Ray Anderson, self-proclaimed radical industrialist and forward thinker in the realm of sustainability, delivered a keynote speech to attendees at West Coast Green in San Francisco.
PG&E Reveals Electric Car Future at West Coast Green
At West Coast Green, PG&E featured the all-electric Mitsubishi i-MiEV, a vehicle that could premiere in the United States as early as next year. Since West Coast Green is an expo focused specifically on the built environment, Eco Factory turned to PG&E Spokesman Kory Raftery to get a glimpse of the potential future of Northern California's roadways and how utilities and the smart grid system could be crucial for zero-carbon vehicles. Below is the question and answer format produced by our interview with Kory Raftery.
Dewpointe Creates Pure Drinking Water from Ambient Moisture
A recurring theme at West Coast Green 2009 is responsible water management. Atmospheric Water Solutions (AWS) saw this as a perfect opportunity to showcase their Dewpointe system, which can draw 8 gallons of 99.99% pure water from the ambient air each day. AWS claims that today's energy prices allow you to harvest water for about 60 cents per gallon, which is a considerable savings when compared to the $2 per gallon you'd pay for bottled water and office cooler refills.
Knoend Brings IDEA Award-Winning Furniture to West Coast Green
When Ivy Chuang founded her design studio, Knoend, in 2006, the world knew very little about this world-traveling computer science undergrad turned designer. Today, Ivy's studio has received awards from home and houseware design conventions around the world for her focus on blending sustainability with crafty ideas and the clever reuse of what Americans typically think of as "waste." Featured on West Coast Green's innovation pipeline, Knoend proved that high design and reclaimed materials can go hand-in-hand.
SRS Energy Highlights Advances in Solar Roof Tiles at West Coast Green
SRS Energy, a manufacturer that specializes in integrated solar roofing products, displayed the Solé Power Tile at West Coast Green. Produced in cooperation with US Tile, the thin-film solar material is bonded to a curved form that both conforms to a traditional clay tile roof and allows a cooling air current to pass underneath.
Green Ray Technology brings New LED Advances to West Coast Green
Santa Rosa based Green Ray Technology brought their innovative LED products to West Coast Green. Their full-spectrum LED lights are more energy efficient than fluorescent bulbs and produce light that is typically closer to the color of sunlight and does not contain any harmful chemicals. Green Ray states that electricity bills will drop sharply — as much as 50% — and are covered by federal tax incentives and rebate programs offered by some utility companies.
Sustainable Spaces Advocates Home Performance at West Coast Green
Sustainable Spaces, founded by green thought leader Matt Golden, brought the high-tech tools of home performance to the floor of West Coast Green. Using equipment like a Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera, the crew at Sustainable Spaces explained some of the energy savings and health benefits to be had from performing these specialty renovations. One of the most talked about renovations involves sealing leaky air ducts, which Sustainable Spaces claims leaks about 30% of the air pushed through it.
West Coast Green featured a special section called the "innovation pipeline," which displayed some of the freshest ideas in the green building industry. Each of the companies featured here are special because they haven't made it yet. These businesses have taken an idea or a product to the prototype stage, and now need a manufacturer or investor to bring their designs to market.
Ecology Center of San Francisco Teaches Natural Building at West Coast Green
The Ecology Center of San Francisco (ECOSF), a non-profit dedicated to teaching forgotten ecology skills to San Franciscans, featured a natural building workshop just outside of West Coast Green that taught attendees how to build using ultra-traditional materials like cob, rammed earth, and adobe. The workshop leader joked that dirt in California rarely stands still (a minor earthquake actually occurred the night before), yet adobe villages built in California prior to its admission to the United States nearly 160 years ago are still standing today.
The bright minds in Silicon Valley are quickly learning that when commuting, the smartest choice may be to take the bus. Bauer's Wi-Drive, which is pronounced "why drive?", is a luxury commuter fleet complete with leatherette chairs, catered breakfasts, internet access, and numerous LCD screens for your commuting pleasure. Bauer's claims that fully 96% of all miles traveled by their vehicles are green miles, owing to the use of hybrid technology, high-tech bio-diesel, and compressed natural gas(CNG).
