<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for How local building codes can be adapted to meet the 2030 Challenge right now]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by RayRay http://www.grist.org/article/your-city-council-could-save-the-world/ Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:27:15 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/your-city-council-could-save-the-world/1 sustainable energy :)

I recently found out about an incredibly environmental window company. Yes, windows. As most people are unaware, 40% of all of the United State's energy consumption is from households. Clear Choice USA windows help reduce this number by 40%. They use a type of glass with Low-emissivity (a.k.a. Low-E) for their windows. Low-E is virtually invisible, and contains silver, zinc oxide, and silicone. This helps reflect a significant of radiant heat, therefore saving energy for you and the environment. The average household has 9 windows, costing about $3,000 to install Clear Choice windows for an entire house. The average person pays around $2,500 on an electricity and gas for their household. Having Clear Choice windows installed in your house will save YOU 30% on your electricity bill. Why not save yourself money, and help the environment tremendously while you're at it? These windows make a bigger difference than you may think. To learn more go to http://www.clearchoice-usa.com. Think globally, act locally!

Annual household lighting use: 2,100 kilowatts/hour (kwh)
Annual household electricity use: 10,660 kwh / household
Emissions factor: 1.58 pounds CO2 / kwh
Annual household emissions: 22,880 pounds CO2 / year
Car emissions factor: 11,500 pounds CO2 / car / year
Number of U.S. households: 109,902,090
Power output of one power plant: 4 billion kwh / year

Clear Choice USA can reduce these numbers by 40%!







]]> sustainable energy :)

I recently found out about an incredibly environmental window company. Yes, windows. As most people are unaware, 40% of all of the United State's energy consumption is from households. Clear Choice USA windows help reduce this number by 40%. They use a type of glass with Low-emissivity (a.k.a. Low-E) for their windows. Low-E is virtually invisible, and contains silver, zinc oxide, and silicone. This helps reflect a significant of radiant heat, therefore saving energy for you and the environment. The average household has 9 windows, costing about $3,000 to install Clear Choice windows for an entire house. The average person pays around $2,500 on an electricity and gas for their household. Having Clear Choice windows installed in your house will save YOU 30% on your electricity bill. Why not save yourself money, and help the environment tremendously while you're at it? These windows make a bigger difference than you may think. To learn more go to http://www.clearchoice-usa.com. Think globally, act locally!

Annual household lighting use: 2,100 kilowatts/hour (kwh)
Annual household electricity use: 10,660 kwh / household
Emissions factor: 1.58 pounds CO2 / kwh
Annual household emissions: 22,880 pounds CO2 / year
Car emissions factor: 11,500 pounds CO2 / car / year
Number of U.S. households: 109,902,090
Power output of one power plant: 4 billion kwh / year

Clear Choice USA can reduce these numbers by 40%!







]]> Comment #2 by archigeek http://www.grist.org/article/your-city-council-could-save-the-world/ Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:25:47 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/your-city-council-could-save-the-world/2 Weeell...

If you restore the windows built with your house, then properly install good storms, the savings in dollars would be even greater. Not only are you not spending money on replacement windows, you consume only the resources needed to restore your windows. I've come to learn that replacements are not all they are cracked up to be. Especially if they are improperly installed. Not to mention that alot of these windows are manufactured from vinyl.  

The mellotron is your friend.

]]> Weeell...

If you restore the windows built with your house, then properly install good storms, the savings in dollars would be even greater. Not only are you not spending money on replacement windows, you consume only the resources needed to restore your windows. I've come to learn that replacements are not all they are cracked up to be. Especially if they are improperly installed. Not to mention that alot of these windows are manufactured from vinyl.  

The mellotron is your friend.

]]> Comment #3 by Jon Rynn http://www.grist.org/article/your-city-council-could-save-the-world/ Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:31:45 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/your-city-council-could-save-the-world/3 Numbers a little off...

...if you look at my my spreadsheet with electrical use statistics, residential lighting is more like 3% of all electrical use, not 20%; and 14% of all electrical use is for residential heating and cooling, not 40%.  But certainly, windows are an important part of the equation, as are other methods of passive building and insulating.

]]> Numbers a little off...

...if you look at my my spreadsheet with electrical use statistics, residential lighting is more like 3% of all electrical use, not 20%; and 14% of all electrical use is for residential heating and cooling, not 40%.  But certainly, windows are an important part of the equation, as are other methods of passive building and insulating.

]]> Comment #4 by stopgreenpath http://www.grist.org/article/your-city-council-could-save-the-world/ Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:12:59 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/your-city-council-could-save-the-world/4 LA has completely bombed on this

The farthest Villaraigosa was willing to go was some tiny modification to existing laws for gigantic commercial buildings, essentially resulting in a press conference and zero actual change.

Not surprising since his commitment to residential solar and wind is less than 5% that of Germany's on a per-capita "systems installed" basis.  4 million ratepayers in 2.5 million sunny, sprawling, overheating residences, and fewer than 1,000 rooftop PV systems in the past 8 years.

He and Schwarzenegger should get awards for the Biggest Greenwashers of Our Time...

the greenest energy is that which you needn't ever produce.

]]> LA has completely bombed on this

The farthest Villaraigosa was willing to go was some tiny modification to existing laws for gigantic commercial buildings, essentially resulting in a press conference and zero actual change.

Not surprising since his commitment to residential solar and wind is less than 5% that of Germany's on a per-capita "systems installed" basis.  4 million ratepayers in 2.5 million sunny, sprawling, overheating residences, and fewer than 1,000 rooftop PV systems in the past 8 years.

He and Schwarzenegger should get awards for the Biggest Greenwashers of Our Time...

the greenest energy is that which you needn't ever produce.

]]> Comment #5 by Energy Bozo http://www.grist.org/article/your-city-council-could-save-the-world/ Mon, 14 Jul 2008 04:17:28 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/your-city-council-could-save-the-world/5 Ah . . . but there's an important detail missing.

And that is that I believe most energy and building codes are set by state legislatures (or a surrogate entity - here in Washington, it's the State Building Code Council, appointed by the governor.)

Washington's legislature did allow Seattle, as a "First Class City" (a statutory term, not a judgment!) to adopt its own energy code for commercial buildings - but that's the only exception.

]]> Ah . . . but there's an important detail missing.

And that is that I believe most energy and building codes are set by state legislatures (or a surrogate entity - here in Washington, it's the State Building Code Council, appointed by the governor.)

Washington's legislature did allow Seattle, as a "First Class City" (a statutory term, not a judgment!) to adopt its own energy code for commercial buildings - but that's the only exception.

]]>