QUBE MAGAZINE

GREENER SPACE FROM CUBE TO QUBE

TEAM CALIFORNIA

REFRACT HOUSE SCU CAMPUS & CCA CAMPUS CALIFORNIA

To the students of Team California, ‘green’ and ‘sustainable’ aren’t just words: they are a call to action. As broad and overused as these terms may have become, they represent a profound and obvious truth: we have to be smarter about the way we live on this planet. That starts with doing something about it.

THE WORLD IS WORTH TRYING FOR

The Solar Decathalon 2009 Joins 20 college and university teams in a competition to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered house.

SOLAR POWER 101 From the 7th Century B.C to 2009, explore the timeline and foundations that date back to the history of Solar Power. Expanding from buildings to homes to a more greener source of energy for a better tomorrow.

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QUBE

GREENER SPACE FROM CUBE TO QUBE FOUNDER & PUBLISHER

TAKA SHIMAZAKI

SUPERVISOR MASA KUBOTA

EDITOR AYA

PHOTOGRAPHER KOJI KAWAKAMI MIKIKO ARIGA

WRITER MUSCLE MASARU

ART DIRECTOR

HAJIME TAKASHIMA

PROGRAMER

TOSHITATSU SAKUISHI

FRONT COVER A computer 3-Dimensional version of the Refract House for the Solar Decathalon 2009. This home includes a solar plane, redwood siding, daylight and clerstory, a courtyard, reflecting pool, and a Wall Assembly to function as a exterior rain screen.

Additional Central insulation, and weather barrier.

For more featured Information see the TEAM CALIFORNIA REFRACT HOUSE article on page

QUBE INSIGHT

oct/nov09

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As environmental involement is a plus in todays day in age QUBE MAGAZINE commits itsself to provide insight on all top matters that will help and spread the idea of sustainability. In this edition insight on TEAM California in the race for the SOLAR DECATHALON 2009 will be a vital part of this issue.

Also concentrating on exposure to the Solar Decathalon 2009 competition, the WHO? WHAT, WHEN? and WHERE? to keep you informed with QUBE magazine.

QUBE will also provide information on Clever Homes a project of supplying “a better way to design, and build the modern home” Ready made homes with a modern touch and sustainable frame.

A complete design - build service that guides you from the concept through construction of the ideal home. Combining modern, energy efficient designs with a closely managed building process tailored to fit all unique needs. The result a smooth, efficient homebuilding experience everyone can enjoy.

DESIGNER KEI ABE

MARKETING DIVISION

YUUKI HIROTA YASU TOMITA

MODEL LARISSA OLENICOFF MIKE FISCHER MAI CHRISTOPHER COLLARD SPECIAL THANKS DESIGNERS AND AGENTS ADVERTISING PRIMAL ENGINE ROCK A THEATER

3 ©QUBE, Inc. All rights reserved.

CONTENTS GREENER SPACE FROM CUBE TO QUBE

HEALTHY FOUNDATIONS

By Brian C. Howard To the students of Team California, ‘green’ and ‘ sustainable’ aren’t just words: they are a call to action.

As broad and overused as these terms may have become, they represent a profound and obvious truth: we have to be smarter about the way we live on this planet. That starts with doing something about it.

THE WORLD IS WORTH TRYING FOR

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CLEVER HOMES Ready made homes with a modern touch and a sustainable frame A complete design - build service that guides you from the concept through construction of the ideal home. Combining modern, energy efficient designs with a closely managed building process tailored to fit all unique needs The result a smooth, efficient homebuilding experience everyone can enjoy.

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FEATURE

REFRACT HOUSE TEAM CALIFORNIA

Joins 20 college and university teams in a competition to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered house.

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SOLAR POWER 101

From the 7th Century B.C to 2009, explore the timeline and foundations that date back to the history of Solar Power. Expanding from buildings to homes to a more greener source of energy for a better tomorrow.

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ARTICLES

The Solar Decathalon 2009

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GREEN CITIES PAGE 34 Greenwashing: Avoiding Eco-Hype You recycle, ride a bike to work, and buy organic food.

You pay extra for “green” electricity and have an ecofriendly car. So can you rest easy, with a clean conscience that your life is as sustainable as it can reasonably be?

ADDITION, SUBTRACTION, & COMPOSTING PAGE WHAT MAKES A CITY GREEN?

Greening a city means more than just eco-friendly buildings and bicycle lanes.

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PAGE HEALTHY FOUNDATIONS

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Building a new home?

Consultants help homeowners make healthy and energy efficient choices.

PAGE THE TOP 25 GREEN CITIES IN THE U.S.

From Eugene to Kansas City, America is Greening its Cities.

Q&A: NHL’s Matt Bradley Playing for Team Earth

PAGE Addition, Subtraction and Composting the Trash

This Sustainable grass offers great alternatives to hardwood bookshelves, flooring or cutting boards

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PAGE Q&A: NHL’s Matt Bradley on Playing for Team Earth

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With only a few adjustments, Fourth of July patriotism can go hand in hand with environmentalism.

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CONCEPT- a holistic approach to green living

INITIAL DESIGN > California College of the Arts took the Solar Decathlon to the classroom and had a studio in the Winter of 2007/2008, where 16 students presented the first drafts of what solar home Team California would build. These designs were presented to a group of students from Santa Clara University, faculty from both institutions, professional architects, and professional engineers from the area.

THE WORLD IS WORTH TRYING FOR

These designs were eventually narrowed down to four designs, then underwent the same process and were narrowed down into two designs. The Refract House was eventually chosen due to the originality of the geometric design and the potential to showcase Santa Clara’s engineering talent.

After the primary design was chosen, the team began focusing on nailing down detailed design features, engineering systems, communications and team branding, and raising initial funding for the project.

SUMMER TO FALL PROCESS > At this point, the engineers split into teams directed toward each individual system such as: thermal design, electrical design, plumbing, windows and doors, etc.

These teams worked on research and development for the rest of the school year, and assembled the first (and rather lackluster compared to the final) set of deliverables.

SUMMER 1 During the first summer, a team of students were chosen from SCU and CCA to stay and work the summer. Throughout the summer, the students learned a lot about communication between individuals and also about actual design of a home. The summer work continued in the R&D field, major system designs and architectural designs began to get narrowed down.

This was a time when many experiments were carried out regarding what could and could not be done. For example, we had hoped to use Straw board panels in the home, most likely for a non-structural application like http://www.refracthouse.com/images/uploads/Picture_4.jpg siding. The challenge of making a sustainable yet structural version of the board, while also manufacturing it, became too formidable. It was scrapped in the beginning weeks of Fall 2008 design.

FALL 2008

Team California, the only undergraduate-led team in the Solar Decathalon 2009 competition.

Combining our youth and our process, we set the standard in green living To the students of Team California, ‘green’ and ‘sustainable’ aren’t just words: they are a call to action.

As broad and overused as these terms may have become, they represent a profound and obvious truth: we have to be smarter about the way we live on this planet.

INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDENT DESIGN > The evolution of Refract House’s design was influenced by an interdisciplinary group of students. Things were not dictated only by a group of Architecture students, nor a group of civil engineers. Architects and Engineers educated each other and put decisions through a really thorough hybridized review process.

CONCEPT DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

For example, our windows and their glass were chosen off of three components of review: aesthetics, insulative properties, and sustainability (using aluminum windows versus vinyl).

We truly demonstrated collaboration by blurring traditional responsibilities.

Instead we focused on our collective abilities on integrating all of our efforts.

For a great graphic example of our interdisciplinary collaboration, refer to the Orb of Collaboration above.

During the fall, the team learned that communication was more difficult than we thought and had to work through things like left vs. right brained thinking, long distances between schools, etc. We began to utilize online collaboration software to aggregate floor plans, solicit information, and communicate to the whole group. Additionally we began to use Saturday sessions as a big way to tackle issues. See the next session to see more about it.

This was collaboration. This was dedication. It happened almost every saturday from Fall of 2008 to April of 2009.

Summer 2009 The second summer was spent actually constructing the house. With pressures mounting, tensions running high, and rampant fatigue, we managed to still complete the house. On top of that, we held the photoshoot for SearchCafe and We completed the construction, held publicity events, and sent the house on its way to D.C

That starts with doing something about it.

