Category: Hot Topic

    • Looking at the Future – An inside report on a Florida Office Building fully powered by Solar Energy

      A guest post by Rush Hood, P.E., and Jeffrey J. Basiaga, Jr.   The “IEEE FWCS Industrial Tour Series” sponsored a tour of the Landmarc Construction Net Zero Energy Building in Tampa on March 28, 2013 hosted by Mr. Spencer Kass, Landmarc VP.   He has installed and is operating a practical, utility-connected, photovoltaic generation system. The office…

    • S.E.A. awarded “Green Historic Preservation Award” by DHT for the Abbott Residence renovation & addition in Coconut Grove.

      It is official: S.E.A. was awarded the “Green Historic Preservation Award” by Dade Heritage Trust for the Abbott Residence renovation and addition in Coconut Grove. Congratulations to the owner and the team. Thank you for this great honor! Project Description: The Abbott Residence is wonderful remodel and addition of a 1916 Grove house located in…

    • Water and wastewater (WWW) treatment – a look at the energy used for water in the US

      While water and wastewater (WWW) treatment accounts for a surprising 5% of total U.S. electric power generation, topographically-variable WWW conveyance account for a more surprising 15% of the same total [Pod06; Coh04]. In addition, while wastewater contains energy in dilute form, current goals for recovering such energy represent only 0.02% of the total generation, through…

    • Brick and Earth Ovens – DIY

      Brick ovens provide an exterior option for baking and cooking. The oven originated in Italy, where brick oven pizza is to this day made as it was in the past. Traditionally these ovens were wood-fired, although coal-fired, electrically powered, and gas-fired options are also available. This form of oven is not confined to Italy. It…

    • Outdoor Kitchens – Concept and Planning

      What is an outdoor kitchen? An outdoor kitchen is a way of turning the kitchen and not the dining room or living room into an entertainment space. They can contain a bar, seating, cabinets, a grill, sinks, and even ovens and stovetops. It is a way of showcasing cooking to family and friends, without feeling…

    • A few notes on Sustainable Gardening

      The term sustainable can be defined as “requiring no outside inputs.” A sustainable garden, although needing to be pruned and groomed as to not become a forest, has many benefits over the tradition flower garden. Sustainable gardens require no fertilizer, less watering, are low maintenance and they improve soil quality tremendously. Due to a concern…