Posts tagged washington
America’s Next Eco-Star: Who Will Take Home the Ultimate Prize?
SmartPower selected the top five nominees who are now awaiting the final results from the judging panel of energy experts, including representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy. The winner will be announced on Friday, March 16.
The remaining five competing for the title include (clockwise from the top left) Katie Romanov of Middlebury College, Chris Castro of the University of Central Florida, Brett Edwards, a student at the California Polytechnic State University known as the eco-conscious rapper “Mr. Eco,” Casey Fangmann of Iowa State University, and Elliott Beenk of the University of Iowa.
SmartPower would be proud to have any one of the five young energy leaders come to Washington, D.C., for a summer fellowship — just one of many awards America’s Next Eco-Star will receive. As a summer fellow at SmartPower, America’s Next Eco-Star will gain first-hand marketing experience and help SmartPower design and implement future youth energy efficiency campaigns.
Each of the five has shown an extraordinary commitment to sustainability, exemplary in their campaigning efforts for America’s Next Eco-Star. Elliot Beenk and Casey Fangmann, both from Iowa, led an aggressive media approach, resulting in their featured article in The Gazette. Eco-rapper Brett Edwards was featured on a local TV news station for his environmental music videos that parody popular rap songs.
Follow America’s Next Eco-Star on Facebook and Twitter for more information about the top five and to get all the latest updates, including the final announcement on Friday!
Are you ready for some solar?
Above: “Solar Man” stands outside of FedEx Field in Landover, Md.
Football is back and D.C. is abuzz with the Redskins’ first 2-0 start in what feels like a century. But there’s something else making waves: the team’s recent decision to install solar power at FedEx Field.
The Philadelphia Eagles, arguably the most sustainably conscious team in America, have also aggressively pursued clean energy sources to power their stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, and offset some of the enormous costs that go into powering game day.
This visible presence of solar power and other alternative sources of energy in prominent public venues not only generates conversation about the benefits of adopting alternative energy, but it also inspires personal sustainability efforts.
Recent progress within the sports community, most notably from the Green Sports Alliance through their work with Seattle and Portland’s professional franchises, demonstrates the power of professional athletics in their unified ability to harness attention and awareness to critical issues facing sports teams and the cities they inhabit.
Though the Redskins and Eagles are NFC East foes and are already in hot pursuit of the division title, it’s reassuring for us non-athletes to know that they have found some common ground in pursuing solar power.
American University installs D.C.’s largest solar array
American University is putting the finishing touches on what will be Washington, D.C.’s largest solar array (above).
We hear that the mix of photovoltaic and solar thermal will provide enough energy to power the Tavern, a popular meeting spot in the Mary Graydon Center, the on-campus student union building. The completed array will have 2,150 PV panels and 174 solar thermal panels over six buildings.
Nice job, AU!
D.C. area’s first net-zero home sells for $1.8 million
How much would you pay for a house that produces more energy than it uses? (That means no electricity bills, ever, by the way.) Try $1.8 million. Even in this housing market, it looks like green is a good investment.
A new home in the Washington, D.C., area (Glen Echo, Md., to be exact) has earned “net zero distinction, thanks to sustainable design and a host of built-in renewable energy features. (The kitchen is pictured above, via Urban Turf.)
Designed by architect Marcie Meditch, the house has four bedrooms and tops out at 3,500 square feet. It may be the first home in its area to receive Platinum LEED certification, the highest rating for environmental standards under the U.S. Green Building Council:
From the original choice of a pie-shaped lot that allows for passive site orientation to intelligently harness solar power, to the geothermal heating system and designer low-flow toilets, every aspect of the property is in keeping with the architect’s original vision.
Would you plunk down $1.8 million for a net zero house? Let us know in the comments.
