Valentin Technologies, Inc. Releases First Concept Images of the 170 mpg IngoCar

March 12th, 2010 by andrea in Energy Conservation, Lifestyle, Transportation

Elm Grove, WI — February 16th, 2010 — Valentin Technologies has given the public its first glimpse of its IngoCar, currently in the stage of development. This release of three teaser sketches shows the five-seat, four door sportwagen, brimming with innovation.

Ingocar Ultra Fuel Efficient Concept Car

The company’s founder, Ingo Valentin, has stated that “Finally outstanding performance and extremely high mileage are combined in a mid-size passenger car.”

Concept images can be viewed on this website link: www.valentintechnologies.com/images

The vehicle’s estimated mileage is 170 mpg based on a mix of city and rural driving. This extraordinary fuel efficiency is achieved by a revolutionary hydraulic-fluid drive. This hybrid gasoline/hydraulic drive system can deliver acceleration from 0-60 in 4 seconds. Read the rest of this entry »

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Earth Hour Is A Family Affair

March 4th, 2010 by andrea in Air Quality, Community, Energy, Energy Conservation, Lifestyle

(NC)—Earth Hour is a global lights out phenomenon, led by WWF (World Wildlife Fund) to show support for action on climate change and demonstrate that individual action can make a big difference. It’s also a great opportunity to talk to your family about the environment and look at what you can do to reduce your environmental impact.

This year, Earth Hour takes place on Saturday, March 27 from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. (local time). Families are encouraged to join millions of people around the world and turn off their lights for one hour in support of action on climate change. Small acts can make a big difference. For more information or to join the movement, visit www.EarthHourCanada.org.

Here are some activities to help you and your family make an evening out of Earth Hour: Read the rest of this entry »

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Smart Solutions: This Sink Hides Dirty Dishes.

February 9th, 2010 by andrea in Lifestyle, Products + Materials, Water

smart sink hides dirty dishes(NC)—Run a search on dirty dishes on the internet and you will find that not only is this a topic of much discussion and debate, it is a highly personal and emotional issue.

Forums offer advice, suggestions and tips for how to hide those dirty dishes when company comes—in the oven, under the sink, in the laundry basket—to name just a few. Some write to vent their frustrations—“how can so many dirty dishes pile up so fast when there are just two of us?” one woman asks. A highly-rated video shows three young men dealing with their angst when the kitchen is overrun by an unsightly pile of dishes and cookware. The problem is solved when one waves his hand and the dishes magically disappear, no doubt accounting for the popularity of the movie. Read the rest of this entry »

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Water Heaters Demystified

February 7th, 2010 by andrea in Energy, Energy Conservation, Water

water heater(NC)—Water heaters quietly function in basement corners across the country, providing hot water to millions of families on a daily basis. Most take hot water for granted, but when a water heater stops providing hot water, one wonders what they really know about their water tank. Dave Walton, director home ideas with Direct Energy talks about the most common myths and questions he’s heard around water heaters recently:

Myth: You have dirty water if you have an older water heater.

Truth: Water heaters work for years without accumulating any significant buildup of rust – that’s how they are designed. Small amounts of sediment or lime can accumulate at the bottom of the tank over the life of a water heater, but since hot water is pulled from the top of the tank, your water is largely unaffected by the small deposits of sediment.

Myth: Annual maintenance improves efficiency. Read the rest of this entry »

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Energy Efficient Homes for 2010

February 5th, 2010 by andrea in Energy, Energy Conservation, Uncategorized

efficient furnace(NC)—As Canadian homeowners enter a new decade, the topic of home energy efficiency is hard to overlook. Over the past year, many homeowners made energy efficiency upgrades to their homes and took advantage of federal and provincial rebates. On December 31, 2009 a new energy efficiency initiative took effect in the form of the National Minimum Energy Performance Standard for residential gas furnaces. The new Canadian standard requires that all gas furnaces operate at a minimum of 90% efficiency. This applies to new purchases only; homeowners are not required to switch out existing gas furnaces until they are ready to do so.

