CitiesGoGreen - December 2008 - (Page 9)

In Motion Aeroturbines for City Buildings What if rooftop wind turbines could turn city buildings into clean, renewable energy generators able meet their own electricity needs? Such turbines would need to be quiet, lightweight, relatively inexpensive and easily installed on a roof. They would also have to function effectively in the often variable and gusting winds of cities, and ideally they would be aesthetically pleasing and pose no danger to birds. It may sound too good to be true, but University of Illinois professor Bil Becker has designed a turbine that fulfills all these needs and his company, Aerotecture International, is currently installing them on buildings in Chicago and San Francisco. The patented Aeroturbines, with their graceful, swirling spirals, are easily installed on city roofs and can also be combined with solar panels. “Our machines are unique,” says Becker, “because they really enjoy chaotic, turbulent wind—wind from all directions at once, variable winds, gusting wind—they just seem to take it and run with it.” They also operate safely in all weather conditions, unlike conventional turbines which can sometimes throw ice from their blades. The company plans to expand production of the turbines, and Becker hopes Aeroturbines will someday grace the sides and rooftops of buildings around the world. See the turbines in action on YouTube.com (search for “aeroturbine”). Photo courtesy Kurt Holtz, Lucid Dream Productions Seismic Sensor Solar Streetlights Sharp Corporation is betting earthquake-prone Japan will like its new solar LED streetlights, equipped with motion sensors to detect a major earthquake. The streetlights require no power connections, turning themselves on and off automatically at dusk and dawn. They normally switch from full brightness to a dimmer “energy conservation” mode during early morning hours. After a quake, the lights stay on at full power throughout the next two nights, serving as emergency lighting in the event of a power failure. Mercury-free LEDs need replacing only once every ten years. Each light also saves up to 48 kg of CO2 emissions per year, compared with conventional streetlights. Map courtesy USGS Waterless Toilets Save Big A 30,000-sq. ft. building normally uses about 7,000 gallons of water a day, much of that going straight down the toilet. But the highly efficient C. K. Choi Building at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, Canada, uses just 500 gallons of water per day. How? One reason is the waterless composting toilets that transform human waste into valuable fertilizer. The toilets are odor-free, thanks to a ventilation system, and are serviced by their manufacturer, Massachusetts company Clivus Multrum. Clivus designs and sells composting toilets throughout North America. The toilets are recognized in the LEED green building rating system as effective water-conservation devices. Photo courtesy Clivus Multrum Add your comments and ideas at CitiesGoGreen.com December 2008 9 http://citiesgogreen.com/issues/december-2008/in-motion/aeroturbines-for-city-buildings http://www.aerotecture.com http://citiesgogreen.com/issues/december-2008/in-motion/seismic-sensor-solar-streelights http://citiesgogreen.com/issues/december-2008/in-motion/seismic-sensor-solar-streelights http://sharp-world.com/eco-showcase/news/070717.html#top http://www.YouTube.com http://citiesgogreen.com/issues/december-2008/in-motion/waterless-toilets-save-big http://casestudies.cascadiagbc.org/overview.cfm?ProjectID=44 http://citiesgogreen.com http://www.clivusmultrum.com http://www.clivusmultrum.com http://citiesgogreen.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of CitiesGoGreen - December 2008

Citites Go Green Contents In Motion We’re Taking Steps 10,000 Rain Gardens in Kansas City Chicago Center for Green Technology Connecticut’s ‘One Thing’ Green Infrastructure for Stormwater Management Philadelphia The Economics of What Matters New Context: New Possibility

CitiesGoGreen - December 2008

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