Fire station benefits from earthquake 20 years ago

Last Friday marked the 20 year anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake, probably most infamous for causing collapses of a major sections of both the Oakland Bay Bridge and the I-880 freeway. The quake occurred during Game 3 of the World Series, resulting in 57 deaths and over $6 billion in damages. It was the most powerful seismic event to hit the Bay Area since 1906.

The Loma Prieta Earthquake was ultimately the impetus for some major updates to building codes in California that targeted soft story structures - multistory buildings with open first floors typically used as retail space. This type of construction was attributed to a particularly high failure rate in 1989. As a result, years later many cities around the region adopted Community Action Plan for Seismic Safety (CAPSS), a program designed to retrofit existing buildings that are must vulnerable and better withstand a similar event. The City of Berkeley has developed quite an extensive soft story program and integrated it to building codes and fire protection programs.

The NPR show, Forum had an interesting interview with members of the California Emergency Management Agency and a few others on the CAPPS program and related topics. Although they do try to cover a lot of area during the interview (communications, basic preparedness and healthcare in disasters), I found it informative and providing some insight valuable to professionals in the field.

I was particularly interested in finding structures that had been built or retrofitted to be seismically safe and according to LEED standards. There were only a few but the on I found closest to a GreenZoneSolution was the New Hills Fire Station in Berkeley. Placed into service in November 2006, the station received LEED NC certification (v2.1) and is fully equipped with emergency backup power and home to Engine Company 7.

According to a press release from Berkeley city officials, the basis of the LEED certification was primarily focused on:

• Landscaping that conserves water and reduces waste
• Permeable paving reduces stormwater runoff, recharge groundwater aquifers, and allow soil microbes to naturally filter and treat pollutants
• Reduced energy use through the installation of extra insulation, high-performance windows, and high-efficiency lighting, appliances, and mechanical systems
• Diversion of more than 75% construction waste from the landfill

Photos I could find were limited, but at a glance the New Hills Station certainly appears to be a modern design. I wish I could provide more information on the function, layout and aesthetic value but at this point it does seem safe to say it's a Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable way to remember a tragedy 20 years ago.

NOLA still recovering

NPR did a story just last week about the Phillip Wheatley Elementary School in NOLA that has been closed since Katrina and has now been placed on a watch list of endangered sites developed by the World Monuments Fund. The interview was with John Klingman, Professor of Architecture at Tulane who described the building as "designed with principles of sustainability and modernism in mind". It's actually quite a shame when you listen to the story. Clearly the fact that the city could/would flood was not unheard of and the original architect of the school designed it such that it was built on stilts, keeping it dry and providing natural ventilation and shade for children to play during recess. Built in 1955, the structure was considered innovative, even then. But plans to upgrade the building seem to have gotten lost in the growing pile of bills in New Orleans and now it looks like not only will it not undergo desperately needed renovation but be torn down completely. Listen to the full NPR story and read a transcript of the interview here.

The Phillip Wheatley Elementary School: then and now... an example of what could've been Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable.

  

50 posts in 50 days

Congratulations to me, I've managed to make 50 posts consistently over the past 50 days. What started as a rather impulsive attempt to consolidate my observations, experience and education is beginning to turn into a legitimate position now (to me anyway...) worthy of further investigation, testing and formalization. I'd like to thank all my regular visitors and contributors and invite all of you to continue to participate here but also challenge you to engage me as I start to form these case studies into a formal thesis. Follow my GreenZoneSolution Knol, where I will be developing a structure around my work and looking for feedback from professionals in the various industries to help shape my theories. Thank you very much,
Josh

How do you eat an elephant?

One of the biggest challenges in modern emergency management is figuring out were to begin. Emergency Managers must be able to evaluate a site with a critical eye toward what likely problems might arise (intentional or accidental),  and if something does occur, what is the impact in terms of damage, injury and disruption to operations. I can't tell you how many times I've sat around the table with collegues throwing around the hypothetical, "If we really wanted to do some damage here where would we start?", trying to put ourselves in the perspective of the badguy. Without a systematic approach the process will overwhelm most people and the result is that nothing is accomplished, even by well represented committees with the best of intentions.

The Hazard Vulnerability Analysis (HVA) is a subjective assessment routinely used by safety professionals to create an assessment of potential risks that a site, facility or community may face. The process involves identifying hazards and the potential negative impacts that would arise if the situation should actually come to fruition.  

I am working on augmenting a standard HVA so that it could be used to consider the impact of a disaster on a site and include elements of sustainable design. The goal is to identify and quantify the risks that are most probable to affect the people, structures and contents, as well as impact on operations. Every assessment process includes some level of subjectivity that is influenced by the individual assessor’s experience, education, or perspective.

