Sacramento reduces greenhouse gas emissions, ranks 12th in 100 largest metro areas
0 Comments Published by Rob McQuade on Sunday, June 1, 2008.
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Sacramento ranks 12th best in nation by Brookings Institution
In its recently released analysis, "Shrinking the Carbon Footprint of Metropolitan America", the Brookings Institution found that the Sacramento metro area decreased its per capita carbon footprint from residential and transportation uses by about 9% between 2000 and 2005, compared with a 1.1% increase across the 100 largest U.S. metro areas and 2.2% across the nation as a whole.
Newer housing options and increased demand for energy efficient or "green" features in homes (reflected in new urban developments such as 9 on F and the SoCap Lofts in Downtown Sacramento) have helped push Sacramento toward the top of the list.
The Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization.
Looking to reduce your carbon footprint? Some quick and easy ways to do that include using alternative transportation (bus, light rail, and bicycle), living closer to where you work and play, and choosing a home that reduces your impact on the environment. Consider urban living, explore Downtown and Midtown Sacramento.
In its recently released analysis, "Shrinking the Carbon Footprint of Metropolitan America", the Brookings Institution found that the Sacramento metro area decreased its per capita carbon footprint from residential and transportation uses by about 9% between 2000 and 2005, compared with a 1.1% increase across the 100 largest U.S. metro areas and 2.2% across the nation as a whole.
Newer housing options and increased demand for energy efficient or "green" features in homes (reflected in new urban developments such as 9 on F and the SoCap Lofts in Downtown Sacramento) have helped push Sacramento toward the top of the list.
The Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization.
Looking to reduce your carbon footprint? Some quick and easy ways to do that include using alternative transportation (bus, light rail, and bicycle), living closer to where you work and play, and choosing a home that reduces your impact on the environment. Consider urban living, explore Downtown and Midtown Sacramento.
Labels: 9 on F, Downtown Sacramento, global warming, green homes, green technology, Midtown, real estate, sustainability
Fun stuff: Sac Green Home Expo and a friendly mention
0 Comments Published by Rob McQuade on Monday, May 5, 2008.
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Green Home Expo opens in Sacramento May 8th
Okay, so maybe you don't think of the North State Building Industry Association as a bunch of party people (and you obviously don't know them very well if that's the case), but they know how to put on a good (trade) show. This Thursday, May 8th, is the Green Home Expo at the Sacramento Convention Center. It's an all-day event with free trade show admission, and you can expect to see some of the latest green home tech. If you're thinking about starting a remodel or you just want to know more about the latest energy efficient, eco-friendly products for the home then check out the expo (and there are some really cool workshops being offered for a very reasonable price). You can find out more by clicking on the banner below.
PS - The convention center is an awfully big place to heat and cool. Maybe they'll open the windows. ;-) PPS - While you'll find a lot of groovy home products at the expo, you probably won't find an actual home. If you're looking for an eco-friendly home in the Sacramento area, please get in touch with me!
Being a Green Nugget
Oh, and while I'm not in it for the glory, it's always nice to get a friendly mention from people who always have their "green" thinking caps on (made from organic cotton, of course)—and Levi Benkert and the awesome eco-urbanists at LJUrban are among the greenthinkiest (consider the term officially coined) people I know of locally. What's not to love about people whose aspirations are to dream big, live small, and do good?
Okay, so maybe you don't think of the North State Building Industry Association as a bunch of party people (and you obviously don't know them very well if that's the case), but they know how to put on a good (trade) show. This Thursday, May 8th, is the Green Home Expo at the Sacramento Convention Center. It's an all-day event with free trade show admission, and you can expect to see some of the latest green home tech. If you're thinking about starting a remodel or you just want to know more about the latest energy efficient, eco-friendly products for the home then check out the expo (and there are some really cool workshops being offered for a very reasonable price). You can find out more by clicking on the banner below.
PS - The convention center is an awfully big place to heat and cool. Maybe they'll open the windows. ;-) PPS - While you'll find a lot of groovy home products at the expo, you probably won't find an actual home. If you're looking for an eco-friendly home in the Sacramento area, please get in touch with me!Being a Green Nugget
Oh, and while I'm not in it for the glory, it's always nice to get a friendly mention from people who always have their "green" thinking caps on (made from organic cotton, of course)—and Levi Benkert and the awesome eco-urbanists at LJUrban are among the greenthinkiest (consider the term officially coined) people I know of locally. What's not to love about people whose aspirations are to dream big, live small, and do good?
Labels: Downtown Sacramento, events, green building products, green homes, LJUrban, sustainability, technology
Green on F
0 Comments Published by Rob McQuade on Sunday, March 23, 2008.
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Nine on F: The Greenest Homes in Sacramento.
It was late summer 2007 when I first heard about a big "green" residential project that was being built downtown in the Alkali Flats neighborhood. I was a bit cautious at first because so many businesses had begun jumping on the "green" bandwagon and were touting any energy efficient, environmentally friendly features they could attach to their product or service.
