Curious how big your own water footprint is?  Check out h2oconserve.org… On this site, you can access a Water Calculator, which walks you through all the areas of our daily lives that use H2O… the thing is pretty comprehensive, asking you questions like: ‘if it’s yellow, do you let it mellow?’  Seems like they have pretty much all the bases covered here.  I’m guessing you’re a bit surprised at the 1200 gallons/day number, and frankly, I was too.  But when considering not just the water that we visibly see, like showering, flushing toilets, washing dishes, hosing down a dirty dog, etc, but also the amount it takes to make our food, turn into gasoline and the like, our water footprints can get pretty big pretty quick!

So I took this quiz and my score came out to 533.02 gallons of water per day… half of the average, which is cool, but still a huge amount of water, which is not cool.

To check out the Water Calculator yourself, click this link HERE.

-j

I was jazzed from day one to work on this project when the client expressed interest in two things: clean lines and sustainability… ah yes, the two loves of my life!  We came up with a game plan and focused on a design for the kitchen/dining area of the home.  An emphasis was placed on creating a space that complimented the amazing view of Theo Wirth Park in their backyard, a gorgeous nature reserve five minutes outside of downtown Minneapolis…

The existing kitchen/dining space needed quite a bit of TLC… white Corian countertops, dated cabinets, a ceramic tiled island, and an oversized vent hood filled the space with an 80’s vibe.  Appliances and lighting fixtures matched the era of finished materials (a before picture here).  The overall layout was sound however, with a nice open plan designed for entertaining and soaking in views of the backyard…

In addition to updating finished materials and appliances, we wanted to rethink the storage situation in the kitchen.  The countertop along the back wall became the permanent home for the microwave, toaster, coffee maker and various other kitchen necessities… sure, all these elements were accessible, but the visual clutter certainly did not contribute to a piece of mind, and without that, what have ya got?… A walk-in closet next to the fridge was also an opportunity for improving storage.  The thing was nice and big, but the vast majority of its space was gone to waste by a person standing in the middle of it.  We opted for two huge pull-out pantries that held the same amount of goods as the walk-in, while freeing up enough space on the back side to create a full closet off the hall… a nice bonus!

With this remodel being primarily cosmetic, the selection of finish materials became our chief goal.  We spent several weeks going over options, from FSC-Certified woods, 3form eco-resins, metallic paints, to concrete or recycled paper countertops.  The client and I took a field trip over to the NorthStar Surfaces showroom in St. Paul to check out some of their counter and cabinet options.  We instantly fell in love with a vanity on display there that featured a richly textured bamboo material paired with a deep brown counter.  Initially we were visualizing lighter cabs and counters for the kitchen, but once we saw this display, we both felt that our search was over.  And that was a really fantastic moment, having that connection with those materials… we felt that they presented a very elegant, earthy and modern solution, exactly what we were going for!

The cabinet facing turned out to be a gorgeous bamboo product made by Smith & Fong called Plyboo… Plyboo comes as both flooring and as plywood sheets.  It is formaldehyde-free and has several finish options to choose from, but what we saw and were drawn to was the Neopolitan finish, a highly textured mix of light and dark strands of bamboo… very rich and luxurious!

The countertop we went with was equally unique as the Plyboo… it was a brand new product called ECO by Cosentino, and to say that I was excited about it would be an understatement.  ECO is an incredibly innovative product that I feel has the perfect characteristics to really bring a bright green countertop to the mainstream… it is comprised of 75% post-consumer recycled materials and is one of a very limited number of ambitious products that has reached Cradle to Cradle Certification (which means that its entire life cycle is sustainable)… It is made from bits of porcelain, glass, crystallized ash and mirror and is bound together by a corn-based resin.  Also, 94% of the water used during the manufacturing process of ECO is recycled…  An absolutely amazing product that looks, performs and costs about the same as stone slabs that we are used to using.. it could really be a game changer!