To achieve a balance of those factors, the HVA tool is distributed to a variety of persons representing disciplines from both inside and outside of the target facility or community seeking their input. Each evaluator brings their personal knowledge and expertise to the practice resulting in a comprehensive evaluation process.  The total average scores as presented by all the participants for each category will be calculated to determine the overall assessed level of probability and severity for each considered hazard. It's far from perfect but what it does do well is make a clear recommendation on where to focus planning and mitigation efforts otherwise the process can be completely overwhelming.

sample of an HVA

I am wondering how this could be integrated with the LEED guidelines so that they could be truly Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable.

So, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!

LEED 2009 - What's missing?

I have just recently had my first opportunity to review the entire updated 2009 edition of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and honestly, it's the most in depth look I've really ever taken at what is considered by most to be the current standard in sustainable design. Being new to the field, I don't have a strong frame of reference to compare it with previous versions but perhaps that is something to take advantage of - the Japanese call it shoshin, beginner's mind - the ability to see things as if for the first time, every time. I'll go with that approach. Just a few observations and opportunities I'd like to remark on...

Since this was the first time I was going to take a deep dive into the guidelines, I'd like to reflect upon them with my own background and interests to see what kind of suggestions I thought might be helpful in augmenting them to include measures for health, safety, security and disaster mitigation in the same context. Several sections stood as obvious places to start:

Sustainable Sites - Section 1: Site Selection states that "previously undeveloped land whose elevation is lower than 5 feet above the elevation of the 100-year flood as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)". This is certainly an excellent suggestion to make from the perspective of avoidance of flooding, a common disaster in some areas of the country and one which most insurance policies will not cover. One suggestion I might make is to consider expanding the standard to increase the minimum to 10 feet above flood stage or too limit rebuilding on land that has flooded to the specific level more than once within the 100 years. My concern here is that the 100 year flood might actually become more common with emerging effects on weather from the impact of climate change. This could be similar to the standard FEMA has for rebuilding on ocean front property following hurricanes.

Sustainable Sites - Section 6.1: Storm water design - quantity, states that "the intent is to limit disruption of natural hydrology by reducing impervious cover, increasing on-site infiltration, reducing or eliminating pollution from stormwater runoff and eliminating contaminants. Design the project site to maintain natural stormwater flows by promoting infiltration. Specify vegetated roofs, pervious paving and other measures to minimize impervious surfaces. Reuse stormwater for non-potable uses such as landscape irrigation, toilet and urinal flushing, and custodial uses". These are certainly prudent guidelines to follow and I think the emphasis should be placed on limiting disruption of natural hydrology, versus building or expanding infrastructure such as storm sewers or retaining walls to limit storm water, which seems to be the standard practice in traditional construction projects.

Energy and Atmosphere - Sections 1: Onsite renewable energy and EA 6 Green power - "The intent is to encourage and recognize increasing levels of onsite renewable energy self-supply to reduce environmental and economic impacts associated with fossil fuel energy use." I would expand the standard beyond simply including net metering but feed-in tariffs (incentive structure to encourage the adoption of renewable energy through government legislation), as well. Also, an improvement would be to include emerging microgrid technologies, renewable district energy and recognition of the importance of having the ability to be independent of utility companies and an aging, unmaintained infrastructure.

Innovation in Design - My comments here are less specific and difficult to measure but in general I would like LEED to some how to recognize the user experience as a critical factor. What I mean is that, I think we would all agree that some people might be willing to spend a little extra to "go green" but probably are less likely to be inconvenienced or made to stand out if they wish to blend in. My fiance is very supportive when she hears my ideas but she insists she will not live in a steel and glass box. How can the aesthetic and user experience be considered and measured? I don't have an answer yet, I'm just throwing that one out there.

I also noticed that LEED minimum program requirements state that structures must be "designed for, constructed on, and operated on a permanent location on already existing land. No building or space that is designed to move at any point in its lifetime may pursue LEED certification". I am just wondering what Bucky would say about that? I am actually writing this post from my fifth wheel trailer. LEED for RV's anyone? Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable...

GZS Dictionary of Important Terms: Passive Survivability

Source: Alex Steffen of WorldChanging.com

Passive survivability is the idea that in an age of increasing climate instability and Wexelblat disasters, it is part of the design brief of a good building to make sure that its inhabitants can survive outages in services (especially power), and that the best way to make sure buildings promote survival is to build them full of systems which don't need as much electricity, tap water, etc. in the first place.

Passive survivability can be achieved by incorporating the sustainable design features that have been so actively promoted by the green building community: cooling-load avoidance strategies, capabilities for natural ventilation, a highly efficient thermal envelope, passive solar gain, and natural daylighting. Indeed, these measures are so important that they may need to be incorporated into building codes. Buildings can go even further with features such as generating and storing photovoltaic electricity and collecting and storing rainwater....

