2011-04-21
2011-04-20
2011-04-19
february 2011 shred-it
yeah yeahh i know it's april, but i'm a bit behind on my shit.
libby, jon & i out for some early spring shred...
yep.. i love snowboarding.
The First Regiment Armory - LEED Platinum
Preservation AND Sustainability: The First Regiment Armory is now the new home of Portland Center Stage, this formerly vacant landmark serves as a vibrant public gathering space and an educational outreach for sustainable practices.
Built in 1891, the Portland Armory is the first building on the National Register of Historic Places and first performing arts venue to receive a LEED Platinum rating. There are
fewer than 25 Platinum projects nationwide, and this building marks the first Platinum award in Oregon and Washington.
The extremely complex renovation preserved the historic character of the building shell while meeting the highly technical requirements for a state-of-the-art theater and attaining the highest LEED level possible. Located in the city’s core, this high-profile project included a
diverse group of public, non-profit and private stakeholders and utilized public funds.
An underground cistern harvests and filters rainwater for reuse in the building to flush toilets, and low-flow fixtures are used throughout the building. The former sidewalk surface has been replaced with pervious pavers, bioswales and native plants to create a “sliver” park that reduces stormwater runoff and activates the site during the change of seasons.
Displacement ventilation brings fresh air into occupied spaces and distributes it through an underfloor system to improve indoor air quality and save energy. In the office area, chilled beams work in concert with the ventilation system to heat and cool the space. The CFD model’s analysis of air movement ensured proper placement of the chilled beams and floor diffusers for maximum efficiency.
Skylights in the office area illuminate the open lobby and administrative spaces with natural light, and sensors monitor light levels and dim electric lights when not needed to conserve energy.
As a result of the combined systems, the Portland Armory realized an 89 percent savings in potable water and a 30 percent energy savings for a comparable building. By utilizing 45 percent of regionally manufactured materials, the renovation also supported the local community and reduced CO2 emissions.
The project’s sustainable features extend beyond construction, as stakeholders and building tenants implement green practices into daily operations through the use of recycled materials, on-site product recycling and a green cleaning policy over the building’s life.
Moreover, guided tours and interactive displays created by Second Story Interactive Studios educate visitors about the Portland Armory’s sustainable design and construction. This extensive outreach program offers the public new perspectives and highlights the importance of minimizing our impacts on the environment.
Source: http://www.greenbuildingservices.com/news/releases/
THE greenest building..
Is a new building the most sustainable choice?
- It takes an average of 40 years for an energy-efficient home to recover the carbon used during construction.
- A 10 story building when demolished, generates about 19 hundred tons of waste.
- What if a community invested in rehabilitating their existing buildings? Steady, local and sustainable jobs would be created!
- Greater craftsmanship = more buildings meant for the long-term.
2011-04-07
Food For Thought
Is this natural? Is acres upon acres of green grass supposed to be found in the desert? I think not. We the people are NOT separate from the environment.In the US, there are 35 million acres of lawn as well as 36 million acres of housing and lots used to feed animals. This doesn't even account for golf courses! This acreage is enough to feed the country...
50% of the food in America spoils. This is EDIBLE food... that simply spoils. What if even 1/4 of this food was given to one's chickens? What if everyone had a chicken coop on their property? This food would not be wasted and the egg commerce would be obsolete. An excellent example of a closed loop system.
America has a serious problem. Childhood obesity is out of the roof. Could these be contributing? ---->
Children's immune systems are also at risk. Parents are sanitizing them left and right. They are not playing in dirt, they are playing video games. They are not being exposed to germs and their immune systems are not being exercised.
We must look UP the stream to our country's health problems. What if we developed a HEALING food system. What if the hospitals were to lose business because Americans were healthy because their diets had improved so much?
We eat feedlot beef. We eat meat in almost every meal. We consume more meat than any other country in the world. What's wrong with adding more vegetables and consuming less meat? All those acres of crops are used to feed these poor cows, when they could be used to feed us directly.
Farmers should be ones to provide food that nourishes one. And our government should support this. Too bad the FDA receives millions from the USDA, "Beef, It's What's For Dinner"...
Infographic: United States of the Environment
Every state has an asset that puts them ahead of all of the other states.. but they also have a downfall. These pictures display this.
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