Tips
Remote Control Shades & Blinds
Pella has introduced their new SmartSync technology that allows remote control access to raise and lower blinds. This works with the integrated blinds and shades in Pella’s Designer Series of windows and doors.
Not only does this let you adjust the shades without getting out of your chair, but it can be tied into your home or business automation system through web-enabled devices like computers and smart phones.
This is the first step to using your window shades to help control your environment. For example, the west facing windows shades you opened in the morning to let light in might soon detect the movement of the sun and automatically close to reflect that excess heat in the summer or vice versa, open when the sun hits them in the winter to pick up that passive heat. (Pretty cool even if it doesn’t qualify as Green That Saves Green.) Likewise for security, if you normally close the blinds when you’re gone to keep out prying eyes, you’ll be able to check them and close them from your smartphone or work computer. No more wondering if you remembered to close them before you left.
3D Printing for Construction
Image borrowed from coopernundrums.com
It looks like some more Star Trek tech is coming to life. Remember the replicators? Apparently it could replicate anything, but Captain Picard was constantly wasting it in, “Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.” It was mainly shown synthesizing food, though occasionally Geordi used it to replace a part.
Now 3D printers have come to life and according to a recent article in ENR, we’ll soon be seeing 3D printers set up on sites creating structures, layer by layer… This may lead to some design changes. 3D printers prefer curves.
Image borrowed from enr.construction.com
The interesting tie here is that NASA is considering using them on the Moon and Mars. The plan is to use them to build landing bases out of materials gathered from the surface. I think we should let NASA figure it out first, but the time is coming when you’ll call the construction company to come and “print” your new building.
Heated Granite Countertops
Image borrowed from FeelsWarm
Granite countertops remain one of the coveted kitchen upgrades. Unfortunately, along with the beautiful colors of natural stone comes the perception of cold. The mass of the stone acts as a heat sink so even when the stone is at room temperature, it feels cold to the touch. With our new emphasis on energy conservation, more and more people are using setback thermostats. While the new high efficiency forced air furnaces bring the air temperature up fairly quickly, the thermal mass of the stone is affected much more slowly.
This has been a problem for years with tile floors and it has been addressed by installing electric or hydronic heating elements in the grout beneath the tile. If you haven’t experienced this, you’ve missed out. Stepping onto a cold bathroom floor in the morning can be a bit shocking. Stepping onto a warm tile floor is wonderful. If your feet are warm, the rest of you feels warm.
FeelsWarm undercounter installation
Telkonet Thermostat
Telkonet Thermostat Image borrowed from www.eregrinegroup.com
Check out the Telkonet thermostat. I’ve previously written about the Nest thermostat and the Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostat. Telkonet claims to take it another step further. Not only is their thermostat programmable, accessible from the Internet and “smart”, but it can calculate roof comfort by aggregating data like time-of-day, solar load, brightness, humidity and occupancy patterns. It’s Ecoinsight feature determines when a space is occupied or vacant and reverts to preset temperature limits. Check it out at their site here.
The Ecoinsight thermostat is more for commercial applications than the other two. While it has Internet connectivity, it may require special networking in order to access it. This is more efficient where you have multiple installations.
Double Duty Light Fixture
Arcalux HRMS
Image borrowed from American Green Technology website
American Green Technology has a light fixture that does double duty as an air purifier. From their website:
“Hospital-borne infections are a leading concern for medical professionals and patients. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5 to 10 percent of all patients contract at least one hospital-acquired infection during their stay in an acute-care hospital. There are indications that the future of surgery as we know it may be affected because of uncertainties and fears of post-operative infections. The CDC estimates that 1.7 million hospital-associated infections (HAI’s), from all types of bacteria combined, cause or contribute to 99,000 deaths each year and is now the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, greater than Breast Cancer, Aids and Automobile Accidents combined.”
Isn’t that depressing! That makes me feel good about my next hospital visit!
