| Center for Green Technolgies goes INTENSIVE! |
[Jun. 1st, 2006|06:18 am] |
The Chicago Center for Green Technology, CCGT already had a 3,000 sqft green roof, but as you all know extensive roofs are not quite as, well intense as intensive roofs. sure succulent plants are neat, but can they compare to trees and veggies? i think not. and the CCGT obviously thinks not too, 'cause now TectaGreen green is putting an intensiove roof up there as well.... so the best of both green worlds at the center for green technologies |
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| Garden In A City; th 'first' urban garden show |
[May. 13th, 2006|01:17 pm] |
Billed as the nation's first urban garden show, it features displays, workshops and practical "grow-too" information for city residents interested in greening up their yards, decks, parkways, balconies, windows and rooftops. "It's the first show in the nation designed to show our residents practical ideas for planting small gardens," Mayor Daley said by way of introducing the event. (and if you are a regular HUGGer you know that there's going to be a few debuts there, like GeenGrids new modular sytems...) |
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| brand new Do it Yourself!!!! |
[May. 8th, 2006|11:14 pm] |
To Be Unveiled at May 2006 Garden in the City Event in Chicago
CHICAGO'S GREENGRID INTRODUCES DO-IT-YOURSELF GREEN ROOFING SYSTEM FOR HOMEOWNERS!!!
GreenGrid, a green-roof business branch of Weston Solutions, introduces an all-new "do-it-yourself" Green Roofing system perfect for homes and smaller buildings. Called The GreenGridR DIY Kit, all components are delivered directly to the home/building owner along with easy-to-follow installation instructions.
The kit includes:
==> Two-by-two-foot-by-four-inch deep modules
==> GreenGrid's specially formulated light weight soil media
==> Hearty, low-maintenance, and drought-resistant sedum plants
The "do-it-yourselfer" assembles by placing the soil media and plants into the modules. The modules are then placed directly on top of the existing roof. Although surprisingly light, the roof's structural integrity may need to be tested to make sure it can support the added weight. Often, the entire project can be completed on a Sunday afternoon.
The GreenGrid DYI Kit will be unveiled at the Garden in a City show, to be presented by the Chicago Park District, Chicago, IL, May 13-21, 2006, in the city's Grant Park. go to www.greengridroofs.com for more information (after the weekend... till then it's still veiled). But what fun!!!! |
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| "It really is a school for the 21st century. |
[Mar. 31st, 2006|01:51 pm] |
now i wanna go back to school!
but its a primary school so that may be a little awkward... Still surrounded by trees, green roofed, huge media room, daylighting, thermal mass, i'm impressed. And wonder what a kid will turn out like when getting these principals at an elementary level... wow. that makes me giddy to think about....
[source This Is WiltShire] |
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| more E-Z stuff ....this time for your roof! |
[Mar. 2nd, 2006|10:50 am] |
fast and easy....ELT's EZGreenRoof
I met these guys a while back, and have been meaning to write about them for some time... ELT GreenRoof systems was the result of looking high and low for an easy to install modular green roof system. I was in love with this one,(but it is not available outside of Nippon):
  
  
..those were made with recycled HDPE plastic and you were able to do a roof in about 4 hours. Oh, it was also self-watering... of course, as you can see, it was sod, which meant that it had to be watered, and also it had to be mowed (a little bit of a problem in some green roof situations). So those drawbacks, as well as it's unavailability, led me to keep searching for an easy to use modular green roof kit.
And the ELT EZGreen is it! Not only is it modular and easy to use (making installation cost a lot less), but they also use succulent plants instead of grass, this means no mowing and no need for watering! Could it be more um, EZ? And the guys at ELT are super nice, very personable and able to help you with every issues you have from early FAQs to getting a job completed on your roof! They even have a link with a list of State by State Province by Province green-roof funding sources. So if you are looking for the most bang for your buck, simple installation and happy helpful people to hold your hand while greening your home, ELT is the place for you! |
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| MAKING GREEN ROOFS HAPPEN!!! FYEAH! |
[Feb. 2nd, 2006|08:10 am] |
After 60 smog days and finding out how much money
they will save... the T.dot gets greener. En Masse!
Toronto City Council approved "Making Green Roofs Happen", its green roofs strategy The recommendations that Council approved today include a commitment to install green roofs on new and existing buildings owned by the City, green roofs are to be considered for existing municipal buildings when roofs are due to be replaced. For new City-owned buildings, the Green Roofs strategy sets a target of green roofs covering 50 to 75 per cent of a building's footprint. The council also recommended that a pilot program of financial incentives be initiated this year for the construction of green roofs. City officials will also work with Toronto Hydro and the Toronto Atmospheric Fund on the possibility of offering building owners additional financial incentives for retrofits.
Joe Pantalone, Deputy Mayor and Chair of the City's Environmental Round Table said, "Torontonians have asked us to do more to promote green roofs. In response, the City has approved a comprehensive approach - from establishing standards and building our capacity to support Green Roofs at the City level, to offering education, funding, expert advice and promotion." Yeah that's all it takes, ask. Oh and save the city $300M.. The City recently commissioned a multi-disciplinary green roof benefits study by Ryerson University. Researchers found that an eight-percent coverage of existing rooftops with extensive green roofs would generate over $300 million in initial cost savings in areas such as storm water management, combined sewer overflow reduction, building energy savings, and the urban heat island reductions. Operational cost savings for the city from this level of coverage were calculated at approximately $40 million per year. So remember kids, all you have to do is ask:p Still as we say up here; Awesome news, eh?