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CONCEPT- a holistic approach to green living

DESIGN

STUDENT INTENT >

OUTREACH >

Our unique collaboration between schools, undergraduate students, and fields of expertise will provide a new model for integrated design. Our mission with the Refract House is to demonstrate that green living does not require a compromise in lifestyle - it will be a home inspires others. Ultimately, the influence of the Refract House project should far beyond Team California, its message reverberating long after the Solar Decathlon has ended.

Our outreach efforts have been focused on teaching people about the Refract House, what the current state of US Power consumption is, and what differences they can make. Whether it is selling food at parades or giving tours to 11-year old campers, we take every opportunity to share our knowledge with our community. The best proof of this is the Sustainability Decathlon program which we ran again.

Solar Plane > How do you design a roof that is integrated with solar panels?

Architecure > DECATHALON INVOLVMENT >

Inspired by the notion of “thinking out the box” refract house was deisgned as a bent tube that can control the entry of light into the home while wrapping around a central courtyard.

Our intent is to design a block and luxuriouse home that demonstrates green living does not require a compromise in lifestyle a home that will inspire others.

As student, we are building the future and building ourselves.

The Refract House was designed, built, and managed completely by undergraduate students. Coming to this project, we knew nothing.

However, as true students not delayed by ‘convention’, we learned quickly and designed as we believed was right, not off of what was cheap or easy.

If the homes of the Solar Decathlon are those of the future, than the Refract House truly is because it was built by the future: the young students of today.

SUSTAINABILITY > In the construction of Refract House, we really focused on how we were using resources and material choices. This was not part of the competition, this sustainability aspect is not expected. However, according to our principles, it is worth taking a little energy hit in order to use aluminum windows (recyclable) instead of using vinyl windows (not). Same thing with using a recirculation pump, it costs a bit of energy to use the pump, but we more than make up for it with the water we are saving.

Education is one of the key elements of our mission for the Solar Decathlon. The Sustainability Decathlon, funded by an Intel Grant, is an outreach project directed towards high school students in order to educate them about sustainability issues and our environment while being mentored by students from Santa Clara University. The Sustainability Decathlon has been designed to incorporate aspects of the Solar Decathlon competition and the Refract House into the curriculum for the high school students.

The 2009 Sustainability Decathlon Exhibition took place in May and was a success! Six teams from Santa Clara, San Jose, and San Francisco came to Santa Clara University to present their sustainable projects and ideas they had been working on since February. The 10 categories of the Sustainability Decathlon encompass the three vital aspects of the sustainability revolution: economic, social and environmental. A detailed toolkit was provided for each student team, including project ideas and resources for each category.

The total points each team earned determined the overall winner of the competition. The ten categories were: Science and Technology, Food and Agriculture, Social Responsibility, Communication (interpersonal), Communication (via technology), Conservation, Connections (with the natural environment), Connections (education and leadership), Connections (regional/global), and Green Living/Sustainable Habits.

Each team put in a great amount of time and effort to come up with projects that would help their families, schools, and communities lead more sustainable lives.

The Sustainability Decathlon was also a great experience for the college mentors who enjoyed watching the high school students as they increased their knowledge of sustainability and accomplished their goals.

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The term “Refract House” evokes both aspects of the basic design: the control of light, and the bent form of the structure.

Daylighting and Clerstory >

The 6 Schools: St. Ignatius developed a sustainability plan for their school... including how they operate their cafeteria, eliminating water bottles, etc.

Presentation held an earth day event and has plans to start a community garden near their campus, lead by parents.

Silver Creek took young students hiking to help them develop a connection to nature, and held an eco-fashion show on earth day.

San Jose, a very resource-poor school, started a recycling program based on free resources provided by the city of San Jose.

Wilcox developed a speaker series to bring visitors to lecture at their school. They regularly volunteer at a local habitat resortation project in Santa Clara.

Harker school checked tire pressure in their school’s parking lot, and left notes on cars’ windshields to inform drivers if their pressure was low.

A strong emphasis was placed on (quality of ) daylighting–both for its quality of light and for reducing energy needs. One strategy to provide (quality) daylighting is a clerestory window, which is a series of small windows placed at the top of a wall to allow ambient day lighting. We use operable clerestories on the northern façade to provide daylighting as well as ventilation.

Redwood Siding > For the siding we use a rainscreen made (up) of reclaimed redwood. We chose California redwood acquired from local fire damaged stock that produces a nice varied warm tone and texture for the rainscreen. A rainscreen is simple siding system offset from the primary structure of the house, it allows ventilation, protection from driven drain and minimizes thermal gain.

We sought to integrate these distinct elements into a single solar plane that balances aesthetic concerns and performative needs. This seamless black plane lifts on its northern edge to provide a southern orientation.

Courtyard > The bent form of our house produces a central courtyard that is the physical and conceptual core of the house. And through the use of materials, such as the reclaimed elm used in both flooring and decking, and placement of openings along the courtyard, each living space extends towards and onto the deck. At the same time the deck itself reads as an exterior “room”.

Reflecting Pool > Conserving water is critical in California. The Refract House uses a rain-catchment system to collect, and filter it’s rain runoff.

We store the water for dry season irrigation of the gardens. The pool is naturally cleaned using riparian plants and gravel.

Wall Assembly > The wall assembly functions as an exterior rain screen, a central insulation and weather barrier, and an interior build-out for light and ventilation.

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DESIGN

There is great importance to the structural design of Refract House. Our goal was to design a strong, yet efficient, innovative, and sustainable house that satisfies the needs of everyone from Team California.

Toaccomplishthefeelingofopennessthroughoutthebuilding,momentframeswereneeded toresistthelateralloadinthetransverse direction.Thesemomentframesweredesigned tobeaslightaspossiblewhilestillpassingall ofthegoverningseismicloadingconditions.

Specialconsiderationwaspaidinmakingsure thatit’scrosssectionscomplimentedthewood framingaroundit.Thewallshadthin2x6 framingsothecolumnsofthemomentframes wereasthinaspossible,whiledeeperfloor androofjoistsallowedustousedeeperbut lightercrosssectionsinthefloorandceiling.

Furthermore,holeswerestrategicallycutinthe centerofthewebsofthemomentframesto allowwiresandpipestoeasilypassthrough them later in construction.

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Alongtubelikestructurewithnowallsin thetransversedirection,amodularbuilding requiringmultiplecranelifts,andahomethat willliveandtraveltomultiplelocations requiring code approval under all circumstancesarejustsomeofthechallenges facingthestructuraldesignofRefractHouse.

Smallerchallenges,suchassteeltowoodand woodtobambooconnectionsanddesigningtheframingforsomanylargeopenings needed to be solved.

RefractHouseisdesignedintothreemodules,allofwhichareself-sustainingstructuresinthemselves.SinceRefractHousehastobetransported acrossthecountry,thegreatestconcernwasplacedonmaintainingthe intentofthefinishedhouseduringtransportation.Ifeachmoduleisable toeffectivelyfunctionasaself-standingstructureandsurvivethe3,000 milejourneytoWashingtonD.C.,thenallthreebuildingswillbeableto effectively stand adjacent together.

SomeofthekeyfeaturestothestructuraldesignofRefractHouseinclude customsteelanglesandmomentframes,perforatedandsegmentedshear walls,newlydesignedopenwebbamboobeams,andseismicpiers.

Challenges Alongtubelikestructurewithnowallsinthetransversedirection,amodular buildingrequiringmultiplecranelifts,andahomethatwillliveandtravel tomultiplelocationsrequiringcodeapprovalunderallcircumstancesare justsomeofthechallengesfacingthestructuraldesignofRefractHouse.

Smallerchallenges,suchassteeltowoodandwoodtobambooconnections anddesigningtheframingforsomanylargeopeningsneededtobesolved.

Bamboo Joists Alwayskeepinginnovationandsustainabilityinmind,newopen-web bamboobeamshavebeendesignedtobeusedastheroofjoistsfor thehouse.ThesebeamsaresimilartothebeamsusedbySantaClara Universityinthe2007SolarDecathlon,howevertheyhavebeenaltered toimprovetheeaseofconstruction.Thebeamshaveanopen-webso ducting,electricalwiring,andplumbingcanbeeasilyrunthrough,while still providing structural support for the roof.

