Tell your Senators that they need to pass a strong, comprehensive clean energy bill February 3, 2010

I just received an email from Leonardo DiCaprio! Sigh. Okay, so it isn’t a personal email, but it’s an important one. In conjunction with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), DiCcaprio and other Hollywood celebrities have initiated a campaign called This is Our Moment. They’re asking all of us to contact our Senators and urge them to pass the Clean Energy Jobs & American Power Act. The comprehensive energy and climate legislation will create clean energy jobs, cut carbon pollution, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and limit global warming. That’s a pretty huge incentive to take action! So contact your Senators right now and maybe you’ll get an email from DiCaprio too!

Confused about cap-and-trade? Check out this new video January 29, 2010

One hears the term cap-and-trade a lot lately in the news. Have you ever wondered what it means?
If you want a simple explanation, check out this six minute video called The Facts of Cap-and-Trade written and narrated by economist Nate Keohane of the Environmental Defense Fund and produced by Clean Energy Works. You won’t be ready to write a thesis on the subject after you view it, but you should understand the concept well enough so that the next time someone brings up the topic at a cocktail party, you won’t start talking about the banking debacle!

Love your firepit? Forget wood, try an alternative fuel January 27, 2010

I confess, I’m a bit of a pyro. On cold nights (that’s nearly year-round here in the SF Bay Area), I love to sit in front of a crackling fire—whether by a firepit or fireplace. But I rarely do it anymore. I just can’t bring myself to burn wood, which spews out tons of polluting soot and carbon monoxide. Wood burning hasn’t been outlawed here. As in many cities (such as Seattle), we have mandated no burn or “spare the air” days instead, when our Air Quality Management District determines that the air quality has reached an unhealthy level (usually when there’s an inversion layer). During that time, it’s against the law to burn wood and manufactured logs (with some exceptions). Firepit lovers take heart. There are alternative fuels that are much cleaner burning than wood. One of the best ways to heat a built-in firepit is to hook it up to your natural gas line. If you use a portable type, it’s not practical—but you have some options. The cleanest burning types are those that use propane or isopropyl alcohol gel fuel. If you already own a wood-burning firepit, your best bet is to use a cleaner-burning fuel log, such as Java-Log Firelogs (available at many Whole Foods Markets, some Fred Meyer and Ace Hardware stores, and on the net), which are made from recycled coffee grounds and vegetable wax. They’re 10 times cleaner burning and produce 78% less carbon monoxide than wood. They also emit few fine particles that are easily inhaled (one Amazon reviewer said they don’t trigger his asthma as do wood or manufactured wood fire logs). I like the fact that they don’t emit a chemical smell (the smell is slightly sweet)! You probably can’t use them on no-burn days (check with your local air quality district), but on other days, they’re a much better option than wood—and you won’t end up smelling like you just stepped out of a forest fire!

Plastic Diet 2010: Buy a filter and (finally) kick the bottled water habit January 21, 2010

Kick the water bottle habit? What’s the news here, you ask? I know you’ve heard this before. But I continue to see many individuals opt for bottled water (groan). So I’m writing to urge you to kick the water bottle habit once and for all in 2010. Sure, water bottles are convenient; you just grab one and go. But all of those plastic bottles are piling up on our planet! Sadly, only a small percentage of them are actually recycled. Just as important is the fact that the water inside those bottles isn’t necessarily pure (testing is less stringent than with municipal supplies) and it’s often just tap water, yet it costs hundreds of times more than tap water. For instance, we get our water from the relatively pristine Sierra Nevada Hetch Hetchy system. This water costs us about $.003/gal versus $1 to $4+/gal for bottled water. Hmmm…it doesn’t take a math wiz to figure out that bottled water is a total ripoff! My former place of work brought in those 5-gallon jugs on a weekly basis. It turns out that many of those plastic bottles used for water delivery leach BPA. Great. So here’s the solution for home or work: Install an under-sink filter system. It’s inexpensive (Costco sells a 3-stage system for only $140) and generally easy. If you stop purchasing bottled water, you’ll make the cost of the system back in no time. So this year, make a promise to yourself and planet: No more plastic water bottles!

2010 New Year’s resolution: I pledge to reduce my carbon emission January 7, 2010

Let’s get serious: Global warming is at a critical stage, so why not make a New Year’s resolution to reduce your carbon (and methane) footprint? Sadly, COP15, the U.N. conference on climate change held this past December, was not considered particularly successful. Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists said that the Copenhagen Accord “clearly falls well short of what the public around the world was expecting…it’s clearly not enough to keep temperatures on a track below two degrees.” The two-degree target is necessary to keep the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere below 450 ppm (parts per million). “Going above 450 parts per million will change everything,” explains Cynthia Rosenzweig, NASA climate impacts researcher. “It’s not just one or two things. There will be changes in water, food, ecosystems, health, and those changes also interact with each other.” We can’t do much about the Accord and government policies, but we can make changes in our own lives—at home and work—to reduce our carbon emissions.

