Local Store To Save $7K A Year With Lighting Upgrade

Just got to do my first energy audit this weekend at Spandex House in the Garment District. After wondering around the absolutely fabulous 3-story shop with my little toolbox containing  things called Ballast-Checkers, Kill-A-Watt, Sonic Laser Tape, and a Pocket Infrared Thermometer, I realized 2 things about small businesses:

•  Lighting their facilities is costing them a LOT of money if it’s inefficient
•  Nobody knows that ConEdison will literally pay them to upgrade their lighting and save money

Lighting retrofit to be completed at Spandex House

The owner actually spent hundreds of dollars on new lights for a part of the store a while ago not knowing that he could get them at 70% off (and some for FREE) through ConEdison’s SBDI Program!

Swapping bulbs to increase energy efficiency

See, the great thing about cutting down on bills through lighting is that you don’t need to buy yet another expensive brand-spanking new supposedly super efficient piece of equipment destined to take up valuable floor space.  

Upgrading your lighting, on the other hand, costs pennies, compared to equipment, and you can actually “see” the benefits, no pun intended!

Yes, you’ll actually have BETTER LIGHT in your space.

1.     CFL’s higher light temperature is closer in color to daylight
2.     The bulb’s life is 10,000 hrs vs. the 750 hours of your old friend incandescent
3.   … and they are 3.9 times more efficient,

Which brings me to my last point: YOU CAN GO ON VACATION with all the money you’ll save converting your lights!

As a rough estimate, this place could save up to $7K per year on their lighting bills with the payback of approximately 4 months with ConEd footing 70% of the bill.

All I need to do now is spend a few hours with my good friend Excel to put all the numbers together. I will keep updating on how my report turns out and the progress of the retrofit.

I get to help small businesses reduce their carbon footprint and energy bills as a part of my internship with Envirolution’s Win-Win Campaign. 

Envirolution is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating green economic development and empowering the next generation of sustainability leaders. 

Palm Trees and Solar Water Heaters in Barbados

Driving across Barbados, windows down, breathing in the warm moist air of the Caribbean, admiring all the glorious flora and colorful houses, I noticed something new: a solar water heater on almost every roof. They weren’t here 2 years ago, I thought, so with the first opportunity to use wifi, I decided to investigate.

Solar Water Heater in Barbados

As I found out, Barbados has a long history of using renewables, going all the way back to the colonial times when bagasse was used to power sugar cane refinement.

More recently, Barbados received a $45 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank aimed to boost the renewable energy industry on the island. The aim is to derive 29 percent of the island’s energy mix from renewable sources including solar PV, solar water heating, wind, biomass, and waste-to-energy systems.

Much of the credit for pushing the renewable agenda goes to William Hinds, a visionary engineer and Senior Technical Officer, Ministry of Finance, Investment, Telecommunications and Energy, who has been a preacher, inventor, and implementor of renewable energy in the Caribbean for last 20 years and has, with the help of his staff, built a prototype Solar House in a public park in Bridgetown.

I know, I need to stay focused on my promised goal of helping urban dwellers become energy efficient, and some of these techniques won’t work in a city apartment (unless you want to drill a hole through your ceiling up to the roof for a Sunlight Pipe, but if you do, you didn’t learn it from me!)

But just hear me out, because if anything, these are great food for thought AND bargaining points with a developer or your real estate agent when you’re shopping for a place (that I wish I had when buying my condo. No, not bitter at ALL)

The Solar House showcases a truly holistic approach to energy efficient building.

Solar Photovoltaic panels on the rooftop

The Solar PV panels are arranged in five sets of four photovoltaic panel arrays comprising 2 kilowatts (KW). These are used to maintain the charge in 12 deep cycle batteries, which will actually power the house

Energy Charge Controller

Charge Controller controls the energy being sent to the batteries from the solar panels. When the batteries are full, the solar panels are disconnected to prevent overcharging or damage. The device works with solar power coming in at 48V and measures/displays the energy going into the batteries on a continuous basis

Appliance Energy Meter

Appliance Energy Meter is a great tool to track the energy usage of each appliance and the house as a whole. Getting one installed helps in becoming aware of how much energy your home actually consumes and makes it easy to be in control.

