ToolBase E-News - 08/10/2007 (Plain Text Version)

Printable Solar Energy

According to a recent release (07/18/07), researchers at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) have developed an inexpensive solar cell that can be painted or printed on flexible plastic sheets.
The solar cells use “carbon nanotubes,” which are only a fraction of the width of a human hair but conduct electricity better than conventional electric wire. The organic cells offer a cheap and potentially simpler alternative to purified silicon. In fact, homeowners may one day be able to print sheets of the cells themselves from a home-based inkjet printer. The researchers hope to see the process become an inexpensive alternative energy source for homes. To learn more, read the release.

Lighting the Future

According to a recent article in Popular Science (Charlie White, 07/07), new advances in lighting are making alternatives to inefficient incandescent bulbs even more attractive. Today’s compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are nearly-full spectrum, which allows them to create the same warm glow of incandescents—a big improvement over the green-hue of CFLs from a few years ago. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are also poised for an upgrade. New LEDs that will be widely available next year will produce up to 75 lumens per watt, making them more efficient than CFLs, and scientists are currently testing LEDs that emit twice that amount. According to manufacturers, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) that last five years will become a reality in by 2010. To learn more, read the article. [return to top]

'Crash Tests' for Homes

The first hurricane test lab is scheduled to open at the International Hurricane Research Center at Florida University next summer, according to a recent article in the Sarasota (Fla.) Herald Tribune (Anna Scott, 07/23/07). Researchers hope that the lab will lead to safer coastal homes, having an effect similar to the one that automobile “crash tests” have had on the safety of automobile design. Plans for the center include a giant wind and rain machine housed in a steel warehouse that can hold a two-story house. The lab will allow scientists to study, in a controlled environment, how a house comes apart in a storm, and offer insight about why construction materials and methods fail. The data will provide guidance for how to improve hurricane resistance in homes. Additionally, they believe that dramatic photographs and video of the “crash tests” will help convince consumers of the importance of preparing for storms. For more information, read the article. [return to top]

WIRED LivingHome to be Built in a Day

LivingHomes and WIRED magazine recently announced construction of the first WIRED LivingHome, which aims to balance green building with high technology. According to a release (06/18/07), the home will be installed in a single day. Other innovative aspects of the project include deconstruction, rather than demolition, of the previous structure in order to reduce waste; energy-efficient and sustainable features, such as a 4-kW solar power system, a radiant heating and cooling system and recycled materials; and cutting-edge technology, including a home automation system, iris-recognition security, and a wireless, solar-powered weather station. The home will be open to the public for tours, sustainable programming, and charity-driven events for three weeks in late fall 2007. To learn more, read the release (PDF) or visit the website. [return to top]

Breathe Easier with PATH Tech Set #9

Homeowners may soon be breathing easier, thanks to a new Tech Set from the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH). According to a recent release (07/17/07), PATH’s Tech Set #9 presents simple measures for contractors and homeowners who want to improve the indoor air quality of their homes. A typical home’s air may contain a variety of irritants, including excess humidity, dust, mold spores, chemical fumes, radon, and combustion products. Tech Set #9 outlines three basic steps that help to create a comfortable and allergen-free indoor environment: (1) design and build the home to ensure that it continuously performs properly; (2) control contaminants at their source; and (3) maintain the home and its surroundings. To learn more, read the release or view the details of Tech Set #9 on the ToolBase website. [return to top]

ToolBase Featured Technology—In-Line Fans

In-line fan units offer a quiet, energy-efficient alternative to a number of problematic ventilation areas in the house, including noisy and ineffective bathroom fans, range hoods, and dryer exhausts. The fans—which are one of the numerous innovations listed in the PATH Technology Inventory—are available in simple single-port (i.e., single use) fans or versatile multi-port fans that can provide ventilation for multiple rooms with just one fan. They are located outside of the conventional living space, in the attic, or other buffered space, which means that they operate with little detectible noise at intake and exhaust ducts. The fans, which can also be used for general ventilation or to improve a home’s indoor air quality, cost between $150 and $700, but use little energy and tend to be maintenance free. However, exhaust-only fans can cause dangerous backdrafting if passive air inlets or a balanced exhaust system are not used. View the PATH Technology Inventory to learn more about this technology. [return to top]