In Honor of Earth Day

April 22, 2013 marks the 43rd Annual Earth Day celebrated since it initially began in 1970. Earth Day is a time to remember the precious environment around us and to celebrate the ways in which we are trying to preserve what has been made available to us in our everyday lives. I thought this week it would be fun to post some ideas on how people can celebrate Earth Day and help create a more sustainable environment.

One of the easiest ways to celebrate Earth Day is by planting a tree. Planting trees is not only a fun activity but helps cut down the amount of greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere. Grow Financial, a bank in the Tampa Bay area, will be giving away free Florida Slash Pine saplings to anyone who visits any of their 20 branches on Earth Day. Trees are limited to five per household. The slash pine trees that are being given out were chosen because they are one of the hard yellow pines indigenous to the southeastern United States.
 I'm sure there are plenty of other companies and organizations that are giving away free tree saplings so be on the look out!

Another great way to celebrate Earth Day is to attend an Earth Day event. Earth Day events are held across the nation and are full of fun activities for both kids and adults.  Nationwide events can be seen at www.earthday.net. So find some friends and head to an event near you!

Another fun way to celebrate Earth Day is by sorting through old items or trash for things that can be recycled. This not only prevents more waste from being put into land fills but it also may give you a few dollars (I.E. recycling aluminum or copper). So get some friends together and start collecting those cans and bottles!

Lastly, household members can sit down together on Earth Day, in a town-hall style forum, and discuss specific energy or other sustainable goals that they would like to achieve as a group. This could be simple things such as changing light bulbs to more energy efficient ones or planting a vegetable garden so that the family can eat more locally and organic. No matter what the goals, your family will feel great knowing you are helping the environment, and potentially your wallet.

And remember, Earth Day celebrations don't have to be a once a year thing. This items can and should be done year round! So get out and enjoy all that nature has to offer!

Smartphones, Smart homes?

Courtesy of HGTV

Most people own or at least have access to a smart phone. These phones can do more now than most computers could back in the early 80's and 90's. Smart phones are more than just phones. They are our cameras, video recorders, navigation systems, and personal computers. The rise in technologies has also lead architects and developers to create 'smart homes.' When I first heard the term 'smart home' I thought of the Disney movie, "Smart House" which is a movie about a house which can do all the cooking and cleaning that the house occupants need. However, modern smart homes are more about saving energy and taking advantage of all that technology has to offer.

Energy Monitoring System (Courtesy of HGTV)

Each year HGTV gives away a dream home and in recent years they have been giving away smart homes. This year's Smart Home is located in Jacksonville Beach, Florida and has some of the most-up-to-date high-tech features. So what exactly makes this home a smart home? The house features 17 high-tech features to maximize energy and technological fun. Some of the key features of the home include: wall-mounted tablet monitoring systems, scheduled lighting so the owner can preset when shades or lights turn on or off, door locks that can be remotely locked/unlocked, security cameras, thermostats that can be programmed to operate on a predetermined schedule that reduces energy consumption when no one is at home or during peak demand hours when energy costs are higher, real-time energy consumption monitoring, awning that can automatically retract to block sun and solar heat gain, induction cook tops that heat 50% faster than gas, and toilets with programmable built-in seat warmers, automatic open/close lids, hands-free automatic flush, energy-saver timers, air purification and self-cleaning, programmable bidet spouts. All features can be monitored and controlled by either a smart phone or web-enabled device, except the toilets which are controlled by LCD wall panels.

Smart Toilet (Courtesy of HGTV)

Additionally, this HGTV smart home is part of a low-impact development neighborhood, Paradise Key, that is soon to be designated as a Florida Water Star Community for its water-efficiency practices. Yards for homes in this neighborhood feature drought-tolerant plants, small common area and pocket parks for all 62 homes in the neighborhood to share and enjoy, as well as, 1800 foot walking path. The neighborhood's main goals are land preservation and water conservation. During every step of the construction process, the utmost care is taken to preserve natural features.

This home also features fiber cement siding and trim and a metal roof, wind-load rated and heat reflective, replace cedar and cypress building materials. And double-paned, insulated low-E glass windows and 12-foot telescoping French door panels replace large single-paned windows.

I've been entering to win this house everyday. I didn't win HGTV's dream home giveaway but maybe I'll be lucky enough to call their smart home mine one day!