Foam Insulation

Foam insulation is used on the roof and on the west wall to create a barrier from the late afternoon heat.

Radiant Barriers and Window Tint

Radiant Barriers reduce the amount of heat entering a building. They consist of a thin sheet of highly reflective material, which deflects the heat away from the surface.

Whole House Fan

Whole House Fan is used to suck the hot air out of the house and ceiling fans are used throughout the house to circulate air

Sunlight pipe

Sunlight Pipe is not as wide-spread as PV panels or even smart grid, but in the right house, can deliver a fantastic passive solar solution and savings on the electric bill

Ceramic Paint used on the ceiling has tiny ceramic particles suspended in it. When dried, this surface acts as insulation and prevents heat from easily passing

Even the exterior paint colors play a role in keeping the heat out. Light pastel colors reflect the heat from the sun and keep the house cool. It’s ideal to have the roof painted a light color as well.

Double-Glazed Windows and Window Tint are also used to keep the elements away and reduce the amount of heat passing through the window, which reduces the amount of energy required to cool the place

All these can be used in hot or cold climates, some are for houses only, but a few of these measures can be effectively used in your apartment - I actually used the Window Tint purchased from Home Depot last summer which made it possible to survive the New York summer in my top floor apartment without too much sweating or breaking the bank!

e-mail me if you have questions: kateshifman@gmail.com


Many Thanks to Hariette Daisley for her help in getting access to the Solar house

Holidays, Sustainably

Today I get into the holiday spirit. Curled up on the couch, candles lit, tree flickering in low light, Café Del Mar on the ipod. Almost at the finish line, Barbados is visible through the gusts of Brooklyn wind. I’ll decorate a palm tree and gift-wrap some coconuts!
Which got me thinking about gifts and trees. These are inseparable from our experience of the winter holidays (Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Hanukah). The tradition of getting together with family, expectation and receiving of presents, and unwinding after a long year is beautiful, it warms our souls.
But does grandpa really need ANOTHER sweater? The moments when I see his eyes sparkle, are when I come over and just hang out with him and Grandma, ask him to help me with my welding projects, and just give them my attention.
What do you give someone for Christmas?
Do we really need another PSP, handbag, or sweater? Do we want to keep going down the downward spiral of consumption, rewarding unfair labor practices, pollution and depletion of our natural resources with our hard earned cash, all the while making ourselves work more so we could afford more of the same?
My dream of the perfect gift, isn't full of Chanel handbags but of adventure, experiences I’ll enjoy in the moment and remember for years, and of the connection with the people I share these experiences with. I think the most highly valued commodity now is time. Time spent talking to someone, making them a gift that makes them feel special. If we still want to exercise our buying power, why not give a gift that gives to others?
I searched for gifts that represented this – giving experiences, making someone feel special, or gifts with a higher purpose.

Customized Walking Tour
Give a friend from out of town your key to the city. Share those special places to watch the sunset, have the best meal, see new art, and have a few drinks. No packaging or GHGs produced in the process!

Make yours here

If you know someone whose soul longs for tomato vines, check out Farm City - a fantastic resource on urban farming and sustainable agriculture. Sign them up for an Intro To Urban Farming Class or one of their Farm Tours.

My personal favorite sustainability-oriented and an all-around awesome place, Cafe Habana,  sells these great Chicas Habana Calendar 2010 "Girls Gone Green Road Trip" - colorful photos of local ethnically-diverse girls photographed on their bikes and around New York's iconic neighbourhoods.

To order yours, click here

Make them Homemade Organic Tomato Sauce, they'll love it and keep the jar forever!

Find recipe here

Another way to promote sustainability in your neighbourhood is purchasing a gift certificate to a local eco-friendly establishment, such as an organic restaurant. 

Yelp has the answer, naturally!

GIFTS  WITH A PURPOSE
This sterling silver faucet pendant supports the UN’s “Water is a human right” campaign, which funds clean water initiatives in third world countries.

