The Modern Green

Solar Hot Water Heating Not Just For Roofs

Pauler — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 23:40:57 +0000

Eliosolar has taken the idea of a solar hot water heater to the next level. Traditionally when people think of solar hot water heaters, they are thought to solely exist on roofs, but Eliosolar has designed them so they look like awnings, fences, guardrails, canopies, and a myriad of other accents on a house. They combined the idea of shading the house from the sun and collecting the sun’s heat to make hot water.

This is one of those ideas that is so simple and efficient. Unlike solar panels, hot water heaters actually do not need to be on the roof, they simply need to be exposed to the sun. While using sunlight for hot water, it also blocks the light from entering the house saving as much as 30% on cooling costs.

Another way this makes for a more efficient system is that it opens up the roof for solar panels. The Eliosolar awnings and shade structures also qualify as solar hot water heaters for the 30% Federal tax break for solar thermal, and you may be in a location with other solar thermal incentives and rebates, You can check your state at DSIRE.

via eliosolar.com

Recycle Tires And Make Sinks

Pauler — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 23:22:21 +0000

The Santa Monica, California-based design firm Minarc has come up with an ingenious way to reuse old tires and make them into bathroom sinks. The rubber on tires are one of the most wasted materials on earth. In the United States, about 300 million tires are discarded every year.

The rubber from the tires is melted and the debris is filtered. It is then formed into a sheet that is stretched over a frame that can be made of a variety of materials. Once the basin is formed in the frame, the drain colar is fitted into the drain hole which will help the rubber take form against the frame.

To further the efficiency, less than one pound of rubber is used per sink. Two options are available. The most basic is the 1/8 inch think rubber adhered directly to a surface is the first option. The other is a framed option that uses aluminum frames that clamp the outer edges of the rubber. What is the name of this sink? RUBBiSH of course.

via architectmagazine.com

Solar Powered Toothbrush…No Toothpaste Needed

Pauler — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:21:04 +0000

Now that we don’t need soap for our dishes and we also don’t need to replace our razors nearly as often, a similar technology has come to toothbrushes. Actually, the technology has been around for about 15 years.

Dr. Kunio Komiyama and his colleague Dr. Gerry Uswak are testing 120 Canadian teenagers willing to brush with the solar powered toothbrush and go to the dentist more frequently to document the effectiveness of the toothbrush.

Fifteen years ago, the first model introduced a titanium dioxide rod embedded in the neck of the brush just below the nylon bristles. Light activates a wet rod thereby releasing electrons which react with acid in your mouth. This helps to break down plaque without the use of toothpaste.

The newest model, the Soladey-J3X, is twice as effective as the old model. The Soladey will not work in the dark, but it only needs about as much light as a solar calculator. Although the tests on the new model are ongoing, lab tests showed complete destruction of two types of bacteria which are major culprits in periodontal disease.

via canada.com

Diamond Tipped Razor Blade Lasts Years

Pauler — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:51:51 +0000

One of the things that I most hate to buy at the store is replacement blades for my razor. They are entirely too expensive and are getting more and more ridiculous as more and more blades are added to a single razor head.

Now instead of using multiple inferior blades, a company in Germany (Gesellschaft für Diamantprodukte) has come up with an ultimate razor.

It starts with a super hard tungsten carbide razor. This is a metal that registers a 8.5 to 9 on the Moh’s Scale. Steel registers a 4-4.5 and titanium is only a 6. Then it is coated with synthetic, industrial-grade diamonds. In order to finish the super hard and sharp razor, they use a special plasma sharpening process that can make the blade only 3nm thick. That is only a few atoms thick! Better get that alum stick ready.

GFD has used this same process to make medical scalpels, drill bits, and probe needles, however this will be their first foray into the billion dollar razor industry.

Razor Blades of this caliber wont cost the same as traditional razors, however, Andre Flöter, founder of GFD, says “If one adds together the costs of disposable razors over the period of one year,” he says, “then our diamond blade could certainly be a reasonably priced alternative.”

My thought is if these blades are comparable to using a year’s worth of replacements, we would be buying a quality blade rather than a bunch of inferior ones and get a much closer shave. It also means that there is less waste due to not having to buy blades so frequently.

via ecouterre

Second Glass Reusing Broken Windshields

Pauler — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:34:45 +0000

Creative ways to recycle scrap is a favorite here at TheModernGreen. Case in point, there are so many auto accidents in the United States, and many wonderful ways to recycle the scrap metal. However, not much has been done about the broken windshields. Now a company called Second Glass is recycling the windshields from junk cars to make practical room partitions, walls, or lighting.