"Green" Camp Sites

Blue Sink in Ocala National Forest (Courtesy of Author)

Restroom/Shower Facility (Courtesy of ReserveAmerica)

During my Spring Break I went on a camping and four-wheeling trip with my boyfriend to Big Scrub Campground in Ocala National Forest. Typically, we go to Lake Delancy campground in Ocala but decided to try a new place for a change.

The Big Scrub campground is meant for both tent campers and RV campers. The site offers a few amenities such as picnic tables, actual flushing toilets, and even showers but the reason we went was for the access to the four-wheeling trails and to see Blue Sink. However, getting to my point, as an Urban Planner it is important to think about all types of sites and buildings, including those for recreational activities such as camping and four-wheeling. When I looked inside the restroom/shower facility I realized that the only windows present where the ones on the front facade (as pictured). There are no skylights in the building and the lights inside seemed to be running both day and night....Here's where my, "I'm-camping-but-yet-I'm-still-thinking-about-school-thought," came to me. Why aren't there any solar panels on the building to take advantage of the abundant sunlight and low-lighting needs of this recreational facility?

Cache Creek Solar Roof (Courtesy of Project Green A-Z)

I couldn't find any information about this for any of the campgrounds in Ocala National Forest. However, I did find a few interesting camping sites that incorporate sustainable ideas such as solar panels, natural ventilation, and limited impact to the environment, both plants and animals. No surprise, one of the solar-powered campground sites I found was in California. In the 1980's, the Cache Creek campground in Yolo County was generating all of its electricity needs from generators, costing nearly $15,000 a year to run. And, this wasn't even providing 24/7 electricity. So in 1985, the solar panels were installed and saved taxpayers nearly $13,000 (that number is probably much higher now).

Paperbark Camp (Courtesy of CNN Travel)

I found some other sustainable and glamorous camping ("glamping") sites while researching for more information. The article describes seven sites that are quite breath-taking while at the same time very sustainable. *Hint Hint, Future Vacation Possibilities?* Most of the sites described are in Africa and Australia. Some of the camping locations are even Word-Heritage sites. As mentioned previously, the sites use sustainable practices and technologies such as solar panels, monitoring waste water, providing eco-friendly shampoos/soaps, biodegradable products (Paperbark Camp), grey water treatment facilities, and even worm farms to deal with waste. Prices for these sustainable "glamping" sites starts at around $260 and goes as high as $2,070. So start saving your money now if you want to stay at any of these places.

After finding so many recreational camping places that are incorporating sustainable practices into their sites, I am hopeful that maybe in the near future Ocala will begin to do the same. Maybe I need to drop them a few hints in their suggestion boxes next time I'm there. If any of you know of any sustainable initiatives going on in the camping world, particularly in Florida, I would love to hear about them.

First Net Zero Energy Retail Store

Proposed Walgreens Design (Courtesy of Forbes)

While researching information on net zero energy buildings (NZEBs), I came upon some very recent articles that talked about how Walgreens has plans to build the United States' first net zero energy retail building. The company has already taken steps at other store locations to be more sustainable such as using solar panels at 150 stores and providing electric charging stations at over 400 locations. And a few years ago they began a pilot test for electric fleet delivery vehicles. The company has made a chain-wide commitment to reduce their energy consumption by 20% by the year 2020 as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge.

Walgreens Electric Station (Courtesy of GRD)

 I thought it would be interested to read more about this new project, their second entry into the Better Buildings Challenge, since corner pharmacies such as Walgreens and CVS are very commonplace in communities all across the United States. And hey, if we can make one of them a net zero energy building, than why can't work we work to make the rest of them this way as well?

The new Walgreens building will be located in Evanston, Illinois. The new building is expected to generate approximately 256,000 kWh yearly while only using approximately 200,000 kWh. Power for the building will be generated from over 800 solar roof-mounted panels, two wind turbines, and geothermal wells. In addition, the store will use LED lighting and energy efficient building materials. Walgreens hopes to achieve LEED certification with this building.

