My iPad arrived on Saturday and it is one cool device! While there are question marks over Apple’s closed ecosystem, there’s no doubt about consumer interest. Like the Apple II, the Mac, iPod and iPhone before it, the launch of the iPad will be the tipping point for widespread adoption of nascent technology – in […]
Category Archives: energy efficiency
More Use – Less Stuff
I just spent the last three days at the annual Bioneers Conference. The closing speaker was Ann Leonard – creator of The Story of Stuff. Her talk inspired me to put together a few thoughts and a ‘presentation’. The fastest path to sustainability, to meeting the goals of Kyoto, 350.org, etc is to make exponentially […]
10 Monitoring Tools Bringing Smart Energy Home
A cornerstone of the house renovation is our energy strategy and key to that will be monitoring whats usage. So I read this with interest: A half-dozen companies are launching their first energy dashboards this year, and a few others are starting to gain traction with already available online tools. One of the biggest differences […]
Moth Eyes Inspire More Efficient Solar Cell
How would nature minimize reflection? Ask a moth: Researchers in the Netherlands have developed an anti-reflective coating based on the nanostructure of a moth’s eyes, which could reduce the reflection from photovoltaic cells and thereby make them more efficient… and … a new eco-friendly production technique that can apply the coating with high precision. Continued […]
Google Gets Behind Smart Meters & Monitoring
In a rousing opening address at this year’s Bioneers conference, event co-founder Kenny Ausubel outlined his vision: “…to re-imagine how to live on Earth in ways that honor the web of life, each other and future generations.” He went on to highlight biomimicry as “arguably the single most important design strategy to shoot the rapids […]
Solar Botanic’s Nanoleaf
Tendril + Zigbee = Smart Grid @ Home
Cnet’s Green Tech blog offers a write-up on Tendril: “Most in-home displays take information from the outside meter, but because ours are networked devices and because we’re talking to the utilities’ back office, we know what the price plan is and we can present it in dollars and cents.” Continued at Green Tech… Smart indeed! […]
Smart Sprinkler Systems
Here’s another ‘smart’ product company: VentureBeat reports that Cyber-Rain, maker of wireless sprinkler control systems, an has raised $1.5 million in first round funding. Cyber-Rain claims its technology can save customers 30 to 70 percent on their watering bills. While smart networks are nothing new in the utility sector, Cyber-Rain is one of the few […]
Green Homes Concierge
Great idea if done right: For GBP 199, Green Homes Concierge inspectors will come to a customer’s home, toting heat-detecting cameras and other devices to help them evaluate its leaks, wall insulation and appliances. Afterwards, the inspectors will recommend ways the home’s owner can reduce CO2 emissions, and hopefully save some money in the process. […]