March 9, 2010
Image: Knossos
Induction Lights Are Close, But No Cigar
Most people who have been following lighting tech seem to be convinced that light-emitting diode (LED) lights are the future, but it’s always good to see new research being done on them. The more sure we are that they’re the way to go, the better. It always sucks to invest a lot of time and money into something only to later realize that it’s not nearly as good as we were first led to believe (*cough* corn ethanol *cough*). Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have conducted the first cradle-to-grave assessment of LED streetlights, and the…Read the full story on TreeHugger
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March 5, 2010
Installing earth tubes at Aldo Leopold Center. Photo: from Renew magazine
Dumb Roofs
Renew magazine for Jan – Mar covers a lot of ground in its 106 pages on “technology for a sustainable future.” But for me the stand-out article covers a subject dear to my heart. The dumbest idea in Australian architecture – black or dark grey roofs.*
We get a bucketload of sun in this country. Just recently several of our major coastal cities had consecutive days over 40°C (104°F). What are the best colours to attract the hot sun’s rays? Black and dark grey. It’s madness. We’re building houses to be be ovens and so…Read the full story on TreeHugger
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