Second Glass is a great example of the reduce, reuse, recycle philosophy, and are part of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™.

Not much is known about the process of how they they recycle the windshields. However, it is a patent pending process that, according to their website, “While simple in concept it is a complex formula of art and science. We can add color to coordinate with other design elements.”

via secondglass

Solar Window Produces Electricity and Sticks Tongue Out at HOA’s

Pauler — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 21:59:11 +0000

It is almost universally agreed that renewable energy is the future whether it is solar, wind, wave, or bio energy. However it seems that many home owner associations are opposed to solar panels on roofs and/or wind turbines in back yards. There are some innovative thinkers out there that have a solution. At Taipei’s International Optoelectronics Week, the Chin Hua solar window was making electricity from what seemed to be a regular window albeit a slightly foggy window.

The hazier the window, the more electricity it will produce. For efficient buildings it is recommended that windows be placed on the north or south side of a building to minimize direct sunlight. However, these windows would work the best in direct sunlight.

The application could also apply to cars where the sunroof, windshield, and other windows would also produce electricity for an all electric or hybrid car.

via engadget

Smart Windows Save Energy

Pauler — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 21:07:48 +0000

A number of years ago, I installed a solar film that would reflect sunlight, and keep the interior of the house cool. It worked great and the house stayed much cooler during the summer, but when the winter came around it continued to reflect the sunlight that could have been used to heat the house. Even though I lived in Texas (where it is only cold about 2-3 months out of the year), it would still help to keep the house warmer in the winter.

I thought to myself, “Why can’t there be a window like those commercials we see for the transitions glasses?” Well, good news. They are finally here. Transitions for houses. A company called RavenBrick has created the RavenWindow™. This window saves energy by getting more opaque and reflecting the sun’s light when hot, and becoming more transparent when cold allowing light to come into homes to warm them up.

According to the website, energy usage can be cut up to 30%.

via ravenbrick

Self-Healing Concrete

Pauler — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:55:31 +0000

One of the best ways to be green is to make the most of what is already being used. It is hard to do with concrete due to its brittle nature. Once it is broken, it is hard to fix without costly man hours and the use of more natural resources.

However, Michelle Pelletier, a graduate student at the University of Rhode Island, has discovered a way for concrete to heal itself. Pelletier found that after fracturing concrete mixed with a microencapsulated sodium silicate agent into standard concrete can cause the concrete to regain up to 26 percent of its original strength. It is speculated that a higher concentration of the sodium silicate will result in a higher rebounding strength.

After the concrete fractures, the sodium silicate particles break apart and mix with calcium hydroxide (a standard agent in concrete). The mixture then forms calcium-silica-hydrate which fill the cracks. This simple chemical reaction could lead to less potholes and longer road lifespans, and ultimately leading to saving more natural resources.

The best part about this is unlike most “smart” materials and technology. This one is very cost effective and means that it could be implemented quickly and efficiently.

via uri.edu

image via imactlab.com

Shower Heats Water Without Electricity

Pauler — Fri, 21 May 2010 20:26:14 +0000

One of the biggest consumers of electricity in a household is the hot water heater. Old units can continuously heat water in a tank for use. More efficient ways to heat water would be a tank-less solution that produces on demand hot water. Even more efficient is the solar hot water heater. The latter combined with insulated piping provides an efficient way to get hot water. However, what if water could be heated without water heaters or solar power. What if water could be made hot, on demand simply by turning the water on?

The Piezo Shower does exactly that. It captures the kinetic energy of the water running through the lattice of piping to create hot water. The idea is similar to clothing that creates energy to charge small electronic devices. As the water runs through the pipes, the water moves piezo electric fibers that create electricity by movement and friction to heat the water.

A touchscreen display lets you see the temperature of the water, time spent in the shower, and water pressure to show you how to best conserve your water.

via piezo-shower.blogspot.com

New Lithium Batteries Good for 10,000 Charges

Pauler — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:08:38 +0000

Battery technology has lagged behind in terms of advancement. There are two main hindrances with batteries…storage capacity and wear. We have found some interesting alternatives to batteries, but the old double a is going to be hard to replace in form, and until there are some real breakthroughs we might have to hold on to our dreams of phones and laptops with super fast processors. However, before you wake up, a company has come through with an innovation in the wear category.

A company called Eamex in Osaka, Japan discovered a major weakness in Lithium Ion Batteries, and fixing this problem could allow them to be used for 20 years or 10,000 charges. The secret, they have found, is in the tin used in the battery’s negative electrode. Apparently it weakens through many cycles of charging and recharging. The new design will use a tin-coated resin that will stabilize the electrode and prevent it from wearing down. Well that was easy enough.

via engadget