LIGHT BULB MATH – IS LED REALLY MORE EFFICIENT?
by Jodi Summers According to the US Energy Information Administration the national average per kilowatt hour (kWh) is10¢. While 10 cents may not seem like much money, your electric bill shows that...
View ArticleGREEN LOANS – THE SMART WAY TO IMPROVE MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES
by Jodi Summers Green loans have finally arrived for multifamily properties. Fannie Mae’s Green Rewards is a multifamily financing option that helps owners of apartment buildings and cooperatives...
View ArticleWILL DESALINATION SOLVE CALIFORNIA’S WATER CRISIS?
by Jodi Summers When the Carlsbad Desalination Plant commences operations in 2016, it will be the largest desalination project ever built in the Americas. The $1 billion Carlsbad Project took nearly 15...
View ArticleDECORATIVE MURALS ON EXTERIOR WALLS BEAUTIFY THE NEIGHBORHOOD
by Jodi Summers Murals, sculptures and landscaping are all ways for a neighborhood to forge a collective identity, stimulate learning, instill a sense of pride and invites business. It purifies and...
View ArticleTHE INCREASED POPULARITY – AND NECESSITY – OF GREEN HOMES
by Bob Gorman The term “sustainability” has gained enormous traction over the past two decades, signaling man’s increasing awareness and focus on improving environmental qualities of the world we...
View ArticleSOLAR SANTA MONICA WINS THE MAYORS’ AWARD
by Jodi Summers Santa Monica considers itself to be ahead of the curve, and now they are being rewarded for it. The 2015 US Conference of Mayors honored Santa Monica with a US Mayors’ Climate...
View ArticleRETIRE TO THE GREEN LIFE
by Jodi Summers Amazing statistic about aging… approximately 10,000 people a day will be turning 65 through 2030. That age group – seniors – will grow to 88 million…and they are in motion. More than...
View ArticleWATER SAVING DEVICES FOR THE GREEN LIFE
by Jodi Summers Now that we are in a drought, Californian are constantly reminded to cut down on their water usage. Figures released by the State Water Resources Control Board, praise urban residents...
View ArticleSMARTER IS THE NEW BIGGER IN COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
by Jodi Summers Commercial real estate is being redefined. The world of 9-5 cubicles and being tethered to your desk is disappearing and square footage needs are shrinking. Offices have places of...
View ArticleLIGHTING THE WAY TO A GREENER LIFE
edited by Jodi Summers Americans’ energy-conservation efforts -from switching bulbs to upgrading washing machines and air conditioners – have done more to reduce carbon emissions than the increased use...
View ArticleHEAT ISLANDS IN THE URBAN JUNGLE
by Jodi Summers Here’s a new term for you – heat islands. An urban heat island (UHI) is a city or metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human...
View ArticleGREEN A LIBRARY, GREEN A COMMUNITY
by Jodi Summers Up until recently, the Pico neighborhood was considered the bastard stepchild of Santa Monica communities. Back in the early days of the City, the neighborhood was Santa Monica’s ghetto...
View ArticleTHERE ARE TRILLIONS OF TREES ON EARTH
by Jodi Summers Here’s the latest cocktail party factoid – there are approximately 3.04 trillion trees on earth. This is about seven and a half more than originally thought and roughly 422 for every...
View ArticleMODERNISM IS A WEEK AND A STATE OF MIND
by Dorie Iwata As the town transforms, so goes Modernism Week. Just a few short years ago, I talked a couple of friends into driving out to Palm Springs for a kitschy event called the Retro Martini...
View ArticleBABY BOOMERS LIKE GREEN BECAUSE IT SAVES MONEY
by Jodi Summers Greening units for Baby Boomers simpler than greening space for Millennials. In the 60+ crowd, green means more efficient. As boomers approach retirement, many are looking to make smart...
View ArticleVERTICAL CAN BE GREENER – THE TALLEST BUILDINGS IN LOS ANGELES
by Jodi Summers The history of skyscrapers in Los Angeles began with the 1903 completion of the Braly Building, which is often regarded as the first high-rise in the city; rising 13 floors and 151 feet...
View ArticleTHE CONE MANSION PUMPS MONEY
by Jodi Summers The Inglewood Oil Fields, are part of the Southern California fabric. Oil has been part of the local color as far back as 1543, when Native Southern Californians used tar for decorating...
View ArticleGREEN VALUE IN WEST HOLLYWOOD
by Jodi Summers The green, green land of West Hollywood is the place in LA to invest right now. In the first quarter of 2016, WeHo is seeing lower per-square-foot sale prices and asking rents than 1Q...
View ArticleARE YOU SURPRISED THAT CALIFORNIA IS FULL OF TINY HOUSES?
by Jodi Summers Environmentally savvy? Are you willing to join the Tiny Home movement? The Tiny Home trend is a social movement where people choose to downsize their living space. You’ll never misplace...
View ArticleINNOVATIVE ROOFTOP GARDEN DESIGN
edited by Jodi Summers Located atop the Flat, a downtown Los Angeles mid-rise building, grows a self-sufficient ecosystem that offers a myriad of environmental benefits. Named SYNTHe, this urban...
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