Lenny Antonelli is deputy editor of Passive House Plus. He also writes regularly for the Irish Times, and has contributed to a variety of other publications including the Sunday Times, the CS Monitor, Village, the Sunday Tribune amd the Dubliner. He is currently working on a radio documentary on Ireland's oceans.
Boosting biodiversity in the built environment
A new report from the UK's Green Building Council has recommended a variety of steps that builders, planners and architects can take to enhance biodiversity in the built environment. Among the recommended design features are:
- Nesting bricks built into cavity walls for birds such as swifts and starlings
- Ledges on high buildings that mimic cliff faces for peregrine falcons and other birds of prey
- Careful lighting and roosting boxes under bridges to allow bats to inhabit areas that are usually too bright
- Green roof and walls (explored at length in Construct Ireland last year)
Green ideas shortlisted by the Sustainable Development Commission
A quick glance through the ideas short-listed in the UK Sustainable Development Commission's 'Breakthrough Ideas' competition reveals a few concepts that have previously been discussed in depth in Construct Ireland.
The great charcoal debate (Part II)
Green measures in the FG stimulus plan
Greener housing supplement in the Guardian
The great charcoal debate
An interesting debate has broken out on the Guardian's Comment is Free site over the pros and cons of using charcoal as a means of sequestering carbon, an idea discussed in Construct Ireland by Richard Douthwaite in 2007.
Pelamis wave project runs into financial difficulties
According to today's Guardian , the pioneering Pelamis wave energy project off the coast of Portugal is in trouble after the collapse of majority shareholder Babcock & Brown. The company went in to voluntary administration last week, and its 77 per cent stake in the Pelamis projectis now up for sale.
Solar energy pays
A few interesting stories on ScienceDaily today that touch on the costs of both solar thermal and solar PV technologies.
Google to launch free home energy monitoring software
Google will soon launch free software that allows consumers to track their energy use at home and improve efficiency, according to the Independent of London.
The company is currently in talks with energy utilities worldwide. The program, which will be open-source, is expected to show energy consumption in real time on consumers' computers or mobile phones.
Garden signs for green upgrades
Here's a simple and effective idea, courtesy of TreeHugger. Toronto based green retrofit specialists Greening Homes put signs like this in the front garden of houses the company is renovating. As well as providing free advertising for the firm, the sign lets everyone passing by know what kind of work is being done, and encourages neighbours to consider green refurb too.