1. Get out of the car. Walk, ride a bike, join a ride-share, or use public transit. If you need a car, make sure it’s efficient. Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are on the horizon from major carmakers, such as Chevy, Nissan, and Toyota.
2. Buy local. About 10% of all the energy used in America goes towards farming, processing, and transporting food. Eat seasonally, shop at farmers’ markets.
3. Eat less (or no) red meat. Methane gas produced by ruminants (cows) is over 20 times more effective in trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. If you do opt for beef, choose local, grass-fed beef.
4. Get a home-energy audit. Repairing air leaks and adding insulation can improve your home’s energy efficiency by as much as 25%. For a Do-it yourself home energy audit, visit the US department of Energy’s website.
5. Buy alternative energy. If you can’t afford to install solar panels on your home, consider buying alternative “green” energy through your public utility. For instance, Seattle City Light offers a voluntary green power program called Green Up.
6. Use less water. Water uses energy when it’s pumped to your faucet. In fact, water is one of the largest consumers of energy in California.
7. Turn down the heat. Whether it’s your furnace or hot water heater, you can save lots of energy by turning them lower. Keep the heat at 65º (or lower) when at home (I love sweatshirts!) and turn it way down or off when you’re gone. Set your water heater at 120º.
8. Choose Energy Star appliances and equipment. Get rid of your energy gluttons, such as old refrigerators. Always go for the most efficient products you can afford. And don’t forget to look for an energy rebate or tax credit.
9. Plant a tree (or two). Trees are our saviors—they utilize carbon dioxide and give off oxygen.
10. Power down. Turn off lights, TVs, and electronic equipment when not in use. To cut down on phantom (standby) power use, install smart power strips. About 5% of electricity used in the U.S. is sucked up by plugged-in home electronics that still use energy even though they’re turned “off”.

Parsons’ Picks for Top Ten Green Building Trends in 2010 December 23, 2009

Green building is one of the keys to economic recovery.  Not only is it a better way to do business, it drives innovation, improves efficiency standards, makes for happier and healthier people and creates new “green collar” jobs.

Seattle-based Parsons Public Relations has focused on representing clients in the green building sector for the last six years.  We work with some of the leading green architects, contractors, engineers, developers, building projects and trade groups.  We also immerse ourselves in educational opportunities ― staying on top of new research, attending national green building conferences and always keeping the pulse on where the industry is heading.  Along the way, we have developed a deep level of expertise in the world of sustainable building ― enough expertise to share our ideas about some of the top trends for the year ahead.

The trend topics on this list will be no surprise to others who are experts in this area; they are products, systems and concepts that have been around for a little while.  The purpose of this list is to identify those “big picture” trends that we see becoming more mainstream in 2010.

Top Ten Green Building Trends for 2010:

1. Green walls – Green roofs were all the rage in 2009 ― and their numbers will continue to grow ― but why stop there? Incorporating green walls into a building’s design creates additional opportunities to reap the benefits of vegetative surfaces: added insulation; reduced stormwater runoff; absorption of pollutants; natural habitat for birds, bees and butterflies; and reduced outside noise.
2. Living Buildings – More comprehensive than LEED Platinum and beyond net zero, the Living Building Challenge is the highest standard of sustainability in the built environment. Functioning as complete, natural and self-sufficient systems, Living Buildings represent a radical step forward in green building when there is growing consensus that the time for baby steps is past. 2010 will be a big year for Living Buildings; four years after the launch of the Challenge, the first Living Buildings are finally expected to be certified.
3. Green retrofitting – President Obama is planning a new federal economic stimulus plan that will train workers in home energy audits and green retrofits.  New and green is sexy, but the bulk of the opportunity to address energy efficiency lies with our existing inventory of buildings.
4. Indoor Air Quality – With one in four Americans suffering from allergies and/or asthma and with Americans spending 90% of their time indoors, tighter and more energy-efficient homes demand more attention to IAQ.  The EPA has updated rules coming on line with new requirements for remodeling work to reduce the harmful impacts on children and adults.
5. Green neighborhoods – An individual green building is great, but again, why stop there? It’s time to make the whole neighborhood green too. Walkability, transit-oriented development, smart growth principles ― all elements of a green neighborhood.
6. Green modular – Mostly factory-built and assembled onsite, modular housing poses several benefits ― monetary savings, reduced material waste and less time onsite, for starters ― that will propel the green building movement forward in 2010.
7. LED lights – Commercially and in homes, LED lights will become more mainstream in 2010. Previous problems in design and distribution are being corrected. And even though LED lights are still a little pricey, consumers are getting savvier about the life cycle assessment of the products they choose, as well as the long-term pay-off of using a more sustainable lighting alternative.
8. Environmental labels – Like the nutrition labels on food, green building labels offer easy-to-digest data and performance metrics for building materials.
9. Performance counts – We’ve seen the modeling for green buildings, now we want to see some results. In other words, prove it! In 2010, expect to see more and more studies from academia, non-profits and corporate America that document the rental premiums, cost savings, health benefits and long-term investment value of green.
10. Updating community and homeowner association rules – Rules hindering environmentally-friendly behavior are being overturned: clotheslines are back, white roofs are okay, and compost bins and recycling containers are highlighted, rather than hidden away.

