Being eco-friendly is getting easier every day as green experts come up with new ways to be green. One important way to go green is the green driveway.

How does it work?

You may be wondering how a driveway can be green, but if you have a concrete or asphalt driveway then much of the rainfall you get will run through your driveway, picking up pollutants. This water makes its way back into rivers and other large bodies of water. A green driveway, however, will often be made of non-pollutant materials, and reduce water run-off

How do I make it happen?

The best way to incorporate green ideas into your driveway is to use a sustainable drainage system, or SuDS. Here are a couple ways to do that.

• Open-cell pavers. These are lattices of concrete. Grass is planted in the holes of the lattice. Multiple layers of clean stone go under the pavers in order to support vehicles.
• Gravel. Gravel is often a good solution as well, though it requires a plastic underlay to maximize ground absorption.

Have questions about how to incorporate green ideas into your driveway? Get in touch with us online.

Singapore is known for many things from their vibrant food culture to their rich multi-cultural heritage to their high-tech industry. To add to their list, Singapore is leading the way in Asia in terms of green building.

This shouldn’t surprise anyone since Singapore Island only covers 85 square miles and is one of the most highly urbanized areas on Earth. This level of urbanization creates many special ecological and economic problems which Singapore is dealing with via green building technology.

Buildings in Singapore use a wide variety of methods to go green. These range from advanced solar paneling, landscaping the buildings themselves, using better types of recycled/sustainable building materials, as well as improved ‘smart lighting’ which works in tandem with available natural light.

The Singapore government has promoted this move towards green building with a generous incentive plan which has led to 1,534 new buildings passing the local equivalent of LEEDs certification. Along with older retrofitted properties, green structures account for 1/5 of all Singapore buildings making them Asia’s most green country.

Contact us to learn more about green and sustainable building or remodeling as well as other sustainable building tips for custom home design or remodeling.

In many cases, you don’t have to make huge, dramatic changes to your home in order to make it more environmentally friendly. These small changes can help you earn a top green building rating without rebuilding your entire home.

• Choose double-pane glass windows, which help keep heat inside in the winter and cold inside during the summer. If you have old windows, replacing them with new energy-efficient ones is the simplest step you can take towards a greener home.

• Recycled denim insulation helps keep your home a comfortable temperature while also reducing waste that is sent to a landfill.

• Keep solar reflectivity in mind when designing your roof. You will want to choose light colors and possible a special white membrane to keep the heat down in the hot summer months.

• Instead of building an entirely new outdoor dining area, consider installing a rectangular roof with a glass inlay. This gives the feeling of being outside, but can be enjoyed year-round and requires fewer new materials.

If you’re designing a new home or modifying your current property, contact Trilogy Partners. Ask us how we can help you design the green and efficient home of your dreams.

Given the mounting interest in green building, it should come as no surprise to learn that non-profits such as the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institution are sponsoring the push to create better building materials. One of the exciting building materials to receive encouragement from its efforts is self-repairing concrete.

Source: Freedigitalphotos.net

In short, the self-repairing concrete is normal concrete that has been mixed with bacteria that has been engineered to be capable of surviving in arid conditions. As the bacteria run through their biological processes, their bodies expel calcium carbonate as a waste product, which is the same substance seen in limestone. Over time, the calcium carbonate serves to fill in the cracks that can open up in concrete, thus extending its period of usefulness far past its normal length.

However, the same challenge that led to self-repairing concrete has also produced a number of other interesting possibilities. Examples include both bacteria-made bricks that use minimal inputs and mushroom-based insulation that can be cultivated right into the spaces between walls. Although some of these building materials are still in their earliest stages, their current performance carries much promise for the future.

Please contact us for more information about green home building practices.

Source: Trilogy Partners

Homeowners are considering the impact they have on the Earth. Whether building a home or thinking about a renovation, you can make a conscious effort to use green building materials that do everything from conserving nonrenewable resources to being more energy-efficient. Trilogy is a believer in sustainability, and recommends these green building materials.

• Bamboo. The fastest growing grass in the world is biodegradable and offers a sturdy, solid option that can be used both indoors and outdoors. Research also shows that bamboo releases a high concentration of oxygen into the atmosphere.
• Composite Decking. Resistant to stain and mold, this option is green-friendly. First, it’s made with reclaimed and recycled materials, which helps to save the trees. Second, it’s long-lasting.
• Eco Paint. Homeowners who are concerned about volatile organic compounds can opt for eco paint, which is known for having low concentration of that harmful stuff. Plus, the air quality in your house will improve.
• Reclaimed Lumber. Save the forests by using sustainable timber made with salvaged wood.
• Recycled Glass. Glass scraps from beer bottles, glasses and other objects receive new life as counters, backsplashes and other additions.

Stay tuned on the latest green building trends from Trilogy.

