Recreation Center in Germany Powers with Solar

 

Steinhude Sea Recreation Facility | AIA Top Ten

On Germany's Bath Island, the Steinhude Sea Recreation Facility supplies all of its power needs. Energy self-sufficiency is achieved with photovoltaic panels, solar hot water collectors, a seed-oil-fueled cogeneration microturbine, daylighting, natural ventilation, passive solar design, building automation, and high-performance materials. These systems provide complete lighting and power needs for the building, as well as enough energy to recharge a fleet of eight photovoltaic-powered rental boats, with excess electricity to sell back to the utility grid. This recreation center also employs graywater reuse and rainwater harvest systems that supply public and staff toilets. http://www.solaripedia.com/13/319/Steinhude+Rents+Solar-Powered+Boats.html

LEED versus Passive House Standards Commentary

Check out the commentary by Jacob Gordon. He reviews LEED versus Passive House standards on The Good 100 blog. Titled "Follow or Get out of the Way: The household name in green construction needs to innovate in order to keep up with the competition." Imagine if teachers gave out grades on the first day of school based on students’ promises of how hard they each plan to study. Oddly, we use this backward system to grade green buildings in the United States.