An additional energy efficiency tool is also available to help homeowners save energy. Direct Energy suggests Canadians take advantage of an energy audit, which can identify areas in the home which can be upgraded to a more energy efficient standard. A Direct Energy home energy assessment will result in a tailored list of suggested energy efficiency upgrades for each home audited. Many of the energy efficiency upgrades, if implemented, can qualify the homeowner for various federal and/or provincial rebates.

Completing an energy audit should be the first step a homeowner takes towards increasing the energy efficiency of their home, and reducing their energy bills.

More information is available online at www.directenergy.com or toll-free 1-888-334-8221.

www.newscanada.com

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Cork. A Warm (and quiet) Introduction to Nature’s Perfect Floor

February 3rd, 2010 by andrea in Products + Materials, Projects

(NC)—While it’s relatively new to us, cork flooring has been used in Europe for centuries because of its resilience, durability and surprisingly versatile, attractive designs. Today, cork is taking North America by storm due to all of those attributes, plus its unsurpassed eco-friendliness and sustainability.

Cork is hand-harvested, and no trees are harmed in this ancient practice. Century-old cork trees, harvested every nine years, still thrive in the forests of Portugal and Spain.

Eco-engineering of modern cork floors allows them to be installed over existing flooring including tiles. And, once installed, cork doesn’t merely beautify the home, it mutes and muffles sound with its natural acoustic properties, provides exceptional cushioning and warmth with its natural insulation properties, and is hypo-allergenic to safeguard your family’s health. Read the rest of this entry »

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How to Increase Energy Efficiency With DIY Renovations

February 1st, 2010 by andrea in Energy, Energy Conservation, Uncategorized

(NC)—Will you renovate your home this year? Up to 74 % of Canadian home owners claimed they would renovate if it meant that it would increase energy efficiency and save them money in the long run (RBC survey). However, rising energy costs during the cold winter months can leave many homeowners worrying about paying the heating bills instead of renovating. Well, the government grants available mean you can renovate and it won’t cost you a fortune!

The ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program is offering a grant of up to $5000 from the Government of Canada for energy efficiency renovations which have not yet started. Some energy utilities and provincial governments offer additional funding. For more information on ecoEnergy grants and incentives, visit www.ecoaction.gc.ca/homes. Read the rest of this entry »

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Window Coverings

January 14th, 2010 by Conrad in Air Quality, Blogs - Mill Creek Net Zero Home, Energy, Energy Conservation, Green Building Blogs, Products + Materials

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The temptation has always been there for eco-house builders. It’s those damn windows; they are just so useless once the sun goes down. There must be some way to insulate them once they no longer need to be seen through, right? Read the rest of this entry »

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Family Support is Priceless

January 9th, 2010 by andrea in Blogs - Andrea's Green Kitchen, Community, Green Building Blogs, Projects, Reclaimed + Recycled Materials

Recycled content moldingOh, how the little things can make such a big difference! As some of you may have noticed, our green kitchen reno slowed to a stop. There has been nothing to report for several months, which was really demoralizing, especially as I prepared newsletters with updates from other bloggers who were building entire green homes from scratch!

Meanwhile we were left with an assortment of glaring niggly finishing tasks that we had neither time nor energy to complete, not to mention a floor that turned out nothing like what I had imagined.

Enter Super Dad. Read the rest of this entry »

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Observations (Part 02)

December 17th, 2009 by Conrad in Blogs - Mill Creek Net Zero Home, Energy, Energy Conservation, Green Building + Design, Green Building Blogs, Green Homes, Renewable Energy, Solar

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Mill Creek NetZero Home, December 15, 2009, 14:00.

As we approach the winter solstice and the three-month anniversary of our moving in, we continue to learn about our new house. These observations are mostly qualitative, because we don’t have the rest of our solar modules up, and we haven’t set up monitoring equipment yet. We are tentatively planning to remove the door of our wood stove on July 1st, 2010  and then monitor the house’s energy use for a year. Read the rest of this entry »

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