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Garbage In … Energy Out
According to a recent article in Popular Science (Michael Behar, 03/07), a 15-foot tall machine dubbed the “Plasma Converter,” by researchers at Startech Environmental Corporation can turn garbage into energy.
The machine uses plasma gasification, a process that can break down nearly anything except nuclear waste by annihilating toxic materials. The only by-products of the process are an obsidian-like glass that can be used as a raw material for products like bathroom tiles and high-strength asphalt, and a synthesis gas, or “syngas,” a mixture of primarily hydrogen and carbon monoxide that can be converted into a variety of marketable fuels, including ethanol, natural gas, and hydrogen.
Additionally, the converter itself produces energy—although the machine draws initial power from the electrical grid, once the cycle is underway, the 2,200˚F syngas is fed into a cooling system, generating steam that drives turbines to produce electricity. About two-thirds of the power is used to run the converter; the rest can be used for on-site energy needs, or sold back to the utility grid. To learn more about the Plasma Converter and the future of this technology, read the article.
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Rapid Changes Predicted for Future Homes
Recent research by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) found that the pace of change in the American home is likely to accelerate dramatically over the next several years, according to an article in Nation’s Building News (02/26/07). NAHB developed the “Home of the Future” report from feedback from 60 interviews with architects, designers, manufacturers, and marketing experts. Interviews asked respondents what they expect to be prevalent in average and upscale homes in 2015. Participants predicted several green building trends in average homes, including increasing demand for energy-efficient appliances and mechanical equipment, greater use of water- or energy-conserving devices, energy-efficient windows, more green and sustainable products and builders seeking green certification. Other predicted trends include shrinking living rooms and increasing family rooms, as well as increased importance on low-maintenance exteriors, two car garages, high ceilings, counter space in kitchens, double vanities in bathrooms, mood lighting, fiber optics, and structured wiring. To learn more, read the article.
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Robot to be Tested on Single-Day House Build
According to a recent article on CBSNews.com (Christine Lagorio, 02/28/07), Behrokh Khoshnevis, an engineering professor and director of the Center for Rapid Automated Fabrication Technologies at the University of Southern California, believes robots could bring about a sweeping change in the construction industry. For the past decade, Khoshnevis has been working on “Contour Crafting,” a process that uses a computer-guided robot to deposit a concrete mixture in layers to form a structure. This year, Khoshnevis plans to demonstrate the technology’s capabilities by using it to build a home in a single day. However, Contour Craft homes will likely not show up in neighborhoods any time soon; Khoshnevis says that the technology likely has a “long battle” of testing, code compliance issues, and market resistance ahead of it. To learn more, read the article.
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WANTED: Home Builders for the Moon
According to a recent article on MSNBC.com (Alan Boyle, 02/01/07), NASA’s plans to build a permanent moon base may include the deployment of lunar habitats in the 2020s. NASA and its corporate partners are already building prototypes to test some of unorthodox ideas, such as inflatable habitats, which could be compressed to ship in a small space. ILC Dover is currently designing a prototype for a NASA-National Science Foundation test in Antarctica that will have built-in monitors and sensors that will track its performance. To learn more, read the article.
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ToolBase.org Featured Technology—Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
It's not just for isolationists anymore! Whether you want to be entirely "off the grid" or just supplement your utility power, CHP systems can supply electricity much more efficiently than power plants. Using fuel such as natural gas to produce heat and electricity simultaneously, a CHP system can act as a built-in emergency generator when the grid goes down. The electricity can power any household device such as lights and appliances, and the heat produced can provide water heating and/or space heating. Home-sized units range in capacity from about 1 kW to 6 kW and are about the size of a major appliance. CHP is just one of dozens of innovative technologies listed on the PATH Technology Inventory, which is housed on the ToolBase Services website. CHP is also one of PATH’s recently unveiled “Top 10” Technologies for 2007, which are technologies that show the most promise for improving the durability and resource-efficiency of homes. View the PATH Technology Inventory Listing for CHP or download a Fact Sheet (PDF) on this technology to learn more.
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Manure—Not Just for Fertilizer Anymore
Homebuyers could soon find themselves walking across floors made from manure, according to a recent Associated Press article (David N. Goodman, 02/10/07). Researchers at Michigan State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture say that fiber from processed and sterilized cow manure could replace sawdust in producing fiberboard, which is used for products like flooring, furniture, and shelves. They hope that the process will help alleviate the nation’s problem disposing of the 1.5 to 2 trillion pounds of farm waste produced annually. So far, tests have found that manure-based fiberboard meets or exceeds the quality of wood-based products, and the manure-based fiber is also less expensive. To learn more, read the article.