Appliances were also important elements of the remodel… basically every existing appliance was at the age of needing to be replaced.  We researched and selected an Energy Star compliant oven, dishwasher, vent hood and microwave.  For the cooktop, we were considering the uber-efficient induction option, but didn’t pull the trigger on that due to the added expense of needing a corresponding set of steel pots.  We instead went with a sleek Siemens electric top, which was quite efficient itself…

And speaking of efficiency, for lighting we selected an LED solution for under the cabinets.  I had worked with Environmental Lights on several other projects before, so I felt more than comfortable going forward with them again… their undercabinet light bar was extremely efficient (less than 10 watts for a 36″ strip!), was dimmable, and produced a beautiful warm light that in my opinion is identical to the light quality of a traditional incandescent bulb.  And meandering along the ceiling of the kitchen we placed a new track light that adds a biomorphic element to the room, helping to balance all the hard corners and right angles seen throughout the rest of the space… The plan is to eventually replace each of these track bulbs with LED MR16s, but we’re waiting for the bulb costs to drop a bit before we do so…

To best highlight the gorgeous plyboo, ECO, and new stainless appliances, we designed several features into the kitchen.  We built a nook into the cabinets to house the microwave, taking it off of the counter.  Below the microwave we added a stainless tambour door, creating a nice storage space and further decluttering the work surface from small appliances and various other gadgets.  Above the fridge, we placed a custom wine rack, because what’s a finished kitchen without a wine rack, eh?

I’m sure you won’t argue with me when I say that the Plyboo steal the show… it certainly draws a lot of attention!  In my design I was sensitive to not have the Plyboo be too overwhelming, so I offered a bit of visual relief by having the back wall of upper cabinets be made of a much more neutral material.  Aluminum and frosted glass offered the perfect solution, becoming visually weightless while corresponding to the stainless appliances…

While most of the action took place in the kitchen, the dining room got a nice splash of love as well… by lowering the kitchen island from bar height to counter height and selecting a much smaller vent hood, we successfully opened up the space separating the two rooms.  This helped to synergize the space as a whole, but we had to walk a fine line of how much attention to place in the dining room since the bamboo in the kitchen was so visually dominant.  We spent several weeks scouring the web for the perfect dining table and couldn’t find one, so the client pulled the trigger and hired our cabinet guys (Rust Brothers) to build us a custom table.  The result was absolutely dynamite!  Made from the wood of local ash, the minimal table with matching benches was above and beyond what we saw publicly available… its natural wood finish complimented the floors while the benches allow guests to sit either facing the activity of the kitchen or be apart of the table conversation… (for a view of dining are before, click here).

With a gorgeous build out as a base to work from, we needed furniture, art and accessories to be the icing on the cake.  We went with Minneapolis-based furniture company Blu Dot and selected their Knicker chairs and stools.  Their entire lineup is fantastic, but what drew us to the Knicker was its use of upholstery, which effectively pulled in the grays from the walls and stainless elements in the kitchen.  It also helped to soften the overall feel of the space as there were no other textiles used in the design… Art behind the table was provided by a homeboy of mine, Ray Becoskie… this dude absolutely wails!  Like Blu Dot, his mission is to bring good design to the masses and consciously keeps his work very affordable.  Behind the painting, we used Sherwin Williams Harmony paint, which is one of their low-VOC products, in a soft blue hue…

Photos were taken by my pal Aaron Holmberg at Holmberg Studios.

So that pretty much wraps this baby up… an awesome project, great team, amazing client, fantastic result… doesn’t get much better than that!  We reached all of our project goals, improving efficiencies, utilizing cutting edge green materials and creating a design that transcends trends.  The client’s husband was a bit cautious throughout the project, but came around to really enjoy the result for its relationship to the natural elements of their beautiful backyard.  The cabinets, table, and refinished floors created a strong sense of wood, the stainless steel represented stones or rocks, and the light blue walls created the soothing and calming effect of water… very cool!

