Home Recycling

Innovative Passive House in Lafayette

This is the first certified Passive House in the “South,” and it’s located in Lafayette, Louisiana. What’s interesting about the home – other than that it illustrates the use of the Passive House standard in a hot and humid climate – is the fact that the low-energy home, with the help of rooftop solar laminates, is a net zero energy prototype for the future. It was designed by Corey Saft, architecture professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and and includes a 1-ton mini-split AC system, an UltimateAir RecoupAerator ERV, and a 3.264 kW rooftop-integrated, penetration-fee, solar laminate system from Whirlwind Solar.

First Platinum Multifamily in LA County

This is Casa Dominguez, a new multifamily development in Los Angeles County. It’s actually the first LEED Platinum multifamily project in the county, according to non-profit developer and architecture firm Abode Communities. Located in East Rancho Dominguez, the project features a blend of one- to four-bedroom green apartments suited for low-income families. Market rent is something like $916 to $1,800 for units of these sizes, while homes at Casa Dominguez range from $396 to $1,279 per month.

Recycled Hardwood by Staybull Flooring

Staybull Flooring, a Florida company, recently let us know about their recycled flooring available in more than 20 wood species. The company salvages waste wood from lumber mills around the globe; binds discarded strips together with a solvent-free, no-VOC adhesive; and then mills and finishes the planks with a ceramic, no-VOC finish. The result is strong, mosaic-like, rich in detail, and made in the U.S.A. And if you're looking for an FSC certified option, Staybull Flooring can provide that, too.

Toward a Zero Energy Home

The authors of Green from the Ground Up, David Johnston and Scott Gibson, recently released a new book called Toward a Zero Energy Home: A Complete Guide to Energy Self-Sufficiency at Home, which the publisher sent to us for review. Johnson and Gibson explore net zero energy homes of all varieties -- bungalows, ranches, craftsmans -- and what it takes to build homes that are healthy, green, and ultra energy-efficient.

PACE Problems, Rescue Bamboo, Recycled Bricks, + Not Just Passive

More than Passive. Putting the brakes on PACE. Consumer green spending unaffected by recession. Building with new recycled bricks (CalStar). Companies upset about DOE showerhead rule. Smart meters alone not really energy savers. Green building: the future has arrived. Bamboo rescue housing. Also, follow @jetsongreen on Twitter or fan Jetson Green on Facebook for more news, links, and commentary.

Studio Created with One Prefab Module

A few months ago, we mentioned that PieceHomes was using green pieces, or extra modules, to help people expand or remodel existing homes. Recently, the company sent an eP: Studio module to Venice, where it was installed above a site-built garage. It arrived mostly complete -- the siding needed to be applied -- and was forklifted into place.

Green Low Energy Home in South Austin

This home, designed by Ben Obregon and built by Bill Taute Homes, recently hit the market in Bouldin Creek for $725,000. If you're in the area and the pending contract doesn't close, you could find yourself in a contemporary, low-energy home powered by rooftop solar photovoltaics for something near that price. After completion in 2008, the 2,416 square-foot home received a five star rating from the green building program in Austin.