Steel Angle IfRefractHouseweretobeconsideredalivingorganism,thenthecustom steelangleswouldbethebackbone.Whileinitspermanentposition,the steelangletakesallthegravityloadsandthelateralloadsandtransfers themtothefoundations.Duringmoving,theangleprovidesarigidsupport forthehouseandpreventsitfrombucklinginonitself.Andbecausethe steelwasessentialforloading,itallowedustoaccomplishthestunning architecturalfeatureofcantileveredendcaps.Interestingly,toformthis angle,alargeCchannelshape(C15x50)wasselected,andit’stopflange wascutoff,leavingatall,strongangleforustouse.Thescrapmaterialwas reusedinthebaseoftheangletoprovidealevelsupportforthemoment frames to sit on.

Shear Walls Traditionalshearwallsweredesignedinthelongitudinaldirectionto safelymeetallloadingconstraints.Wherepossible,alargerstudspacing (24”oncenter)andnailspacingwasused,whichmeansweusedless material wherever possible.

Seismic Piers WhilethecompetitiondoestakeplaceinWashingtonD.C.,wherethereis littletonoseismicactivity,westilldesignedthishouseunderthegoverning loadcase,whichwasatSantaClara,California,wheretheseismicactivity ishigh.Therefore,weusedaseismicallyratedpierwhichgivesourhousea firm, safe, and modular foundation.

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DESIGN

Ourlightingdesignmaximizestheadmittanceof highqualitysunlightthroughwindows,increases thespaciousnessofthehousebybringingthe outdoorsin,andminimizeourelectricload through strategic use of daylight.

Thermal Bridging Theuseofsteelinthehousewasessential structurally,howeveritdidposeachallenge thermally.Becausesteelissothermallyconductive,whenitisplacedclosetoathermallyactive surface,say,forexample,ourradiantsubfloor orceiling,itwillmoreeasilydrawthatenergy throughit.Pluswhenoursteelmomentframes areindirectcontacttotheoutside,itessentially opensupapathfortheenergyinourhometo escapetotheworld.Thisprocessisknownas thermal bridging.

Materials Overview TheRefractHouseusesmaterialsthathave asustainablelife-cycleyethavethehighest performancequalities.Thematerialssupport thehouse’smissiontoblendaestheticswith performance.

Topreventthisthermalbridging,essentially ensuringthatalltheenergyweputinsideofour home,staysinthehome,weplacedlayersof ThermaBlokaerogel(whichhasalowthermal conductivity)betweenourthermallyactive surfacesandsteelmomentframes.Infact,to preventthermalbridgingthroughoutthehouse, notjustwhereitwasparticularlybad,weadded alayerofThermaBloktoallstuds,essentially addinganadditionallayerofinsulationtoour

Daylighting Wehavetakenadvantageofthesoutherly orientationofthehouseandtheamountof daylightthatitprovides.Ouruseofglazingon theendcaps,glassdoors,andclerestoryalong thenorthernandeasternwallsallowsinenough sunlighttonearlyeliminatetheneedforelectrical lighting during the day.

LED Lighting WehaveoptedforLEDlightinginnearlyallof ourfixtures.Theirlowenergyconsumptionand extremelylonglifemakesthemanattractive, energy-savingcomponentofthehouse.Additionally,theirmercury-freeconstructionascompared tofluorescentlights,andtheissueofproperdisposalofCFLshasguidedourchoices.Ultimately, webelievethatLEDtechnologyisthehealthier, sustainablefutureofelectriclightingandthusa definitive element of the Refract House.

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Outdoor Lighting Foraccentlightingoutdoors,wewilluseselfcontainedsolar-poweredlightsbyMeteor.These lightsusethelatestinsolarcell,LEDlighting, andultracapacitortechnology,whichmeans lowerenergyconsumption,saferwalkingspaces, andminimalmaintenanceforresidents.Dueto competitionrules,wewilluseaconventional batteryversionthatrequiresreplacementevery 3-4years,thoughtheultracapacitorunitslastas long as 10 years.

Outdoor Lighting Foraccentlightingoutdoors,wewilluseselfcontainedsolar-poweredlightsbyMeteor.These lightsusethelatestinsolarcell,LEDlighting, andultracapacitortechnology,whichmeans lowerenergyconsumption,saferwalkingspaces, andminimalmaintenanceforresidents.Dueto competitionrules,wewilluseaconventional batteryversionthatrequiresreplacementevery 3-4years,thoughtheultracapacitorunitslastas long as 10 years.

LED Lighting WehaveoptedforLEDlightinginnearlyallof ourfixtures.Theirlowenergyconsumptionand extremelylonglifemakesthemanattractive, energy-savingcomponentofthehouse.Additionally,theirmercury-freeconstructionascompared tofluorescentlights,andtheissueofproperdisposalofCFLshasguidedourchoices.Ultimately, webelievethatLEDtechnologyisthehealthier, sustainablefutureofelectriclightingandthusa definitive element of the Refract House.

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TECHNOLOGY

Thephotovoltaicsystemhasbeendesignedaroundthe themeofhavingafullyintegratedlookingsolarroofthat is visually appealing, while at the same time still maximizing energy harvest.

Photovoltaics Thesolarpanelsthatwerechosenfortherefracthouseis theSunpower225.Thispanelwaschosentobeintegrated intothehouse,mainlybecauseofitshighlyefficiency of18.1%withapeakoutputof225Watts.Furthermore, itsallblackfinishalongwiththeuniquerackingsystem, givestheappearanceofoursolarpanelsintegratedinto ourroofratherthanjustanattachmenttothehouse.

Inverters TheSMASunnyboyInverterswerechosenforthehouse becauseofitshighefficiencyinversionprocess.Whilewe doneedalargeamountofsolarpanels,allthisenergy wouldbeuselessinthehouseifnotfortheinvertersto convertthatharvestedenergytosomethingwecanuse (fromDirectCurrentgeneratedbythepanelstoalternatingcurrentconsumedbyappliances).TheSMASunnyboy invertersareoneofthehighestratedinvertersoutonthe market today.

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Main Circuit Breaker ThePowerlinkG33000LightingControlSystemsisthemain circuitbreakerthatwillbeimplementedintothehouse.The Powerlinkhasthepotentialforallcircuitstobecontrolled throughinternetconnections.Residentscaneasilyaccess informationaboutthelightingcontrolsystem,andinitiate overrides,allowingthemtoturnoffunnecessarylightsand cease vampire loads.

Solar Racking RefractHouse’ssolararrayisconstructedinsuchaway tobeunobtrusivetotheoveralllookofthehouse.Using SolarMountrailsandUniracstandoffs,thearrayspansall threeseparatemodulesofthehousewithonecontinuous plane.Inordertodothis,thepanelswerematcheduptothe edgesofthebuildingandthearrayanglewasonlyraisedto 10.5degrees.Thesidesofthearrayarecoveredbyamostly opaquescreeninordertohideallofthesupportsforour elevatedarrayandprovidethevisualofasingleroof.

Althoughtherackingangleisn’toptimalforenergygeneration,itshowsthatthepanelswereplannedintothehome’s architecture rather than being an afterthought.

Thedesignofourwatersystemshasbeentouseinexpensive,yetpracticaltechnologiestoreducepotablewater wasteandincreasecomfort.Simultaneously,wehave usedsystemsthataretangibleenoughtobeunderstood and troubleshooted by the homeowner.

Recirculation Wehaveusedarecirculationpumptodrainlukewarm waterinthehotwaterlineandhaveitreplacedwithhot water.Thissaveswaterbecauseusersdon’thavetogo turnontheshower10minutesaheadofusingitinorder toletthewaterwarmup.However,mostrecirculation pumpsusealotofenergybecausetheyconstantlycirculatewater.Yetwehavecoupledamotionsensorwithour pump,soitdoesn’tstartcirculatingwateruntilsomeone entersthebathroom.Thus,wesavewaterandenergy withourrecirculationpumpwhilealsodeliveringbetter performancethanaconventionalplumbingdesign.

GPlant Thegreywatergeneratedbythehouseisfilteredbyapassiveplantsystem calledtheGPlant.Thesystemiscomposedofsevenlayers:loam,sand,gravel, biomatrix,geotextile.Eachlayerispurposedtofilterspecificcomponentsoutof thegreywatertocleanit.Thecleanedgreywater,termedrecycledwater,isthen used for irrigation.

Water Monitoring MetricsabouttheRefractHouse’swaterusearefeaturedonthebuilding dashboardbuiltbyLucidDesign.Wewillbemeasuringpotablewaterconsumption,wastewatergeneration,greywatergeneration,showerhotwateruse,shower coldwateruse,andirrigationusagewithflowmeters.Throughourpartnership withLucid,thehomeownercaneducatethemselvesabouttheirwaterhabitsand accordingly adapt them.

