Richmond California has recently opened a community swimming pool that may be one of the most energy efficient in the country. They call it “The Plunge”. It is heated by solar collectors, it’s totally chlorine free and the building is heated by solar panels on the roof. The Plunge is an historic pool- it was first opened in 1926. Now after 10 years of renovations it has recently re opened August 14, 2010.

It’s a huge pool holding 324,000 gallons of water, and measures 60’ x 160’. The water is heated by circulating through eighty Heliodyne Gobi solar collectors on the roof.

Since the pool contains no chlorine, they use instead a saline solution combined with an ultraviolet disinfectant system. The use of natural ventilation and the reduction of chloramines in the water will make swimming in the Plunge a healthy experience.

The pool also has an array of solar electric panels that produce approximately 30 kilowatts for the building.

Heliodyne Gobi solar collectors

Richmond Plunge link

Kinfolk (frame design) and Coat (paint job), with a bag by Nivaldo de Lima, have come up with a bike that breaks down to fit inside a custom bag that can be simply carried or put on a plane as luggage. The leather saddles are made by Brooks. There are 2 models- one has 54 cm wheels, the other has 58cm wheels.

The prices appear to range from $1579 to $1973 USD plus shipping.

See Wallpaper* Magazine for more information

Park Gate is quite an architectural masterpiece. It has 6 curving towers covered with canopies of solar panels to keep the heat out, let in light and cool the building. It takes advantage of the cool breezes from the ocean. It has hanging gardens that have drought tolerant plants (watered with a gray water mist system); as well as plants that are salt water tolerant. The gardens are in abundance. There are thermal salt water reflecting pools that act as a heat sink during the day, and release the heat at night. All of these measures are thought to reduce temperatures by 10-15 degrees.

Petermann Glacier in Greenland has apparently lost a huge chunk of its glacier- about 100 square miles worth. It is about 620 miles south of the North Pole. If it moves further south towards Canadian waters, it could be quite hazardous for the shipping industry.

China has come up with an innovative way to reduce carbon emissions and relieve congested metropolitan areas. They have developed what is being called a “straddling bus” that allows vehicles less than 2 meters tall to pass under the busses. This was first exhibited at the 13^th Beijing International High-Tech Expo in May of this year, with hopes of putting a model into pilot use in Beijing’s Mentougou district in the near future.

These large sized busses have a ground clearance of 4 to 4.5 meters and 6 meters wide, and are comprised of two levels- the upper levels will be designated as passenger space, and the lower level will be for the passage of normal sized vehicles.

The “straddling Bus” will be powered by solar energy and electricity with a top speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) carrying a maximum passenger load of 1200 to 1400 in one trip (about 300 per cart). It also has an emergency exit ladder built in, in case evacuation is necessary. It is also estimated that this bus will save approximately 860 tons of fuel each year.

Frying an egg on the sidewalk.

The ‘City of Klamath Falls Geothermal Utility’ is located in a known geothermal activity area  in Oregon, and provides a renewable, non- polluting ‘green’ resource to heat Commercial and Government buildings throughout the downtown core area in addition to geothermal sidewalk and bridge snow melt systems.

Initial construction on the geothermal systems began in 1981.

The snow melt system is designed to provide safety and convenience throughout winter months for sidewalks and bridges. This would be difficult and expensive using other heating methods.

While other heat sources rise in cost, geothermal energy remains low, and has better overall heating efficiency.

City of Klamath Falls Link:

Additional information:

Central Reykjavik (ocean in the distance)

Central Reykjavik

Large natural lake in central Reykjavik

I visited Iceland recently and was amazed at how they really use their natural renewable resources. Their Hydro electricity is on a grid that provides for over 80% of electricity on this huge island. They have a lot of rivers and glaciers melting, waterfalls etc. The Geothermal plants provide for a very large amount of heating & hot water to houses as well as providing hot water for municipal pools. 

I also was fortunate to meet a very nice couple that have a couple of apartments they rent out that are more comfortable than most places that you would normally rent. The apartments are very well equipped, and they also have excursion services. 

They speak English very well, as do many Islanders. Their website for tours is: Iceland Luxury Tours, Apartments: Cosy Reykjavik - Sveinn and Stella are guaranteed to enhance the quality of your visit! 

Link to Geothermal Video

Looking for something a bit more decorative for your windows?  Check out our Artscape brand of window films at www.Artscape-Inc.com.

Artscape Window Films create the look of Stained Glass.  These translucent films have an image that is visible from both sides of the window, providing privacy and style, while allowing natural light to enter the room.  Easy to apply and remove, these films are an inexpensive and simple alternative to traditional window coverings like blinds or drapes.

Before installing Energy Film, make sure your windows are well cleaned.  This will help with visual clarity as well as helping with the adhesion of the product. We recommend using a typical household glass cleaner and the provided squeegee.  Using the squeegee prevents any materials from a cloth or paper towel from staying on a window.  A razor blade may also be required to completely clean the glass if you have paint drops or other material stuck to the window.

Energy Film was recently featured in the June addition of Architectural Record.   Special thanks to Jen Renzi for including us in her article.   Here is an excerpt from the article…

“Luckily, the current generation of window films offers enhanced clarity and visible-light penetration while
better mitigating heat and glare. films that utilize metal nanoparticles to block the sun are among the most effective. “Measured in a billionth of a meter, nanoparticles are small enough to see through, but large enough to absorb wavelengths of energy from the sun,” explains Thomas Hicks, president of Portland-based Energy film. In addition to selling view-control films, the company markets an energy-saving product that boasts year-round benefits. Energy film has been certified to block 97 percent of uV rays and 70 percent of thermal infrared light, thwarting heat gain in the summer and retaining warmth in the winter. The product affixes to glass via cohesion and atmospheric pressure rather than traditional adhesives; once attached, the film sticks indefinitely until removed, and leaves behind no residue. such user-friendliness makes for a more forgiving installation.”