Get yours here

For more gifts that allocate a portion of proceeds to charitable causes, click here

This one is perfect for the man of the house.

Solar-powered Shaver

If you like experimenting and know the person it's for will appreciate the effort, make your own here 

Alternatively, buy one from EnviroGadget

GIFTS OF EXPERIENCES

I also like it when I get a gift that forces me to get out of my work-school-home routine. It's so easy to get sucked in, the year goes by in a blink and I feel like I haven't stopped to enjoy the moment. When we got married, my husband's family got us a gift certificate to a spa somewhere up in the mountains of Northern Spain. Just being there, without a laptop, taking in the snow-capped cliffs from the outdoor jacuzzi, talking, really talking and really seeing each other, felt like time had stopped.

This is one of those things you can enjoy with another person or give to a couple.

Picnic at the Vineyard

Click here to find out more

Nowadays, few have the resources to give to charity, but instead of getting another gift that'll collect dust in your overflowing apartment, I believe many would prefer to receive a Charity Gift Card. You can go directly to the charity of your choice (or theirs if you know it) or purchase from sites like CharityGiftCertificates.com

My last point is about the Christmas tree. Just like with fur, it's ok to fake it! There's nothing sadder than the piles of dead trees lining the sidewalks the days after the holidays. Here's my solution

Peace and Love

Happy Holidays!!

World’s First Hydrogen Hybrid Ferry Coming to NYC

World’s First Hydrogen Hybrid Ferry Coming to NYC: "

Photo courtesy of Statue Cruises

If you’re heading to New York City next year, or if you live here and haven’t been out to the Statue of Liberty, you’re in for a green surprise. A new ferry is set to hit the waves of New York Harbor next spring and it runs on hydrogen fuel cells (with a little help from a low-emission diesel engine, solar panels and wind turbines). The 1,400-horsepower Hornblower Hybrid will be capable of shuttling 600 passengers and will incorporate recycled glass counter tops, LEED certified carpeting and low VOC paints throughout. It looks like this ferry puts its green cred where we can see it.

Read the rest of World’s First Hydrogen Hybrid Ferry Coming to NYChttp://www.inhabitat.com/wp-admin/ohttp://www.inhabitat.com/wp-admin/options-general.php?page=better_feedptions-general.php?page=better_feed

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Post tags: hybrid boat, hybrid ferry, hydrogen fueled ferry, new york green boat, new york green cruise, new york harbor, new york harbor cruise, new york hybrid boat, new york hydrogen boat, statue of liberty cruise

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PHOTOS: MEKA Shipping Container Home Pops Up in NYC!

PHOTOS: MEKA Shipping Container Home Pops Up in NYC!: "

The popularity of prefab and shipping container construction is certainly on the rise, but New York City was still the last place we’d ever expected to see one pop up as a residence. Currently sitting in a small, empty lot at the corner of Charles and Washington in the West Village, this spectacular little prefab dubbed the MEKA has been constructed from 70% recycled materials, delivered 95% built, and rings in at just $100 per square foot. As wallet-friendly as it is eco-friendly, read on for more details as well as some exclusive photos of this unexpected urban gem.

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Post tags: Christos Marcopoulous, green architecture, Jason Halter, Meka, Michael de Jong, modular architecture, modular homes, new york city, NYC, Prefab, prefab architecture, prefabirctaed homes, shipping containers, west village

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Cafe Habana Solar Tour

What have I been up to...
Well, aside from studying non-stop for my Sustainable development course at NYU, and doing a bit of actual paid work, there's been no time for virtually anything. But a few weeks ago we did host the New York edition of the ASES National Solar Tour and have the video to prove it!

This video was shot at Cafe Habana Outpost in Brooklyn. Habana's owner, Sean Meenan, charmed us with some pedal-power margaritas and incredible corn while showing us an impressive array of environmental initiatives he's implemented throughout the cafe.