Green home design is the future. Using recycled and sustainable materials, solar panels, energy conserving products and appliances are all components of green living.

An eco-friendly home begins with its position on the lot. In Colorado, the home should sit on an east-west axis whenever possible. Large windows should face south to bring in more light while northern windows can be smaller to keep out the cold.

Source: Trilogy Partners’ Portfolio

Rooms should be designed to receive as much natural light as possible. A great mountain view will probably determine the room and window placement for a new home in the Rockies. Roofs can have skylights and allow for snow and water run-off that is collected and used for gray water. A roof can also be designed to support a garden with grass and shrubs for natural insulation.

Solar panels are added on the roof side that receives the most sunlight. A new green designed home can use a combination of municipal power and solar energy with the emphasis on energy independence.

Trilogy Partners is rapidly gaining a reputation in Colorado as a leading builder of sustainable, eco-friendly homes, so contact us today about your home construction dreams.

The building industry stands to learn from new green building technologies being developed by a team of Stanford University students who are working on Start.Home. This project is Stanford’s entry in this year’s Solar Decathlon, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Source: Shutter Stock

Start.Home integrates technology that allows the home to be customized and be added on to as the needs of its residents change. The 12’x15’x10’ pre-fabricated and pre-engineered core meets the standard of net-zero energy efficiency with features such as open spaces, natural lighting, and passive ventilation. Included in this unit is a 7 kilowatt photovoltaic system that is capable of producing up to 30 kilowatt-hours daily of solar energy.

The Start.home base unit includes a kitchen, bathroom, living areas, and room for mechanical components. The primary structural system of this innovative green design consists of structural insulated panels that are pre-cut before being delivered to the job site. This allows for convenient delivery on a standard-sized truck trailer and for easy construction.

Stanford’s team is just one of 20 teams entered in the Solar Decathlon, which promotes innovation in solar technology based on ten criteria including design, market appeal, affordability, energy balance among other factors.

If you are interested in getting more information about green home design or incorporating elements of Start.Home’s design into your Colorado building project, contact the sustainable building professionals at Trilogy Partners today.

Source: Trilogy Partners

One of the top trends in green home design is the concept of passive design when planning a new home build as more homeowners embrace are leaning toward zero energy homes. Instead of trying to add energy-saving features after the home is built, the process begins from the ground up, by incorporating simple features directly into the home’s architecture.

Passive design can be considered simple design as it removes the complexity surrounding the most basic features found in all buildings including windows. The placement of windows facing toward the south is extremely crucial in the design, therefore this needs to be considered during site selection. This element allows the Colorado homeowner to take advantage of the sun’s energy to help reduce heating bills during the cold winter months, and provide natural light throughout the year.

There is an increased focus on making sure that structure doesn’t allow drafts to penetrate and lessen this warming effect. This is accomplished by making the home airtight and often by utilizing landscape elements such as trees or shrubs to act as windbreaks. By incorporating several elements of passive design into your green home design, you can reduce your energy bills for years to come.

Fresh from the recent World Architecture Festival held in Singapore, is news that Turkey’s Sancaklar Mosque has been awarded the honor of the Best Religious Building for 2013. This impressive underground structure was designed by Emre Arolat Architects of Levent, Turkey.

The design of the mosque is a departure from traditional standards and has been built underground in Buyuk Cekmece, a suburb of Istanbul. The designers were able to successfully integrate the man-made materials with the elements of the natural environment by combining concrete slab and natural stone.

Beyond the walls that separate the complex from the nearby highway and neighborhood, all that can be seen above ground is the concrete canopy accessible from the upper courtyard. The remainder of the building is reached via natural stone stairs that follow the slope of the site down into the structure.

With its almost cave-like atmosphere, the slits and breaks throughout the Qiblah wall allow natural sunlight to enter the prayer hall is an excellent use of green architecture. The intent of the design is to shy away from status quo and provide a magical space unlike any other.

Watch for more news on how world architecture meets green architecture from Trilogy.

Source: Trilogy Partners

If you’re looking into remodeling your home, it’s a great time to assess what you can do to make your house greener.  We know going green reduces our impact on the earth, but it can also benefit you by increasing your home’s efficiency, and making it a healthier place to live. As you embark on your home remodeling project, here are a few things to take into consideration:

Begin by assessing your site. How can you utilize the property features you already possess? Use trees to your advantage to shade-cool your house, or find the optimal spot for passive solar gain. Look for building materials that are renewable or recycled, and find fixtures and appliances that are energy-efficient. Find finishes that are low- or no-VOC. Another good rule of thumb is to use higher-grade materials—the durability will prevent having to replace cheap materials that aren’t built to last.

Open floor plans help to increase cooling and heating efficiency, and require fewer materials. Lastly, look into a construction site recycling service. They can sort and dispose of construction waste in an earth-friendly way.

Implementing any of these tips will go a long way to making your home a little greener.