Sunday, July 16, 2006

Treehugger: 800 Watt Hours A Day! The Most Efficient Modern House?

Treehugger: 800 Watt Hours A Day! The Most Efficient Modern House?: "800 Watt Hours A Day! The Most Efficient Modern House?
July 14, 2006 01:30 PM - Justin Thomas, Virginia
This house has the conveniences of a modern house, but consumes only 800Whr on average per day. Compare this to a typical U.S. suburban house that uses 45 kilowatt hours (kWh) per day. How is this reduction possible? It's through the strategic use of ultra-efficient appliances, daylighting, and passive solar design for temperature control and ventilation. But what's the secret of the house's amazingly low power consumption? Using solar power, the house generates 120V AC, but it's also wired for 12V. The living room has three 7W 12V compact fluorescent lamps, a 12V Widescreen LCD TV, a DVD player, and an efficient surround sound stereo system. The office has a Mac laptop acting has a desktop, and all other computer peripherals are switched off automatically when not in use. When not lit by daylight, the office uses compact fluorescents lamps, and 12V LED desk lamps."

Kind of sounds like my solar home out it the desert, but I use leds for lighting instead of compact fluorescents. I do dry my clothes with a Thermonuclear Device (Clothes line). About time folks start thinking solar power where less is even more! //bob

Monday, July 10, 2006

Blowing in the Wind - Global Business - MSNBC.com

Blowing in the Wind - Global Business - MSNBC.com: "SkySails' system consists of an enormous towing kite and navigation software that can map the best route between two points for maximum wind efficiency. In development for more than four years, the system costs from roughly $380,000 to $3.2 million, depending on the size of the ship it's pulling. SkySails claims it will save one third of fuel costs"

Put them on ships to save fule. //bob

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Wired News: LED Architecture

Wired News: LED Architecture: "Light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, are reinventing the look and feel of skylines, bridges, facades and other architectural surfaces around the globe. The light bulb is being unscrewed by energy-efficient LEDs that are both environmentally friendly and cost-effective. The $10.2 billion industry is growing to provide new design options for architects and planners."

Lots of nice pictures to look at //bob