Sounds great, right? Well, the only problem I have with this project is that it is going to replace an already built Walgreens on this exact same parcel of land. The articles I read do not give much detail about the existing Walgreens and why it might be being demolished and replaced. I could understand if the existing store was in a completely dilapidated state and there was no chance in saving it but, to demolish an already existing store seems very wasteful of resources and time. Why not just give the existing store a sustainable make-over?  Sure, it will not be net zero but, isn't the first rule of sustainability to "reduce," as in, reduce the amount of resources used? I might feel a little bit better about this project if I knew some of the existing materials such as the bricks will be reused and incorporated into the new net zero building. However, as I mentioned earlier, there really are no details on the existing site or any mention of reuse.

Since the articles on this project have been published, I imagine that CVS and other similar corner pharmacy stores are already in the works to build their own net zero energy buildings so that they can keep up with their competitors. From what I've read on CVS' current sustainability efforts they have implemented LED lighting in stores and have plans to reduce storm water pollution but a lot of the descriptions seems very general on their website.Hopefully, they have a lot more efforts in the works that I just wanted able to find online.

Sustainable Athletics?

Courtesy of Author

As we progress into the month of March I find myself already longing for some good ole' SEC Football (GO GATORS!). Yeah, yeah I know, the Orange and Blue game will be here soon enough but let's face it, it's just not the same as the real thing: tailgating, screaming fans, Pride of the Sunshine, and sustainability? Wait, what?

The University of Florida Gators had their first carbon neutral football game in 2007, following with their first carbon neutral home football season in 2008, and the first carbon neutral athletics program in 2009.UF has partnered with Neutral Gator to generate local offset credits through community development projects in low-income households and natural area restorations for the approximately 2,500 ton carbon footprint of the Gator athletic programs. A carbon offset represents the reduction of 1 metric ton of carbon dioxide or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases. Another way that UF is being sustainable was in the construction and design of the South Endzone of Florida Field which is currently LEED Platinum. Seeing all that UF has done to make their athletic program more sustainable got me to thinking about what other athletic facilities may be doing.

While I hate to even applaud The Ohio State University football program for their sustainability efforts because of Urban Liar, they were able to accomplish a major feat in 2012 when they were able to prevent 87% of the waste created by the football stadium from going into the landfill by recycling and composting efforts, with a season high of 98.2%. They attribute their success to educating the public, marketing efforts, and having people to assist the public in making sure their trash was disposed of responsibly.

Courtesy of Switchboard.nrdc.org

Ever since coming to college I haven't really been interested in NFL football games, but some notable sustainable features in NFL stadiums include: 1,350 solar panels around Metlife Stadium (Jets), 3,000 solar panels around Gilette Stadium (Patriots), and 8,000 solar panels, as well as, electric vehicle charging stations at FedEx Field (Redskins). I'm not a Redskins fan but hey, if I was it might be worth it to get an electric vehicle just for the premium tailgating location!

Wind Turbine (Courtesy of Cleantechnica)

Sustainable efforts in Major League Baseball (MLB) include: helical wind turbines for the Cleveland Indians, a LEED retractable roof for Brewers Miller Park, and diverting 61% of stadium waste by recycling for the Pittsburgh Pirates. When I searched for a picture of the Indian's wind turbine I wasn't expecting such a neat looking structure. When I searched for my favorite baseball team's sustainability efforts (Go Rays!), I found out that the Tampa Bay Rays promote carpooling by offering free parking (I already knew this, hence why I always ride with friends to games when I am home.), have increased recycling efforts by 50%, and use corn-oil based beverage cups and biodegradable beverage cups in concessions. In addition, at their Spring Training facility in Charlotte County, they have an on-site recycling center and a 1,600 square foot educational green roof.

Courtesy of Flickr

It's great to see some of the sustainability efforts that athletic programs across the country are incorporating into their seasons. Hopefully, the years ahead will bring us many more sustainable athletic facilities in our communities. In the mean time just remember, when at the University of Florida, "Put it in the can, Gator Fan."

The Green House Project

Courtesy of FreeFoto

The title of this blog post may be a little misleading at first. The title appears to be precluding to an article about "green" residential homes. However, "The Green House Project" is actually a program designed to foster a more comfortable living environment for our nation's ever increasing elderly population.

According to the Administration of Aging, the number of persons aged 65 or older, within the United States numbered 39.6 million in 2009 and represent almost 13% of the total population. By the year 2030, there will be approximately 72.1 million older persons living in the United States! So what does all this mean in terms of urban planning? It means there will be A LOT of people who need specialized residential facilities. These facilities will either need to be newly constructed or must come from existing structures in our communities. 