Many thanks to Sean for his hospitality and to Davidaron for the video

cphvoice on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

Power Down - conserve energy and your carbon footprint at home and in the office

I don't know about you, but I spend about 80% of my life in front of a computer screen. My handwriting has been reduced to meaningless scribble I can't even read, and knowledge doesn't knock on my door via books, library research or actual human conversation. Because it's all HERE. All 3 of our Macs are used all the time (by 2 people). Therefore, in the light my recent efforts to conserve energy and reduce my energy footprint, I stumbled upon these guidelines, devised by CSCI, Climate Savers Computer Initiative, started by Google and Intel in 2007.

top 10 ways to reduce computing energy use

Use computer and monitor power management. Doing so can save nearly half a ton of CO2 and more than $60 a year in energy costs. Don’t use a screen saver. Screen savers are not necessary on modern monitors and studies show they actually consume more energy than allowing the monitor to dim when it’s not in use. Buying a new computer? Make energy efficiency a priority while shopping for your PC and monitor. Look for the ENERGY STAR label or browse the Climate Savers Computing product catalog. Turn down the brightness setting on your monitor. The brightest setting on a monitor consumes twice the power used by the dimmest setting. Turn off peripherals such as printers, scanners and speakers when not in use. Fight phantom power; plug all your electronics into one power strip and turn the strip off when you are finished using your computer. When feasible, we also recommend unplugging the power strip from the wall to avoid high voltage surges which may occur during an electrical storm. Use a laptop instead of a desktop. Laptops typically consume less power than desktops. Close unused applications and turn off your monitor when you’re not using it. Use a power meter to find out how much energy your computer actually consumes and to calculate your actual savings. Establish multiple power schemes to address different usage models. For example, you can create a power scheme for playing music CDs that shuts off your hard drive and monitor immediately, but never puts your system into standby mode. I'd love to know how you guys are doing with this and will report my own progress twice monthly.

Obamas to welcome, encourage solar power | Cooler Planet News

Obamas to welcome, encourage solar power | Cooler Planet News

Obamas to welcome, encourage solar power

Tuesday, October 05, 2010 at 6:02:08 AM - by Danny Vo

The First Family soon will draw power from solar devices installed on the White House roof.

Energy Department Secretary Steven Chu, at the 2010 GreenGov Symposium in Washington, announced on Tuesday that the move demonstrates President Obama’s support for U.S. leadership in solar energy. Many expect the reliance on solar energy to inspire widespread use across the nation, similar to what was accomplished by the White House Garden belonging to First Lady Michelle Obama.

“Deploying solar energy technologies across the country will help America lead the global economy for years to come,” Chu said in a statement.

Panels installed by Spring 2011 will convert sunlight to electricity and a solar collector will face the sun and heat water for use throughout the executive mansion.

President Carter had solar panels installed on the White House roof, which President Reagan had removed. President George W. Bush had panels installed to power a maintenance building and heat the pool.

As part of an effort to encourage Americans’ healthy eating, the First Lady had a garden planted on the White House lawn, which proved to be a popular move as the garden produced fruits and vegetables used by the White House kitchen and donated to metropolitan DC shelters for homeless and the abused.

The work on the White House roof will be subject to the open-bidding process of federal contracting and homes with solar panels installed are eligible for tax credits.

Solar-Powered Window Shutters – As Seen at West Coast Green

Solar-Powered Window Shutters – As Seen at West Coast Green: "

Yes, you heard right. Among the many intriguing green innovations at last weekend’s West Coast Green were the new Plug n’ Save Solar Shutters, a rather simple solution for homeowners hoping to cut utility costs.

Mounted onto gorgeously crafted bamboo shutters, the flat PV panels collect power from the sun and channel it directly back into the home’s electrical system. The shutters need only be plugged into a wall outlet to operate.

Created by father-son entrepreneurial duo Dan and David Curran, the shutters feature clever inlays to hide the electrical wiring and cords, leaving clean post card-sized panels. The panels themselves can only be seen from the outside.

The idea is that as a homeowner goes about their day, they will open or close their shutters to shield extra-bright sunlight. The panels waiting on the other side, however, will be harvesting that solar energy at peak hours of the day. It’s genius, really.

For more, read about the Currans on Examiner.