Real or Fake: The Christmas Tree Debate December 22, 2009

Health care.  Climate Change.  Paper or plastic.  Did he or didn’t he (you know who I am talking about).

Old news.  The real debate taking root right now is over Christmas trees:  Which is better for the environment – real or artificial?  Okay, so it might not be THAT big of a deal in comparison, but it is something to think about at this time of year.  And Treehugger and the LA Times have weighed in.

There seem to be pros for each (related both to the eco factor and practicality).  An artificial tree can be used for years, doesn’t leave a pile of pine needles to vacuum up and — according to some groups — has a smaller carbon footprint than using real trees (when considering a time frame of 10-11 years).  A real tree absorbs carbon dioxide and produces oxygen as it grows, makes your house smell Christmas-y and, when grown locally, has a relatively small carbon footprint.  That carbon footprint shrinks even more when you use the tree in your garden — rather than leaving it out on your curb, landfill-bound.

And if you’re willing to branch out (I love puns), a third and highly eco-friendly option exists: buying (or renting) a real potted plant, which can be planted (or returned) after the holidays.  Swanson’s Nursery in north Seattle has a great program to re-plant used trees, Trees for Salmon.  Buy a living Christmas tree from them and help restore Carkeek Park’s salmon habitat.  Get a little, give a little.

While you likely have your tree already — all spruced up with ornaments and lights — this is some food for thought for Christmas 2010.

Happy Holidays!

Restorative Design Collective to Create Living Building on Capitol Hill December 21, 2009

We are excited to announce our involvement in The Restorative Design Collective – a team of local green building professionals who are working together to create a new Living Building science classroom at the Bertschi School on Capitol Hill.  Intrigued? Read on to learn more…

Team of Seattle Green Building Professionals Forms to Make an Ultra Sustainable Building a Reality – For Free

 The Restorative Design Collective to Create New Science Building for the Bertschi School

SEATTLE –A team comprised of some of the region’s leading green building professionals have formed The Restorative Design Collective to build a cutting-edge green science building for the Bertschi School, an independent elementary school on Capitol Hill in Seattle. Working pro bono, the team is designing the new science building to meet the standards of the Living Building Challenge, a deep-green building program which encourages projects to achieve self-sufficiency by generating all of their own energy with renewable resources, harvesting and treating all of their own water on site, and operating at maximum levels of efficiency with a healthy indoor environment.

The Restorative Design Collective was founded by Stacy Smedley and Chris Hellstern of KMD Architects. “We were inspired at Cascadia’s Living Future Conference last May and saw an opportunity to use our collective brainpower to gain valuable experience working on a Living Building project while making a difference,” said Smedley. “With The Restorative Design Collective, the team gets to strengthen our skills and build our knowledge, while the next generation of leaders at this local school can learn how sustainable systems work through observation and first-hand experience in their new classroom.”

With only a handful of local construction projects following the Living Building Challenge’s guidelines, Bertschi School’s new science building – slated for completion in November of 2010 – has the potential to be the first Living Building finished in the State of Washington.

“With the integration of sustainability into our curriculum, we encourage students to become engaged as thoughtful stewards of local and global communities,” said Founder and Head of School Brigitte Bertschi. “This science building will truly bring learning to life, offering an unparalleled educational experience to not only our students but the greater community in Seattle and beyond.”

