Eco Factor: Sustainable office complex to aim for LEED Gold Certification. The Export Development Canada’s (EDC’s) 1,000 employees are eagerly waiting for their new home, which will be a $150m, 10-story complex covering 520,000-square-feet built near Slater Streets. The complex is being built by Broccolini Construction Inc. and will is scheduled to be completed by 2011. The ecofriendly complex will use a metal and glass curtain wall to allow sunlight to illuminate the interior space. The building will seek LEED Gold Certification for sustainable design and environmental quality. In addition to the green building practices, water and energy saving systems will also be incorporated into the design to reduce its dependence on utility resources. Via: OttawaCitizen

Here is the original post:
Eco Architecture: EDC to get a new $150m green office in 2011

The next climate treaty is likely to include much tougher emission reduction goals for the developed countries and given the tormenting economic conditions their governments could be looking to outsource a significant percentage their emission reduction responsibilities to developing countries. Although all the developed countries involved in negotiations for the next climate treaty agree that tougher emission reduction goals are necessary to combat global warming, they also acknowledge the fact that they are at loss of adequate resources to achieve those goals. While many plan to introduce carbon trading schemes the economic crisis means that the effectiveness of such schemes cannot be guaranteed. And thus, these countries seem to be looking for some tweaks in order to achieve those goals while avoiding any further damage to their economic growth. The emission reduction schemes of both European Union and the United States allow a major portion of the emissions goals to be achieved by outsourcing them to developing countries . Experts fear that the real reduction in domestic emissions could be very less. Read more of this story »

Here is the original:
Are Developed Nations Looking to Outsource Their Emission Reduction Goals?

Eco Factor: Compact truck powered by electric engine. Apart from polluting the atmosphere with the massive engines, trucks also create a problem when they’re running on a congested highway. The CarGo concept truck hopes to solve both the problems with an electric engine and a variable track and wheelbase that adapts to different load carrying configurations. Designed by Adam Schacter, the CarGo has primarily been designed for small, inner city deliveries, the battery-powered CarGo allows the driver to increase its carrier space by re-positioning the real axle, and when the truck isn’t carrying any load, the rear axle can be retracted and folded to save space. Via: Adam Schacter

Excerpt from:
Eco Cars: CarGo Electric Truck transforms itself according to load

Eco Factor: Boeing 747-400 powered by a 50-50 blend of fruit oil and jet fuel. Severely criticized on the amount of carbon emissions, aviation companies have started to try out new fuel combinations that could make their aircrafts green. The newest endeavor is from Air New Zealand, which has tried to green a Boeing 747-400 by powering it with a 50-50 blend of oil from a plum-sized fruit known as Jatropha and conventional jet fuel. The two-hour flight demonstrated that even simple changes in fuel could cut gas emissions from long-haul flights by about 65%. Air New Zealand stated that about 1.5 tons of fuel can be saved during a 12-hour flight, which would also cut carbon emissions by about five tons. Apart from the environmental benefit, the fuel doesn’t account for any significant monetary benefit, particularly when the price of oil is around $60 a barrel. Via: DailyMail

Here is the original: 
Eco Tech: Air New Zealand flies Boeing 747 on ‘fruit juice’

Investors voted down a shareholders resolution that would have required Home Depot to develop an energy efficiency plan for its buildings, transportation and supply chain, but talks on the issue may be possible.

See original here: 
Shareholder Effort to Force Home Depot to Set Energy Plan Fails, Talks on Issue Possible

Eco Factor: Ecofriendly home made from green materials boasts sustainable features. Green architects want homes to be illuminated by sunlight and ventilated by natural air, both of which want the design to be as open as possible. This strategy works well for designing homes on the countryside but when it comes to urban architecture, the openness of your home means a lack of privacy. Fiona Winzar Architects have designed a green home that lowers your carbon footprint and keeps your privacy intact under an “Eyelid”. The home features an unusual roof extension that mimics the shape of an eyelid, which also gives the house its name – The Eyelid House. The house has been built for a family of five and boasts energy saving features that includes a rainwater harvesting and collecting system, solar water heater, passive ventilation and use of sustainable materials brought from Australia. The eyelid-shaped roof keeps the building secured from any peeking eyes in the much taller neighborhood buildings and allows natural air and light to keep the interiors green. [Images courtesy: Emma Cross ] Via: Inhabitat

Original post:
Eco Homes: Sustainable home by Fiona Winzar Architects keeps you secure under an ‘Eyelid’

Photo credit: Almay Blame the economy: Your bank account has taken a bruising and you’ve been buckling down, battening down the hatches, and brown-bagging it. Your definition of luxury has faced a similar downsizing, you wince at the price of a latte, and you no longer throw down cash on a whim; it’s all about tightly wringing every last iota of value from your dollar and making cheap chic—or, at least, finding a chic twist on budget-friendly. For recessionistas trying to balance style and substance on a shoestring—and would rather be dead than caught bare-faced—here are three green cosmetics collections you can find at your neighborhood

Read more here: 
Get Green & Gorgeous For Less: 3 Eco-Cosmetics Brands You Can Find in Your Drugstore Aisle

Image via Yanko Design If you’re not so into hugging trees , how about taking a seat on one? Swiss designer Michel Bussien has designed a new way to help you get up close and personal with nature–by turning it into furniture. The “Growing Chair” shown is a sharply designed mold that allows you to turn greenery into a chic seat. …

Read more from the original source: 
Growing Trees Into Chic, Living Chairs

If China’s addicted to solar hot water heating, the city of Dezhou is it’s dealer (and one of it’s biggest customers). A new video from Greenpeace,…

Read more:
Almost Everyone Has a Solar Water Heater In Dezhou, China (Video)

Photo via Fog City Journal Anyone even idly following California politics knows what mess the state is in at the moment– Arnold Schwarzenegger and the state Congress have yet to pass a budget, cuts to vital programs are looming, and the Gov’s approval ratings have plummeted. In his latest attempt to slash the budget deficit, however, the stakes have been raised–Gov. Schwarzenegger has proposed cuts that would lead to

View original post here:
Hasta La Vista, Baby: Arnold May Close 220 California State Parks