In November I finally took some time to preview 9 on F Citywalk. What struck me when I walked through the traditional units that fronted F Street was two things: First, I didn't feel like I was walking through a "green" home. The countertops weren't made of recycled beer bottles and there wasn't anything touting blue jean insulation. Second, this was beautiful design—like something out of Dwell Magazine. Better than I'd seen in Sacramento on a smaller scale project like this one.
Sure, other projects lately have been touting their green features. Regis Homes, developer of the SoCap Lofts at the southern end of Downtown, had incorporated solar—but this seemed to me to be a bit of an afterthought.
9 on F developer Jeremy Drucker really started the project with a green end in mind, which is why the nine three-story units are all have LEED for Homes certifications and are rated LEED Silver or Gold—a notable achievement for a Sacramento project being completed in what anyone would say is a challenging real estate market. Drucker, a bay area resident, has gone a step further than most developers and has reached out to the community. I know his goal is to sell a product, but he's managed to build a tremendous amount of media attention and awareness for what I hope will continue to be a mainstream move to green by promoting the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS), SMUD's SolarSmart program, and even connecting with the City of Sacramento at a time when Mayor Heather Fargo and other key officials have been pushing to make Sacramento the greenest city in the nation.
I appreciate Jeremy Drucker's efforts. I also appreciate the great design his project has brought to Alkali Flats and the entire Downtown area. The homes at 9 on F join beautiful design, infill development, and earth-friendly features, which include: dual-zone geothermal heating and cooling, solar, tankless hot water heaters (no "tankless job" puns, I promise), environmentally friendly wood products, FSC-certified responsibly managed wood flooring, and low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) interior paints.
For more information about 9 on F or to purchase one of the nine beautiful, traditionally-inspired or urban loft-styled units, visit ForSaleinDowntown.com.
It was late summer 2007 when I first heard about a big "green" residential project that was being built downtown in the Alkali Flats neighborhood. I was a bit cautious at first because so many businesses had begun jumping on the "green" bandwagon and were touting any energy efficient, environmentally friendly features they could attach to their product or service.
In November I finally took some time to preview 9 on F Citywalk. What struck me when I walked through the traditional units that fronted F Street was two things: First, I didn't feel like I was walking through a "green" home. The countertops weren't made of recycled beer bottles and there wasn't anything touting blue jean insulation. Second, this was beautiful design—like something out of Dwell Magazine. Better than I'd seen in Sacramento on a smaller scale project like this one.
Sure, other projects lately have been touting their green features. Regis Homes, developer of the SoCap Lofts at the southern end of Downtown, had incorporated solar—but this seemed to me to be a bit of an afterthought.
9 on F developer Jeremy Drucker really started the project with a green end in mind, which is why the nine three-story units are all have LEED for Homes certifications and are rated LEED Silver or Gold—a notable achievement for a Sacramento project being completed in what anyone would say is a challenging real estate market. Drucker, a bay area resident, has gone a step further than most developers and has reached out to the community. I know his goal is to sell a product, but he's managed to build a tremendous amount of media attention and awareness for what I hope will continue to be a mainstream move to green by promoting the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS), SMUD's SolarSmart program, and even connecting with the City of Sacramento at a time when Mayor Heather Fargo and other key officials have been pushing to make Sacramento the greenest city in the nation.
I appreciate Jeremy Drucker's efforts. I also appreciate the great design his project has brought to Alkali Flats and the entire Downtown area. The homes at 9 on F join beautiful design, infill development, and earth-friendly features, which include: dual-zone geothermal heating and cooling, solar, tankless hot water heaters (no "tankless job" puns, I promise), environmentally friendly wood products, FSC-certified responsibly managed wood flooring, and low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) interior paints.
For more information about 9 on F or to purchase one of the nine beautiful, traditionally-inspired or urban loft-styled units, visit ForSaleinDowntown.com.
Labels: 9 on F, Alkali Flats, developments, Downtown Sacramento, green homes, green lofts, Jeremy Drucker, real estate, solar
April 20th: Sacramento Earth Day 2008
0 Comments Published by Rob McQuade on Thursday, March 20, 2008.
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Sacramento once again thinks globally and acts locally at the 2008 Earth Day celebration, being held this year at Southside Park at 8th & W downtown. The event is being held on Sunday, April 20th, from 11am to 6pm and will be the focus of weeks of "green" events before and after (including World Earth Day on Tuesday the 22nd).
Leading up to the event are several walking tours emphasizing green and not-so-green elements of our Sacramento neighborhoods. For more information, visit the Sacramento Earth Day website at http://www.sacramentoearthday.net/ or the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) website at http://www.ecosacramento.net/
And get involved!
Leading up to the event are several walking tours emphasizing green and not-so-green elements of our Sacramento neighborhoods. For more information, visit the Sacramento Earth Day website at http://www.sacramentoearthday.net/ or the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) website at http://www.ecosacramento.net/
And get involved!
Labels: Downtown Sacramento, Earth Day, ECOS, events, Southside Park
