There have been several initiatives in recent years developing this concept of digital barn-raising. A homebuilder out of London called Facit is at the leading edge of this bespoke approach. They’ve fabricated a handful of houses that have partnered computer renderings with CNC milling machines. This home, pictured below, is one such completed project.

The process for home printing is quite simple really… the design team puts together their details in a CAD file and tests the build sequence using a 3D computer model. Once finalized, a series of digitally manufactured components are either be built in a factory or on a project’s site… these components are generally made from standard 4′ x 8′ sheets of plywood and are configured with a unique number defining a specific location and type. Once cut by a CNC milling machine, the components are then handled by laborers (no cranes or heavy machinery) and assembled very quickly. In a matter of days a small team can fully piece together an entire home… voila!

A Danish design and planning firm, 1:1 Arkitektur, recently constructed a digitally fabricated house of their own some 60 kilometers north of Copenhagen. For a brief profile of the project, check out this video here from Reuters…

Pretty amazing, eh?

I know what you’re thinking though… this is good stuff, but this technology most certainly relies on an expensive, architecturally-driven process that only a select few will be able to access… what about the 99%? : ) Well, in the name of keeping architectural innovation on par with social innovation, the design team of 00:/ have created an open source design and construction kit called WikiHouse. This series of drawings and plans are open and free for anyone and everyone via a Creative Commons license. Yes, it’s true, there is a god and she loves good design for all!

It will be fascinating to see if and when this WikiHouse catches on… I’m guessing there will be plenty of takers out there considering that homes are ridiculously expensive to build, and this one looks to cut construction costs significantly through both faster production and minimized labor.

And home printing cuts more than just costs… this digital approach to building can cut some serious environmental impacts as well. Homebuilding is a massively resource and energy intensive process. Home printing can lessen both of these aspects through simplification of material procurement and localized construction. It also drastically minimizes waste, which is not a small thing as some home builds send as much as 30% of construction materials straight to the landfills… lame!

So all in all, a pretty flippin’ exciting concept, eh? What’cha think, does this concept have what it takes to match Jonannes Gutenberg’s 15th century press?

-j

GoodGuide is the MVP of the eco-apps.  It is bar none one of the coolest tools a savvy metro hipsta can have in their arsenal… Basically, GoodGuide is a database of over 50,000 products that have been tested to Health, Environmental, and Social standards.  All these products have scores in each of the three categories on a scale of 1 to 10.  A great resource in and of itself, but iPhone users recently got the hookup because the cameras on the phones can be used to scan products on site, instantly giving shoppers a score!  This technology has the potential to be a game changer, leveling the playing field by taking biz away from companies that cut corners and giving it to ones that are sustainably managed…. FREE

FindGreen is like Yelp with a green twist.  Access eco-friendly businesses quickly and easily with this app.  The LBS-enabled service finds everything from yoga centers to bicycle shops to organic restaurants near you. It has a database of 56,000+ green businesses, perfect for exploring a new city or uncovering a hidden eco-gem in your own community.  Organize your search by walking, biking or driving distances… I find myself in a new city almost on a monthly basis… FindGreen has been a rockstar, connecting me with tasty organic food and local green businesses with basically no effort whatsoever… $1.99

iRecycle makes it easy to find recycling locations anywhere in the U.S.  Track down that spot to drop-off your old cell phone (or water bottle or motor oil or… well, you get the idea), get directions and find out what else they accept.  The app features over 110,000 recycling and disposal locations for over 240 materials, making it impossible to say recycling ain’t easy!… FREE

TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) is an annual conference that hosts some of the world’s most fascinating people: Trusted voices and convention-breaking mavericks, icons, and geniuses… Want to learn about transitioning into a world without oil, see biomimicry in action, or catch a performance by Imogen Heap?  This is your one stop shop… super great conference, and super jazzed that you can now watch the inspiring videos on the go…  FREE

Carbon Tracker calculates carbon emissions for various forms of transit.  It uses iPhone’s GPS to track the start and end point of a trip and returns an estimate on the amount of CO2 emissions your mode of travel generated.  Trying to decide whether to drive, take the bus or fly?  This app will help break down their impacts… $0.99

