/  by Thomas DeVoss

electricpower: Wind Turbines May Not Be the Prettiest Structures, But They’re a Real Cash-Cow For Residents The NY Times has reported on one area by the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon, which has hundreds of 300-foot wind turbines that not only p…

electricpower:

Wind Turbines May Not Be the Prettiest Structures, But They’re a Real Cash-Cow For Residents

The NY Times has reported on one area by the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon, which has hundreds of 300-foot wind turbines that not only pay out nicely to those who lease their farms, but to each and every resident as compensation for spoiling an otherwise beautiful landscape.

There’s real money to be made by wind farms, with Sherman County’s 1,735 residents earning $3 million altogether in 2010. Most of the money goes to the farmers whose land the wind turbines are erected on, but $590 is awarded to every land-owner as compensation for their “spoilt” views.

There’s no arguing that it’s not good for the area as well, with taxes and other fees bringing in $17.5 million in just nine years. Schools and other public resources are also prospering, with the extra money paying for teachers and school equipment they wouldn’t otherwise have been able to afford. Two city halls, a library, sewers and a bridge have all been built in the county from the money generated (pardon the pun) from the turbines.

[NY Times]

Gizmodo

A speech to graduating Harvard architects /  by Thomas DeVoss

“I was invited to address the 2011 graduating class or architects from the Harvard Graduate School of Design last week. Some of them wrote me over the weekend asking to put the talk up online.  So here it is….

First of all, I’m not sure if your organizers today were aware of this, but  I actually don’t give a lot of speeches. I’m usually the guy doing the inviting. Frankly, it’s a lot more comfortable that way.  But… I couldn’t pass up the chance to spend some time with a group of people who have so much to offer the world. Truly, it’s an honor to be here.

To begin with, a favor.  If you are one of the graduating class, I would like you please to stand up.  I want to see you properly.  Thank you. Congratulations. You made it.  And if you would, I would like you to hold your heads very still for just the next 10 seconds or so. Because, I  have an app on my ipad here that’s pretty cool. I’m not taking your picture. What I’m doing, if you don’t mind,  is just grabbing a download of the contents of each of your brains. Thank you. You may sit….

http://tedchris.posterous.com/a-speech-to-graduating-harvard-architects-6122

–Chris Anderson

/  by Thomas DeVoss

“Reporting from Moffett Field, Calif.—  Instead of sending its employees to space, NASA is building them an office of the future closer to home.The curvy, space-age building at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley incorporates …

“Reporting from Moffett Field, Calif.— 

Instead of sending its employees to space, NASA is building them an office of the future closer to home.

The curvy, space-age building at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley incorporates technology used by astronauts and will be one of a few structures in the state that can generate more electricity than it consumes. Construction won’t be complete until mid-July, but the federal government has already chosen the $20-million facility its green building of the year.

It has a name only government officials could love — the Sustainability Base — but it is generating a lot of buzz among businesses and government agencies trying to be more green. The structure, near San Jose, was designed to be a model of eco-friendly architecture.

"Buildings of the future could actually produce more energy than they use and reverse the trend of being a big, sucking drain without compromising anything,” said Steven Zornetzer, Ames’ associate center director.

Compared to other office buildings of similar size, the Sustainability Base will be about 6% more expensive to construct, he said. But NASA expects to recoup the expense within a decade because the building will cost less to operate.

 
…“

By Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times

May 30, 2011, 8:01 p.m.