As you may already know, New York is the home of Inhabitat’s main headquarters and we are super proud to announce that Governor Paterson has just signed the State Green Building Construction Act mandating that all government-owned new construction and major renovations must meet green building guidelines! We think it’s highly commendable of Governor Paterson to lead our state towards a more sustainable future by setting this momentous example. Hopefully, we will soon see a day where all buildings in New York, government-managed and otherwise, will meet sustainable standards.
Links Roundup of the Week: The High Line
by Olivia Chen, 06/12/09
The High Line opened this week!! The Inhabitat team was lucky enough to gather together to see it this week on Monday, and we loved it! It’s green, it’s public space — and visitors feel like they are walking above the city, so what’s not to love? And in case you weren’t already as ecstatic over it as we are, here’s your second chance! We hope you saw our coverage of the High Line here, but we want to share the buzz we’ve been seeing around the web.
Huffington Post has some great aerial shots of the project.
Curbed announces the opening, and features a shot taken from The Standard’s webcam.
NY Times provides comprehensive coverage of the opening.
Treehugger and thedailygreen put up slideshows here and here for us to enjoy the greenery at home.
The New York Times has quietly added a new search item to their online real estate section that is sure to please anyone in the market for eco-friendly new digs. You can now search for “green buildings” along with other popular features like dishwashers, swimming pools and pre-war buildings!
Florida’s next big community isn’t for retirees — it’s for solar energy buffs. Florida Power & Light and development firm Kitson & Partners are collaborating on Babcock Ranch, a 17,000 acre solar-powered city near Fort Myers. The community will run entirely on a 75 megawatt, $300 million solar-powered generator, and will also use smart grid technology to let all inhabitants of the community monitor their power consumption.
ANARA TOWER: Dubai’s Titanic Turbine-Shaped Superstructure
It seems that hardly a week passes before Dubai’s prospective skyline is updated with plans for yet another soaring skyscraper or incredible development. The latest world-class superstructure to grace the modern megopolis is Anara Tower, an ambitious project crowned with an eye-catching propeller-shaped peak. Designed by Atkins Designs Studio and Developed by Tameer Holding Investment, the 2,150 foot tall skyscraper will be aiming for LEED silver certification when construction begins next year.
IS IT GREEN?: The Megamansion
Florida real estate mogul Frank McKinney has been building homes for the super-wealthy for 20 years. Recently he decided to start building them green. Acqua Liana, the largest and most expensive home to aspire to LEED certification, is scheduled to be finished in February. The $29 million home is being built on Florida’s luxurious Manalapan beach. At 15,000-square feet, the house is three times as large and 25 times as expensive as any home trying to earn certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. McKinney estimates that building a green Acqua Liana cost 7 to 10% more than a non-green house of this type. But can it truly be considered green? We caught up with Frank to ask him a few questions about his latest project – read on for an exclusive interview.
Dockside Green: The World’s First LEED Platinum Community
Situated in Victoria, British Columbia, Dockside Green is a burgeoning community that has set its sights on becoming the first LEED Platinum community in the world. Its initial phase of development was recently completed, earning it an incredible 63 out of 70 points and qualifying it for LEED Platinum for New Construction. This is no small undertaking, especially considering the 95 new condo homes, townhomes, and commercial spaces that comprise the planned community. The usual sustainable suspects can be found throughout the property including Biomass gasification (the use of wood-waste to create all heat energy and hot water), improved insulation and high performance glazing, energy-efficient fixtures, on-site waste water treatment plant, green roofs and a naturalized creek.
Las Vegas CityCenter Set to Green Sin City
Las Vegas is taking the lead in green development by planning the largest privately financed development in the history of North America vying for the USGBC’s LEED certification. At 18 million square feet, the new sustainable spot on the strip called CityCenter boasts a square footage that is bigger than all current LEED certified buildings combined. Currently under construction between the Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts, the center’s first building, Aria, is scheduled to open at the end of 2009. An $8 billion venture between MGM MIRAGE and Dubai World, CityCenter is bringing sustainability to the forefront, rightfully earning the tag of one of the world’s largest environmentally sustainable urban communities.
Jean Nouvel’s “Green Blade” Slices LA Skyline
Aptly nicknamed the “green blade,” Jean Nouvel’s newest addition to the asphalt laden City of Angels slices through the concrete jungle at 10,000 Santa Monica, adding much needed greenery to the surrounding office towers. Standing 45 stories tall and little more than 50 feet deep, this statuesque green structure is bound to make an sustainable impact that we hope others will follow.
CASA VERDE: Sunset’s Green Dream Home in San Francisco
This weekend, I attended the NEN’s Clean and Green Summit which included a wonderful green walking tour of San Francisco’s Mission district. We strolled by beautiful gardens and saw some great community initiatives, but the highlight by far was a showing of Sunset Magazine’s sustainable gem, Casa Verde. We’ve covered the zero energy super-home in the past, but here’s a first-hand look at its stunning fusion of fine modern design with an exceptional set of sustainable features.
ECO EWOK TREEHOUSES: Finca Bellavista Rainforest Village
If you been dreaming of picking up roots, living on the edge, or literally going out on a limb in terms of eco-lifestyle possibilities, then Finca Bellavista: A Sustainable Rainforest Community might be just the thing for you. Located on the base of an almost 6,000 foot primary rainforest mountain on the South Pacific Coast of Costa Rica – not far from the Pan American Highway, Finca Bellavista was created with the sole purpose of preserving 300 acres of local rainforest by offering a unique opportunity for ecologically minded property owners to live sustainably in and steward a managed rainforest environment.
GREEN KEY REAL ESTATE: Sustainable living in San Francisco
Chris Bartle saw a demand for green living in San Francisco, yet he admits the supply of eco-friendly buildings is minimal. So how does his company, Green Key Real Estate, pass Economics 101? Similar to GreenWorks Realty in Seattle, Bartle’s team concentrates on helping buyers and sellers green their existing homes. While new green housing is arriving slowly, Bartle knew he could work with the current stock to help meet the demand for healthier and more efficient homes.
PREFAB FRIDAY: Jean Prouve’s Maison Tropicale For Sale!
Next up on the auction block, the Maison Tropicale, a rare midcentury prefab by French designer, Jean Prouvé — one of only three ever built. Shipped all the way from its first home in Congo-Brazzaville, and immaculately restored in Paris, this lightweight steel and aluminum kit-of-parts structure and prefab archetype can be yours for the low, low price of $4 – $6 million! Do we have a bidder?
GREENWORKS REALTY: Green House Hunters
Here at Inhabitat, we’ve covered many green building concepts, highlighted specific green homes, shown the latest in pre-fab projects, and introduced programs such as EcoBroker, LEED-Homes, Built Green and Energy Star. But it’s also important to acknowledge the people who help us future homeowners find and be aware of these green homes. This is the first in a series of green real estate highlights—firms from around the country that are helping homebuyers choose green. Our first stop is Seattle, a hotbed for green housing, where GreenWorks Realty is supporting a vision to create a more sustainable world.
LOTS MORE GREAT GREEN DESIGN STORIES HERE... KEEP READING!