GZS Dictionary of Important Terms: Green Infrastructure

Green Infrastructure (directly from wikipedia):

Green Infrastructure is a concept originating in the United States in the mid-1990s that highlights the importance of the natural environment in decisions about land use planning. In particular there is an emphasis on the "life support" functions provided by a network of natural ecosystems, with an emphasis on interconnectivity to support long term sustainability.

Green infrastructure programs managed by EPA and partner organizations are intended to improve water quality generally through more extensive management of stormwater runoff. The practices are expected to reduce stress on traditional water drainage infrastructure--storm sewers and combined sewers--which are typically extensive networks of underground pipes and/or surface water channels in U.S. cities, towns and suburban areas. Improved stormwater management is expected to reduce the frequency of combined sewer overflows and sanitary sewer overflows, and provide other environmental benefits.

How could you apply this concept in a project you are working on now to make it Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable?

Read more about Green Infrastructure

Blast from the past

I want to call regular visitor's attention to an interesting dialog I had with a gentlemen whose project I had covered on an earlier post. Larry Hall, Project Manager/Owner of SurvivalCondo was kind enough to respond to my coverage of his website back on September 13th. I enjoyed the opportunity to hear from someone who is working directly on a GreenZoneSolution and while we didn't agree on every point, I think it's safe to say there was a healthy exchange of ideas.

I want to thank Larry and invite everyone to take a look at our "conversation". Also, encourage anyone else to challenge me on these posts and my ideas. My point here is to learn about this emerging field and make a positive impact. I hope that I have not come across as having all the answers - I do not. But I have a lot of questions and I'm working out my opinions in this transparent environment where I welcome feedback from professionals like Larry to discuss Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable opportunities. Please take a look at the post and comments here.
Thanks,
Josh

GreenZone Infrastructure

In an ongoing examination of the aging infrastructure of the United States and search for GreenZoneSolutions to problems that arise as a result, I found an example of a small town in the Berkshires that when faced with violations of the Clean Water Act in 1972 committed to cleaning up the environment.

Think wastewater treatment isn't a critical infrastructure? Try living without it for a while as people in many countries around the world do. The process is complicated and there are several different approaches to problem of producing clean water from sewage and storm water runoff. But the treatment plant in Ashfield, Massachusetts developed a system that is amazing.

The Ashfield Wastewater Treatment Plant (AWWTP) is built on a hybrid of conventional and green infrastructure. It's so green in fact that at first glance one might even mistake the facility for a tropical plant nursery, thanks to the 10,500 square foot greenhouse cleverly (and beautifully) concealing 48 one thousand gallon solar conditioning tanks, a pond, and a constructed wetland.

The entire structure is practically its own mini-biome (my word) housing a banana tree, turtles & snails, fish, and a parrot flying free among a carefully balanced community of microorganisms, all working together to produce about 25 thousand gallons of clean water each day with a minimal amount of added chemicals and less byproduct than conventional systems. The whole system is an example of sustainable design in motion, not to mention good, efficient design (the plant runs with one fulltime staff member and a part time assistant).

But what makes the AWWTP a GreenZoneSolution is the facility's participation in the Massachusetts Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (MaWARN), a mutual aid agreement between other water districts across Massachusetts whom agree to provide rapid assistance to restore services damaged by natural or man-made incidents.

Water and wastewater systems provide our communities with a life-sustaining resource that is of vital importance to maintaining public health, sanitation, and safety. When water and wastewater services are interrupted for extended periods of time, a community's well-being quickly deteriorates, as evidenced by Hurricane Katrina. And without adequate water supply, our communities are vulnerable to devastating fires. By restoring water and wastewater service in the most efficient manner possible, MAWARN provides renewed hope for fast recovery from such disasters.

Members of MaWARN also benefit from a streamlined process built in specifically for water utilities including:

• Eligibility for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster reimbursement - In case of a federally declared emergency, FEMA reimbursement for received services is contingent upon a pre-existing, signed mutual aid and assistance agreement.
• Timely access to resources - Some emergency aid is contingent upon a disaster declaration from a local or state official. MWARN does not require a state disaster declaration, which means systems can get needed resources faster. 
• It is consistent with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) the current standard around the country for all-hazards emergency management.

The Ashfield Wastewater Treatment Plant - providing a Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable community service since 1996.

Wisdom, Strength, Beauty

FEMA City for sale

FEMA has just listed about 1250 travel trailers and mobile homes on the GSA auction website. It appears most of the units were used as long term shelter for residents of the Gulf Coast that were left homeless following Hurricane Katrina. Following the storm, some of the trailers were set up in camps where electrical and sewer infrastructure had been built for this specific purpose, while others were parked next to damaged homes so residents could stay in the community to make repairs. As of June 2009 there were still more than 3000 families living in the trailers.