For more information on my biz, Thrive Design Studio, to see other projects, and get a better understanding of what we do, please check out our site at thrivesustainability.com…

Have fun, be good, be green!

-j

As I’m sure you’ve guessed, the Live/Work Studio II does in fact house both a residence and office.  Studio d’ARC’s own Gerard Damiani and Debbie Battistone use this 2,400 sq ft multi-purpose dwelling as a showcase of their creative prowess… they jam-packed a whole-lotta goodness in the 20-by-70-foot infill lot that they purchased in between two 19th century brick homes.  Being surrounded by buildings of differing generations is often seen as a challenge when trying to implement modern architecture… the duo at d’ARC however saw this as an opportunity, drawing inspiration from their immediate surroundings.  The weathered steel and mahogany of the front facade pay homage to architectural elements nearby and help to create a visual bridge to its brick-clad neighbors…

Working on a 20 ft wide lot would also seem like a stretch for most architects.  Again, d’ARC decided to turn lemons into lemonade, carving out a dynamic and light-filled interior from the narrow lot…

Light colored walls and natural wood cabinetry really give the space a warm and open feeling, and a glass walkway directly above the kitchen floods the first floor with natural light from a rooftop skylight…

On the second floor, the Pittsburgh pair designed a compact office suite, maximizing storage by embedding built-in shelves next to the stairwell.  They also incorporated a nice architectural balance of finished materials by using cinder blocks, white paint and natural wood.  By limiting their material palette to these three key ingredients, a sense of simplicity and order further contributes to visually opening the space up…

Here’s another angle of the glass walkway, which sits directly above the kitchen and separates the office from the master suite…

The furniture in this master bedroom was custom built to gain the most functionality and maintain the continuity of finished materials… and their dog wouldn’t accept anything less than a custom-designed bed.

And working our way up to the rooftop, we find a beautiful patio great for bbqs and entertaining… The South Side abode overlooks a bustling downtown over the Monongahela River, a visual treat for the architects who worked so hard designing and building their home and studio…

photos by Massery Photography

Out back is an Asian-inspired garden, complete with a Sweetbay magnolia tree… large windows on the first floor connect this garden with the heart of the home.

And here is a floor plan of the project, showing us how resourceful the layout really is.

All in all, an incredible project that proves that small or unwanted urban lots can be developed beautifully and efficiently… The pair at Studio d’ARC really did an amazing job of stretching the 2,400 sq ft, with the result being an urban haven that is home, office and garden… I could dig on a set up like this for myself, and with the project budget sitting around $350,000, it’s not completely out of reach!

-j

This image later became known as Earthrise and it had tremendous impact on public consciousness. It basically functioned as a macroscope, allowing people to zoom out and see the world from a completely new dimension. The primary lesson learned from this Earthrise photo, which is equally relevant today, is that of interconnectedness. The image doesn’t show any divisions of nations or states. Instead it shows the world itself as a single entity, suggesting that isolated perspectives, those of tribes, states or nations, become dated and detrimental as they don’t fully comprehend that their choices affect those outside their own borders. The macroscopic lens instead promotes a holistic perspective as the best way to understand of the sum of the planet’s parts…

Taking this idea of a holistic perspective a step further, scientist James Lovelock developed a unique theory in the early 1970’s.  His Gaia Theory (aka geophysiology or Earth System Science) analyzed the Earth as a single living organism involving the biosphere, atmosphere, oceans and soil, with the totality constituting a feedback system which seeks an optimal physical environment for life on this planet to thrive. He basically discovered that the Earth, if viewed at a macroscopic level, is alive and self-regulates…. whoa!

By today’s standards, this is a pretty ‘out there’ theory. It however begins to make some sense if you break it down… I found a pretty striking analogy in the comparison of Earth’s elements with something that is easier for us to identify with… our own bodies!