PEX Tubing Insteadofusingcopperforthesupplypipingofthehome,theRefractHouse usesWirsboAquaPEX.Cross-linkedPolyethylene(PEX)doesnotleech,isflexible, andhaslessheatloss.Morethananythingelsethough,PEXiseasyandquickto install:Thereisnosoldering,allfittingjointsarecoldexpansion,andthetubing has a memory.

Rainwater Harvesting RefractHouseharvestsitsrainwaterrunoff.Thereflectingpoolisthecollection areafortherainwater,makingitbothanaestheticandsustainablefeature.

Smart Irrigation Management Insteadofusingthetraditionaltime-basedwatercontroller,weareusingthe WeatherTRAKSmartController.WeatherTRAKadjustswateringaccordingtolocal weather,usingweathersatellitestodeterminelocalconditions.Forexample:If itwasgoingtorain,WeatherTRAKwouldcanceltheirrigationrunfortheday becausetheplantswouldreceiveappropriatewateranyhow.Aclassictiming controllerwouldstilldistributewaterbasedoffoftheprogrammedschedule, which would result in overwatering.

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WHY CLEVERHOMES? More Value for Comparable Cost CleverHomes is an innovative new company with proven results and a high-quality product.

We provide custom, modern home construction that is 30 percent stronger, 50 percent faster, safer, more flexible, predictable and healthier than the average new home construction.

With CleverHomes you can build a quality home at a traditional price with exceptional energy efficiency and environmentally friendly design at no additional cost to you.

For example, in 2004, Better Homes & Gardens reviewed 60,000 responses expressing homeowners’ desire for affordability, flexibility and incorporation of the outdoors. Less than one year later, the Better Living house was created by CleverHomes. Along with the Discovery Channel, construction was documented over ten episodes.

Ready made homes with a modern touch and a sustainable frame A complete design - build service that guides you from the concept through construction of the ideal home.

Combining modern, energy efficient designs with a closely managed building process tailored to fit all unique needs The result a smooth, efficient home building experience everyone can enjoy.

Cleverhomes kit and custom designs bring together the high quality of factory-engineered materials, the precision of system panel construction and the flexibility of your own design variations.

Whether you’re a first time buyer or an experienced builder, you get the crucial balance of elements needed for successful modern homebuilding: design flexibility, straight, plumb and true construction, and a project outcome you can predict.

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THE MISSION OF CLEVER HOMES RESIDES ON BELIEVING TO MAKE BETTER DESIGN AS A PART OF EVERY DAY LIFE

Modular Precision and Quality Materials CleverHomes utilize the advantages of prefabricated materials without limitations on design. Even our pre-packaged CleverHomes are custom, site-built homes. The structural insulated panels, or SIPs, are similar to modular construction, yet each panel is precision factory-cut and individually identified for easy assembly on site. Local restrictions on modular construction do not apply and financing is traditional.

Our core material packages are only the beginning. Our finish packages you choose represent the best selection of high-quality interior finishes, exterior materials and stainless steel appliances at reasonable package rates, saving you time and money.

Smooth, Predictable Process Most importantly, our team of professionals is truly unique and dedicated to working with you to build your dream home within a predictable time frame and reliable construction budget. You will have no fewer than four specialists assigned to your project, starting with the sales account managers. These client advisors work with you to help determine characteristics of your site as well as your summary of project needs, financial plan and desired timeline. Next, project coordinators review local regulations, site conditions and project costs to prepare your project analysis for general contractors. Third, a material specialist works directly with your team to assemble and organize your finish materials and appliance selection. Finally, a project architect prepares, coordinates and reviews your custom design.

We are your best resource for full-service, high-quality, predictable design.

Why Build with CleverHomes?

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THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF CUSTOM HOME BUILDING IS STACKS OF RAW LUMBER, METAL SHEETS AND MASONRY AT A JOB SITE WITH A TEAM OF SKILLED ARTISANS.

Both methods (site-built and pre-fabrication) have distinct benefits and both are often used together in home construction. Every building component made in a factory is an example of pre-fabrication. To meet building codes, even homes thought of as site-built are usually comprised of 90% pre-fabricated parts. Lumber itself is partially pre-fabricated into standard dimensions. Home construction has inexorably moved toward greater degrees of pre-fabrication as part of the industrial movement of the past century.

So why all the attention to pre-fabrication now if it’s an old story? Because the cost and methods of site construction are so high and inconsistent, people increasingly like the idea of building entire homes inside the factory. But where does pre-fabrication cross the line and become less efficient and more costly? For any homebuilder who wants design variation and for each unique site condition and location, there will always be an optimal line between pre-fabrication and site-based construction.

That line is different for every project. Understanding where that line lies for your project will help you choose your building process wisely.

Here are the primary benefits of pre-fabrication: • The product is easier to control for output regularity (less variation from part to part, home to home) and for precision (larger, more expensive machinery and systematic methods can be used to achieve greater accuracy). Pre-fabrication does not, however, mean better quality.

• Factory labor cost is lower than skilled field labor costs and factory machinery and methods can reduce overall labor. Pre-fabrication does not, however, always mean lower cost.

• The product can have greater complexity (such as with electronic and mechanical components). Prefabrication does not, however, mean those complex parts will fit together into a better home. Better homes require both better design and better components.

Buying land is usually influenced by unique combinations of goals, tastes and budgets.

The possibilities are in many ways endless but by setting up certain criteria you can focus your search and better equip yourself to make informed decisions. The best first step is to establish your goals. Make a list of all features that would exist in your ideal piece of land and categorize each feature as “need”, “want” or “like to have.” From this list, you can establish the criteria for your property search.

Location Location is the most important issue. On a basic level, the property needs to resonate with you. More specifically, the location must have the characteristics you consider necessary for your home. Refer to the features listed in your ideal piece of land and make sure most, if not all, of your “needs” will be addressed.

Features The topography of your site should be evaluated critically. What are the natural characteristics of the land and how may it affect the building site? Steep slopes, trees and rocks can add to the beauty of the site, but can also add to the cost. Consider existing trees and whether any will have to be removed prior to building. The cost of removing trees is likely to be expensive and permission is usually required.

The existence and quantity of rock should be ascertained to determine whether it will be a hindrance which may require costly removal.

Particular note should be made of the slope of the land. In general, steep sites tend to increase the building cost.

Orientation Consideration should be given to potential building sites within the property and the pre-

The ultimate expression of pre-fabrication is building that same home in a factory and delivering it to the job site ready for move-in.

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Access You will need to make sure that you have both legal access to the site and adequate physical access as well. Consider the logistical requirements of concrete trucks and other construction equipment.

Be careful that you determine the legal access to the site. The existing road leading to the lot might not be a legal means of access. Some parcels are actually land-locked, meaning the owner has no legal right of access from any direction.

In some instances, particularly in outlying areas, a road may need to be constructed.

You will need to ascertain who is responsible for its cost and maintenance. If the property is accessed from a private road your bank might require a recorded agreement that shows all owners have promised to help with road upkeep.

Choosing Wisely

A view on fabrication

ferred orientation of the home. The quality of any views should be appraised and an assessment should be made as to the likelihood of whether any available view will be built out or blocked out by vegetation growth in the future.

The site’s natural features should be evaluated to allow for the building to achieve maximum energy efficiency.

Things to consider: • Natural features: views, trees, terrain, sunlight • Privacy • Lot size • Local taxes • Travel to and from work • Proximity to schools, shopping and highways • Neighbors and neighborhood • Ease of access • Environmental regulations Services/Utilities Check the availability, adequacy and cost of connecting and maintaining utility services. Property further off the beaten path may require you to dig a well or install a septic tank.

Things to consider: • Water • Electricity • Gas • Telephone • Sewerage • Fire control

Writing an Offer to Purchase If the property passes your preliminary analysis the next step is to craft an offer. Most areas have a standard contract familiar to local attorneys and real estate agents. Unique transactions will most likely call for a unique contract. Either way, it is recommended that you obtain the services of a qualified real estate attorney as there are many important terms and conditions that need to be considered.

You will quickly discover that everything is negotiable. Pay particular attention to the area of the contract that covers the contingencies. Contingencies can be viewed as unanswered questions that need to be answered prior to the closing. The number of questions that need to be answered, who is responsible for finding the answer, and who pays for the answer should a third party be required to provide the answer, are all negotiable.

