Back in the '70s, when freak-flags were flying, "off the grid" symbolized the eco-alternative to "The Man."Â Today, we recognize that a network of decentralized, building-level services connected through the grid results in a much more robust, and sustainable, alternative than the autonomous "Earthships" of yesteryear.
The nice thing is that you can get "paid" for being smart. By paying attention to price changes on the grid and working with utilities to use energy when it's relatively more abundant off-peak, businesses and consumers can save significant money, as well as reduce carbon emissions.
As it turns out, the grid is about 15 percent more efficient thermodynamically at night when base-load plants are the main power source. So, things like ice storage paradoxically consume more kilowatt hours while using less fuel and emitting less carbon. We can extend this to smart appliances, such as water heaters and refrigerators that can cycle at night when the grid is less stressed and costs are lower.
Too lazy to read the Green Building Impact Report released at Greenbuild? Tough. Read it anyway. But Greener World Media's Founder and Green Business Poobah Joel Makowerinterviews yours truly about the report and gets some additional prognostications about where green is going and what we need to be doing.
Rob Watson
Executive Editor
The Latest News on Environmentally Responsible Building and Development
California schools from elementary to community college level now have a step-by-step guide that the state hopes will inspire districts to generate electricity on site in order to slash energy costs.... Read More
North Carolina businesses, homeowners and schools would be able to rent their rooftops to Duke Energy Carolinas for solar power installations, if the utility's plan wins regulatory approval.... Read More
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In this podcast interview, Joel Makower and Rob Watson talk about the new 2008 Green Building Impact Report and the state of green buildings.... Listen
In this wide-ranging 218-page report, the Continental Automated Buildings Association examines bright green buildings, the term CABA has coined for the intersection of smart buildings equipped with sophisticated controls systems and high-performance environmentally efficient structures.