The Restorative Design Collective:

 

Project Team

Architectural Design:  KMD Architects

Landscape Architecture:  GGLO

Civil Engineering:  2020 Engineering

Geotechnical Engineering:  GeoEngineers

Structural Engineering:  Quantum Consulting Engineers

Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing:  Rushing

Sustainability Consultant:  O’Brien and Company

Food Systems Consultant:  Back To Nature Design LLC

Public Relations Services:  Parsons Public Relations

Preconstruction/Construction Services:  Skanska

Key Collaborators

Organizational:  Cascadia Region Green Building Council

Jurisdictional:  King County GreenTools

Jurisdictional:  City of Seattle Department of Planning and Development Green Building Program

The Living Building Challenge: Since its inception three years ago, the Living Building Challenge has gained global recognition as the most radical and revolutionary green building standard. The Living Building Challenge is a program initially launched and currently operated by the Cascadia Region Green Building Council. It serves as a challenge to builders, owners, architects, engineers, and design professionals to create buildings that are net-zero energy, net-zero water, and use resources efficiently and for maximum beauty. There are currently more than 70 proposed Living Buildings in the design or construction phase, as well as three completed projects awaiting certification.

The Bertschi School:

An independent elementary school known for its integrated, innovative program, Bertschi School has a strong commitment to sustainability and incorporates this focus into both its curriculum and operations. In 2007, the school completed construction on its main building, The Bertschi Center, which is the first LEED Gold certified elementary classroom building in Washington State.

The Restorative Design Collective:

Founded in 2009 by Stacy Smedley and Chris Hellstern of KMD Architects, The Restorative Design Collective is a group of Seattle-area design professionals who share the desire to push themselves and their firms to the forefront of the sustainable building movement. Members of the Collective recognize and endeavor to further the Living Building Challenge, which plays an essential role in raising green building standards, meeting the 2030 Challenge and creating net-zero buildings.

Seattle has one of America’s best city parks December 17, 2009

If you have never visited Cal Anderson Park in the heart of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, you are truly missing out on one of our emerald city’s crown jewels.  It has everything you could ask for – from the playfield and playground to the water feature and perfect mix of sunny and shady spots – and is certainly one of the reasons Seattle is a great green city, at least according to Treehugger’s standards.

And Forbes.com agrees.  The Seattle DJC recently reported that Forbes.com named Cal Anderson Park one of the 12 best urban parks in the United States.  Other parks on the list include Boston Common and Golden Gate Park.

A brief history lesson for you:  The southern half of Cal Anderson Park (that would be right across the street from the delightful Oddfellows building) opened in 1907 as Lincoln Park and was the first park developed by the Olmsted Brothers under their 1903 parks and boulevards plan for Seattle.  The Lincoln Reservoir occupied the northern half of the site.

In 2003, the 11-acre site was named Cal Anderson Park, after the state’s first openly gay legislator.  In 2004, after Seattle Public Utilities covered the reservoir, Parks worked with a design team headed by The Berger Partnership to create new open space on top of the lid and connect it to the surrounding area, a project supported by funding from the 2000 Pro Parks Levy.  Fun Parsons fact:  Our very own Kathleen Warren was one of the 28 citizens on the Levy committee – in addition to serving on the Parks board.

The park, which re-opened in 2005, features a Shelterhouse, water feature, jogging paths, playground, wading pool, tennis and basketball courts, and five outdoor chess/checker boards.  Look for the Chinese Scholar Tree, which marks the NW corner of the park – it was designated a Seattle Heritage Tree in 2002.

This August, Joanie Parsons and I had the fabulous opportunity to tour Cal Anderson Park with Jonathan Morley and Guy Michaelsen of The Berger Partnership, and get the inside scoop on the design process, as well as the back story of some of the design elements.  If you are curious about how you can tell where the perimeter of the covered reservoir lies, let me know and we can go for a walk in the park…

Also, check out the Cal Anderson Park Alliance for fun events in the park.  I was one of over 1,000 people who attended this year’s Capitol Hill Independence Day Community Picnic, which featured live music, food, and fun activities for kids big and small.  I enjoyed hula-hooping and the pet look-alike contest (no, I didn’t win).

The last of the parks to receive a make-over through the Seattle Public Utilities effort to replace open reservoirs with underground, lidded structures is Maple Leaf Park.  The Berger Partnership is heading up the design of this one as well.  For more info, click here.

Will the proposals from COP15 really make a difference? December 9, 2009

You can stay abreast of what’s happening at COP15 (aka the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen) that runs through December 18th by perusing the UN’s COP15 website regularly or following COP15 on twitter. But another interesting way to track what’s happening is to visit The Climate Scoreboard on ClimateInteractive’s website. The scoreboard  calculates the long-term climate impacts of the proposals introduced at the conference. The site also has a ticker tape of commitments from each country. For instance, China proposes a 20% reduction of energy consumption per unit GDP by 2010 and to increase the forest cover rate by 20% by 2010, whereas India says its per capita emissions rates will never exceed those of rich countries. And the United States? TBD.