The period of time between the signing of the offer and the actual closing is referred to as the escrow period. The duration of the escrow period is negotiable. A longer escrow period usually favors the buyer. It is during this time period that you need to get comfortable with the property. Leave no stoned unturned.

If possible, try to allow yourself at least ninety-days of escrow. You want enough time to complete a thorough round of due diligence in order to make an informed decision. The following is a list of items that need to be satisfied and may be required by your bank.

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In comparisson all energy sources, solar energy is by far the best for the environment . It also is beneficial during daily human use, solar energy can be used to produce electricity. Thanks to the cellular composition of this Form of energy which includes a combination of photovoltaic cells that form a heating agent. This agent can be applied in daily use to heat water, and other heat solutions. Considering the benefits solar energy has on the environment, and its sustainable values to the environment as well. They have organized a scholastic program within the United States to contribute with sustainable homes, and the domestic use for this environmental conscience energy source. It is called the The Solar Decathlon. This decathalon dedicates itself to provide a sustainable solution for all homes with greener solutions for a home and involving solar energy. All to provide a greener way of life, and rise the action for sustainability.

2009 EVENT DATES

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Oct. 8-16—Teams compete in 10 contests Oct. 9-13—Houses are open to the public Oct. 15-18—Houses are open to the public Oct. 19-21—Teams disassemble their houses.

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Upon proper installation for all homes, the competition began. Runing from the 23rd of September, to October 5th competing in 10 overall contests. This competition was aimed at evalutiating the performance of all 14 teams, and there abilities to Execute a energy efficient home as well as marvel the design of a modern home. The competition was formed, by a test on the homes solar water heating system and its abilities to perform under normal home scenarios.

7 years ago, in the fall of 2002 the Solar Decathlon began. Starring, 14 teams of scholastic orientation dedicated to design and to build the complete and ideal dream solar powered home with what was available. Within the time of registration it remained open to the public to open the possibilities to meet all the energy demands. After registrations were due 2001, the Us Department of Energy began to select the registered teams down to 14 teams. As the selection process of the teams homes picked teams there were standards to apply to. Each team must remain one of a kind to the next to keep the competition consistent, and attractive for a full quality competition in designed homes. Per construction design intangible values had to be considered in all square feet of each home. Values such as size, comfort, reliablility, energy efficiency, and attractiveness were all weighed from one team to another.

Each teams home was first built within campus then exported to the National Mall in the nations capitol. The homes were stationed to be rebuilt at the mall to test built there reliability and durability for moving within one area to the next. After the moving from area to national mall, The assembly stage took full force. To all competitors there was a 7-day building limit to prepare, and establish the homes in living condition.

In the mist of it all

“You could hear

the noise made by trucks and forklifts, the screeching of saws, the pounding of hammers, and the echo of human voices. You could see each house come together-section by section, solar_panel-by-solar_panel, and final detail by final detail. An entire Solar Village soon arose on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

�

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The test consisted of each home meeting special requirement by running all appliances within the home to test the effectiveness of energy.

However the level of testing did not rest on the system that made there homes function with energy. Communications also was a essential part of the competition. Self promotion, and a campaign was to be devised to aid as a visual aid to everyone, this would encourage a tour around there home. The campaign consisted of the composition of a newsletter, and website as a platform of the campaign for the home. In the conclusion of the competition based on 14 teams from around the nation including open registration to the general public the University of Colorado came out victorious.

Factors that enabled Colorado to win overall was their concept and focus that built them a green win. The home designed by the Colorado school was based on its ability to be easily built and remain sustainable. The home built by the Colorado school was spacious, well-designed and sustainable all key factors in winning the 1st Decathlon. It was later noted that all the participants were winners after the 1st competition. From all the competition much was learned and a lot was built. A new way of home design was available for all architectural firms, and designers at the event. The competition that was aimed at stressing the benefits of a solar powered homes brought too much to the table. An expansion in design, a new way of thinking, the Connection of ideas, and a experiment that will change home living for generations to come. And the footprint for a greener living solution.

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As the importance of sustainability and energy conservation has grown from the year 92 to the new millennium many advances have been discovered that have impacted the new solar decathlon. Upon discovery of many institutions it has been noted that a more modern approach to homes have been designed. The new era of living is demanding of more innovation to attract more consumers hungry for the modern look home. In the attempt to establish this connection with a modern look and a sustainable home, the decathlon has established another event this time limited to only 10 scholastic teams.

Within the established teams for 2009 , California proves to be a strong contender against other national scholastic teams. The strength of team california comes after a its allegence the UCLA, and UCA colleges. In the allegence of Team California more then 40 students from both schools have teamed up to provide excellence in design, architecture, and innovation to provide the prime example of the ideal sustainable home. Team California or Team refracts house remains top thanks to its vocation in combining there youth in the process, to meet the standards of living green. The key elements for the refract house involves,a green concept, design, and technology all factors that limited other from becoming victorious in the competition. The overall student intent remained to design a bolder home to properly demonstrate, a green living experience. All in focus of remaining green and building a future for more possibilities and the expansion of building within a student basis for a more successful tomorrow.

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“We want this project to have a lasting impact as both a case study for green design and as an exhibit of new technology. We already know it’s going to have a lasting impact on all of us!” Allison Kopf, SCU Engineering Physics Student.

In addition to what was stated by Allison Kopf, the team has formulated a designated message to strengthen their efforts. This would both communicate to local communities,and to a worldwide spread. Efforts have begun in being involved with schools, civic institutions, and architectural establishments in the conversion of A wanted education in all efforts supporting Team Refract House’s objectives and turn them into ideas and actions for a better future. In connection with this effort the house has had on other educational foundations, a Sustainability Decathlon Exhibition has been established that took place in May with supreme success in attracting a large venue of interested students and its project display. The Exhibit relies on its division of 10 categories for strengthening sustainable design and to strengthen the green revolution . Involving the Science and Technology, Food and Agriculture, Social Responsibility, Communication (interpersonal), Communication (via technology), Conservation, Connections (with the natural environment), Connections (education and leadership), Connections (regional/global), and Green Living/Sustainable Habits.

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Of the involved schools for the decathlon included are 6 schools within northern, and southern California. St. Ignatius has been developing a plan to be used universally within the school to impact areas such as their cafeteria, by eliminating plastic water bottles and other elements that add to compiling within the lunchroom. The awareness of such events like earth day have begun to make a change within the community lead by most parents in a collaborative effort for a greener education, and the spread of green awareness. In another school, Silver Creek they have committed themselves to provide a valid connection with nature through hikes, and a eco fashion show in demonstration of using everyday items to Have more uses. Within schools in San Jose, Wilcox, and Harker schools, is developing recycling programs, and other volunteer local environment restoration programs with outstanding results in all schools.

The overall design of what the Refract house aimed to peruse as the final effort Of the solar decathlon was based on the inspiration of “thinking outside of the box�. The house was designed out of the idea of a bent tube that would control all levels of Energy entering the home. The entering of light allows at the same time to extend to other areas like a courtyard for example. The name of the house derived from the basis of the homes design. The ability to control the amount of light that came within, and the structure that the home contains in modern manner.

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To properly understand the structure of the home designed and built by team refract house main objectives must be mentioned to communicate their strategy.

Easy Transportation, Architectural Support, Safe Sustainability, and new material experimentation all qualify and place team refract in advantage in comparison to other scholastic teams. In order to properly perform to the objectives of the team refract home, steel angles, moment frames, shear walls, and bamboo joists, and seismic piers all played a vivid role in properly performing to all the objectives of the home. Within the technology offered by the refract house design, such elements of control are implimented for better operation. Climate Control, Controls, and Monitoring, Solar Electricity,and the water system in the refract house.

Within the climate control system in the home, it allows for maximum comfort in hygenic ways. This system ads for the demand of any local utility, responding to all the demands to the system. Seperate controls are established to monitor and control the consumption of all energy within the house. Making all consumption

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levels equal and to standards based on system displays. The system on monitering the consumption is based out of the Lucid Design Groups Building Dashboard. This moniter provides a essential information table to parameters, within, humidity, wind speeds, there direction, rainfall percentages, and other climatical statistics. The uses for this system stand to test and determine the efficiency, of the solar panels and there production levels. This is all monitered from the suns energy, and from the suns prescence during rainy days.

From a visual standpoint of the decathlons from present day to past events alot can be said. The design aspects, architectural involvement, and desrire for a greener life all sum up what has been the motivation of all involved in the decathlons. The future will stand tall against energy solutions, from the efficient solutions, to the unsafe solutions that have lead us to the environmental stance we are at.