WalkScore calculates the walkability of any location and shows you a map of nearby amenities.  Also fun to see how walkable certain areas and neighborhoods are around the country… San Francisco, Chicago, NYC all walker’s paradise w/ scores in the 90s… Orlando, Jacksonville, Nashville have scores in the mid 30′s… just no good!  WalkScore is quickly becoming a valuable resource for the real estate market and rumors are going around that it might be incorporated in the LEED system, pretty cool!  FREE

Seasons is all about trackin’ down tasty food that is in season.  Search 170 fruits, veggies, fungi, nuts, and herbs in your area.  Includes local seasons and import seasons.  This one’s still growin’ on me… I’m sure the fact that there aren’t many veggies in season this time of year here in Minnesota has something to do with my experience with this app : )   $1.99

Seafood Guide This is a really fantastic resource here… Pick sustainably caught fish in restaurants and markets. App from the Monterey Bay Aquarium tells you which fish are safe, which are good alternatives, and which to avoid buying or eating… FREE

Green Sushi Selector is a bit more extensive in the sushi category than the Seafood Guide above… it lists all sushi fish by their Japanese names and their common market names, and tells you which are most sustainable. Keeps you safe by highlighting health alerts that may be in place for any type of fish because of elevated levels of mercury or PCBs, and tells you healthy limits for each type of fish… $0.99

VeganYumYum let’s you search, view and organize your favorite recipes from the award-winning food blog, VeganYumYum.com… I’ve made many a tasty meal with this app as a guide… personal favorite is the Candied Lime Sweet Potatoes… Yum Yum indeed!  FREE

AccuFuel I use this application to track my MPGs in my Smart Car… i’ve done a couple experimental tanks of gas using hypermiling techniques and was able to compare them vs. normal driving habits.  Basic hypermiling gained me about 8 MPGs!  $0.99

iNewzGreen is my one stop app for all the latest in eco-friendly, environment-aware news.  You can select the category of green news you’re interested in, and a list of the latest articles will be displayed.  I’ve found the articles to be quite relevant and current… FREE

AmbiSci PM (Ambiscience Pure Meditation) has been one of my fave apps… I use it almost on a daily basis when I get my meditation on… it has 15 ambient tracks and 14 ‘Entrainment’ effects (different sound vibration options) that put me right in the zone.  Countdown timers that slowly fade allow me to set my session lengths w/o distraction… Om!  $0.99

So there y’all have it!  Certainly is getting harder to say that goin’ green isn’t convenient.  All the tools are here for us now, from connecting to local, seasonal and sustainable food, recipes to make it nice and tasty once you bring it home, tracking down eco-friendly businesses in your area, staying in the loop with the latest news, watching videos that inspire, etc…. Go ahead and get yourself connected!

-j

The merger of Gen Green and 3rdWhale is pretty fly for a couple of reasons.  First and foremost, their skillsets compliment each other really well… GenGreen Life is a fantastic website, complete with events and educational nuggets, and a corresponding iPhone app developed by 3rdWhale (FindGreen) allows users to access the extensive directory on the go.  Move to a new city and looking for a local food co-op, an eco-salon, or a green home remodeler?  This is your one stop shop!

Another cool aspect of the merger was how the process itself transpired… Before connecting, both GenGreen and 3rdWhale had been independently developing their own databases of information… they were each others’ strongest competitors.  Earlier this year at the Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) conference in Boulder, executives from each company crossed paths and quickly realized that they were better friends than foes.  Not only was a head on collision avoided, but an idea of ‘radical collaboration’ was introduced… both parties recognized the business opportunities of sharing.  GenGreen would have access to 3rdWhale’s growing database, while 3rdWhale had greater opportunity to develop its media applications…. looks like the executives passed kindergarten, eh?  Ya know… sharing is good : )

So kind of a cool story where everyone wins… both businesses are jazzed ’cause their service offerings grew, and eco-savvy folks like you and I win ’cause we get the hookup with a dominant website and iPhone app… awwww, can you feel the love?

-j

Some of the features that encompass the Windspire:

• Wireless Performance Monitor
• Ultra quiet operation
• $4,995 + installation ($1,000)
• Take 30% of that right off with new federal tax credit!
• Warranteed to 105 MPH winds
• Will cover about 22% of average homes electrical usage
• 5 year warranty

Yeah Wooh!… the Windspire has gotta be one of the most affordable ways to get some renewable energy on your property… More info HERE.

-j