Green Central Blog

by Keysha Stark

Currently in testing, the company’s smart-grid enabled appliances will communicate between the utility and the homeowner to ensure appliances are operating at the optimum time of day, lessening the load on the power grid and saving the homeowner money.  For example, the refrigerator will hold the high-energy defrost cycle until off-peak hours; the water heater will operate in its most efficient mode during high demand periods; and appliances will shift to power saving modes until rates are lower.  Accompanying this launch will be the introduction of a Home Energy Manager which will monitor energy use throughout the home.  The 7 inch touchscreen display provides a graphical interface to view real-time and long-term energy consumption, as well as water consumption, solar energy, weather forecasts, and more.

by Steve Moddemeyer

I am attending Stockholm Water Week which is a venerable water event each year. This is my first year to attend.  There is some very sophisticated thinking being presented on adaptation to climate change.  Most memorable so far was a presentation by Paul Kabat.  He talked about the idea that  designers design buildings and infrastructure to operate within certain parameters of performance .  (more…)