Recent Green Living Posts
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By Steve Rypka on January 26th, 2012
My previous Green Living column focused on the benefits of recycling and the transition to an enhanced single-stream system that dramatically increases participation and reduces waste. Perhaps this is a good time to look closer at what that really means.
When we recycle we save energy, improve air and water quality and reduce our need for raw materials. We could rebuild our entire commercial air fleet with just three months’ worth of the aluminum …(more)
Continue reading Consider the Lowly Carpet
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 July 28th, 2011
 Think about this: We are living during an incredibly unique period in the ongoing history of humanity.
How often did that same thought cross the minds of our ancestors? Did the first generation of farmers realize the profound impact the agricultural revolution would have on the formation of modern society? In the early years of the industrial revolution, did anyone have even an inkling of what they were setting into motion? These key turning points in the development of our species have dramatically changed the world. As important as they were, they will pale in comparison to the Next Big Thing. I’m talking about the new Green Revolution.
Continue reading Green Revolution and the Clean Energy Summit.
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 December 30th, 2010
As 2010 comes to a close, I thought it would be interesting to take a quick run back through the year’s Green Living column topics to reflect on what where we’ve been and perhaps get a glimpse of where we might be going.
Continue reading Looking Back on 2010.
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.
By Steve Rypka on August 12th, 2010
 An increasing number of homeowners in Nevada have something to smile about every month – their power bills. This is especially true during the heat of summer, when air-conditioning drives energy use sky high. The number of solar-powered homes is steadily growing, signs that the industry is heating up as the price of renewable energy continues to come down. Overall, interest in green building, energy efficiency and clean power has never been greater. The paradigm shift that was once but a glimmer in the eyes of a few is gaining momentum while transforming our homes, our communities and our lives.
Continue reading Clean, Green and Moving Forward.
By Steve Rypka on April 8th, 2010
 Every cloud has a green lining. They say that every cloud has a silver lining. That might be even more appropriate here in the Silver State, since the clouds caused by the housing market have caused more than a passing shadow. However, the sun is beginning to peek through, and it’s shining a bright light on some activities in the housing market that not only have a silver lining, but perhaps even gold or platinum.
I’m talking about two projects, one quite old (by Las Vegas standards) and the other brand new. Both are equally exciting and represent a new wave of housing development that is just getting underway in Southern Nevada.
Continue reading Housing’s Silver Lining.
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