Check this out…

Earth… Person_ Bones, muscles, flesh, tissues    Planet_ Rock, soil, minerals, vegetation
Air… Person_ Breath, respiration, sound, voice    Planet_ Winds, atmosphere, clouds
Water… Person_ Blood, lymph, hormones    Planet_ Rivers, lakes, rain, oceans, tides
Fire… Person_ Brain, nerves, subtle energies    Planet_ Lightning, bioelectricity, radiation

It kinda makes sense, right?… Another similarity worth noting is that the Earth’s surface is 70% water, and our bodies are 70% water.  And regarding our bodies… what a fascinating instrument!  Were you aware that in a single year, 98% of your body will replace itself?  And that by the time you are 70 years old, your body will have been replaced over 60 different times?!?  Where does all of this physical matter go?  I certainly don’t have the answer, but feel it’s pretty clear that we’re a part of some physical flow that’s greater than ourselves…

Running with this planet vs. person comparison a bit longer… if the Earth does indeed self-regulate like our own bodies do, it most likely has its own set of rules for survival. Humans, for example, maintain a core body temperature of 98.6 degrees, and when that temperature goes up a mere 3 or 4 degrees we become ill with a fever… our system becomes out of balance. The Earth also maintains a sense of stability… its surface temperature has stayed at a steady average of 57 degrees for tens of thousands of years, but it happens to be in the process of rising. Since 1750, planetary temperatures have increased 1.5 degrees and climate scientists are saying that we should expect between 2 to an astonishing 11.5 degrees more warming during the 21st century. If this is to be the case, the planetary system will be severely out of balance (fever) and will have to counter-regulate in ways that we can only leave to our imaginations… and by continuing our current pace of development, deforestation and pollution (the primary sources of rising temperatures), we will effectively be further limiting the planet’s immune system from allowing itself to heal… things could get interesting!

Let’s take a completely different approach real quick… imagine yourself sitting on a chair in outer space, staring at our home planet with a remote control in hand… press fast forward on the remote and watch the planet spin 10,000 times faster than it currently is doing.  What an amazing site this would be!… You would see the planet inhale and exhale as each season comes and goes (the planet actually withdraws CO2 from the air for plant growth in summer months, and returns it into the atmosphere each succeeding winter)… you would see generations of animals live and die, yet adapt and thrive in a fluid and peaceful way (similar to the notion that every second, 500,000 cells in your body die and are reborn, but you still look the same). Press pause and zoom in on a boulder in isolation… Ok, so it would be easy to argue that this chunk of rock doesn’t account for much, that it is not alive. Well, it would be equally easy to argue that a particle in your fingernail is equally inconsequential and unconscious. But this chunk of rock and bit of fingernail both become integral parts of maintaining life for both of their hosts… what it comes down to is that the Earth should not be seen as a big rock infested with living organisms anymore than your skeleton is bones infested with cells. It is in and of itself a miracle of life, an entity that does everything it can to harbor the best conditions for biodiversity to thrive… we need to do a better job of understanding and respecting this, and soon!

Ok, so you’re still sitting in this chair in space… let’s say you set your remote to fast forward the last 100,000 years to a period of 10 minutes. The first 9 minutes and 59 seconds would be a pretty smooth and enjoyable site… the last second however would be a different story!  Abrupt alterations to the Earth’s landscape and atmosphere would be dramatic in this second (250 yrs real time)… 135 billion tons of crude oil would be extracted from beneath the planet’s surface in this second, with the majority of it being burned and sent into the atmosphere as hazardous carbon emissions. In this second, atmospheric concentrations of Co2 and methane would increase by over 36% and 148%, respectively.  Also in this sliver of time, 3 million square miles, or about half of Earth’s tropical forest cover, would have been cleared, taking with it hundreds of thousands of unique species.  And finally, at 9 minutes 59 seconds you’d see Earth’s most unique species, the human, have a population hover around 790 million.  One second later, when your timer hits the 10 minute mark, you would notice the human population grow almost 8 fold to 6.9 billion people… wow, what a second!