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Related posts:

• Green Building, Water, Energy, Clean Tech: Where Are We Going?
• Green Building: Air Leaking, Utility Bills and a Caulk Gun
• Solar-Powered Plane Soars Above Switzerland
• Latest Renewable Energy Jobs in Solar and Wind Energy
• Solar-Powered Irrigation Boosting Household Incomes

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Green Roofs Galore

Research shows that urban green spaces are instrumental in minimizing the negative effects of urbanization in reducing pollution, creating tranquil space for residents, beautification, and more.
A private green space can also serve as a garden, providing city dwellers with fresh local fruit and vegetables. these can be installed vertically or horizontally.

Our video shows how one company integrates these gardens into built environments:

More images of green roofs:

altPOWER Paints the City Blue

altPOWER, a premiere solar PV integrator, is leading the way in city installations, creatively using innovations such as vertical arrays, solar canopies, and multi-family residential roof installations all over New York City.

Roland Pabst introduces some of the projects:

More from Urban Green Expo

This device will monitor your energy use, shut off appliances not in use, remember to turn on your computer/printer/TV BEFORE you come home, based on your habits, and it costs..... $40


Form an orderly queue for the MODLET

We will test the little guy and report back on his performance.

Join the Green City Challenge on Sunday October 17

Join the Green City Challenge on Sunday October 17

On October 17th 2010, the very first Green City Challenge will take place in lower Manhattan. Contestants will race to green businesses and destinations throughout lower Manhattan and complete challenges that demonstrate their knowledge of how to live, work and eat green. Designed to capture your imagination, the Green City Challenge will expand your awareness of sustainable living and challenge you while having fun!

The Green City Challenge will test your knowledge of sustainability as you earn giant jigsaw puzzle pieces and solve clues in your quest to reach the finish line. This is not a typical race. Yes, there are start and finish lines, but time is not a factor.  The winner will be determined by who knows the most about green living.

Contestants will receive clues to where the destinations are and ride their bicycles to get there. They will then perform challenges related to living, eating or working green. Along the way, points will be earned according to how well they do on the challenges. Whichever team earns the most points wins!

You can watch the fun by joining the contestants and volunteers at the starting line at 12 noon at La Plaza Cultural Community Garden on Avenue C and East 9th St in the East Village. Or you can gather at the finish line at Solar One on East 23rd Street at the East River. There will be an eco fair, with organic and vegetarian food and refreshments available there. The Eco Fair will be open from 3 – 5 pm. The winning teams will be announced at 4PM.

Green Living advice from Whole Foods

What could be better for an aspiring green urbanite like yours truly than picking the brain of a Whole Foods' Green Mission Specialist? 

I cornered Tristam Coffin at the Urban Green Expo in New York and here are some of the points he shared:

• Shop at Whole Foods. OK I saw this one coming, BUT their commitment to locally-grown organic produce has just literally hit home as they partnered with Gotham Greens (http://gothamgreens.com/), New York's first commercial scale greenhouse farm (and it's in Brooklyn!)
• Re-use Re-use Re-use. Whole Foods will even educate you on which products and packaging are truly compostable and which ones aren't
• Throw away those halogens, as they add heat, aren't efficient and are a potential fire hazard. Instead, Tristam suggests using CFLs and LEDs

View full video here:

  

Additionally, Tristam shared Whole Foods' exceptional Green Building initiatives which include a brand new LEED gold-certified building in NYC, PV panels in NJ,  and a Fuel Cell - powered site in Fairfield, CT.

Watch video:

Solar Tour tomorrow in Brooklyn

Join us on the Solar Tour for a chance to meet the architects and masterminds of these brand new exciting projects:

Metropolitan Green (439 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11211 tour at 2:30 pm), is a solar-powered mixed use building.  Tour is conducted by the architect, Mark Helder, and Aeon Solar, who installed the panels.

Metropolitan Green tour

Cafe Habana Outpost, 757 Fulton Street, Fort Greene, an eco-eatery utilizing various energy-saving technologies including solar panels.

there will be 2 tours, at 12:00pm and 1:00 pm

Cafe Habana tour