Here is a short video we threw together of the Passive House renovation in Harlem. The video mostly discusses the budgeting of the project. Now that the construction is for the most part done I think that our initial budget of $175/sq.ft is not sustainable. Of course it is great for the client in the …
New York Contractor Builds Passive House out of Salvaged Materials Read More »
Eco Brooklyn has partnered up with the NYC Materials Exchange Development Program, a great non-profit that keeps reusable materials out of the trash by connecting people with unwanted materials to others who can reuse them. The NYCMEDP runs a number of ongoing service, outreach, and research programs. The NYC Waste Match, for example, is a …
Eco Brooklyn is building a natural swimming pool in its show house. Below is a good article that explains how to build one. Whether you like to practice your dolphin dives or lounge away the day on a raft, swimming is one of summer’s perfect pleasures. With a minimum of materials (and without an arsenal …
Being a green builder is a constant search for more ecological ways of doing things. That’s why we listened when Justin Hall-Tipping told us that in the future, all energy could be sustainable, green, and free. Justin Hall-Tipping, CEO of Nanoholdings, gives a TED talk about the energy applications of carbon nanomaterials. It’s worth a watch, if …
Carbon footprint. CO2 emissions. Low carbon. Carbon neutral. More and more, businesses eagerly attach themselves to buzzwords like these in order to present an environmentally-friendly face to today’s green-conscious market. I learned a new one the other day: “carbon offset.” What is it? Carbon offset providers, like carbonfund.org, offer companies and individuals the opportunity to …
The Native American concept that all our actions today will effect seven generations to come is profound. Green builders understand this naturally. We build homes that may last hundreds of years, protecting families for many generations. Each nail, each brick is a respectful nod to our ancestors who taught us the wisdom of sustainable building …
Here is a crap article by the New York Times arguing that in order to stop global warming we need to pick between either sacrificing (consuming less) OR picking greener options of consumption (so we can consume the same). My response? Duh! We need to do BOTH. And even then we may not have a …
Is Green Building about Sacrifice or Being Realistic? Read More »
Here’s a cool event that we recently got wind of: A one-night sustainable landscaping forum, organized by the NY Urban Green Council. Eco Brooklyn builds green homes–literally. In addition to energy-efficient, eco-friendly building, Eco Brooklyn installs green roofs and sustainable landscaping. We adapt greenery to the urban landscape by incorporating native plants, vertical gardens, green …
Part of being a green contractor means studying emerging technologies offering more eco-benefits than conventional construction. In this case we’re looking at old technologies: the rammed earth wall, one of humanity’s oldest building techniques. When it comes to walls, a couple of rammed-earth techniques are available as alternatives to your standard insulation-filled 2×4 frames: The Earthship model uses …
Unable to sleep at 4am in New York I came accross this video of an abandoned town renovated by a small group of utopians. It is one of the most inspirational green building stories I have seen in a long time. So often green building is housed withing the capitalistic context where it is just another product to …