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7th Century B.C. Magnifying glass used to concentrate sun’s rays to make fire and to burn ants.

3rd Century B.C. Greeks and Romans use burning mirrors to light torches for religious purposes.

2nd Century B.C. As early as 212 BC, the Greek scientist, Archimedes, used the reflective properties of bronze shields to focus sunlight and to set fire to wooden ships from the Roman Empire which were besieging Syracuse. (Although no proof of such a feat exists, the Greek navy recreated the experiment in 1973 and successfully set fire to a wooden boat at a distance of 50 meters.)

20 A.D. Chinese document use of burning mirrors to light torches for religious purposes.

1st to 4th Century A.D. 6th Century A.D. 1200s A.D. Chinese document use of burning mirrors to light torches for religious purposes.

The famous Roman bathhouses in the first to fourth centuries A.D. had large south facing windows to let in the sun’s warmth. For an example, see information on the http://www.hum.huji.ac.il/archaeology/zippori/RomanSeph.htm Zippori in

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French scientist Edmond Becquerel discovers the photovoltaic effect while experimenting with an electrolytic cell made up of two metal electrodes placed in an electricity-conducting solutionelectricity-generation increased when exposed to light.

OCTOBER 1839

Photovoltaic technology is born in the United States when Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson develop the silicon photovoltaic (PV) cell at Bell Labs—the first solar cell capable of converting enough of the sun’s energy into power to run everyday electrical equipment. Bell Telephone Laboratories produced a silicon solar cell with 4% efficiency and later achieved 11% efficiency.

William J. Bailley of the Carnegie Steel Company invents a solar collector with copper coils and an insulated box—roughly, it’s present design.

JANUARY 1908

AUGUST 1954

JANUARY 1970

Here’s a look at the expected future direction of solar technology.

All buildings will be built to combine energy-efficient design and construction practices and renewable energy technologies for a net-zero energy building. In effect, the building will conserve enough and produce its own energy supply to create a new generation of cost-effective buildings that have zero net annual need for non-renewable energy.

Photovoltaics research and development will continue intense interest in new materials, cell designs, and novel approaches to solar material and product development. It is a future where the clothes you wear and your mode of transportation can produce power that is clean and safe. Technology roadmaps for the future outline the research and development path to full competitiveness of concentrating solar power (CSP) with conventional power generation technologies within a decade. The potential of solar power in the Southwest United States is comparable in scale to the hydropower resource of the Northwest. A desert area 10 miles by 15 miles could provide 20,000

1

1982

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The U.S. Department of Energy, along with an industry consortium, begins operating Solar One, a 10-megawatt central-receiver demonstration project. The project established the feasibility of power-tower systems, a solar-thermal electric or concentrating solar power technology. In 1988, the final year of operation, the system could be dispatched 96% of the time.

1970s Dr. Elliot Berman, with help from Exxon Corporation, designs a significantly less costly solar cell, bringing price down from $100 a watt to $20 a watt. Solar cells begin to power navigation warning lights and horns on many offshore gas and oil rigs, lighthouses, railroad crossings and domestic solar applications began to be viewed as sensible applications in remote locations where gridconnected utilities could not exist affordably.

1996 The U.S. Department of Energy, along with an industry consortium, begins operating Solar Two—an upgrade of its Solar One concentrating solar power tower project. Operated until 1999, Solar Two demonstrated how solar energy can be stored efficiently and economically so that power can be produced even when the sun isn’t shining. It also fostered commercial interest in power towers.

megawatts of power, while the electricity needs of the entire United States could theoretically be met by a photovoltaic array within an area 100 miles on a side.

Concentrating solar power, or solar thermal electricity, could harness the sun’s heat energy to provide large-scale, domestically secure, and environmentally friendly electricity.

The price of photovoltaic power will be competitive with traditional sources of electricity within 10 years. Solar electricity will be used to electrolyze water, producing hydrogen for fuel cells for transportation and buildings.

2002 ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc. in Canada starts to commercialize an innovative method of producing solar cells, called Spheral Solar technology.

The technology—based on tiny silicon beads bonded between two sheets of aluminum foil—promises lower costs due to its greatly reduced use of silicon relative to conventional multicrystalline silicon solar cells. The technology is not new. It was championed by Texas Instruments (TI) in the early 1990s.

But despite U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding, TI dropped the initiative.

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You recycle, ride a bike to work, and buy organic food. You pay extra for “green” electricity and have an eco-friendly car. So can you rest easy, with a clean conscience that your life is as sustainable as it can reasonably be?Well … although many of us try our best to minimize environmental impacts, our actions don’t always achieve as much as we believe.

Expensive products that are marketed as eco-friendly may help us to assuage our guilt while drawing our attention away from the more pressing issues. Meanwhile, other actions and products can be useful, but only when used as part of a wider environmentally aware lifestyle. Most worrying of all, some things marketed as sustainable can have negative side effects for the environment—that’s called greenwashing.

The Green Guide talked to several sustainability experts who highlighted five eco-strategies and products that may not be all they are hyped up to be.

Carbon Offsets For the busy executive and the hassled family alike, carbon credits seem like a simple way of negating the environmental damage without making significant changes to your lifestyle.

Hop on a flight from the U.S. to Europe and you can pay a carbon offsetting company a fee to mop up your greenhouse gas emissions, for instance by planting some trees or installing solar panels in a developing country. But can we really continue to take exotic holidays and still have a green conscience? Many sustainability experts think not.

(Related story: “Do Carbon Offsets Do More Damage Than Good?”)

“Carbon offsetting is a con—it encourages businesses and individuals to carry on polluting when we urgently need to reduce our carbon emissions,” said Andy Atkins, executive director of Friends of the Earth U.K. “It’s not enough to make emissions cuts in developing countries. Rich countries have got to lead on tackling climate change by reducing their own emissions,” Atkins said.

(Get green-travel tips.) Furthermore, it isn’t clear that all carbon credit schemes really do lower greenhouse gas emissions, experts say. “The science behind some of these schemes is still not clear,” said Wouter Buytaert, an environmental scientist at Imperial College in London, U.K.

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For example planting fast growing pine trees on grassland will lock up carbon in the tree—but may also disrupt the soil and release large amounts of carbon stored in the grassland. That’s why “staycations,” or taking vacations at or near home, are the deep green option, many experts agree. (Read about “extreme staycations” on the Intelligent Travel blog.)

“The greenest thing holidaymakers can do is choose a location that is closer to home, that can be reached by coach or by train,” Friends of the Earth’s Atkins said.

“Governments must ensure rail is a fast, convenient, and affordable alternative to flying,” he said. However, some scientists argue that carbon credits aren’t all bad. “They are a worthwhile option when you have done everything else possible to reduce your emissions,” said Dave Reay, an environmental scientist at Edinburgh University, U.K. And carbon credits do at least draw attention to the problem. “The concept isn’t great, but they are a good way to force a transition,” said Andy Kunz, director of the U.S.based New Urbanism, which works to promote walkable neighborhoods.

Green Cars Is it time to trade it in the gas-guzzler for a more fuelefficient model? When it comes to cars, the fuel efficiency needs to weighed against the “embodied energy,” or the energy used in making the car, experts say.

That means taking into account how much energy was used to refine the iron ore to make the steel, then the fuel used to ship the steel to the car factory, and finally the energy used to assemble the car and transport it to the showroom. In their book Time to Eat the Dog?: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living, authors Robert and Brenda Vale calculate the embodied energy for four different types of car: the Smart Fortwo, the Volkswagen Golf, the Holden Commodore, and the Toyota Land Cruiser. energy—the Toyota Landcruiser consumed more than three times as much energy as the Smart Fortwo before either car even hits the road.

The authors also calculated the fuel consumption for each car for an average lifetime of 149,129 miles (240,000 kilometers.) For all four cars, the energy attributed to fuel consumption was around five times the embodied energy by the end of the car’s life.

These calculations reveal that buying a new car might be beneficial for the environment, but that it depends on the fuel consumption of your existing car and what you intend to replace it with.

“If you replace your SUV with a Toyota Prius, it is worth it, but if your old car is a Morris Minor [a small British car popular in the mid-1900s] and you replace it with a Range Rover, it is not worth it,” said Robert Vale, an architect at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Changing your driving habits can really help to save fuel. “Driving smoothly, getting rid of unnecessary weight, and keeping tires inflated can cut emissions by up to 30 percent,” said Friends of the Earth’s Atkins. “But the best way to cut emissions from cars is to use them less.”

