On building one’s own dream home as an 8-year desert odyssey by Kirsten Dirksen on December 23, 2018 Fresh out of architecture school, Aaron D’Innocenzo wanted to test out his belief that with proper orientation and materials, he …
NorCal solar retail pioneer shares experience and lifestyle by Kirsten Dirksen on March 28, 2016 In 1971, a 22-year-old John Schaeffer, inspired by Stewart Brand and the Whole Earth Catalog, moved onto a 300-acre commune …
Former New Mexico ranch as off-grid conservation easement by Kirsten Dirksen on February 23, 2015 JJ and Fred Milder were looking for their dream home- they’d spent most of their married life in Boston-, but …
Norcal veteran coder customizes off-grid home with sensors by Kirsten Dirksen on May 26, 2014 Loren Amelang once helped code for Silicon Valley companies, but he’d always been sensitive to environment so when his employer …
C++ programming pioneer hacks off-grid, DIY, smart home by Kirsten Dirksen on April 2, 2012 When Loren Amelang bought land outside of Philo, California in 1973, it was a place to “live like hippies on …
William McDonough on Cradle to Cradle design (5/5) by Kirsten Dirksen on July 28, 2009 “President Obama very clearly saw that right now the United States is borrowing 700 billion dollars a year from China …
Beyond photovoltaics: rebirth of the other solar power by Kirsten Dirksen on June 18, 2009 By the middle of this century we may be getting a quarter of our energy from concentrating solar power, according …
On-grid solar: selling back to your utility by Kirsten Dirksen on May 30, 2009 It’s allowance for off-the-grid living has given solar power buzz, but its on-grid capacities are what are driving the market. …
Permaculture: a home that creates energy by Kirsten Dirksen on September 10, 2008 It’s a design principle that advocates using nature for resource self-sufficiency. While permaculture means many things to different people, to …
A little background on solar power by Nicolás Boullosa on January 22, 2008 Solar power refers to the energy created when solar radiation is converted into heat (thermal processes) or electricity (electric processes). …
