Green Building : Jetson Green

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. 

Small Modern Green Home in California

Michelle Kaufmann is continuing her work on a modern green home in Northern California.  Located on a constrained lot, the 1,550 square-foot home will be prefabricated -- as currently planned -- with two modules.  And although the home will be a lot smaller than the average new construction home in this country, Michelle Kaufmann Studio has designed it to feel bigger. 

October Monthly of Green Articles

Hope you're enjoying a relaxing Halloween weekend.  Don't forget to turn back the clock.  In the mean time, now that you have an extra hour, feel free to browse through some of last month's coverage.  We had a heavy amount of Solar Decathlon coverage, as well as several articles on prefab homes.  Lots of homes are getting finished, and we'll keep covering the green ones.  Plus, shout out to our newest sponsor, Green Build Post, a community to discuss current trends and products in green building.

Green Building Trends, Wood Wars, Productivity Issues, + the Water Crisis

• Building green with less green.
• Green building tips for remodeling.
• Feud continues between wood certifiers.
• Designer pinpoints trends in green building.
• New online tool shows a building's carbon usage.
• Open space in green buildings reduces productivity?
• The coming national water crisis.
• As green as you care to be.

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