In his latest book, Camps: a Guide to 21st Century Space, Charlie Hailey, Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Florida, dives deep into the FEMA cities that have sprung up following major disasters. He examines not only the logistical issues that arise when creating an infrastructure practically overnight in the middle of a cow field and then filling it with trailers and people that have never met, all while a community is still reeling from crisis, but also he considers how the physical layout of the impromptu neighborhood affects the social dynamics as well. Charlie goes beyond simply examining the aesthetic and functional aspects and connects it with the complicated, sometimes contrary, politics of disaster management. He sites sources that reported 140,000 FEMA trailers were still in use or in service in two gulf states one year after Katrina.

FEMA will not guarantee the condition of any of the trailers that are now up for sale, and in a very unscientific survey of a few of them I noticed disclaimers that would make a person with just a bit of common sense pause before purchasing one.

Quotes from the GSA Auction postings:

NO KEYS, NO HOLDING TANK, OPTIONS:NONE, MAJOR MISSING ITEMS: WATER HEATER DOOR, PROPANE TANK COVER, SAFETY CHAIN HOOKS, OBVIOUS DAMAGE(INTERNAL): CABINET DOORS DAMAGED, DINING ROOM SEAT DAMAGED, SOFA DAMAGED. OBVIOUS DAMAGE(EXTERNAL):NONE ** REQUIRED BUT NOT LIMITED TO: WATER INTRUSION DAMAGE, MISSING AND NON-OPERABLE COMPONENTS, STORM USAGE AND ROAD STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.

...and if that were not enough to deter a buyer, the following is in bold red:

THE GOVERNMENT MAY NOT HAVE TESTED ALL OF THESE UNITS FOR FORMALDEHYDE. Formaldehyde is used in the manufacture of travel trailers, park models and manufactured housing and may still be present in these units.

But the good news is that prices start at about $1500.

The long-term effects of exposure to formaldehyde are rather well documented at this point. Reports of people who have been living for extended periods developing chronic health problems are rather common. And whether the claims are true or not or somewhere in between, the trailers themselves have become a symbol of a government quick fix solution with a minimal amount consideration of long term consequences, where financial, social or sustainability are not concerns that were taken into account.

While reviewing the updated 2009 LEED standards, I noticed that minimum program requirements state that structures must be "designed for, constructed on, and operated on a permanent location on already existing land. No building or space that is designed to move at any point in its lifetime may pursue LEED certification". I am just wondering what Bucky would say about that?

If trailers and mobile homes are going to be part of FEMA's recovery plan, I think they need to connect with the RV industry to develop products that are healthy, safe and secure for occupants. And while they're at it, they should be considering use of renewable energy as part of these units.

LEED for RV's anyone? It's an opportunity to create an option that is Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable.

Segway over to a GreenZoneSolution

Segway has always taken on lead on innovative personal transportation design using renewable resources, but with the new x2 Adventure,  they add a degree of ruggedness that bring it into the realm of a GreenZoneSolution. The x2 is specifically designed for off-road recreation use or any other application that will require a durable, rechargeable transportation solution. If you are looking for a vehicle with a top speed of about 12 mph,  a range of 12 miles and a selection of accessories big enough to make you dizzy, the x2 Adventure is worthy of consideration.

The x2 Patroller is based on the same chassis as the Adventure but is outfitted for public safety professionals with integrated warning lights, bumpers, reflective shields and cargo frame to carry extra gear like medical bags. The Patroller gives police officers the ability to maintain a line of sight head and shoulders above the crowd and silently cruise the streets and interact with the public in a unique way. Another key benefit is that the vehicles can safely operate indoors because there are no harmful exhaust fumes to be concerned about. Other public safety minded add-ons include hard-sided cargo cases, LED light kits, reflectors and ramps to assist with loading into a vehicle. Segway claims its vehicles are in service in over 1000 facilities and communities around the world including fire departments in Chicago and Philadelphia.

Segway takes their commitment to sustainability just as seriously as their dedication to innovation and dependability.You can read about it on their blog, the Last Mile where they highlight progress on many green initiatives with a social mission.

Segway makes it easy to calculate the difference public safety departments can save in fuel and money with a Green Calculator that is hosted a social network (think Facebook) where users and enthusiasts can also share stories, ideas, photos and videos. The vehicles run on lithium ion batteries and Segway sponsors a program where they will purchase renewable energy credits, about 200 kWh (enough to keep a busy x2 running all day) of sustainably generated electricity. This is particularly advantageous to public safety departments where SUV's and cruisers can spend a fair amount of the day idling.

