CasaSugar

Eco Chic: Solar Power Executive Table

CasaSugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:00:42 -0700

If you read my reclaimed wood bench Before and After, you'll remember that the Oakland-based design-building studio, Because We Can, was hired by SunPower to create furniture for their new office in an old Ford manufacturing building. The reclaimed wood benches that they designed are beautiful, but their job didn't stop there. SunPower, a solar power company, also asked Because We Can to design them special table for their executive office, with a different feel than their other furnishings. Because We Can harnessed their own energies to design a particularly special executive table: a table that holds one of SunPower’s solar panels. The panel, which has a smooth plastic surface, was dropped into the steel table frame, and looks sleek and most definitely "special." What's more: it actually functions, trapping the suns rays as it sits there during important business meetings about . . . solar power!
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Casa Verde: Pope Benedict Goes Solar

CasaSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:00:34 -0700

Still thinking about adding some renewable power to your home? Well, maybe this story will inspire you. Pope Benedict XVI recently installed photovoltaic solar panels in his home outside of Regensburg, Germany.

The panels are estimated to generate as much as 5,800 kilowatt hours per year, the equivalent of $3,500 worth of surplus electricity, which will be routed back to the German power grid. Any profits from the panels will be donated to job- and skill-training programs for disadvantaged youth.

To hear what the pope has to say about energy use, and to find out about tax credits for renewable energy, read more.

“Technologically advanced societies can and must lower their energy consumption, either through an evolution of manufacturing methods or through greater ecological sensitivity among their citizens. It should be added that at present it is possible to achieve improved energy efficiency while at the same time encouraging research into alternative forms of energy,” said Pope Benedict in a prepared statement.

The Vatican's roof was also covered with solar panels, beginning last Winter. Pope Benedict was also instrumental in the Vatican's plan to install a $600 million solar plant. A 6,000-seat hall's heating, cooling, and natural light needs will be supplied through 2,700 solar panels. When the hall is not in use, the energy will be used to power the Vatican.

If you live in the United States, you can find about renewable energy tax credits here.

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Casa Verde: Jon and Kate Plus 8 Go Green

CasaSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:30:00 -0700

This Sunday, the Gosselin clan of Jon and Kate Plus 8 will welcome Planet Green's Renovation Nation host Steve Thomas into their home to retrofit it with some eco-friendly upgrades. Steve and his crew will help install electric solar panels and solar thermal panels onto the house, as well as solar powered lights along the driveway. They'll also build a picnic table for the family using reclaimed wood. Of course, the kids will also lend a hand (or 16) with the projects, and learn a few things about being green. Unfortunately, the hefty needs of the large household are not helping the family's carbon footprint! Catch the special at 9 p.m. EDT this Sunday, April 19, on TLC.
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Link TIme!

CasaSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:00:54 -0700

Make this easy fabric party garland. - Craft
Solar tiles are prettier than panels. - Charles and Hudson
Commission a custom house portrait. - AT:SF
Check out these artsy autism-awareness posters. - PoppyTalk
Gorgeous tiles for your home. - Shelterrific
These WWII bunkers were turned into condos. - ShelterPop
Be safe with these fire-prevention products. - This Old House

Open House: Historic Preservation vs. Energy Efficiency

CasaSugar — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:30:00 -0700

There is something - much - to be said for historical accuracy. Architects of the past have left a legacy for us, so we should respect their work. But sometimes this conflicts with efforts toward energy efficiency and renewables. A recent post in the New York Times blog Green Inc. talks about this incongruence, citing failed efforts to double-glaze the windows of a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed cottage (in order to keep it warmer and use less energy) as an example of this conflict. Al Gore's attempt to install solar panels on his over-70-year-old Nashville home passed, but only on the condition that the panels were out of sight of neighbors. Personally, I think the merits of installing clean energy features and energy-efficiency upgrades on historic homes should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Until we're all running graywater systems in our homes and using wind turbines and solar panels to channel energy, it shouldn't be assumed that historic buildings should make the change. On the other hand, if Frank Lloyd Wright were alive today, he might be a leader in the green building movement.

