Google will soon launch free software that allows consumers to track their energy use at home and improve efficiency, according to the Independent of London.
The company is currently in talks with energy utilities worldwide. The program, which will be open-source, is expected to show energy consumption in real time on consumers' computers or mobile phones.
Here's a simple and effective idea, courtesy of TreeHugger. Toronto based green retrofit specialists Greening Homes put signs like this in the front garden of houses the company is renovating. As well as providing free advertising for the firm, the sign lets everyone passing by know what kind of work is being done, and encourages neighbours to consider green refurb too.
European countries could transform their electricity supplies within a decade by investing in a giant network of solar panels in the Sahara desert, an expert told a global warming conference in Copenhagen today.
While it is one of the most ecological building materials around, rammed earth - a mixture of earth, sand, gravel and clay - is usually associated with buildings with an earthy, less-than-modern aesthetic. A new house in Vorarlberg, Austria, could change that.
According to Building.co.uk, the three leading international tools for assessing the environmental impact of buildings will soon be combined to create a common international standard.
The best examples of sustainable planning and building in Northern Ireland were honoured in a joint awards ceremony held last month by the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The RTPI described the winning projects as follows:
