inspection, to performing remodeling and following up with quality assurance verification, and we work hard to make the customer experience as easy and as transparent as possible. Continue reading
Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, 2010 | Fort Mason Center, San Francisco
West Coast Green is the world’s largest conference + expo dedicated to showcasing green innovation for the built environment.
Join thousands of the brightest minds in green building, business, and technology and be a part of the conversation!
Visit their website for more info and to register: westcoastgreen.com
Rain Barrels Save Water
Irrigate your garden with water collected from your gutters. Basic tools and materials from your local hardware store are all you need for this backyard project. Thanks to the Green Building Advisor. http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/build-simple-rain-barrel