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Less is More—New Building Products Aim to Save Space, Sanity
According to an article in the Washington Post (Dina ElBoghdady, 02/17/06), some of the more talked-about products at last month’s International Builders’ Show targeted consumers who want to save space in their homes. Manufacturers are looking for ways to make products and appliances less obtrusive and more attractive. One example, the Radium by Lennox, is a ventless gas fireplace that is enclosed in a floating glass surface that hangs flat against the wall. Kohler is offering toilets that combine bidets and child sets into traditional toilets so that no extra space or inserts are required. And General Electric will soon offer the Profile Tango Oven, a double oven that comes with a slow cooker and allows cooks to prepare two dishes at two temperatures. To learn more, read the article.
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Dome on the Range
Geodesic domes can add extra room at lower costs, can lower energy costs, and can improve a home’s storm resistance, according to a recent article in the Enid (Okla.) News and Eagle (Robert Baron, 02/17/07). The article highlights the experiences of Donna Gellar, a homeowner who found that remodeling with a dome design could add up to 10,000 square feet of space cheaper than adding two bedrooms and a storm shelter to her current home’s design. Geodesic domes, which are constructed of triangular wood panels to form a dome shell, offer aerodynamic protection against winds from any direction. Gellar’s dome will supposedly be able to withstand 300- to 350-mph winds, and the dome’s 100-foot radius will allow an additional 2,500 square feet upstairs. To learn more about the home, read the article.
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Steel Prefabrication Cuts Time, Costs
According to a recent article in the Contra Costa Times (Eve Mitchell, 03/10/07), Hayward, Calif.-based ConXTech Inc., manufacturers prefabricated steel structures that offer an alternative to traditional wood-frame construction techniques. The quick on-site assembly of the prefabricated steel components, which the company describes as a “full-scale Erector Set,” reduces the overall costs of the building. The company’s website states that the process also offers “mass customization” during the design process and uses robotics to machine and preassemble the components. According to Bob Tatum, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University, the process applies new technology that benefits both the product and its safety. To learn more, read the article.
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Ninth Annual NAHB National Green Building Conference
The ninth annual NAHB National Green Building Conference will be held from March 25 to 27 at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in St. Louis, Mo. According to a recent release (03/02/07), the keynote speaker will be William McDonough, the originator of “Cradle to Cradle” philosophy and a practitioner of ecologically, socially, and economically intelligent architecture. The conference will feature more than 30 experts, seminars, innovative new product and tool displays and other special presentations, including the National Green Building Awards and the National Arbor Day Foundation’s Building With Trees awards. For more information, visit www.nahb.org/greenbuildingconference.
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'Green' Entrepreneurs Learn How to Get Research to Market
According to a recent release (03/02/07), researchers with projects that conserve energy and other natural resources will learn how to take their environmental solutions from the lab to the marketplace at “The Green Technology Entrepreneurship Academy,” hosted by the UC Davis Center for Entrepreneurship from March 26 to 30 at Lake Tahoe, Nev. The Academy is at the forefront of an increasing effort by universities to transform research into viable businesses ventures. About 35 students and professors from universities across the county will work under the guidance of UC Davis faculty, technology transfer experts, entrepreneurs, and investors from environmental science and technology-based ventures. The program will include tracks on clean energy, sustainable materials, and remediation. To learn more, read the release.
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MacArthur Foundation to Invest $25 Million in New Research on Impact of Housing
According to a recent press release (02/12/07), the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation will invest $25 million in new research that will investigate the impact of housing on both children and adults. The foundation will create a network of housing scholars, policymakers, and practitioners with leading experts in health-related disciplines, child development, education policy, and labor markets. The research will include demonstration projects and evaluation research to test the impact of different housing policies, rigorous cost-benefit studies, and research to analyze factors that affect the supply and cost of affordable housing. To learn more, read the release.
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Water for All Life Conference
According to a recent release, the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWRA) hosted Water for All Life—A Decentralized Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future conference March 12-14 at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore, Md. The event brought together international and U.S. environmentalists and planners to discuss ideas and strategies for enhancing water resources and creating a sustainable environment with decentralized systems. Decentralized systems, or onsite wastewater treatment, are currently used by 28 percent of all households and more than 40 percent of new homes. According to NOWRA, they are a long-term, cost-effective, environmentally-sound method of delivering wastewater treatment and offer many benefits to builders, developers, communities, and homeowners. The conference focused on green building, closed loop systems, and managed reuse, and featured nearly 150 exhibits. For more information, visit http://www.waterforalllife.org/.
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