All Posts Tagged With: "green roof"

We have long espoused the power of visuals to convey a new idea. Truly, a picture is worth 1000 words. But, it goes deeper than that. Art speaks the language of our heart and enlists our emotions in imagining a different reality. In that spirit, the very talented Gordon Griffin, a sometimes contributor to GOforChange, created this wonderful video called, “What would it look like?” Enjoy! And let us know what you think in the comment section.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5ecxp7Jahw[/youtube]

Sidwell Friends School is the greenest school on the planet. Its middle school is the only Platinum LEED institution of its kind to have been brought to fruition. Most of the materials used in construction were either recycled or salvaged, like cedar wood re-used from wine casts. And 78 percent of the materials were manufactured regionally (within 500 miles) to minimize energy from transportation. All plants for landscaping purposes were native. The rooftop houses an array of photovoltaic panels. Low-VOC paints, glues, and adhesives were used in classrooms to improve air quality.

Passive solar design reduces the air conditioning load through natural ventilating and shading. A green roof reduces the "urban heat island effect" and removes pollutants from rainwater. And about 95 percent of the school’s water is recycled through perhaps the most impressive feature of the middle school: its artificial wetlands. Continued

The musician owners of a 1960s-era house are planning extensive renovations to the living spaces on the first floor. They are committed to using low-impact, non-toxic, sustainable materials. They also desire to wean themselves off fossil fuels, so energy efficiency is a high priority.

As part of a long-range master plan by Gabrielli Design Studio , the first phase was a small addition to the kitchen. Built by Greenbuilders on the existing foundation of a dilapidated screened porch, the structure is post-and-beam with infill strawbale walls and fiberglass-clad windows . The green (planted) roof drains to a chain drain and a rain barrel.

The new room brings daylight deep into the kitchen, while sweeping views upwards along a steep hillside to the sky. The straw walls are clad in lime plaster, the floor is the existing concrete, finished with a natural, plant-based stain and beeswax.

The next phase was going to be a kitchen renovation. But the new room has changed the character of the existing kitchen so dramatically, the owners may not need to renovate it for a long time.

Working with this family has been an inspiration. During the year we worked together on this project, they also chipped away at wasteful practices all around the house. Using tips from friends and from green websites such as Lime , they reduced their electricity use by 64%! What a difference a little curiosity and a lot of motivation can make in a household’s budget, as well as the health of our planet.

GreenBuilders Inc. is a general contractor in Maryland, specializing in remodeling, additions, and the use of straw bale construction when feasible. Polly Bart, PhD, founder of Greenbuilders, is also a LEED accredited professional , frequently working in that capacity as an advisor to general contractors.

They specialize in "not-so-big" construction design to reduce costs; non-toxic, natural materials which will are safe for families; one-of-a-kind handcrafted beauty in finishes and trims; and sensible heating and cooling plans which provide more comfort and save energy.

Greenbuilders recycles, reuses, and donates. Clients get the tax deduction and the satisfaction of knowing that their renovation isn’t sending valuable materials to the landfill. In fact, Greenbuilders does not use dumpsters at all!

Over the years, Julie Gabrielli has done a number of projects with Polly, much to the delight and satisfaction of her clients. Polly always brings practicality, common sense, honesty, great craftsmanship, and a deep care of the earth to her work.

Living Classrooms Foundation is a non-profit organization, operated for the benefit of the community at large, providing hands-on education and job skills training for students from diverse backgrounds, with a special emphasis on serving at-risk youth. The foundation uses maritime settings, community revitalization projects, and other challenging learning environments, along with a low staff-to-student ratio, to promote career development, community service, self-esteem, and multicultural exchange.

Helicon Works is local architect and ‘green’ builder William Hutchinson. Specializing in environmentally-sensitive architecture and building practices Bill has accepted projects from Maryland and Virginia to Santa Barbara and Southern Baja. Bill designed and built his own house, which features straw bale walls, a living roof, solar pv, corn stove and is equipped with his own biofuel filling station. You can even take a tour of his home or get involved by taking a workshop. Visit the Helicon Works website for more info.