What the Gaian perspective does more than anything else is open our eyes to a revealing truth that we human beings are just one part of this super organism Earth. This fact makes us humble and helps us to recognize that whatever magic we can create with science and technology, we will still be destined to remain engulfed by a sense of mystery…. And this leads me to another integral facet of comprehending this macroscopic perspective… mystery!

Our contemporary worldview doesn’t have much of a place for mystery or mythology… The westernized mindset is based off of the notion that it has always known everything, and will continue to always know everything… This in turn doesn’t leave much room for creative evolution as it implies that we’ve hit a ceiling of intellectual understanding, and that any new ideas will be met with resistance… Well, the great Joseph Campbell strongly advocated that a culture without mythology is lost and subject to a slew of social ills… I couldn’t agree more, and feel that this idea of Gaia just might become a symbol for a new mythology.  It would transcend and synergize all other mythologies, promoting the similarities of cultures and species by creating a fundamental shift from You and I to We… sounds good to me!

Ok, so I admit this all sounds a bit pagan… you may be thinking to yourself that the Gaia Theory seems to have a lot in common with indigenous worldviews, but don’t let this for a second suggest that we have to go back to primitive times to uphold its ideals… The truth is, cutting edge science and technology are integral components for better understanding Gaia and this new mythology.  Science may have charts and maps for every corner of the Earth, but it is merely at the tip of the iceberg in regards to what it can tell us about our home planet… A couple weeks back I read that scientists were baffled by the recent discovery of a type of sea slug that is actually half animal, half plant… the thing creates its own chlorophyll… how cool is that?!? And speaking of plants, we are just beginning to uncover the hidden intelligence of our flora friends. Scientists have uncovered that plants communicate with each other via aspirin-like chemicals, and that their root systems exchange these chemicals with various fungi in elaborate networking relationships inside the soil. It has been proven through studies that trees can actively defend themselves against serious insect attacks by communicating a warning to other trees in the vicinity.  A step further, recent technologies have shown that plants may actually be able to respond to thought… polygraph experts attached a plant to a lie-detector, burnt its leaves and watched the needle go ballistic, and more importantly, in experiments where a person merely thought about injuring the plant, the polygraph indicated the same frantic spikes… some pretty incredible stuff!

The point being, there is a universe of exploration that has yet to be done on Earth. Our current understanding of human and other species’ potentiality is about 5 on a scale of 1 to 1000!  A key to moving upwards on this scale is to recognize that we are not evolving above nature or other species, but on a journey with them… This is the core of Gaian mythology, the emphasis on a collaborative, inclusive, and creative evolution.  It is thrivability in motion.

The macroscopic lens allows us to zoom out, slow down, and readdress our relationship to the Earth. It shows us that many of the answers to our greatest questions are not lost amongst the stars, but are here today within the grasp of our own world. It reemphasizes the magic and enchantment that surrounds us each day, and reminds us that we are but one of several million species sharing an experience. And this experience can be absolutely beautiful if we step back and appreciate the world for what it is… an absolute miracle!

-j

Good mornin’ Hans, thanks for showing us how the windows work!

Note the wheel on the side of the building… this deciduous dojo is mobile!

Yeah Hans… we’re all jealous of your sweet man lair!

In a stark contrast with the textured exterior, the interior is clean and open.  A baby blue hue washes all finished surfaces to visually expand the space.  Floor to ceiling storage maximizes functionality for keeping things like oversized straw hats…

Love it!  Great inspiration for any project, large or small!  I can definitely vibe on something similar to this for a home office or guest quarters in the backyard… heck, let’s go ahead and throw custom chicken coop into the mix… those’d be some happy hens!

