‘The Essential Kitchen’ with Kevin Henry: THE FUTURE AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN
More than 70 years ago, the “Futurist” predicted that our world would be awash in jet-packs, flying-cars, moving sidewalks, personal robot helpers, mile-high cities, and let us not forget the ambiguous vacation on the Moon, or better yet on Mars. Much like a feather on a string in front of a playful kitten, the kitchen of the future with all its time and labor saving gadgets and gizmo’s, has been dangled in front of the American consumer since the 1939 New York Worlds Fair, but for me the future became a reality one very hot summer day in 1960, while…
‘The Green Picture’ with Erika Schnitzer: Will Preserving our Earth Through Mandates Work?
A few new developments in the sustainability world have come to pass since my last note. One week ago, Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and John Kerry (D-Mass) launched a campaign for their climate bill. The purpose of the “Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act,” which, incidentally, does not include the word “climate” in its title, is “to create energy jobs, promote energy independence, reduce global warming pollution and transition to a clean energy economy.” While this proposal incorporates every industry, it is important to point out that green collar jobs are, in fact, on the rise within the building…
‘Editor’s Notebook’ with Diana Mosher: What will ‘Smart’ Multifamily Look Like in 2050?
Over the weekend I attended the wedding of a high school friend—her second marriage and his first. While she has had other attractive proposals during the 10+ years since her divorce, this suitor was different. He shared her life-long dream of leaving the suburbs for an authentically rustic lifestyle in Vermont. We all know people who despise the hustle and bustle of city living. Hopefully there will always be a choice that suits them. Demographers predict that by 2050 as much as 70 percent of the earth’s population will be living in cities. Click here for a fanciful look at…
Study: U.S. Can Look to Europe, Australia for Environmental Lessons
The United States can learn a few lessons in energy-efficient buildings and green jobs from Europe and Australia, according to a new study by the Rand Corporation. The research shows that steps taken by the two continents to inspect, rate, and publicly disclose the energy efficiency of buildings indicate the structures use less energy and are worth more when sold or leased.
Study: U.S. Can Look to Europe, Australia for Environmental Lessons
The United States can learn a few lessons in energy-efficient buildings and green jobs from Europe and Australia, according to a new study by the Rand Corporation. The research shows that steps taken by the two continents to inspect, rate, and publicly disclose the energy efficiency of buildings indicate the structures use less energy and are worth more when sold or leased.
‘The Green Picture’ with Erika Schnitzer: Can the World Learn a Lesson from Buildings?
New York City is flooded with some major events this week: the U.N. General Assembly, the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative and Climate Week N.Y.C., which falls just a few months before the international climate meeting slated to take place in Copenhagen this winter. At a meeting at the U.N. on Tuesday, President Barack Obama, addressing world dignitaries, noted that though some progress has been made in the fight to combat climate change, there is much more work to be done. The President called on all nations to work together to face the global crisis. “Difficulty is no…
ThermoSoft Under-Floor Heating Systems are Made from Recycled Content
ThermoSoft International Corporation’s ThermoFloor under-floor heating systems heat rooms from the floor up, using the natural flow of warm air rising, to maximize efficiency and reduce the amount of energy needed to heat the average home by 30 to 40 percent.
‘The Essential Kitchen’ with Kevin Henry: Just How Green is an All-Glass Kitchen
At a recent design show in Los Angeles this past June, I had the opportunity to see firsthand, the highly touted sustainable all-glass kitchen from a very high profile Italian manufacturer. At first glance, it appeared to be the “holy grail” of environmental kitchen design. The doors, drawers, box, counter top and toe kick were all made of glass and it was this overuse of glass that got me thinking, “Just how green is glass?” When we think of glass, the first thought that comes to mind is its ability to be recycled and reused over and over again, but…
‘The Green Picture’ with Erika Schnitzer: Taking the Initiative
What do Bentley Prince Street’s Cool Carpet, Arbor Contract Carpet, WeatherTRAK Smart Water Management by HydroPoint Data Systems Inc., Post Properties’ EcoActive program, The Tower Companies’ “Beyond Green” program and Forest City’s “Roadmap to Intrinsic Sustainability” have in common? They were all winners of MHN’s 2008 Green Initiative Awards! (Click here for details about last year’s winners.) With sustainability an increasingly “hot,” albeit important, topic, more and more companies are paving the way for a greener future. Whether it’s a recycled-content carpet, technology that creates a rational irrigation schedule based on the landscape or a corporate initiative pledging a company’s…
‘Editor’s Notebook’ with Diana Mosher
NAA Exhibitors ScentAir and Beaulieu Demonstrate the Role of Scent Management in the Apartment Business We know that the smell of baking cookies can make a house more attractive to prospective buyers. So why not apply the same principle to rent apartments—or to keep residents from moving elsewhere when their leases are up? There is a growing body of research on the sense of smell to affect consumer responses. According to The Scent Marketing Institute, “scent can be highly effective in helping us distinguish one product from another. It can trigger a memory or desire that influences a purchase decision….