Built Green
Santa Barbara Expo Debuts
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
The first Built Green Expo and Conference in Santa Barbara last weekend was a huge success. The event took place at Santa Barbara City College, with exhibits on the lovely West Campus Lawn with its view of the ocean.
More than 70 exhibitors showed off products as diverse as solar, flooring, windows and accessories. Education sessions for both contractors and consumers covered topics from eco-remodeling of older homes to a discussion of how homeowners can reduce their carbon footprint and transform their home into energy efficient and healthy places to live.
Speakers included Ernst von Weizsäcker, Dean of the UCSB Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, William E. Hayward, president & CEO of Hayward Lumber Company and Chairman of the Board of the US Forest Stewardship Council, and John Picard, Environmental Consultant and Founding Member of the US Green Building Council.
The event included a tour of some of the most innovative and beautiful green homes in Santa Barbara.
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The Heat is On
German Homes Go Renewable
Friday, June 06, 2008
As part of the EU commitment to reduce greenhouse gases by 20% by 2020, German homeowners have become part of the solution.
Beginning in 2009, all new homes built in Germany will be required to install renewable energy heating systems. Renewable sources must meet 14% of a household’s total energy consumption for heating and hot water.
Grants are available to remodel existing homes to meet the standard, which requires that 10% of the heating and hot water for old houses must come from renewable sources as of 2010. The government is allocating 350 million euros ($550 million) annually for homeowners to install renewable energy systems. There’s also a stick with the carrot—homeowners who fail to switch face fines of up to 500,000 euros ($786,000).
According to analysts, increasing energy efficiency in buildings could save 50 billion euros ($78 billion) in heating costs in Germany in the next 12 years. And the introduction of new energy ratings for all houses in 2008 will be a further incentive to German homeowners to invest in energy efficiency to protect the value of their homes.
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New World, New Problems
The "Old World" Shows the Way
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Our households generate a lot of trash. And we are taking baby steps towards recycling. In Europe, we are astonished at the level of environmental awareness and commitment of ordinary people to mitigate their footprint. German consumer goods are not quite as over-packaged as in the U.S.—manufacturers have to pay higher fees for more product packaging.
But Germans also can, and do, recycle far more of their waste. The nation is a recycling champ. For example, 67% of paper products are recycled, the highest percentage in the world.
And not just in the home. Recycling containers are everywhere. In supermarkets, recycling counters just inside the entrance have slots for everything from batteries to plastic deli containers. Villages, towns and cities have large recycling containers in multiple locations for green, brown and white glass, PET and other plastics, paper, cartons, aluminum and composites, and more. Street trash receptacles are small and rarely full, because recycling receptacles are placed frequently on sidewalks. In Munich, even the subways have receptacles divided into slots for paper, glass, plastic and trash.
California is one of the most progressive states in the country, yet we still lag behind German villages. Let’s change that!
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Moor is Better
Peat -- Not Just for Whisky Anymore
Monday, April 21, 2008
Americans of Celtic heritage have probably heard family stories that included references to peat bogs. The Irish and Scots used peat or turf for heat in remote areas. They probably never thought about bathing in it.
One of the most important moorland areas in central Europe is in Bavaria. And thanks to a traditional interest in natural wellness, German spas have found a contemporary use for peat. Not to heat homes, but to heat humans.
Actually, it’s an ancient remedy given new life. Paracelsus recommended it for several illnesses. Napoleon’s soldiers were the first to utilize “moor baths” in Germany, after they had seen them in Egypt.
Turf has excellent thermal mass; it holds heat for a long time. In a bath, it slowly gives off its heat to the body, more slowly than water. A thick mixture of turf and water works best for a bath, which can reach to 46 Celsius (114.8 F) although it feels less hot because of the medium. About 20 minutes in a moor bath allows the body temperature to rise about 2 C (3.6 F), in effect mimicking a fever. This helps the immune system and raises metabolism. Muscles relax in the warmth. Turf is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties.
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Moor is Better
Peat -- Not Just for Whisky Anymore
Americans of Celtic heritage have probably heard family stories that included references to peat bogs. The Irish and Scots used peat or turf for heat in remote areas. They probably never thought about bathing in it.
One of the most important moorland areas in central Europe is in Bavaria. And thanks to a traditional interest in natural wellness, German spas have found a contemporary use for peat. Not to heat homes, but to heat humans.
Actually, it’s an ancient remedy given new life. Paracelsus recommended it for several illnesses. Napoleon’s soldiers were the first to utilize “moor baths” in Germany, after they had seen them in Egypt.
Turf has excellent thermal mass; it holds heat for a long time. In a bath, it slowly gives off its heat to the body, more slowly than water. A thick mixture of turf and water works best for a bath, which can reach to 46 Celsius (114.8 F) although it feels less hot because of the medium. About 20 minutes in a moor bath allows the body temperature to rise about 2 C (3.6 F), in effect mimicking a fever. This helps the immune system and raises metabolism. Muscles relax in the warmth. Turf is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties.
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Salty Solutions
Spa Therapy Shakes It Up
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Germans have always maintained a strong interest in natural health. Herbal and other natural remedies coexist peacefully with the best modern medicine. (Savvy U.S. shoppers buying vitamins or herbal preparations know to look for a “Made in Germany” label, because those are regulated in Germany and must meet strict standards.)
One thing our intrepid team of Dream Spaces researchers has been enjoying in Germany is the variety of spa options. We described the hay cure a few posts ago. One of our latest discoveries is saline injections for aching joints or sore backs. The theory is that salt raises blood flow and softens the tissues. Metabolism of nerves, ligaments and muscles in the surrounding area is increased. This decreases inflammation, makes the tissues more elastic, helps nerve regeneration and thereby gets rid of pain.
The injections are paired with massage, sometimes also acupuncture and chiropractic. And since this is Germany, insurance pays for such treatments.
We’ll be investigating more in the world of wellness in future posts.
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