West Mt. Airy Looks in Your Backyard and Sees a Forest

On a hot night in late August, West Mt. Airy Neighbors (WMAN) held its Quality of Life meeting on the greening of Mt Airy. The NorthWest Philadelphia neighborhood of Mount Airy is one of the neighborhoods at the edge of the Wissahickon which is part of the Fairmont Park System. The future of Fairmount Park is of concern to the residents of the neighborhood. The meeting opened with a presentation that represents the kind of broad thinking about sustainability I hope that other sustainability councils and local greening committees will take to heart.

Fall in The Wissahickon Forest

Nations 4th Largest Solar Power Facility in Bucks County

FALLS TOWNSHIP, Pa., March 19

Today, Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell broke ground in Bucks County for the Nations’ 4th Largest Solar Power Facility.

“When this facility is up and running — likely by September or October of this year — it will be among the largest in the country, and certainly the largest east of Arizona,” said Governor Rendell during groundbreaking ceremonies for the Exelon-EPURON Solar Center. This project embodies the commitment weve made to renewable energy in the commonwealth.

“By enacting one of the nations most ambitious alternative energy portfolio standards, investing our resources wisely, and leveraging our strengths, we’ ve been able to attract exciting projects like this, along with some of the worlds leading renewable energy companies, to Pennsylvania.”

The $20 million Exelon-EPURON Solar Center will feature …

First Sustainable New Housing Development in the Region.

So my friend Dan Orzech and Charles Line his partner in Earth Rising Homes, the other week launched their plans to build the first green condominium building in the region.

Solar panels will power the entire complex, and geothermal pumps would heat and cool the condos. The complex will be built using nontoxic materials and airtight insulation.

Here is a link to a Philadelphia Inquirer article with more details:
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/chester/nabes/14039311.html

Dan’s venture brought me to look at what some of the larger residential development builders based or operating in this region are doing in terms of offering green buildings?