Do you think historic homes should be exempt from integrating energy-efficient and green energy technologies? Do you think the two can meet halfway? Do you think all buildings should make the move to clean energy?
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House Tour: A Net-Zero Energy Home in Vermont

CasaSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:00:34 -0700

I recently visited beautiful northern Vermont, and the South Farm Homes development in Hinesburg. This six-home development aims for "net-zero" status, meaning that the homes will generate as much power as they use over the course of a year. Environmental features include active PV solar panels integrated into the metal roofing of each home and significant southern glass, which provide solar gain (as well as lovely views of the surrounding valley). The project is a collaboration between Rolf Kielman, AIA and Lee Grutchfield, AIA of TruexCullins Architects of Burlington, VT, and Reiss Building of Hinesburg, VT. The home that I visited also served as a temporary showcase for pieces and products made by local Vermont artisans and companies. I snapped photos of some of my favorite pieces in the house, which are definitely worth a peek.
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Link Time!

CasaSugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:00:18 -0700

Make a beautiful succulent bouquet. - AT:LA
I'm inspired by this stenciled garden path. - Design*Sponge
Yay! This porch won! - Making It Lovely
Peruse pretty antique signs. - PoppyTalk
Is it hard to live simply? - Re-Nest
Would you ever try to make your own solar panels? - Shelterrific

Preview Metropolitan Home's Modern by Design Showhome in San Francisco

CasaSugar — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:00:25 -0700

Yesterday, I toured Metropolitan Home's Modern by Design showhome in San Francisco, a historic, 7,700-square-foot house in the heart of the exclusive Pacific Heights neighborhood, which has been transformed into an exquisite example of contemporary design with the help of a savvy developer and a handful of the country's top designers.

The house, known as "Baker Acres," was originally built in 1904 as a single-family home, but over the years has served as a boarding house for service men and women, a guest house for recent graduates and San Francisco transfers, and a hotel. Along the way, the building's exquisite architectural details, grand rooms, and dramatic staircase were destroyed, and the home was stripped down to a shell. In 2007, San Francisco-bred developer Regina Callan of RBR Development purchased the property, and updated and restored it with the latest technologies, building materials, appliances, and surfaces. The building's eco features now include a GreenPoint rating, recycled brick, solar panels, and energy-efficient appliances.

To hear which designers participated, and see many photos from my tour, read more.

As for the design, Met Home called in 14 of the most sought-after interior designs to bring this home into the 21st century with a unique modern living and design interpretation. The team includes Martha Angus, David Olydroyd, and Greg Steart of ODADA, Min | Day, Jiun Ho, Gary Hutton, Jay Jeffers, Dowling Kimm Studios, Nicole Hollis, Erin Martin, Steven Miller, Phillip Parton, Sand Studios, and Surfacedesign. Each designer applied his or her vision to a room or set of rooms.

If you live in the Bay Area, you can tour the showhome on weekends from June 20 to July 12, any time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tickets cost $25 and proceeds benefit the San Francisco Ballet. Find more information here. If you don't live in the Bay Area, take a peek at my photos for a tour.

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Coveted Crib: A Sleek Hamptons Home

CasaSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:00:00 -0800

When it comes to coveted cribs, beach views, sleek modern architecture, and poolside lounging are definitely enviable features. This gorgeous vacation home in East Hampton comes complete with three different water sources: a pond, a solar-heated pool, and views to nearby Barrier Beach.

The home, which was recently renovated, admirably merges the structure with the surrounding landscape. The house is low-slung and nestled into the hillside. Guest rooms are located on one wing that is separated from the main space by a courtyard, which looks out onto the solar-heated pool. The pond is landscaped with native grasses that are drought tolerant, and the home's beautiful nature views are easily seen through its huge expanses of glass doors and windows.

To see more images of this home, including interior shots, and to hear about its green design features, read more.

The house takes advantage of passive solar principles, with its northern side occupied by very few window, which reduces heating needs. A 10 KW solar panel array offsets the home's energy needs, and a ground source heat pump provides efficient heating and cooling.

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Open House: Eco Upgrades

CasaSugar — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 05:19:12 -0700

According to CitizenSugar, Al Gore has spent $16,533 on eco-upgrades including solar panels, a geothermal system, new light bulbs, and better windows — and his "house uses enough energy in a year to power 232 regular houses for a month." Yikes! Not to brag or anything but, if you remember correctly, my utility company named me one of 1.5 million residential and 80,000 business customers who had conserved natural gas this past Winter. I may not have solar panels but there's a chance I may still have out-eco-chic'd Al Gore in terms of energy use! What eco upgrades have you made to your home? Solar panels? CFLs? Sustainable materials? Reclaimed wood furniture? Wind power? Planted a tree? Tell me by commenting below!
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