Segways may have gotten a bad rap in the past, but with these lastest innovations they are looking to take a well deserved mention as a Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable GreenZoneSolution.

Shibumi? What is he talking about now?!

I am very interested (okay, obsessed...) with integrating the principles of sustainable design with those of disaster mitigation at all levels from the community on down to the individual. In this case, mitigation is defined as the placement of systems that will reduce the likelihood of a disaster happening, or should an incident occur, make recovery from it easier and more cost effective. Most of my colleagues describe themselves as planners. Thesaurus.com says planner is synonymous with designer, but now having spent a mere 4 weeks into the beginning of a formal study in design, I am reluctant to equate the two. It is my hope to create a paradigm shift in my field.

Planners are more interested in what Jeremy Faludi describes as engineering versus design, in that engineers reduce impact without requiring changes in behavior but designers looks for ways to reduce impact by making adjustments in habits the focus of a process. This subtle but significant distinction that I recently became aware of will probably make me an outlier among my peers as I insist on including this during conversations.

Faludi also identifies persuasion as a science, defining it as "crafting a product's user experience so that the user's actual interaction with the product changes their behavior." I like this but disagree on his claim that BJ Fogg has the monopoly on intellectual property. What Fogg calls Persuasive Technology sounds similar to what Tom Kelley of IDEO writes about in his book, 10 faces of innovation. IDEO has become the leader in user experience design and I think between the both of these two big thinkers, a lot can be learned when merging technical information with big ideas and diverse cultures. Funny, both Tom and Jeremy are both professors at Stanford...

More ideas can be borrowed from Janine Benyus and her ideas around biomimicry, particularly when she describes "bringing a biologist to the table" to solve problems - maybe in this case, more an metaphor for inviting a variety of professionals to the planning process all focused on specific issues but with completely different approaches. Identifying and understanding competing and complimentary agendas are a critical first step in making the leap to Integrated Design. There are opportunities to create real change, and even synergy, here if people are willing to be open-minded and listen.

One of the first steps in disaster mitigation involves a hazard vulnerability analysis (HVA), a process where a multi-disciplinary team familiar with the project makes a subjective assessment of a community's or facility's weaknesses and tries to determine just how much operations would be impacted under a variety of adverse conditions. The HVA process puts a numeric value on each of the dozens of possible situations that any one community might find itself in. Is the community likely to be flooded and if so, where are the areas that first responders should focus first? What systems can be built to reduce flooding in those most sensitive locations and should they become impacted, what is the process to remove water? These are the kinds of questions an HVA draws attention to. My hope is to introduce sustainable design to the conversation.

But like any design process, emergency management runs into inertia, as pointed out by Faludi.  Mitigation can be very boring when compared to the other formal phases of a crisis: preparation, response and recovery - which are implemented during an actual event versus hypothetical situations. Like any other organization resources (time, money, staff) are limited. In public safety, large incidents are dealt with using the Incident Command System (ICS), a common management structure that is supposed to bring many different organizations under the same umbrella and identify methods to coordinate and combine existing command structures in an effort to reach a successful conclusion to a situation. It is a method to manage a system of systems. The elements of a successful ICS sound very similar to what Nadav Malin identifies as key features of an effective (design) team in the article on Integrated Design:

• Joint decision-making and problem solving (not just individual assignments that are later integrated into a whole)
• Mutual respect and trust
• Effective communication and interaction throughout the entire project, including long-distance communication when the the team cannot be together
• Respect for dissident views
• The ability to deal with conflict

Matthew May, in his book, The Elegant Solution, described the way Toyota made steady, incremental changes to the organization and processes - many taken directly from ordinary workers - to solve problems and rise to the top of the industry. Having recently completed an MBA and with an interest in Japanese culture, I am rather familiar with the Japanese concept of kaizen or continuous, never ending improvement and integrating this idea into all things is intuitive to me, professionally and personally.  Garr Reynolds, author of Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery, outlined several other themes with a Japanese flavor that could be appropriate to apply as sustainable design works its way into the mainstream practice and integrate with other disciplines:

Kanso (簡素) Simplicity or elimination of clutter. Things are expressed in a plain, simple, natural manner. Reminds us to think not in terms of decoration but in terms of clarity, a kind of clarity that may be achieved through omission or exclusion of the non-essential.

Shibui/Shibumi (渋味) Beautiful by being understated, or by being precisely what it was meant to be and not elaborated upon. Direct and simple way, without being flashy. Elegant simplicity, articulate brevity.

Shizen (自然) Naturalness. Absence of pretense or artificiality, full creative intent unforced.

