ToolBase E-News volume 147
In This Issue:
INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT MAKING ADVANCES IN SOLAR TECHNOLOGY:
According to a recent article in the Washington Times (Jen Waters, 05/04/06), recent advances in solar research have allowed for improved technology and a drop in cost. Research is focusing on thin films, which use less material, can be manufactured more rapidly and have more flexibility than the silicon used in conventional systems. Similar to thin films, nanotechnologies also have the potential to be less costly and use less material. Richard King, team leader of photovoltaic research and development at the U.S. Department of Energy, is noted in the article as working to bring the cost down so solar can compete with conventional energy sources. For more information about advances in solar technology and the state of the solar industry, read the article. There is also information about solar technologies and Zero Energy Homes on the ToolBase website.
STUDENT DESIGN WINNERS FOCUSED ON PEOPLE, PROSPERITY, PLANET:
According to a press release (04/12/06), the California Energy Commission recently awarded $1.253 million to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) for a three-year grant to develop, deploy, and validate "cool roof" technology. These roofs can reduce cooling costs, smog and heat islands, and can lower atmospheric carbon levels. Although cool roofs are traditionally white, recent advances in technology have made other cool roof colors possible. A previous Energy Commission research project involving LBNL, Oakridge National Laboratory, and eight industrial partners, produced dark-colored roofing materials—including tiles, coated tiles, shingles and metal panels—that decreased energy usage while maintaining traditional aesthetic appeal. To learn more about cool roofs and the goals of the project, read the release.
>QUEST FOR ‘HOME OF THE FUTURE’ CONTINUES:
The “House of the Future” concept is nothing new, but according to a recent NPR story (Laura Sydell, 05/01/06), researchers continue to develop new ideas for how technology can change the future of homes. Microsoft’s ideas for future homes are included in a prototype named “Grace,” located at its headquarters in Redmond, Wash. Grace offers voice commands, interactive gaming and gesture recognition, and allows residents to interact with the home using hand movements. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s House_n project is a model home meant for testing new technologies, including Memento, MIT’s prototype reminder system. Unlike many futurist visions, the House_n project is tested with real human beings who live in the home for two weeks at a time, in an effort to allow residents to design their own environment. To learn more about these prototypes, read the article.
INTEREST IN PREFAB HOMES ON THE RISE
According to a recent ABC News report (Mark Lallanilla, 04/25/06), a new wave of architects, designers, and homebuyers has slowly changed the image of prefabricated housing. Many new prefabricated homes are modular, including KitHAUS, which uses a system of square modules. The modules, which each measure 16 feet by 16 feet and come with glass panels and aluminum wall and ceiling sections, can be connected to one another on site to construct larger houses. Flatpak homes also take a modular approach, using 8-foot sections that each consist of consist of a panel of wood, glass, corrugated metal, concrete and even madras cladding. Using this "menu of components," clients can custom design a home that addresses their preferences with all the prefabricated pieces delivered to their site. According to the report, Dwell magazine will collaborate with architects and a manufacturer to make the construction of prefab homes simpler and more affordable. For more information about prefabricated housing, including its history, homebuyers, and economic and ecological benefits, read the article. More information on modular and panelized housing is also available on the ToolBase website.
GASIFIER TO PROVIDE LOW-COST, BIOFUEL ALTERNATIVE TO NATURAL GAS AT PULP MILLS
According to a Nexterra Energy Corp. press release (05/08/06), the company recently announced that it has signed an agreement with Weyerhaeuser's Kamloops Cellulose Fiber mill and Paprican, the Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada—a not-for-profit research and technology institute—to verify the application of its innovative gasification technology for pulp mill lime kilns. The gasifier reduces fuel costs by converting boilers, kilns, and dryers from natural gas to "syngas"—a clean, low-cost biofuel produced by gasifying wood residue. At the Kamloops mill, the 60 million Btu/hr gasification system would displace the equivalent amount of natural gas needed to heat 4,000 residential homes. According to Mike Towers, Senior Research Engineer at Paprican, the project could achieve critical cost reductions.
NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM PRESENTS BLUEPRINT FOR NEW, AFFORDABLE, GREEN AMERICAN DREAM HOUSE
The National Building Museum is exploring the growing mandate for green design in home building in its new exhibition, "The Green House: New Directions in Sustainable Architecture and Design," on view from May 20, 2006 through June 3, 2007. According to the museum, the exhibit will reveal exciting trends in green technology, materials, and design that yield homes as aesthetically compelling as they are environmentally-friendly. It features an international survey of 20 contemporary residences plus a full-size, furnished version of architect Michelle Kaufmann's GlidehouseTM.
UNIVERSITY TO COMPLETE RECORD SEISMIC TESTING ON WOODEN HOUSE
University of Buffalo earthquake engineers are launching a series of unprecedented seismic tests on a full-scale, wood-frame townhouse over the next nine months. According to a recent release, the 73,000-pound, 1,800-square-foot townhouse will be the largest wooden structure to undergo seismic testing on a shake table in the United States and will also be subjected to the most violent shaking possible in a laboratory. UB researchers plan to equip the townhouse with 250 sensors that will provide detailed information about how each nook and cranny behaves during each simulated earthquake. The research aims to learn more about how wood structures react to earthquakes, in order to allow larger and taller structures to be built in seismic regions worldwide. To learn more, read the release.
NEW PROGRAM TO PROMOTE WIND-RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES IN GULF STATES:
According to a recent release (05/05/06), Building Media, Inc. has launched the Hurricane-Resistant Construction Project, an educational program that will promote better building practices in areas subject to hurricane force winds. The sponsor-driven education program focuses on hurricane- and flood-resistant construction codes and best building practices and targets builders and remodelers of single-family homes in hurricane-affected areas of the Gulf and Atlantic coastal states. The Program’s four elements include the Hurricane Construction Network, a web-based online information clearing house and Help Center; LaHouse LIVE, a day-long sponsored workshop to showcase hands-on hurricane-resistant construction practices; Code College NetworkTM, an internet-based video training program; and the Hurricane-Resistant Construction Guidebook, a building code reference for builders in hurricane country. For more information, read the release. More information on the impact and mitigation of natural disasters on home construction can be found on the ToolBase website as well.
NEW MICROSITES TARGET MOLD, SEISMIC GUIDELINES:
Designkitchen recently announced the launch of two new microsites for USG Corporation that will target residential builders, contractors, engineers, and architects. According to a press release (04/11/06), the first site, GetMoldFacts.com, will offer instruction and guidance on controlling mold by managing moisture throughout the lifecycle of the construction project. At seismicceilings.com, construction professionals will find a resource center for learning about seismic building guidelines—once solely restricted to construction in earthquake-prone locations, and now a mandate governing every construction project, due to major revisions to the International Building Code (IBC). To learn more about the sites, read the release.
A NEW VIEW ON REAL ESTATE:
Zillow.com, a real estate research site, recently announced in a press release that it now provides 45-degree angle, low-altitude, aerial views of properties through integration with Microsoft’s Virtual Earth service. The images, which are a first for any consumer real estate site, allow people to see what a home looks on all four sides. Currently, the bird’s-eye imagery can be found on home searches in major cities, and additional coverage will be added later this year. Pictures are between a month and two years old. For more information, read the release.
