B.U.G. (Beautiful.Useful.Green) Design: May 2013

                                                Mill Valley Green Home

“To me it’s the story of place, either real or desired, that inspires the architecture. The context of the site, the environment – natural or man made – is the origin of the design evolution,” explains architect Geoff Butler of his design process.

We’re revisiting his Mill Valley Green Home one year after it’s lush, photo-filled debut in San Francisco Magazine, with more gorgeous pictures from the synonymously named web site.

Why is it beautiful? Geoff Butler didn’t have to look far for inspiration when designing the Mill Valley Green Home, a showpiece of sustainability located in his hometown. The home incorporates staples of California living – skylights, outdoor showers, easy transitions between indoor and outdoor space – with energy efficient details like radiant heating, a solar ready system, and an electric car charging outlet in the garage.

Why is it useful? The Mill Valley Green Home is leading by example with a cutting edge, three-tiered home design that includes the latest in luxury green features in California’s Bay Area. LEED Platinum certification is pending. And although in a rarefied price range, this luxury home incorporates green solutions that can be introduced on a smaller scale to the mid-range market.

Why is it green? “Bottom line energy savings, water reuse and drought tolerant landscaping,” are three eco-friendly features that Geoff Butler readily identifies in the Mill Valley Green Home. Nineteen Rainwater HOG provide 1,000 gallons of rain and grey water storage for landscape irrigation and toilet flush. Even in the construction of the home – aimed to show that green does not have compromise in quality or cost – more than 50% of the wood used was recycled from the original home.

Check out Sally’s blog for more B.U.G. designs.

January 2013: HOG Review of 2012

Rainwater HOG had a productive 2012, watching our customer base expand and sharing the bounty of rainwater harvesting across the U.S. and internationally in a variety of venues – from big city affordable housing developments to big island affordable housing developments, from elementary schools to LEED Platinum homes, and from contests to conferences.

                                        What People Are Saying

“I liked [the HOG tank] not only for its technical purpose, but also for its innovative design that I thought the kids would connect with. At that age the “cool factor” weighs in on personal connection.”
– Mindy Germain, co-chair Daly Green Committee on HOG tanks at the Daly School Garden

“Water is already a scarce resource, even more so on an island. We anticipate changes in utility fees and building codes to encourage more harvesting of rainwater. HOGs are an important first step in that dialogue.”
– Daniel Sandomire, Vice President of Armstrong Development, Ltd. on HOG tanks at the Department of Hawaiian Homelands Maui development

“Instead of taxing the taps, the home’s drought-tolerant garden can be watered with runoff from the roof… Because the HOGs [tanks] are slim, they can be positioned directly under a downspout without blocking the walkway – a necessity on a tight city lot like this.”
– Dwell Magazine on HOG tanks at the Simpatico Prototype House

July 2012: HOG Distributors on Green Building

 Permascape Designs

Daly School elementary students gather in front of a two-HOG installation, supervised by Permascape Designs, at their Long Island school.

“We must educate each day so that sustainable and environmentally friendly techniques become the new way of design and construction,” says Mark Scaramucci of Permascape Designs.

about HOG, Mark says:
“The Rainwater HOG is one of many new and innovative products that will change the way we live on this planet.”

 

Rogers Remodel

Architecture for Humanity featured the seven-HOG McKinley Elementary School installation, installed by Rogers Remodel, in their book: Design Like You Give a Damn 2.

“I talk to everyone I can about ways to conserve, because I do think it’s that important that we make changes now, not only to save money but to save energy and water,” says certified Green Plumber Jamie Rogers of Rogers Remodel.

After installing HOGs at two schools, Jamie says:
“[HOGs are] a great hands-on demonstration about conservation for the kids.”

 

 

 

May 2012: B.U.G. (Beautiful.Useful.Green) Design

Design Like You Give a Damn [2]: Building Change from the Ground Up

Why is it beautiful? With their second book, Design Like You Give a Damn [2], Architecture for Humanity has compiled over 100 projects showing architecture as a driver of change and economic re-invigoration.  The book itself has a satisfying, if compact, heft to it that is complimented by what’s inside – good design sense.  The user-friendly, picture-intensive layout makes the information accessible and interesting.

Why is it useful? The book is beefed up by a section written by co-founder Cameron Sinclair on lessons learned – everything from working on economic development in post-disaster contexts to transforming long-term rebuilding centers into local economic development corporations – that adds up to a raison d’etre for Architecture for Humanity. Kate Stohr, also co-founder, contributes what is essentially a primer for community groups, architects and others seeking to finance their initiatives in the Financing Sustainable Community Development section.

Why is it green? Design Like You Give a Damn [2] urges readers to give a damn: to care, to get involved, and to take positive action. The Wall Street Journal calls it, “Architecture with a cause.” The book provides compelling examples – our McKinley School install included – and tools for environmentally-friendly, culturally-specific solutions.
“It’s not just about putting bricks to mortar. It is about taking the vision of creating a better world for others and making it tangible.”
–Auma Obama, CARE International

“The resourcefulness of the projects in the book is inspiring, its information practical and its numerous factoids sobering.”
-The New York Times

Buy the book here.

Check out Sally’s blog for more B.U.G. Designs.

The Whole HOG: April 2012

Water-centric Green Design News

Our April edition is focused on cleantech – inspired by our adventures at Eco City in San Francisco. For show and tell, we’re featuring our neighboring exhibitors, a company called BISEM Inc, producing building-integrated photovoltaic (BiPV) curtain walls. Find out more in the B.U.G. Design section.

As a follow-up to last month’s feature on financing sustainable water infrastructure in the U.S., we have a report from the American Water Works Association that offers a clear warning about the state of our nation’s pipes, and the associated costs.

The architecturally designed, modular Rainwater HOG tanks offers a cleantech take on rainwater harvesting. Capturing rainwater reduces reliance on aging infrastructure and offers a piece of the solution for alleviating pressure on the national water system and the environment.

Finally, don’t miss Sally’s heart-pounding article on her 8-day race through the deserts of Morocco!

The Whole HOG: January 2012

                            The Whole HOG
                           Water-centric Green Design News

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s
language
And next year’s words await another voice.
———————————————————-
And to make an end is to make a beginning.”

T.S. Eliot, “Little Gidding” (the fourth poem of Four Quartets)

Happy New Year! We’re taking a cue from T.S. Eliot and embracing new beginnings in 2012. What better way to create the new than with the upcycled old?

“Freedom is responsibility to explore,” says Sourabh Phadke, 25-year-old architect and ecology teacher whose radical focus on upcycling trash to build schools and homes in India is the subject of our B.U.G. Design section.

Speaking of voices, we want to hear yours in our beginning of the year customer satisfaction survey. We’re offering a discount to say thanks once you’ve completed the survey. (*You must have purchased a HOG tank within the last 5 years in order to be eligible.)

Brrr, it’s cold outside. We talked with distributor Frank Koll, of GreenScapes Lawn and Garden Service, who has firsthand experience with winterizing HOG tanks. Check out his tips on preparing your HOG system for the winter season.