-j

Make Your Place is a 128 page tutorial of sustainable domestic tools aimed to defy consumer consciousness.  From creating tinctures and salves, to concocting all-natural cleaners, to gardening basics, this book is great for anyone looking to live more simply and truly do it themselves.  Its zine style makes it feel like it’s written just for you by an informed, helpful friend…

And the icing in this organic cake is that the zine will only set you back $5!  Order it on the Microcosm site HERE and add Raleigh Briggs’ other titles, Nontoxic Housecleaners Zine and Herbal First Aid Zine, for another $1 each!

Seriously, get lost in this site… I’m blown away at how many cool lifestyle guides are presented here.  Do it… get lost!

-j

Let’s get things rolling with the Audi e-Tron Coupe.  This gorgeous 2-door is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack capable of storing 45 kilowatt-hours of energy, giving it a range of up to 155 miles… and as you would expect, the silver stud is quick, running from 0 to 60 in less than six seconds.

Next up is the Hyundai Blue-Will. This concept is Hyundai’s “test bed of new ideas”-drive-by-wire steering, solar charging, a plug-in hybrid drivetrain that uses lithium-ion batteries (the same batteries that will go into the 2011 Hyundai Sonata), and, interestingly, a system that turns heat from exhaust gases into electricity…. supah sweet!

Hybrid king Toyota released some big news at the Auto Show’s press event saying that they are considering turning the Prius brand into a family of vehicles.  Things are still a bit hazy, but what we know is that the company plans to introduce 8 new hybrid models in the coming few years, and that the FT-CH hybrid concept is one of the models under consideration right now.  Here’s a pic of this potential ‘baby Prius,’ which would be much more affordable than the existing Prius… game on!

Nissan is planning an all out electric blitz on Toyota with the release of its Leaf EV later this year… this zero-emissions car will get 100 miles on a charge and offer a quick 80% charge in a mere half hour.  Nissan’s aspirations are huge for the Leaf… Their plant in Smyrna can build up to 150,000 of ‘em when it starts production in late 2012!

Not to be left out of the electric game, BMW will launch its second electric-car experiment, the Concept ActiveE, which is essentially an electrified 1-series.  Running on lithium-ion cells, the ActiveE will seat four and run 100 miles on a charge.  It will go into test fleets next year, marking another step toward the eventual mid-decade release of BMW’s high-end all-electric urban commuter.

Wow… the aspect ratio of this pic seems a tad stretched, eh?  This is a street legal two-seat electric rocket known as the Commuter Cars Tango.  The seats are not side-by-side like a traditional sports car… no they are front-to-back like a fighter jet!  I did a write up on the Tango a while back.  Follow the link HERE to get all the details… The Tango is currently on sale world-wide as a kit car that is delivered within six months of order.  This bizarrely narrow two-seater actually weighs 3,150 pounds, most of that in lead-acid batteries mounted under the floor.  Billed as “the world’s fastest urban car,” Commuter Cars says this thing can run from 0 to 60 in approximately four seconds.

And here is a newcomer from Shenzhen, China, the BYD e6.  The all-electric crossover is scheduled to come to America later this year.  I’m sure you’re asking the obvious… who the heck is BYD?  Turns out they are the fifth largest manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries for consumer electronics in the world, so a crack at this growing electric car market seems like a worthy mission.

Back to a familiar face… ein Deutsche auto Volkswagen.  VW’s New Compact Coupe (NCC) concept looks better than it’s name might imply (I mean seriously, New Concept Coupe?  Did EVERYONE from creative get canned?)  Anyway, the streamlined two-seater gets a 1.4-liter TSI gas engine combined with a 20-kilowatt electric motor powered by a 1.1kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 7-speed transmission.  Combined, this will get the car about 45 mpg with a top speed of 141 miles per hour… Sounds like a pretty good time!

And winding the list down with a pair of duzies, both by Tesla… their Model S all-electric family sedan won’t go into production for another two years or so, but it’s gearing up to kick some serious tail when it does.  The plan is to produce 20,000 of these salty dogs each year and that might spell trouble for competing luxury sedans… the Model S can seat five adults and two kids, run up to 300 miles on a single charge, and reach a top speed of 130 mph!