[CNW Group] |
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| great question ...great answer! |
[Dec. 13th, 2005|07:43 am] |
Green Roof or Solar Roof ......What is better?
 
In today's GreenBiz "ask the experts" Gil Friend is asked which is better, to put solarpanels on your roof, or to lay down a green-roof. And I love his answer! He gets a few experts in on the answer, including green man par excellence, Stephen Peck. And the answer is a) Both! and b) don't forget, it's one thing to greenup, but it's another thing altogether to reduce your electricicty needs in the first place through efficiencies, that way, no matter which route you take-- your results will be even greater... |
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| hitting stride with the mainsteams |
[Nov. 23rd, 2005|09:42 am] |
GreenRoofs and green living getting more and more mainstream press
I've said it before and I'll say it again; when it starts hitting the mainstream media, two things become certainties. One, that something's changing in people's general perception; environmentalists are no longer wackos, and every person feels a kinship with this home-planet. The other certainty is that no matter what, this will snowball.
I've heard journalists say that they keep stories they'd love to report on, and wait for something big to happen so they can cram them out, watershed stylee. In the case of eco-technologies, they wait for a peak oil or a $4 Gallon and then BLAM! they can put out their pet stories about efficiencies or wacky inventors and their zero pollution cars. The other natural part of the MSM ecosystem is mimesis. When a few articles get written in some slightly avant magazines, publishers and editors can be heard the world over barking their need for a solar story or some back-to-the-earth reportage in a manner not unlike Jameson calling out for a photo of Spideyman.... As if they just invented the scoop(!)
So I am inspired to mention this phenom, yet again, because of a convergence of three events this morning; two were posts in The Treehugger. One, a roundup of several MSM magazines that are all now touting green, and then the other a mention of Treehugger showed up in Business Week ((BTW Way to go TH!!)). So those two obviously made me happy, and confirmed what i was already saying....
Then walking down the street I saw something out of the corner of my eye, something I usually ignore. Dose. For those of you that aren't fortunate enough to live in a city Dose decided was target-market enough, this is a daily rag, almost a newspaper (but free an dall of 16 pages-- tabloid style) it usually has some news lots of entertainment and a sex column. It's geared towards the 20-somethings so there may sometimes be a little bit of counter-culture.. but it is produced by CanWest a huge megaNewsCorp with a right of center (hidden) mandate.
That's why I was shocked, bemused and delighted to see a rooftop garden on the cover today. The bi-line was "how a rooftop revolution could change life in our cities." Yay! Even the right-wingers are getting on the bandwagon! Welcome! Not only is it the main story of the day, but on every page (whether about green roofs or not) there are cute headlines with green roof factoids. Like how much sound is reduced after greening your roof....
Just put a big smile on my face and made me hopeful hat we are now entering a stage of perception shifting. Woooooo Hoooo Hoooo! |
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| ...those crazy Hippies in the Bay Area |
[Nov. 22nd, 2005|08:12 am] |
The greenest museum ever to open in San Francisco!
They've talked about it for years (at least 3 now) and have touted that architectural genius Renzo Piano will be handling all designs (he did these nifty little pictures). And now, according to KESQ, they finally broke ground! Woop woooop! Say hello to the new Claifornia Academy of Sciences (No, not the academy of arts & sciences, though I would like to thank the academy, my parents....). It was going to cost $220M but they actually raised $392M. Nestled on the edge of the lush Golden Gate park (at the end of Haight street) the design is quite unique...
the roof (green of course) is designed with waves and peaks to mimic Frisco's hilly topography, and similarly to appear as if a green extension of the park.
pretty, huh? And of course there is going to be SolarPV and many many other forms of alternative energy and efficiencies!
The roof, apparently is going to be a home to nearly "two million" native species. And one of the biggie attractions is going to be a 90 meter tall "Rainforest Dome." Opens in 2008. I can't wait. |
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| I've been holding out on you..... |
[Oct. 15th, 2005|08:01 am] |
my newest favorite architect, and, one good turn....
Ok, y'all know that i have a particular fondness for these uber futuro green designers and architects, right? I mean, I constantly gush over Ken Yeang, both here at Exuberant Pantaphobia and in person ...and have a personal menagerie of paintings, photos, sketches and even a few animations of these UFG Buildings ...Yes, if i am an info-junkie, green buildings, especially the inspiring ones, are my drug-of-choice.... and that's probably why i have been holding out on you. I apologize for that, and will now try to make amends.
So for a few weeks now i have been crushing like mad over this architect named Emilio Ambasz. I can't get enough of his stuff!! That building up there, the Fukuoka Prefectural International Hall has been built! it's not just an idea! Though the idea is pretty brill-- if you ask me, Ambasz wanted to extend the green space as opposed to cutting it off with concrete... and he did a great job! there's even waterfalls cascading down the building....
and he has many many more amazing designs and buildings under his sleeve. This guy, it turns out, built Leo Castelli's country home (and it is totally smashing in a futuro underground greenie kind of way).
((that's not the Castelli country-house-- it's a head office for a cyber co. in Beltsville Maryland))
....and like i hint up there with the "one good turn," it seems like i might actually get a chance to work with this guy!! As it happens, I'm working a little as a consultant on a super-secret-green-project based out of New York City. And while i was certain that Ambasz was based in Japan or Spain or something exotic like that.... as i have been pouring over every detail i can find, turns out he is also based in the NYC! And now I've successfully hooked up my super-secret boss with the man himself (!) So, as the cat gets out of the bag.. i look forward to telling y'all about this wonderful work and how it-- like life on this planet-- is getting greener by the day!! |
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