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Sustainable Development Resources |
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The Internet contains a great deal of information on sustainable development, energy efficiency, "green" building techniques, and alternative housing materials. The Community of Civano Web site contains information on homes built with straw bale, adobe, RASTRA block, and structural insulated panels as well as high-technology variations on conventional materials. The site includes links to information on xeriscaping and solar energy. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network is a comprehensive listing of DOE's energy efficiency and renewable energy information and provides access to more than 600 links and 80,000 documents. The Home Energy Saver, a joint project of DOE and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was the first Internet-based tool for calculating residential energy use. Users begin the online home energy audit by entering their ZIP Code to receive instant initial estimates. By providing more information about a home, a user receives increasingly customized reports as well as recommendations for energy-saving upgrades. The Smart Growth Network encourages development that better serves the economic, environmental, and social needs of communities. The site includes links to smart growth activities in land use, redevelopment, the environment, communities, and transportation. The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing promotes the use of new technologies to build houses that are durable, affordable, energy efficient, and disaster resistant. The site provides a database of technologies for consumers and professionals and numerous links to other sites of interest. The Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) is the nation's leading wood research institute. Research concentrates on pulp and paper products, housing and structural uses of wood, wood preservation, wood and fungi identification, and finishing and restoration of wood products. Note: Internet addresses may change without notice. If you have difficulty with any of these Web sites, a search engine may help you find your way.
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