Searched for
GREEN ROOFS AND SOLAR PANELS
In 2008, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea paid $3.85 million for a 1915 Los Angeles house and renovated it with rooftop solar; Jack Black later bought it for $5.965 millionFlea, the renowned bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, recently sold his Los Feliz abode for a significant profit following its renovatio...
In 2000, Pierce Brosnan bought two Malibu lots and demolished the existing house; about a decade later, his 13,000-sq-ft “Orchid House” had solar panels and its own water-recycling plantPierce Brosnan's stunning Malibu estate, known as Orchid House, is a model of eco-conscious design, featuring impressive systems for water ...
In Sydney, UTS researchers tested a biosolar green roof that cut panel temperatures by up to 9.63°C and increased maximum solar output by up to 107%, depending on the monthA biosolar roof system serves to cool solar panels, thereby boosting their electricity generation potential. By nurturing vegetation below ...
In 2005, Fight Club star Edward Norton put solar panels on his Los Angeles home; each participating celebrity triggered another free solar system for a low-income familyActor Edward Norton launched an inspiring initiative aimed at providing free solar systems to families with limited financial resources. Co...
In 2008, Leonardo DiCaprio bought into a Manhattan building with solar power and filtered air; 6 years later, he bought the neighboring apartment for $8 millionActor Leonardo DiCaprio has made a notable investment in sustainable living by purchasing apartments in the eco-friendly Riverhouse buildin...
Philadelphia installed white roofs on about 340 low-income seniors’ homes from 2001–2003; ceiling temperatures fell 4–5°F, and air-conditioning electricity use fell by 560 kWh per yearIn Philadelphia, the initiative to paint roofs white resulted in a remarkable decrease in home temperatures and energy consumption. This co...
In 1988, Ed Begley Jr. bought a Studio City home for $225,000 and transformed it with solar panels, efficient appliances, and EV charging; 26 years later, it sold for $1.025 millionOver the years, actor Ed Begley Jr. has meticulously turned his home into a model of energy efficiency. This incremental renovation approac...
Penn State measured a green roof during a June 2002 heat spell; its membrane peaked near 30°C, while the uncovered roof surface climbed to nearly 70°CGreen roofs present a remarkable solution for enhancing temperature control in urban environments, effectively lowering surface temperature...
In 2018, Susan Sarandon bought 45 acres in Vermont for an off-grid solar-and-geothermal home; 5 years later, engineers and staff flagged 47 alleged construction problemsActress Susan Sarandon's dream of an off-grid Vermont estate encountered significant construction problems and a lawsuit. Her company filed...
In St. Paul, Penfield added a vegetated roof over a conventional membrane; monitoring found the green-roof membrane peaked about 51°F cooler than the conventional roofResearch reveals that green roofs maintain lower temperatures compared to conventional roofs, leading to significant reductions in cooling ...
Chicago planted a 20,300-square-foot green roof on City Hall; EPA says its surface can be about 100°F cooler than nearby conventional roofs and saves nearly $5,000 in energy each yearChicago's City Hall green roof demonstrates substantial cooling and energy savings. This innovative rooftop garden reduces surface temperat...
Silver Sands Middle School replaced gray shingles with reflective white metal; plenum temperature fell by over 25°F, and cooling energy in Portable 096 dropped by over 33%A recent study revealed that dark roofs on portable classrooms led to increased cooling costs. By switching to white metal roofing, energy ...
A Fresno home replaced dark asphalt shingles with reflective concrete roof tiles; a Lawrence Berkeley study reported 26% lower annual cooling energy use and 37% lower peak-hour demandA recent study in Fresno demonstrated that reflective roofs could lower cooling energy consumption by an impressive twenty-six percent. Hom...
By 2024, over 550,000 Germans had hung solar panels from their balcony railings and plugged them into wall sockets, turning apartments into mini power plants; within a year, installations surged to 1 million as the simple, roughly €500 technology spread among rentersGermany's innovative balcony solar systems provide a hassle-free solution for renters looking to harness solar energy. Designed for easy se...
In 1991, researchers coated a Merritt Island home’s green-gray shingle roof with reflective material; the shingles reached about 110°F after treatmentDark roofs tend to soak up heat from the sun, resulting in higher air conditioning demands and costs. Utilizing reflective roofing material...
In 2018, a University of Hawaii study compared green and white roofs in Honolulu; the green roof was reported to have lower peak temperatures at the surface and nearby airA University of Hawaii graduate student tested green roofs against white ones. The green roof proved significantly cooler than the adjacent...
In 2007, Oak Ridge built a roof with phase-change material between foil layers; attic temperatures fell about 22°F, with utility savings estimated at 8%Developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, innovative attic technology utilizing phase change materials has proven to lower attic temperat...
Delhi Cabinet approves revised solar policy, targets free 3 KW panels for 2.30 lakh consumersDelhi's cabinet has approved a revised solar policy for households. Households consuming 400 units or more monthly will receive free 3 KW s...
In 2020, researchers tested a self-moistening hydrogel mat under solar panels; it cooled them by at least 10°C and boosted output by up to 19%New research introduces a cooling gel for solar panels. This gel absorbs moisture at night and releases it as vapor during the day. The coo...
Argonne modeled Chicago’s August 2021 heatwave with different roof types; white roofs lowered air temperature by nearly 2°C and cooling energy use by 16.6%Transforming the rooftops of Chicago into cooler surfaces has led to a notable reduction in city temperatures. The use of white cool roofs ...