These are certainly atypical themes at an average regional emergency planning committee meeting but I think we a little finesse I can get them into the mix. "Chief, have you ever considered how powerful an understated sense of elegance could be?" - should be interesting to say the least...

By bringing all of these elements to the process I hope to convert Planners to Designers at the intersection of Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable.

I like the YikeBike

My dad walked 6 long miles on the evening of August 14th, 2003 from his office at 40 Wall Street in New York City to Queens with about 10,000 of his closest coworkers. It was about 90 degrees when he started his trek, along with other stranded New Yorkers. He was wearing his favorite loafers and carried his briefcase in one hand and a shopping bag he'd found around the office before he started down the 14 floors in the stairway illuminated by emergency lighting that was quickly fading in his other hand filled with projects he was working on. Who knew how long the lights would be out and he had some things he could get done at home, when he finally got there - if he got there, he began to wonder.


View Larger Map

It was the beginning of the Northeast Blackout of 2003, the most widespread power outage in history, affecting about 50 million people in the U.S. and Canada. Dad had worked in the shadow of the World Trade Center for years - he was in London on business on 9/11 - and was ready to return to his office as soon as they reopened about 6 months after the collapse of the towers, undeterred by fear of terrorism or inconvenience of new security measures.

I wish Dad had a YikeBike back then!

The YikeBike is a folding electric bicycle with a carbon fiber frame and a top speed of 12 mph. Designed for urban use, it's mechanicals are enclosed, protecting them from the elements and adding to its durability. Weighing less than 22 pounds, the YikeBike folds up in about 20 seconds and slips into a shoulder bag. This device would've been perfect for Dad to keep under his desks and could've been part of his urban evacuation plan during an event where normal commuting was unavailable, like the blackout or perhaps even a labor strike.

The design is clever, described as a mini-Penny Farthing bicycle, the rider sits above the drive wheel and controls direction from the level of the hips. It sounds precarious but when seen in pictures and video, looks quite agile.

Dad finally made it to the Long Island Expressway where my stepmom was waiting for him and eventually made it home after a very long day. If he'd had a YikeBike he would've just made the 6 mile trip in record time and probably wouldn't have trashed those fancy loafers.

Sure, $4900 is a bit much but it certainly looks like fun and with features like anti-skid brakes, built in lights, quick acceleration and the ability to get an 80% charge in about 20 minutes - you get what you pay for: Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable transportation. 

Communications Oasis

Clearly, communications is a critical function, one that people, even in the poorest of nations are willing to pay for. But as more people have access to these services and can take advantage of new telecom technology, less of them are doing so using traditional hardwired infrastructure of landline phones, and the telecommunications companies are rapidly changing their business model to reflect this change.

If we were to rebuild our phone system from scratch, using today's level of sophistication, would we even bother stringing wires? Lines go down in inclement weather and require maintenance in order to keep the system up and running. If we were to start with nothing - absolutely nothing - don't you think we'd just all start with cell phones? Well, that's just what the developing world is doing.

According to a recent survey by the survey by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), "There has been a clear shift from fixed to mobile cellular telephony and by the end of 2008, there were over three times more mobile cellular subscriptions than fixed telephone lines globally. Two thirds of those are now in the developing world compared with less than half in 2002." In a separate report, the ITU reported that in 2007, there were about 250 million cell phone subscribers in Africa and predicted the number would continue to grow at a rapid clip.

In 2006, MSNBC reported that China is the world's biggest cell phone network, with over 400 million users and in 2003 the number of mobile phones in China surpassed the number of fixed-line phones. Tom Friedman wrote in Hot, Flat and Crowded that there's only 5 percent landline (phone) penetration in China.

And now, as the industry races to catch up the market, the latest offerings from the services providers are starting to look like GreenZoneSolutions.

VNL is focusing on the next billion cell phone users by developing the world's first solar powered mobile network designed from the ground up to serve rural populations in developing economies — and do it profitably.  The Base Stations are erected in days by non-engineers and powered by the sun. They call this new technology microtelecom, and define it as the optimization of telecom infrastructure for a very specific application: serving low-income, hard-to-reach communities in rural areas. It's pretty cool. In April 2009, VNL received an award by the CTIA in the Green Network Hardware Infrastructure category.

VNL augments pre-existing landline systems, extending range to rural sites using conventional methods, then stretches even further and provides coverage to outlying areas where the population may be widely distributed or pockets of people are relatively isolated but still would benefit from the ability to connect with others via a cell phone via these Village Sites-  VNL calls it a cascade of stars.

The Village Sites are the smallest, most energy efficient base stations ever built, according to VNL. They are completely solar powered, able to be set up in hours, and built specifically for easy transport by vehicles typically operating in the area as opposed to specialized resources. If you can change a flat tire, you can probably put one up, claims VNL - I love it!

