Recent Green Living Posts | By Steve Rypka on March 8th, 2012  Want to know what the “Next Big Thing” in home ownership will be? No one can predict the future with absolute certainty, but there are no safer predictions than these: non-renewable energy sources will become increasingly scarce; energy costs will rise over time; and people will continue to desire comfortable homes that are affordable to maintain. Wrap it all up in a solution that makes sense for the vast majority of existing homes and …(more) Continue reading The Next Big Thing: Energy Efficiency Remodels By Steve Rypka on February 9th, 2012  An early model of UNLV's design for the Solar Decathlon. Image courtesy of Eric Weber, School of Architecture, UNLV Competition. It’s as old as life itself. For many, the word brings to mind mega-events like the recent Super Bowl. As big as that mega-event is, there are other kinds of competition that carry much more weight in the big scheme of things. One such competition is the Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon. It’s …(more) Continue reading The Super Bowl of Solar By Steve Rypka on December 1st, 2011  Green buildings perform well by incorporating a variety of ways to increase efficiency and enhance occupant comfort. Perhaps one of the most common strategies is daylighting, a means of utilizing natural light for interior illumination. It not only reduces energy usage, but provides natural, full-spectrum light that enhances our well-being. When an architect designs a new green building, they might employ several daylighting techniques. Obviously, window location, size, type and orientation play a key …(more) Continue reading From Daylighting to Moonlighting By Steve Rypka on November 3rd, 2011  Seven years ago, Southern Nevada experienced its first Solar Home Tour. At the time, I was involved with a great non-profit group called Solar NV, the Southern Nevada chapter of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES). I had attended a few solar home tours in Arizona and they were always a great experience. Our group decided it was time for folks in our local communities to have that same opportunity. That first tour was a resounding success and everyone had a great time. Thus, a tradition was born.
This year marks the seventh anniversary of the Southern Nevada Solar Home Tour. It will take place this Saturday, November 5th from 10 AM until 4 PM and is open to the public. Organized by the dedicated volunteers at Solar NV, this year’s tour will be another great opportunity to meet face to face with neighbors around the valley who live with renewable energy on a daily basis. Sponsors include Bombard Renewable Energy, Geary Company, and Southwest Gas. Continue reading Tour of Solar Homes. By Steve Rypka on August 25th, 2011  I found a great book and I’m recommending it to anyone who would like to know more about just what a high-performance home can be. It’s called “Recreating the American Home: The Passive House Approach” by Mary James. The publisher is Low Carbon Productions. Ms. James has put together an extraordinary and diverse collection of profiles describing homes built using the Passive House approach. The small but very informative book is easy on the …(more) Continue reading Recreating the American Home – The Passive House Approach By Steve Rypka on March 10th, 2011  This column often explores the exciting transformation taking place in the building industry. Green building programs have grown and multiplied at an amazing rate in recent years. We’ve looked at Energy Star, LEED and even the Living Building Challenge. These programs are important because they raise the bar and provide real-world examples of what is possible, not just what is permissible. They drive innovation and change.
Each program has its own unique approach but they all share a common goal of creating a better world by improving the built environment. Energy efficiency is a key to every meaningful green building program but one program in particular takes it to an entirely new level of performance. I’m talking about Passive House, where energy use reductions of 90% are not uncommon. The term applies to many types of buildings, not just homes. Continue reading Passive House – Ultra Efficiency. By Steve Rypka on January 13th, 2011  I got to the gym a little late yesterday and it was already dark outside. After checking in at the desk at Sun City Anthem’s Liberty Center, I headed for the locker room. As I opened the door, the lights were out and it was pitch black inside. It wasn’t that late and the place was not closing down. The lights had been shut off automatically by a sensor that had not detected anyone in the room for several minutes. I smiled at the reminder that this was a LEED certified facility. Energy efficiency is part of its DNA. After one step through the door, the lights came on, acknowledging my arrival.
Continue reading Getting a Green Workout. By Steve Rypka on November 18th, 2010  It’s interesting to watch evolution in action. Whether it is the evolution of a relationship, a species, a planet or, in this case, a sustainable society – we are constantly changing. Several years ago, at a U.S. Green Building Council leadership meeting, I witnessed the launch of an interesting new idea: the Living Building Challenge. I think it was a seminal moment in the evolution of the green building movement. Now the seeds of this bar-raising concept are bearing fruit.
Biophilia is defined as “a love of life and the living world.” This wonderfully simple but powerful concept is embedded in the core philosophy of this greenest of green building programs. Other interesting aspects of the challenge include net zero energy and water use, urban agriculture, social justice and (gasp!) limits to growth. These are just a few examples of the sort of “deep green” goals that make the Living Building Challenge program both unique and meaningful. Continue reading Building Living Buildings. By Steve Rypka on September 9th, 2010  Mojave? What Mojave? There's no desert here... The choices we make about where and how we live have a tremendous impact on our environment, community and economic well-being. If we choose wisely, we can minimize the negative impacts while maximizing value. They go hand in hand. Well-designed, efficient spaces can be beautiful, functional and comfortably provide for our needs. Architect and “Not So Big House” author Sarah Susanka defined a relationship with “home” that is driven by quality not quantity. This is a timeless message that is often lost in our culture of consumption and growth. The term “bigger is better” means little when it comes to Green Living. Continue reading Right Sized Homes. | The Clark County Library District is sponsoring a series of five presentations on Green Living to be held at the West Charleston Library. I hope you can join us!
Download the flyer (PDF). Green Transportation: Getting Over Oil Thursday, May 31 6:30 p.m. The future of transportation is exciting and changing rapidly. Learn how people are saying adiós to the gas pump, saving money and helping the environment. |
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