There is always some moisture in the air, even though we cannot see it. When that moisture is allowed to accumulate in a dwelling, the atmosphere becomes saturated and condensation occurs which can eventually result in damage to the structure of the building and its contents. This leads to expensive repairs and maintenance plus associated [...]
Cosmic Snapshots
We saw in the last article that the earlier phases of the universe would have been very hot and filled with particles of high energy. This has led to an influx of ideas from high energy particle physics that has enriched our understanding of cosmic evolution. One such idea which [...]
In 2000, the government made a commitment to bring all public sector homes up to a decent standard, establishing a 10 year target and an interim target to: “ensure that all social housing meets set standards of decency by 2010, by reducing the number of households living in social housing that does not meet these [...]
LONDON: Water needed to wash clothes might soon be reduced thanks to researches who have made a soap whose bubbles collapse once garments are clean.
The soap is the brainchild of boffins at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.
The researchers have made a “pepfactant”, which only forms bubbles under mildly alkaline conditions.
Normal [...]
The best selling Vent-Axia HR204 heat recovery ventilation system is now available with a LoWatt ECDC motor, offering even greater energy savings for homeowners and SAP benefits to developers.
The new Appendix Q listed LoWatt HR204 provides continuous air extraction typically from a bathroom and kitchen, whilst also supplying filtered fresh air to living rooms [...]
GLOBAL warming is by nature a big-enough problem to create the kind of necessity that could be mother, father and midwife to invention. And plenty of big ideas are out there to address it, some that may even lead to substantial enterprises much as our military needs have.
But the ideas being backed in the United [...]
For decades cutting-edge architecture and sustainable design have, to a large extent,
existed in separate camps, with little dialogue among the leaders in the each field. In the
world of contemporary residential design, sustainability often ranked well below considerations of style and cost. Many sophisticated designers seemed resigned to the notion that aesthetics would be compromised if [...]
ARVIN, Calif., Aug. 11 (AP) — Ana Maria Corona was driving home in June when she began gasping for air. She prayed she would not get into an accident.
“I asked God, ‘Let me see my daughters one last time,’ †Ms. Corona, 43, recalled in an interview at her home in this San Joaquin Valley [...]
When you are building, renovating, or choosing interior finishes and materials for your home, consider some of the following actions and measures you can take to incorporate these principles for more healthy, efficient, and sustainable living.
1. Optimizing Use of the Sun:
Most of us rely on oil, coal, natural gas, and other fossil fuels to heat [...]
1.Conserve energy by purchasing major appliances with an Energy Star rating, and by adding timers and automated thermostats to control usage. Also, consider switching to fluorescent light bulbs and adding more natural lighting with additional windows or skylights.
2.Repair leaky fixtures and install low-flow showerheads and faucets.
3.Use water-based paints, finishes and sealants. Some milk-based paints [...]
The Energy Research Institute (TERI) and ITC Foods Sunfeast recently organised a training workshop for schoolteachers in the Capital, as part of their Sunfeast Hara Banao campaign. 50 teachers attended the workshop, from 23 schools of Delhi.
The workshop began with a melodious song by tiny tots of the school who presented their views on [...]
TOKYO: Self-cooling clothes may seem like the stuff of science fiction, but for one Japanese company they are not only good business but a way to help the environment.
Shirts and jackets made by Kuchou-fuku — literally air-conditioned clothes — keep the wearer comfortable even in sweltering heat while using one-50th of the energy of [...]
Heliodon—or ‘Sun Machine’— In Green House
The Green House includes several interactive features – including its very own heliodon. Heliodons or “sun machines” are devices used to simulate the sun’s movement in relation to a structure. A heliodon can be configured to observe sunlight and shading patterns for clear sky conditions anywhere in the [...]
Three primary colours (red, green and blue) produce colour television pictures. These combine to create a whitish light with a colour temperature close to that of daylight (5,500 to 6,500 Kelvin).