The tower design itself makes an important contribution to the overall WorldGSM™ system, helping minimize power consumption and maintenance while supporting installation by local workers.

A WorldGSM™ site packs into a few small carts and is designed for easy assembly with no special tools — just a compass to make sure it’s pointed South. The rooftop poles are even smaller and easier to deploy.

Conspicuously absent from a WorldGSM™ deployment are such things as a buildings, air-conditioning, mains power, generators, diesel fuel and armies of expensive engineers.

Information from VNL site on their committment to clean technology: Mobile telecom networks require an enormous amount of power. In markets with unreliable grid power, this energy often comes from diesel fuel. By some estimates, India alone already uses over 1.8 billion litres of diesel fuel every year to power Base Stations when the grid is not present or not available. This does not include the fuel needed to transport fuel to the mobile sites. Adding hundreds of millions of rural users can only multiply this destructive environmental impact — unless these users are supported by a sustainable alternative. WorldGSM™ is the lowest power mobile infrastructure ever invented — by an order of magnitude. This not only directly reduces its carbon footprint, it also allows the system to be entirely solar- and/or wind-powered. For the first time, mobile communications come without the associated environmental impact.

The social impacts are incredible. Think about how much change could be brought into a place that previously had been essentially an island - the education, medical, economic implications, just to name a few, are amazing.

Just as microfinance has revolutionised developing economies, microtelecom is set to release the potential locked inside rural communities, helping hundreds of millions of people overcome the limitations of geography.

There is much more information about VNL's technology, business model and social mission at their website. Clearly, VNL is not only dedicated to the new triple bottom line - people, planet and profit - but also to the GreenZoneSolution bottom line: Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable.

Suntrica provides a critical service around the world

There are 1.6 billion people in the world without access to electricity and 640 million cell phone users who can not charge their phones for daily use, according to Suntrica, a company dedicated to providing power wherever is it is needed in the form of a portable, lightweight, inexpensive system that passively charges from the sun to the storage battery. While their focus is on the developing nations of the world that do not have access to electricity, their products would be useful to anyone requiring unlimited battery security for electronic devices. They are ruggedized and are built to be used in hostile environments but are small enough to be carried in a jacket pocket or backpack.

The company has developed two units. The smaller SolarStrap has a flexible panel and designed to be integrated into clothing or bags. The SolarBadge holds more charge and is rigid. Both models gather solar energy by a high-efficiency solar panel and store the energy into an internal lightweight battery for instant or later usage.

According to their website, Suntrica's products are based on next-generation photovoltaic technologies and materials. Photovoltaic technologies used by Suntrica achieve a major reduction in the amount of energy and raw materials consumed during the manufacturing process compared to conventional photovoltaic technologies.

In April of this year, Suntrica donated 200 solar chargers to rescue workers operating on the ground following an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 centered in L'Aquila, Italy. Almost 300 people were killed and 28 thousand people displaced. According to a press release, electricity in the area was non-existent but cellular phone service was functioning. The Suntrica chargers were used to charge cell phones, radios and GPS units.

Suntrica was received an award from the CTIA in the Green Consumer Hardware category earlier this year for their products.

Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable - Suntrica's got it all

Green Mountain Hardware

Mountain Hardware has developed a reputation for making serious gear for hardcore outdoor athletes since 1993, partnering with other industry leaders on products such as Windstopper fleece and Gore-Tex XCR. In 2003, the company was purchased by Columbia Sportswear but has still managed to differentiate itself among competitors by continuing to roll out state-of-the-art apparel with an uncompromising devotion to quality and features.

The new line of jackets is no exception. The Refugium (for men) and Radiance (for women) are low bulk, high fashion choices for people looking for some fancy technology in their outerwear.

Mountain Hardware has partnered with Ardica, a small San Francisco based company specializing in portable power sources to create an wiring system that is woven into the new jackets to support heat panels and charging system for personal portable electronics such as iPods and cell phones or others with an available USB charger. The heart of the new high tech hardware is a charging system that operates on seven small rechargeable batteries contained in a flexible foam sleeve, weighing less than a pound. Popular Science magazine claimed the system could deliver nine hours of heat or 11 iPhone charges before it needed to be plugged in.

Ardica has worked on projects in the past for the US Army designed to "significantly reduce the war fighter's operational burden and improve mission effectiveness through extended endurance of soldier-borne electronic systems" - although the system developed for the military is based on a fuel cell system, not batteries. Maybe some day...

The Refugium and the Radiance are due to be available later this month in a limited release - only 25 retailers will be offering them. The jackets themselves have an MSRP of about $230 and by the time you're done with the battery system ($145) and adapters ($50) you're going to be looking at a pretty pricy set up. Expensive? Sure. But if you are determined to be the most Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable ski bunny on the lift this winter, the new Mountain Hardware jackets might be just the ticket.

