Green Building : Jetson Green

Rocky Mountain Institute Launches Free Online Tool Green Footstep

About a week ago, the Rocky Mountain Institute launched Green Footstep, a free online carbon calculator for reducing emissions in building construction and retrofit projects.  The website also features three case studies together with an explanation of the Green Footstep methodology.  With the tool, you can:

Green Modular Malaysian Idea House

This is the Idea House by Broadway Malyan for Sime Darby Property, one of the largest property developers in Malaysia.  The home was designed as an attempt to become the first carbon zero residence in South East Asia.  The home would be prefabricated in modules to save on labor costs, speed up the construction process, and make deconstruction of the home easy at the end of its useful life.  Some other green aspects of the home design include:

New Library of LEED Pilot Credits

The USGBC has unveiled a half-dozen new credits for LEED which are being investigated in a pilot program currently underway.  Pilot LEED credits include: Life Cycle Assessment of Building Assemblies and Materials; PBT Source Reduction; Medical and Process Equipment Efficiency; Innovative Ventilation; and Preliminary Integrative Project Planning & Design (2 credits).

Landscaping Stars, Car Connections, Greener Pastures, + the Green Economy

• Starchitecture and sustainability.
• Capitalizing on the growing green economy.
• Five next-gen green building materials to watch.
• The Living Building Challenge spreads it petals.
• Going back to nature with golf's greener pastures. 
• Sustainable Sites Initiative gives four stars for green landscaping.
• Using recycled materials, innovation to reinvent building materials.
• Who is liable for green building performance?
• Demolish, rather deconstruct, with care.
• The connected car. 

Also, follow @jetsongreen on Twitter for more news, links, and commentary.

Haptik Sustainable Suite Design by WATG

The USGBC, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and The Network of the Hospitality Industry (NEWH) together announced the winner of the first ever Sustainable Suite Design Competition.  The purpose of the competition was to showcase the best hospitality design strategies that boast environmental responsibility while enhancing the guest experience.  Out of 65 professional design entries, WATG and IDEO took the top prize for their suite, Haptik. 

Clay Roof Integrated Solé Power Tile

We've seen building integrated solar by separate companies for use with both asphalt shingles and standing seam roofing.  Now SRS Energy and US Tile are preparing to unveil a new Solé Power Tile at Greenbuild.  The barrel-style technology was designed for a clay tile curved roofing system.  Using thin film solar, the Solé Power Tile integrates seamlessly with blue glaze or earthen tone tiles.  SRS Energy and US Tile will launch the system first on the West Coast and roll it out nationally through 2010.

Koda Recycled Content Exterior Material

We first saw this 3form material, Koda XT, with the wavy transit shelters in San Francisco.  Designed by Lundberg Design, the colorful transit shelters use a custom configuration of Koda XT, a material made of 40% pre-consumer recycled content.  3form says Koda XT is the only architectural polycarbonate material available to use towards LEED MR 4.1 for recycled content. 

An Affordable Free Span Solar System

P4P Energy, LLC -- short for Power for the Planet -- recently completed the installation of its first, cable-suspended free span solar system in the parking lot of the headquarters building for REM Eyewear in Sun Valley, California.  Designed and patented by P4P Energy and TenSol Power, the array spans 107 feet on low-cost cables and provides shade for cars parked below.  It's expected to generate roughly 40,877 kWh of electricity per year. 

Tempe Transit Center Covered in Green

We've seen solar-powered transit shelters, but this eco-friendly transit center with transit stops outfitted with green walls may be a first.  With the help of greenscreen green walls, the City of Tempe Transit Center is seeking LEED Platinum certification.  The mixed use facility, designed to be 52% more efficient than a traditional building of its kind, went with green walls to provide a buffer from the harsh Arizona sun and heat. 

Hive Modular Completes X-Line Prefab

Hive Modular, a Minneapolis-based company that sells modular, contemporary homes, recently sent us photos of this X-Line prefab in Vadnais Heights, Minnesota.  The X-Line 003 features an exterior of fiber cement, steel, and locally harvested cedar, while the interior features stylish modern elements.  Pay particular attention to the translucent polycarbonate walls by Polygal, the red IKEA kitchen, and the custom tables from Eastvold Custom Woodworks.