Last week James attended the National Association of Home Builders convention in Las Vegas, a seemingly unlikely place to discover anything green. He describes a scene of four huge convention centers, packed with all sorts of building products, from roofing to carpeting. His mission was to unearth all of the best eco-friendly products to recommend to his clients. He's still sorting the brochures and returning phone calls-- but here's what I've gotten out of him-- There's this nifty rain-catching bag that just about anyone can tie to the side of a drainpipe that can water the garden, there was a lot of photo voltaic technology, perfect for small structures, and of course he was completely enamored with any product made from recycled materials. More details and pics to follow.
In terms of a mixed blessing, the slowing economy brought all of the cranes and high rises to a standstill along the strip. It's terrible to see the suffering this downturn is bringing to the construction industry; however it might give everyone time to pause and reflect over what buildings are being created-- in terms of green technology, aesthetics, and integration to the natural environment. As a Taoist monk might ask us to consider our proper place in the universe, we should ask our buildings to do the same.
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