Photos by Seth Fletcher.

The Model S’s older and quicker brother, the Roadster, is also being featured at this year’s Auto Show… this Tesla is a revolutionary vehicle, having been in production for a couple years now and proving by example that electric is where it’s at.  This ambitious two-seater comes with a unique mission this year, to rid people of their ‘range anxiety fear.’  Tesla employees drove this car (the 750th of the 1000 roadsters the company has built so far) from LA to the auto show in Detroit, recharging along the way.

So there y’all have it… the latest and greatest in the automotive world!  Super exciting times we’re in, seeing the transformation of an industry take place in front of our eyes… I for one can’t wait till I roll through town in an electric ride of my own, drawing juice from a PV panel on my carport’s rooftop…

-j

The concept of WE ADD UP is pretty fresh.  Every shirt is printed by hand with a unique number.  The number that ends up on your shirt is your position in a sequential global count of people who are taking steps to do their part.  On the back of each shirt is a word or phrase that describes an action almost anyone can take to reduce their carbon footprint - such as, Unplug, Lights Off, Carpool, Hybrid, Bike, Buy Local, and 27 others.  Here’s a snapshot of all our choices:

Definitely diggin’ on Shower Together as well… I can see why that took the prize for #1 seller!… and hey, let’s be real for a second… it IS a great way to save a valuable resource!

Each hand printed T-shirt runs $25 and is made with 100% certified organic cotton under strict fair labor practices.  Groups get the hook up with discounted prices, so this could be a perfect fundraiser concept.  As of today, the tally for tees is over 14,300…  very cool!  What a great way to show the world that WE ADD UP!

-j

The 5,000 sq foot studio houses the Belzberg team and two other design firms, sharing a two level, plus mezzanine, building that has reached LEED Gold certification.  Several green initiatives were embedded into the building’s design to help it achieve 31% reductions in energy usage and costs and 47% reduction in indoor water use.  The primary design feature is its open, linear tube-like form that sits above an at-grade parking lot.  This concept raises the conditioned space, allowing natural ventilation to flow through the interior with ease.  20 foot tall glazing assemblies on the east and west ends open to let occupant’s get a sniff of the cool ocean breeze in addition to filling the interior with plenty of natural daylight.

Another unique design feature is the building envelope, which is composed of custom diamond pattern cladding, fabricated out of sheet metal, along with R19 and R30 recycled denim insulation.

The rooftop of the building features an array of photovoltaic panels that offsets 12.5% of energy needs and additional measures to reduce heat island effects for 75% of its area.  Other areas of the development’s greenness include:

• 70% of building’s energy purchased with Green Power
• Native, drought-tolerant landscaping with drip irrigation
• 84% construction waste diverted from landfill
• Access to public transit, bike storage and showering facilities

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Photos from Belzbergarchitects.com

Belzberg is doing it right with this office development.  They not only designed a building which can used for future clients and visitors to experience and visualize the possibilities of building green, they now have a test subject to experiment with future green building products and initiatives… Belsyeah, Belzberg!

-j

Depending on driving conditions, a range around 15 miles will be completely gas free in the new PHV.  After that, traditional hybrid technologies kick in, and according to Toyota the Prius can go up to 870 miles on a full tank and full charge… pretty impressive!

Government fleets in the US, Japan, and Europe will get first dibs on leasing the PHV.  Japan is particularly lucky as 21 electric charging stations will be built across 11 locations including government offices and train stations near Toyota City in the Aichi Preference district… here’s a rendering of one such station:

Price is still undefined for the next-gen Prius… rumor has it will be around the $33,000 range, which isn’t all-too-bad considering an electric conversion on existing hybrids runs about $11k right now.

Exciting times folksies!  All sorts of rad cars are coming our way, and Toyota again is leading the charge… can’t wait to see some of these on the road!

-j