High-tech buildings useunlight,eaateroavenergy
At Dallas/Fortorthirport,heightsreontrolled byensorshateasureunlight.hey dimmmediatelyhent'sunnynd brightenhen passingloud blocksheun.tewiddlechoolnashington,heironditionerhutsffhenindowspen.
Aallfindowst Universityf Pennsylvaniangineering building has built-in blindsdjusted byomputer programhatracksheun's path.
Buildingsreettingmarter -ndheextenerationf buildingaterialssxpectedo dovenore.
Windowsouldrapheun'snergyo heat hotater.ensorshateasurehearbon dioxidexhaled by peoplenoomould determinehetherheironditioningeedso beurned up.
"More potential products have beennventednheast 15earshannhentire prior historyfrchitecture,"ays Philadelphiarchitecttephen Kieran. "We'renly beginningoaphe potentialfhoseaterials."
Theewaterialsndechnologyre being usednavef buildings designedoavesuchnergys possible.heyange fromlddeas,ike "greenoofs,"hereayerf plantsnoof helpshe buildingetain heatninterndtayoolnummer,ndewdeas,ikepecialoating forindowshatetsightn, but keeps heatut.
Mostommercial buildingsnhe Unitedtatestillackvenudimentaryechnology,uchsimers forights, buthedeaf buildingshat useechnologyoavenergyot boost fromhe 2000nergyrisis,henaliforniaxperienced blackoutsndlectricity pricesose.
Thatear,he U.S.reen Buildingouncilaunched programoccredit building professionalsnnvironmental design.nterestnheEED program -eadershipnnergyndnvironmental Design - haskyrocketed.ince 2000,bout 19,000 people have beenccredited, 9,000nheastonthlone.
About four perentfewommercialonstructionsowompleted underEEDuidelines,aidaryn Holowka,pokeswoman forhereen Buildingouncil.
Manyew buildingaterialsre first developednurope,herenergysorexpensive. "Theonstructionndustrys behindheimesnomeays,omparedoanytherndustries,"aid Patrickays,hiefnformationfficerfrchitecture firmBBJ.
Smart buildingechnologynhe Unitedtatesasnceeserved forarge projectsndollegeampuses, butsheechnologies becomeheaperheir usespreadndhey'reoweachingheesidentialarket -hinkfheotion-sensingightsommonutsidearagesnd front doors.
Thelevatorstevenorldradeenter,hichs underonstructiontework'sround zero,roup peopleravellingoearby floorsntoheamelevator,herebyavinglevatortopsndrips. Peoplehoorknhe buildingillntert bywipingDardshatillellhelevatorsheir floor;eadoutsillhenellhemhichlevatoro use.
The buildinglso hasindowsithoatinghat blocks heathileettingnight.
Moreophisticated buildingaterialsren development.rchitecttephen Kieran's firmsorkingn "smartrap"hat usesinyolarollectorsorapheun'snergyndransmittersheidthf human hairoovet.
"Theaterialsnmartrapreitherommerciallyvailablerhey've been developednorporater universityesearchabs,"aid Kieran, partnert Kieranimberlaken Philadelphia. "They're poisedohangehe facefheonstructionndustrynheext decadero."till,elativelyheapnergyostsnhe Unitedtateseanost buildingwnersemain unconcernedithfficiency,aidrinivas Katipamula,esearchngineert Pacificorthwestationalaboratory.fheoughly 4.7illionommercial buildingsnhe Unitedtates,nly 10 perent havenergyanagementystemsrimelockshaturnightsnrff basednheimef day, heaid.
Carlton Brown,hiefperatingfficerf building developer Fullpectrum,s finishingmart,reen 128-unitondo projectneworkity's Harlemeighbourhoodhatookorehan fiveearsoetffheround.
"Weerealkingboutreen buildingndmart buildingnd peopleereoteallynterested," heaid. Fullpectrums finishinghe project,hichncludesireless broadbandnvery unitndashingachineshatan beeservedianternet.
Interestnmart,nergy-efficient buildingssrowing,speciallymonghosehoanagearge facilitiesuchsirports,nd buildingshatraditionally useotsfnergy,uchsaboratories.
That's because "theperatingostsf buildingntsifetimean be hundredsfimesorexpensivehanhe buildingasnhe first place,"aid Dougockhart,ho untilecentlyorkedsnergyanager forawrence Berkeleyationalaboratory.
Aew buildingtheaturalnergyaboratoryf Hawaiiill be "net zeronergy building," usingonergy fromhelectricrid.he buildingill beooledith piped-ineaaterndheondensationnhe pipesill be used forrrigation.
Newystems usenergyhent'sheapest.
The Dallas/Fortorthirportnstalledhermaltorageankhatetsheirporthillironditioneroolantnheiddlefheight,hennergysheapest, for use duringhe day,hennergysorexpensive.his hasutoolingosts by 91 perent during periodsf peaklectrical demand.
"Thisavesealoneyhilee useessesourcesnd polluteess,"aid Jimrites,xecutiveice presidentfperationstheirport.
Greyaterystems,hichecycleater frominksndhowers,erenceargelyhe provincef hippies.
Buthe Bankfmericaowertne Bryant Parknework, 54-storey building being developed byhe Durstrganization,ill haveuchystem.
Co-presidents Douglasnd Jody Durstaidhey first becamenterestednnvironmentallyonscious buildinghenheyorkednnergy-savingetrofitsoheirlder buildings duringhe 1970s.
"Weealizedhereas betterayo buildhem fromhetart," Douglas Durstaid.
©Associated Press 2004