Jean Danielson
Below is a brief roundup of green technology, building science and sustainability news locally grown and wherever green news happens.
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SmartPlanet features an article on Hobbit-inspired structures by Sun Joo Kim. The Hobbit House of Montana is a rentable guest house at $245 a night, located in Trout Creek, Montana. The owner of the property, Steve Michaels, was asked the question, “So, what inspired you to do this?”
The Hobbit House in Montana
His answer: “We were building a small underground guest home for family and friends that would support easy heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. One day the contractor’s son mentioned that it looked like a Hobbit House. From then on, all of our attention and energy has gone into making this a first class Hobbit Abode & Village.”
The house was finished last year and remains a constant 55 degrees year-round.
This week, SmartPlanet also featured an article about the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter building in Boston, Massachusetts, also by Sun Joo Kim. The article provides a play-by-play of how the first LEED accredited building in Boston was built, along with explanatory photos.
Artists for Humanity EpiCenter in Boston, MA
The mission of the EpiCenter is to “bridge economic, racial and social divisions by providing underserved youth with the keys to self-sufficiency through paid employment in the arts.”
Wired Magazine online features an article about electric cars in “Where Will We Plug In?” by Chuck Squatriglia.
For our building science aficionados, GreenBuildingAdvisor.com has an article on “Choosing a High-Performance Wall Assembly” by Scott Gibson. Included in the discussion is how to minimize thermal bridging and specific construction methods to achieve net-zero energy performance.
– Jean Danielson is director of operations for Indigo Dawn. She enjoys visiting the Des Moines Art Center regularly, as her favorite Francis Bacon painting resides there.
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