Courtesy of Green House Project

The Green House Project (GHP) creates small, residential homes designed with 10-12 bedrooms, each with their own personal bathroom, and common areas such as a living room, kitchen, and outdoor areas. The elderly living in these homes receive the same type of care they would normally get in a traditional assisted-living facility, but in a more personalized environment similar to living at home with their children or grandchildren.Instead of having one large assisted-living facility the homes are situated in a neighborhood-like atmosphere with traditional yards and spacing between the homes. At first glance, these homes look like any other single-family residential facility. In more urban areas, these Green Homes can be built vertically so that each floor is a separate "Green House." There are currently more than 200 homes in 23 states. Within Florida, there are two Green House Project locations under construction in South Jacksonville and Pompano Beach. (I was really surprised there weren't any planned for the Tampa Bay area...because I am from that area and there are a TON of elderly people.)

 

GHP states on their website, "A green environment is one that supports growth through meaningful interactions with life-enhancing natural resources, such as plants, natural light and therapeutic outdoor spaces." This doesn't exactly evoke an image of sustainability but more physical greenness (i.e. connection to the outdoors). Maybe that's the reason for their name. So in any case, bringing all of this back to sustainability, what could be done to make this project more "green?" An immediate idea that came to my mind, was merging this GHP idea with the many homes that are uninhabited or abandoned due to foreclosures. Why not retrofit these existing residential facilities into elderly care facilities? (Forget about all the public outcry this might cause and just focus on the sustainability aspect.) It could spark redevelopment in communities that are in need of some tender loving care and these structures would be built in areas where there is existing infrastructure such as utilities and roads, and more importantly neighbors who could provide the social interaction desired by many elderly persons. Are there other ways that future elderly homes can be built more sustainably? Maybe, GHP could follow the lead of Atria Senior Living who incorporate LEED certifications in many of their projects.

Retiring Nuclear Plant - First Nuclear Plant to Close in Florida

Crystal River Power Plant - Courtesy of TBT

Anyone who is from or lives near Tampa Bay, Florida often thinks of "Three Sisters Springs" or manatees when they hear about the city of Crystal River, which is located in Citrus County. However, a completely different scene is currently taking place there not too far from all the manatees and that is a nuclear power plant.

The Crystal River Power Plant, commonly referred to as CR3, was built in 1977 and is located about just 8 miles north of the river. The pressurized water reactor nuclear plant has a capacity of 860 megawatts of energy and uses uranium dioxide as fuel. In addition, the nuclear complex includes four coal-fired generating units on site.

Red Indicates Crystal River - Courtesy of Wikipedia

The nuclear plant has been shutdown since 2009 when all of its troubles began. During 2009, a planned replacement of steam generators was done in-house by Progress Energy, now Duke Energy, instead of hiring one of the two companies other U.S. utilities used for similar work. The idea was to save money but it ended up costing them big time because during the replace it was discovered that the reactor's 42-inch thick concrete containment building was cracked. Trying to fix the crack only worsened the problem. The idle nuclear power plant has since cost about $300 million a year to buy replacement power.  The energy company has decided it is not worth it to continue to invest in this plant due to its failing infrastructure. The hope is that the site will one day become a new natural gas plant in the future. In addition to being the first nuclear reactor plant to close in Florida, it will be one of the first major ones to close in the entire Southeastern U.S. The closing of CR3 brings about a lot of questions. How long will the decommissioning process take? A similar plant in Wiscassett, Maine took nearly seven years. And, how much is this going to actually cost in the long run? A 2008 report by Duke Energy suggested it would cost nearly $621 million! 

From an urban planning prospective, this looks disastrous. Not only is a nuclear power plant that could have created much needed clean energy for Florida's future being lost but also some 400 out of 600 jobs. Where will this people work after the decommissioning job is complete on the nuclear plant site? And how is this going to impact the energy costs and availability in that area? Lastly, what is going to become of the site if there is not any money in the future to fund the construction of a new, natural gas plant? Will the site end of looking like Chernobyl, a dreary abandoned property that is unsuitable for residences and schools due to its industrial nature? What kind of message does the closing down of a nuclear power plant give to other areas when this is the very thing many people are trying to promote as a source of hope for the future of our energy needs?