Colour temperature is a way of describing the relative amounts of the different colours that make up light from a particular source. It is the [...]
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Biomass Program works with industry, academia and our national laboratory partners on a balanced portfolio of research in biomass feedstocks and conversion technologies. Through research, development, and demonstration efforts geared at the development of integrated biorefineries, the Biomass Program is helping transform the nation’s renewable and abundant [...]
By tracing the expansion of the universe back in time, one can try to understand the physical conditions that would have existed in the past. Such an exercise leads to a very fascinating picture about the early universe.
The most important effect of expansion is the decrease in the density of matter and radiation present [...]
A “passive” solar house provides cooling and heating to keep the home comfortable without the use of mechanical equipment. This style of construction results in homes that respond to the environment.
For passive heating and cooling, the plan of the house, careful site selection and planning, construction materials, building features and other aspects of the home [...]
1.Consider the cost of comfort. For each degree you set your thermostat above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, you can expect a 3 percent rise in energy costs.
2.If your air conditioner is turned off accidentally or because of a power outage, switch it off for at least 6 minutes before restarting to prevent damage to the compressor. [...]
Water covers about 75 percent of our planet, so on the surface level (pun intended) there seems to be an abundance of this natural resource. So why bother to conserve it? Because less than 1 percent of the water we have is available freshwater.
Add to that the way we use water: Only 10 percent [...]
QUEENSFERRY: The world’s richest corporations and finest minds spend billions trying to solve the problem of carbon emissions, but three fishing buddies in North Wales believe they have cracked it.
They have developed a box which they say can be fixed underneath a car in place of the exhaust to trap the greenhouse gases blamed [...]
HAMBURG: Worm composting could be doing more harm than good to the environment, according to research in Germany.
“Worms produce a significant amount of greenhouse gases. Recent research done by German scientists has found that worms produced a third of nitrous oxide gases when used for composting,” an expert was quoted as saying.
In an [...]
Drinking water is water that is intended to be ingested by humans. Water of sufficient quality to serve as drinking water is termed potable water whether it is used as such or not. Although many sources are utilized by humans, some contain disease vectors or pathogens and cause long-term health problems if they do not [...]
Hyderabad scientists have made a fuel cell that uses industrial waste water as base. T.V. Jayan reports .
The waste water that you flush down the drain may light up your home in the near future. A team of researchers from the Hyderabad-based Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) has developed a fuel cell capable of [...]
Local Resource for Eco-Friendly Living
What is green housing? A green house is a home that uses sustainable building materials and energy efficient design. The concept of SUSTAINABILITY involves RENEWABLE ENERGY and CONSERVATION OF RESOURCES.
It should a goal to educate each other on the benefits of using these earth friendly materials, products and services [...]
A company that developed technology capable of creating water out of thin air nearly anywhere in the world is now under contract to nourish U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq.
The water-harvesting technology was originally the brainchild of the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which sought ways to ensure sustainable water supplies [...]
According to the Department of Energy, 40 to 60 percent of all energy used in homes goes toward heating and cooling. That’s a significant amount of money every month, considering that the average household energy bill in 2007 was $1,900. Whether you’re ready to replace mechanical equipment or just looking to improve the system [...]
Rick Yeager searches a home to find the source of a mysterious scratching behind the walls.
Home inspector Rick Yerger traces the noises in the wall of Steve and Christy Karsten’s home to a gas combustion furnace and the water heater. Something in the flue system is causing a backdraft and allowing deadly [...]
To save maximum energy you must learn where to insulate to minimize cost .Perform a tour of your home to determine where it may need insulation. A good rule of thumb is that all heated or cooled areas should be separated from un-conditioned areas with insulation. Regardless of your home’s layout, you can [...]
An Atmospheric water generator (AWG), or atmospheric condenser, is a developing piece of technology with the intent of producing pure drinking water from the humidity of the surrounding air. An AWG operates in a manner very similar to that of a refrigerated dehumidifier: air is passed through a cooled coil, causing water to condense. The [...]