Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building » solar system

Here’s good news for homeowners with photovoltaic systems – your home’s value is greater because of them! According to a new study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, homes with solar systems sell for a premium compared to homes that don’t have them. The study looked at home sales from 2000-2009 and contrasted the sale price of homes with solar systems and without. On average, PV systems added $5.50 per watt to a home’s value. So with a 1 kW system, a home is worth about $5,500 more – another great reason to install solar on your house!

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Post tags: "solar energy", green energy, home's property value, home's resale value, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, LBNL, photovoltaic system, property value, pv system, resale value, solar increases property value, Solar Power, solar study, solar system

Team Hawai’i Withdraws From Solar Decathlon Competition Despite Amazing Design

Bridgette Meinhold — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 03:20:21 +0000

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Post tags: "solar energy", "sustainable architecture", 2011 solar decathlon, eco design, green architecture, Green Building, green design, Hale Pilihonua, net zero, prefab house, Solar Decathlon, solar house, solar system, student design, student project, Sustainable Building, sustainable design, team hawaii, university of hawaii, Zero energy, zero energy home

Brooks + Scarpa Complete New Eco Upgrades To Gehry’s Santa Monica Parking Garages

Bridgette Meinhold — Tue, 17 May 2011 22:08:40 +0000

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Post tags: "sustainable architecture", Brooks + Scarpa, eco design, Frank Gehry, Gehry, green architecture, Green Building, green design, parking garage, parking garage renovation, pedestrian friendly, prefab shade screen, Santa Monica, Santa Monica Place, shade screen, solar system, Sustainable Building, sustainable design

Sustainable Hover House 3 Maximizes Outdoor Living By “Hovering” Over The Yard

Bridgette Meinhold — Tue, 17 May 2011 20:51:27 +0000

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Post tags: "sustainable architecture", eco design, glen irani architects, green architecture, Green Building, green design, green materials, hover house, hover house 3, Solar Power, solar system, Sustainable Building, sustainable design, venice canals, wind tower

Stunning Hawaiian Residence Features Cyclone of Reclaimed Wood

Bridgette Meinhold — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 00:19:48 +0000

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Post tags: "sustainable architecture", belzberg architects, eco design, eco residence, green architecture, Green Building, green design, hawaii, kona, natural ventilation, photovoltaics, rainwater collection, reclaimed wood, Solar Power, solar system, Sustainable Building

Pocono Raceway: World’s Largest Solar-Powered Sports Facility

Bridgette Meinhold — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:57:24 +0000

You might be a bit surprised to hear that the world’s largest solar-powered sports facility in the world is a NASCAR track in Pennsylvania. Pocono Raceway, also known as the “Tricky Triangle” flipped the switch on Friday, powering up a 3 MW photovoltaic power plant located on an empty parking lot right next to the raceway. The new system will provide more than enough energy for the entire raceway facility, with the rest being fed back onto the grid to provide enough power for about 1,000 homes nearby. Not only is the system massive, but it was all American made and will pay itself off in about four to five years.

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Post tags: car racing, eco design, green design, Nascar, photovoltaic system, pocono, pocono raceway, renewable energy, Solar Power, solar system, sports facility

World’s Largest Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) Project Online

Bridgette Meinhold — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:15:28 +0000

As of Sunday, the world’s largest stand alone integrated photovoltaic project was pumping out power into the grid. The building integrated PV system is located on the roof of the recently completed Hongqiao Rail Station in Shanghai. With 20,000 panels, the 61,000 sq m roof system is expected to produce 6.3 million kilowatt-hours (kwh) of electricity per year, which could power 12,000 Shanghai households.

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Post tags: "sustainable architecture", BIPV, Building Integrated Photovoltaics, china, Eco Architecture, eco design, green architecture, green design, high speed rail, high speed rail station, hongqiao station, photovoltaic system, shanghai, solar system, Sustainable Building, train station

The European Solar Decathlon Kicks Off Today – Exclusive Photos!

Bridgette Meinhold — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:50:13 +0000

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Post tags: eco design, eco-friendly home, energy efficient home, Europe, Green Building, green design, madrid, modular home, net zero home, Prefab, Prefab Housing, prefabricated construction, Solar Decathlon, solar decathlon 2010, solar decathlon europe, Solar Power, solar powered home, solar system, Sustainable Building

First Certified Passive House Ever in the Western US!

Bridgette Meinhold — Mon, 17 May 2010 21:45:35 +0000

(photo credit: Amanda Nelson Photography)

The first certified Passive House in Salt Lake City also happens to be the first certified Passive House in the Western US. The Breezeway House, designed by Brach Design Architecture and Illinois-based Passive House Institute was recently completed in December of 2009, and is now only 1 of 10 houses in the US to be certified under this super efficient green building certification program!

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Post tags: "energy efficiency", brach design architecture, dave brach, eco design, eco-friendly home, energy efficient home, Green Building, green design, green residence, passive architecture, passive design, passive house, passive house standard, passivhaus, residence, solar passive design, solar system

World’s Smallest Sustainable House Can Fit a Family of Four

Bridgette Meinhold — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:02:30 +0000

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Post tags: "sips", "structural insulated panels", eco design, green design, grey water system, nano, nano living systems, Prefab, prefab home, prefabricated construction, rainwater collection, small house design, solar panels, solar passive design, solar system, Sustainable Building, sustainable housing, tiny house, world's smallest house