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HEALTHY FOUNDATIONS

By Brian C. Howard

Home-building consultant Maryjane Behforouz has spent the last year and a half helping a family in her hometown of Indianapolis construct their dream house. The home will feature natural and local materials where possible, and nothing, from the cabinets to floorboards, will contain any formaldehyde, a probable carcinogen and a volatile organic compound (VOC) that poses a serious threat to indoor air quality.

A healthy home is important, explains Behforouz, who consults through her firm, Healthy Structures. “It’s shelter and it affects our health as well as the environment,” she says, adding that this house will be as energy efficient as possible, with a high-end HVAC system and expertly sealed ductwork.

Behforouz became acutely interested in improving indoor air quality after her mother, who had undergone chemotherapy to combat breast cancer, found herself unable to move into the beautiful new home she had purchased. The chemo made her highly sensitive to the chemicals offgassing from the conventional products in the house.

Those chemicals, which are nearly ubiquitous in the typical American home, may have included neurotoxic toluene from polyurethane foam insulation; potentially carcinogenic and respiratory-irritant VOCs from paints, glues, finishes and carpets; formaldehyde in pressedwood products and wood finishes; and phthalates, which have been linked to reproductive problems, obesity and asthma, from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes and floor tiles.

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Like Behforouz’s mother, the Indianapolis homeowner says her choices were motivated by chemical sensitivities, and Behforouz says she’s seeing more interest from potential homebuyers in green and health-conscious designs, due to rising alarm about global warming and concern about “sick building syndrome,” in which poor indoor air quality has led to serious illness.

And it doesn’t have to be expensive. All the features being incorporated into the Indiana house have added only 10 to 15 percent to construction costs.

The benefits of green building are substantial. In addition to healthier air, homeowners have less exposure to mold and other allergy triggers and save on energy and water costs. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the country’s residential sector is responsible for about 22 percent of national energy use. The average American household annually spends about $1,500 on energy. However, homes could be between 30 to 50 percent more efficient, according to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), if they featured Energy Star-certified appliances or adopted readily available techniques, such as proper insulation and programmable thermostats.

For home builders, the LEED for Homes Projects expands the New Construction Rating System for commercial building certification to include homes. A pilot LEED for Homes program began in November 2004. Since then 10,000 homes across the country have participated in the program, and 46 states now have third-party certifying bodies. Certification, which includes standards for resource conservation as well as indoor air quality, ensures that single- and multi-family homes will have been third-party inspected and certified to perform better than conventional homes.

The USGBC is also sponsoring the LEED for Homes Initiative for Affordable Housing. “Green homes are tremendously beneficial to human health,” says Katz, “and low-income people are disproportionately affected by asthma and other health-related issues.”

Cheap building materials, like PVC and formaldehyde-heavy particleboard, often trigger these health problems.

Behforouz isn’t pursuing LEED certification with her client in Indianapolis because the home was started before the program was developed. Still, “I think it will be the norm for homebuyers to demand a home that has been certified under a green-building/energy-efficiency program,” says Laura Uhde, the director of residential green building services for the non-profit Southface, dedicated to sustainable energy and environmental technologies.

“So many new green products are coming out,” says Behforouz.

“Ten years ago it was really tough to find the products, but now it’s very easy.” To get you started, consider the latest green building materials:

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FLOORING

FRAMING

PAINT and WALL COVERINGS

Eco Timber: FSC-certified and reclaimed wood flooring; the company’s HealthyBond adhesive is virtually VOC-free (7 grams per liter), and many of the products are formaldehyde-free.

Pre-finished floors are UV cured at the factory to further decrease VOCs (www.ecotimber. com, 510-809-8200).

Environ Biocomposites Manufacturing: durable Environ Biocomposite recycled newsprint, Dakota Burl sunflower hull and BIOFIBER Wheat composite boards (www.environbiocomposites.com, 800-324-8187)

American Clay: New Mexico-made attractive natural-clay plaster alternative to cement, gypsum, acrylic and lime (www.americanclay. com, 866-404-1634)

INSULATION

Duro Design: bamboo, cork, oak and eucalyptus flooring with low-VOC finishes (www. duro-design.com, 888-528-8518) Shaw Industries: modular carpet featuring PVC-free, recycled-fiber EcoWorx backing (www.shawfloors.com, 800-441-7429) Eco-Friendly Flooring: funky 100-percent recycled aluminum, brass or glass tiles for floors, walls and ceilings (www.ecofriendlyflooring. com, 866-250-3273) Sisalcarpet.com: natural-fiber rugs and carpets made from seagrass, hemp, jute, coir (from coconut husks), wool blends and even paper (www.sisalcarpet.com, 877-757-4725)

Plexwood: formaldehyde-free, low-VOC composite building boards made from a variety of woods harvested under Dutch and European Union guidelines (www.plexwood.com)

Sina Pearson: recycled fabrics for use as funky wallpaper or decorative wall hangings (www. sinapearson.com, 212-366-1146)

COUNTERS

Maharam: stylish interior textiles made with natural fibers and/or recycled content (www. maharam.com, 800-645-3943)

Richlite: countertops made from paper and hemp fiber (www.richlite.com, 888-383-5533)

Mio: textured “3D” wallpaper made from recycled paper; can be applied with double-stick tape (www.mioculture.com, (215-925-9359)

PIPES

Innovations: Innvironments cotton, hemp, paper and cellulose wall coverings (www. innovationsusa.com,(800-227-8053)

Fusiotherm: PVC-free, polypropylene plastic pipes that require no glue (www.aquathermpipe.com)

BioBased Spray Foam Insulation: soy-based polyurethane sprayable insulation; does not release microfiber particles like fiberglass (www.biobased.net, 800-803-5189) UltraTouch Natural Cotton Fiber Insulation: made of recycled denim and other fabrics; releases no airborne particles (www.bondedlogic.com, 480-812-9114) and hemp fiber (www.richlite.com, 888-383-5533) PIPES Fusiotherm: PVC-free, polypropylene plastic pipes that require no glue (www.aquathermpipe.com)

Dodge-Regupol: ECOsurfaces recycled rubber flooring line (www.regupol.com, 866-8837780)

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25

GREEN CITIES

In recognition of the efforts of cities across the country to provide energy-efficient, least polluting and healthy living spaces, the Green Guide presents the environmental leaders, those cities whose green achievements set the standard for others. As The New York Times has reported, in the absence of federal direction, cities across the country are taking environmental stewardship into their own hands and reducing their burden on the planet.

We asked cities with populations over 100,000 to complete our survey and, in combination with environmental data we gathered from

government sources, scored

8. Honolulu, HI (score 7.055,

cities on an eleven-point

pop. 371,657)

scale. Our results are below and for more information

9. Huntsville, AL (score 7.035,

about our criteria, see “What

pop. 158,216)

Makes A City Green?�

Highlights of the Top 25

10. Denver, CO (score 7.0325,

Green Cities

pop. 554,636)

1. Eugene, OR (score 9.0375,

11. Boston, MA (score 6.99,

pop. 137,893)

pop. 589,141)

2. Austin, TX (score 8.5325,

12. Lexington, KY (score

pop. 656,562)

6.785, pop. 260,512)

3. Portland, OR (score 8.24,

13. Springfield, IL (score

pop. 529,121)

6.7225, pop. 111,454)

4. St. Paul, MN (score 7.805,

14. Irvine, CA (score 6.72,

pop. 287,151)

pop. 143,072)

5. Santa Rosa, CA (score 7.785, pop. 147,595) 6. Oakland, CA (score 7.3675, pop. 399,484)

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7. Berkeley, CA (score 7.285, pop. 102,743)

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Air Quality: Exposure to polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from fuel exhaust and

cities’ green building projects. Recognizing this,

Green Space: Survey respondents were asked to

cigarette smoke has been reported to increase the risk of breast cancer by 50 percent,

we based scores not only on survey responses

identify the variety of green spaces, including

as noted in the 2002 Long Island Breast Cancer Study. In order to measure air qual-

about policies and incentives for green design

athletic fields, city parks, public gardens, trail

ity, we based our score on the EPA’s Air Quality Index (AQI) and smoking bans noted

but also on LEED projects listed on the USGBC’s

systems and waterfronts, along with any ad-

on the Smoke Free World website. About 60 percent of cities surveyed have passed a

website. While we collected data on the degree

ditional spaces. This question was designed to

smoking ban. AQI values are broken into five different ranges with lower values indi-

of LEED certification (Certified, Silver, Gold and

elicit the variety of outdoor amenities available

cating less polluted air (Good 0-50, Moderate 51-100, Unhealthy for Sensitive Individ-

Platinum) buildings achieved, this did not affect

and was scored on the total number of differ-

uals 101-150, Unhealthy 151-200, Very Unhealthy 201-300 and Hazardous 301-500).

scoring. Additional points were given to cities

ent types of green spaces present. Scoring also

Anchorage, Alaska, had the best median AQI at 19 while the worst was a 79 in Saint

reducing sprawl. A total of 29 cities, or 46.8 per-

considered the percentage of overall city area

Louis. The average value was 43.5 for cities participating in this study.

cent of participants, reported having a policy

occupied by green space.

to encourage green design. Forty cities, or 64.5 Electricity Use and Production: Close to 40 percent of U.S. emissions of the green-

percent of respondents, reported having a city

Public Health: Scores were based on Robert

house gas carbon dioxide (CO2) comes from electric utilities. Since coal accounts for

policy to help prevent sprawl.

