Inspiration can be found anywhere: a poetry verse, a pithy comment a friend says, on the radio driving in our car, or an inanimate object as we just walk down the street. Well, a walk down the streets of Columbia City is where I found this week’s Moment of Inspiration. The small, funky and eclectic enclave of Seattle, Columbia City is not immune to the building craze that has dominated the local landscape. But it’s here that we find Pax Futura, the first Passive House apartment building in the state of Washington. Passive House building is all the rage right now. And no, it’s not a dig at the famed passive aggressive culture in Seattle, or the Seattle Freeze as it’s known, but an innovative standard for building energy efficiency.
Read More
Moment of Inspiration - [Solarize Northwest.]
This month's Moment of Inspiration comes from a workshop I recently attended on July 18th for Solarize Mercer Island, a local group part of the Spark Northwest organization. The city of Mercer Island is clearly passionate about becoming energy efficient as a city, as through this program they are making it easier for individuals to access more affordable options for making their own homes efficient.
Solarize Mercer Island is a "community-driven, neighborhood purchase campaign" sponsored by the city of Mercer Island. This city initiative includes a partnership with Sphere Solar Energy (the solar panel installer) and Spark Northwest, and the city was determined to use local vendors and support the local economy through this partnership. Once the city went through a vendor selection process and chose Sphere, they held a few workshops and so far have 7 - 8 homes contracted on Mercer Island. The goal is to have 30 houses signed up on Mercer Island.
Read More