Roughrider Wheelchair

The Roughrider Wheelchair is an amazing demonstration of filling a need that has been overlooked for a long time with a GreenZoneSolution. Whirlwind is a San Francisco based company that, according to their website, designs wheelchairs for production and use in developing countries to empower people with disabilities through independent mobility and sustainable economic development. And through a collaboration with Project H Design, is making a difference to people around the world everyday.

Simply put, human power is renewable, therefore a wheelchair is a vehicle running on a sustainable energy source.

According to the designers, "The Roughrider wheelchair is a rugged, long wheelbase design optimized for the unique needs of the physically impaired in the developing world. The design, which has been in use for decades, has specific durability and usability requirements that must be considered during production, fitting, and ongoing use. The San Francisco chapter of Project H has partnered with Whirlwind to develop an anti-tip bar and quick-release axle for the Roughrider that will increase user maneuverability and allow medical professionals to more easily adjust the Roughrider for each user. Additionally, Project H is helping Whirlwind to transform their long wheelbase model into a US market version with an adjustable base. This adjustable length would provide the sturdiness of a long wheelbase model and the maneuverability of a short wheelbase model."

The Roughrider is remarkable on so many different levels.

It is more than simply clever design principles providing a stable platform for individuals requiring a wheelchair on uneven terrain.  The smooth, curving lines that were created by a team of San Francisco designers at Project H Design, a charitable organization that supports, creates, and delivers life-improving humanitarian product design solutions. Project H Design lives their tagline: WE BELIEVE DESIGN CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.

And to back up that position, Whirlwind chose to make the unique design open source and non-proprietary - in other words, encouraging others to build off the idea without paying licensing fees. This generosity and truly innovative approach encouraging collective intelligence demonstrates the motivation behind this project. They also brought the production knowledge to Vietnam where the wheelchairs are desperately needed using locally available materials and inexpensive labor, a decision that not only keeps costs down but reduces transportation necessary once they are completed, not to mention empowering people in need by providing skills and industry - it's a win-win-win. The project was featured earlier this year on the PBS television show Frontline.

Whirlwind and Project H Design - Renewable, Reliable, Remarkable - and adding Accessible to create a GreenZoneSolution to those truly in need.

Is Audi in... the GreenZone?

Audi has invested a lot into diesel technology and is trying hard to convince us that it is "clean". I am intrigued but suspicious... The 2010 Audi Q7 TDI, mega-luxury SUV was released earlier this month with fanfare touting better mileage and lower emissions than most smaller SUV's and crossover vehicles thanks to its new, ultra efficient clean diesel engine.

The Audi turbo diesel engine (TDI) has been getting a lot of attention in the automotive press. There are plenty of sites out there to give you the technical information on just how Audi goes about improving mileage without sacrificing performance and for you real gear heads, the Science Channel produced a feature on the revolutionary motor. Suffice it to say for this piece, every article I could find had little to say about actual emissions and MPG ranged anywhere from 21 mpg highway in a CNET test up to almost 30 mpg in a Mileage Marathon sponsored by Popular Mechanics and others. Audi claims 25 mpg for average highway driving.

Beyond technology, Audi's support of other environmental initiatives are kinda weak. On their website they highlight a partnership with the Nature Conservancy where a $1 donation will be made for every Facebook user that joins them - but only up to $25 thousand. That's about half a Q7. Last year, the Q7 was recognized by the SmartGreen Index with their highest rating for a luxury SUV. I wasn't able to find much out about Strategic Visions, the company sponsoring the award.

This is a 5700 pound luxury SUV with an all-wheel-drive system lacking a low range which means it is essentially built for wet and slippery roads as opposed to any sort of off road situation, which is fine for a majority of those who will be purchasing it. Edmunds.com said, "off-road jaunts should be limited to light-duty dirt roads and such" despite what the photos might indicate.

There little doubt that the Q7 is well designed with clever passenger compartment features one would expect in a fullsize European SUV with a price hovering around $50k, such as integrated bluetooth and iPod connections, top notch audio, navigation system and cushy leather seats. I personally like the appearance, and not having actually driven one, the reviews I've read give it high marks on comfort and performance of other comparable luxury SUV's.

So, the jury is still out on the Q7 and whether it is a GreenZoneSolution. It is certainly a step in the right direction in terms of utilization of diesel technology in general. The Audi will get most people where they want to go over the road under most conditions. And in the design arena, where I thought it would shine, Edmunds said of the interior that it was "on the somber side, but it clearly belongs in a luxury vehicle". It sounds.... nice, but I'm not quite sure if it is truly Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable. I do like the commercials though...