Weinhold’s rankings of the 125 healthiest U.S.

over 90 percent of these emissions, we asked survey respondents to note each city’s

WHAT

MAKES A CITY GREEN

?????

cities as published in the March 2004 Organic Style.

Recycling: Survey respondents were asked to in-

When looking at the strengths of environmental programs across the country for our green cities survey, we settled on twelve criteria that affect all cities regardless of geography or age.

dicate which items their city recycles from a list that included aluminum, cardboard, glass, hazardous materials, paper, plastic, tin and other.

Cities that had more then seven categories of recyclable items were given the highest scores.

Socioeconomic Factors: Cities scored well for having less than the national average of fami-

energy mix from resources including coal, oil, biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric, nuclear, oil, solar and wind. Also included were incentives for the home use of solar or wind power, such as rebates or property tax exemptions.

Environmental Perspective: City administrators were asked to rank from 1 (highest) to 9 (lowest) nine issues in order of importance to city residents—education, employ-

lies and individuals earning below the poverty rate. Participants also gained points for having a city minimum wage and for the availability of housing affordable to families earning the area’s median income according to the National Asso-

ment, environmental concerns, health care, housing costs, public safety, reliable electricity and water service, property taxes and traffic congestion. Scores were assigned depending on the ranking given to environmental concerns. Out of a total of nine, the average ranking for the importance of environmental concerns was 5.4.

Environmental Policy: In our survey, we asked city officials whether the city has an environmental policy, a specific indication of concerted effort at the municipal level to better the environment. Thirty-six cities, or 58 percent of respondents, had such statements.

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Green Design: The resource-conserving, non-toxic standards of USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program have become the basis for many

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ADDITION, SUBTRACTION, & COMPOSTING To begin with, Sidwell Friends’ buildings are varying levels of

When these budding environmentalists get hungry, their food

green. The Middle School became Washington D.C.’s first LEED

service provider tries to use local and organic vendors as much

platinum building in March 2007 (the highest level in the U.S.

as they can to fill their bellies. Lunch is served on recyclable,

Oh the myriad ways the Obamas have already been, are go-

Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmen-

renewable, biodegradable and compostable products when

ing to be and can be role models. On the green front, much

tal Design program). An addition to their Lower School and a

possible, including napkins with 100 percent recycled content.

cess to such an educational eco-paradise, there

remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the Obama girls

gym, completed in September 2007, was awarded LEED gold

Faculty stay awake thanks to Fair Trade Certified coffee, while

are ways to incorporate some of these features

are enrolled in a school, Sidwell Friends, truly devoted to

status in January 2009. They green-o-vated their administra-

an Upper School student group composts food waste. The

into their schools. Head straight to the adminis-

environmental stewardship on just about every level. (Full

tion building in the summer of 2004—it has a geothermal

resulting fertilizer is used on campus. Lower Schoolers bring a

tration and start grabbing at low-hanging fruit:

disclosure: I also went to an urban Friends school, many

heat pump, low-emitting materials and efficient lighting. And

vegetable from home each week to prepare soup for an orga-

green cleaning products (they may already be

moons ago, though the extent of environmental education

they’re planning on seeking LEED ratings for their most recent

nization that feeds homeless people.

required by law), healthier snacks and a little

back in the day involved dragging us out of the city and

construction projects (a new underground athletics

sticking us, lost, in the woods.)

facility and a renovation of an arts facility/Quaker

Cleaning products and toilet paper are Green Seal Certified—

meetinghouse). These measures are backed up in the school’s

a strict third-party certification applied to products with very

curriculum: Student projects have explored how the school

minimal environmental and health impacts. Cleaning equip-

treats drinking water as well as storm water run-off and trash

ment is energy efficient. Recycling bins abound. There’s even a

disposal. AP Environmental Science students compare water

100 percent solar-powered trash compactor, which holds five

quality in the on-campus biology pond to water in a nearby

times more than a conventional one, reducing collection trips.

tributary, and study the invertebrate biodiversity in the soil on

It all sounds very utopian, but if your children don’t have ac-

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the green roof.

eco-focus to the curriculum. Do your research and don’t be bashful. There’s so much at stake.

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Q&A: NHL’s Matt Bradley Playing for Team Earth

With Earth skating on thin ice due to climate change, some hockey players in the U.S. are taking steps to reduce waste and carbon dioxide emissions.

Matt Bradley (left), a right-winger for the Washington Capitals in Washington, D.C., has encouraged his teammates to recycle and drink from reusable bottles.

He’s also taken part in the National Hockey League Players’ Association’s Carbon Neutral Challenge, which offset more than 4,200 tons of carbon emissions in the 2009 season. (Read: “Do Carbon Offsets Do More Damage Than Good?”)

Some sports stadiums, including hockey rinks, are also greening their playing fields by adopting LEED certification, a third-party verification of their green building operations and performance.

With Earth skating on thin ice due to climate change, some hockey players in the U.S. are taking steps to reduce waste and carbon dioxide emissions.

Matt Bradley (left), a right-winger for the Washington Capitals in Washington, D.C., has encouraged his teammates to recycle and drink from reusable bottles. He's also taken part in the National Hockey League Players' Association's Carbon Neutral Challenge, which offset more than 4,200 tons of carbon emissions in the 2009 season. (Read:

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"Do Carbon Offsets Do More Damage Than Good?")

Some sports stadiums, including hockey rinks, are also greening their playing fields by adopting LEED certification, a third-party verification of their green building operations and performance.

Can you summarize what your actions have been so far?

As far as what I’ve done with our team, a couple years ago I noticed there was no recycling of our [plastic] water bottles and Gatorade bottles.

So I just suggested we get some bins, and instead of throwing them away just start recycling them. The next step last year with the team was we bought reusable bottles, and [we’re] trying to cut down on using [bottled water] and [are] instead using filtered water in our room.

Has the team been using [the reusable bottles]?

Not everyone is, but most of the guys are. And same with the recycling, the players and staff have really come on board and done a great job.

What inspired this?

About five to six years ago I may not have been thinking as much about living a green life, and my wife Sasha has been a big influence on that.

I have a cottage back home on the lake and I’ve noticed changes over the last little while [that are] not for the better. [For instance], there has been more algae in the water lately and not as much snow in the winter. It’s something that is now very important to me and my wife and

stuff that I think everyone can do.

How have you gotten involved with the NHLPA Carbon Neutral Challenge?

I was involved with our team as far as getting our guys on board with it. Basically what it is is we buy back our carbon output ... Obviously we fly everywhere and we have a pretty big carbon footprint, [so we] offset our stuff with wind energy and other things like that. In our association we have 770 players and [somewhere in the] mid-700s signed up for it. It was a real successful thing.

Leading the sustainable lifestyle isn’t that easy all the time. Can you say what sacrifices you’ve made that have been tougher than just recycling?

Most of the stuff we do is not that hard. My wife and I are hoping in the next little while to build our house back home as close to off-the-grid as we can, and even that isn’t a hard thing to do.

It’s a choice you have to make. To me a lot of it is choices, and it’s not a big inconvenience a lot of the time to make the right choice.

Do you continue to find ways to make your life more sustainable?

Yes. The biggest thing you do is to make wherever you live as green as possible. I think with everyday that goes by there [are] new things you can learn or do or new choices you have to reduce your footprint.

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