The term “microgrid” has been a part of broader smart grid conversations for several years, but definitions have varied. Campus-sized projects have brought these electrical-systems-in-miniature to universities and military installations, but some smart grid advocates argue developers are thinking just a bit too small. Think urban scale, they say. Two prototype projects now underway are [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Feature writing'
Fukushima: Re-Energizing Nuclear-Safety Concerns
May 22nd, 2011 · Comments Off · Feature writing, Writing
As the aftermath of Japan’s March 11 earthquake and tsunami unfolded, many became mesmerized by photos and videos of desperate workers struggling against time to keep the disastrous situation at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant from becoming even worse. Clad in protective gear, they wrestled with fire hoses and power cables in an effort [...]
Tags: Energy technology
What It’s Like To Live on Cape Cod
March 3rd, 2011 · Comments Off · Feature writing, Writing
In many parts of the country, Cape Cod is synonymous with summer. The area has everything needed for a warm-weather playground, from gorgeous beaches, pond-filled parks and miles of well-maintained bike trails to dining options ranging from five-star fancy to fried-clam casual. But for those who’ve made this arm-shaped peninsula their year-round home, real living [...]
Tags: home design
Solar Commons
February 20th, 2011 · Comments Off · Feature writing, Writing
Individual rooftop solar panels have become a more familiar sight over the past several years. But not everyone has the correct south-facing rooftop, and renters are out of the market entirely. Now, a new model of community-based solar ownership is beginning to bring solar’s energy-bill savings to a broader audience. Developers are incorporating a range [...]
Tags: Alternative/green energy
To Infinity and Beyond
February 20th, 2011 · Comments Off · Feature writing, Writing
In some ways, it seems as though nuclear power plants are the Energizer Bunny of electric-generating technology—they just keep going. Constructed between 1969 and 1996, the nation’s 104 nuclear reactors were licensed initially for 40 years of operation. Almost 60 of these plants already have been granted operating licenses for an additional 20 years, and [...]
Not So Simple Barriers
February 13th, 2011 · Comments Off · Feature writing, Writing
Ask a child to draw a building and you’ll likely get a geometry lesson in return. A rectangle topped with a triangular roof and covered in little squares representing windows. The walls? Well, simple lines will probably represent them, and, honestly, that’s how most of us have viewed them. However, today’s architects ignore the complexities [...]
Tags: Building technology
Seaside Hunting Lodge
January 20th, 2011 · Comments Off · Feature writing, Writing
Looking only at the square footage and lot-size figures for this Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif., residence, you might think it was to be built in a tract development or an urban-infill lot. After all, an 1,800-sq.-ft. home on a 40-ft.-by-100-ft. lot hardly seems likely to carry a seven-figure price tag. But this community’s spectacular setting and ordinances [...]
A Shady Situation
December 20th, 2010 · Comments Off · Feature writing, Writing
Natural daylight comes with a price: solar heat gain. Shading systems can help ease cooling-system loads, while still allowing occupants access to sunlight. This story originally ran in the December 2010 issue of Architectural Products Magazine. (Click the “enlarge” link under the displayed page to see a larger version.) A Shady Situation
Charging Forward
November 20th, 2010 · Comments Off · Feature writing, Writing
Not so long ago, electric vehicles (EVs) were seen as just another environmental pipe dream, posing seemingly insurmountable cost and technology hurdles. That opinion is changing now, though, with Chevrolet and Nissan vehicles hitting showroom floors and quickly being driven out, assuming preorder interest holds up. Today, the rush is on to provide new EV [...]
Tags: Alternative/green energy·Building technology·Electric vehicles
Second Home, First Class
October 23rd, 2010 · Comments Off · Feature writing, Writing
When the owners of this new South Carolina lakefront home were first confronted with what 10,000 sq. ft. can look like laid out on paper, they were taken aback at the potential scale of their future residence. The family-focused second home they’d been dreaming about looked more like a grand château. In the end, Mix [...]