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NASA Unveils Greenest Federal Building In the Nation

An anonymous reader writes "NASA just unveiled its new Sustainability Base — an exceptionally efficient building that harnesses technology developed for the International Space Station. The high-tech complex produces more energy than it consumes and it was just awarded LEED Platinum certification, making it the greenest federal building in the nation. The project features an extensive network of wireless sensors that allow the building to automatically react to changes in weather and occupancy and NASA's forward-osmosis water recycling system, which cuts water use by 90% compared to a traditional building."

7 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Still not truly green by Dr.+Hellno · · Score: 5, Informative

    Everyone knows that the solar panels consume far more energy in their production than they ever produce in their lifetime

    Completely bogus. It takes maybe 1-4 years to recoup the energy cost of construction, and the panels can last 30 years.

  2. Re:Still not truly green by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Everyone knows that the solar panels consume far more energy in their production than they ever produce in their lifetime

    Completely bogus. It takes maybe 1-4 years to recoup the energy cost of construction, and the panels can last 30 years.

    When you look at not just your "source", but the source's source, over at http://alpha.chem.umb.edu/chemistry/ch471/evans%20files/Net_Energy%20solar%20cells.pdf
    You will find it's not as simple as you make it out to be.
    "However, it should be noted that the above payback periods assume that the modules are always operated at their maximum power points [5], as with a maximum power point tracker. It is also assumed that no photovoltaic power is wasted or dumped, as would sometimes occur in many stand-alone systems, such as those using battery storage"

    Solar panels are NOT working at their maximum power point during most days of the year. Not even close to half of it, actually. The time to "recoup" the production energy will be significantly longer than you or the Wikipedia "summary" imply.

  3. Yes and? You always have been by SmallFurryCreature · · Score: 5, Informative

    You are eating someone's shit, breathing someone's farts, eating someone's rotting corpse and drinking someone's pee. Welcome to the wonderful world of nature. (Plants grow on fertilizer (shit), oxygen is the bad breath of plants, meat and plants are dead bodies, and every bit of water has been through someone's digestive track).

    Always strikes me as funny that people who would happily pay a fortune for the right to drink from a spring that a bear shat in but refuse to drink tap water that has been filtered and monitored to hell and back. You were made from dirt, eat dirt and will become the dirt in someone elses cycle of life. Enjoy!

    --

    MMO Quests are like orgasms:

    You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.

  4. Re:and what a bargain! by kj_kabaje · · Score: 4, Informative

    You math is a bit off: 25 000 000 / 55 000 = 454.545455

  5. Re:Still not truly green by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Informative

    The time to "recoup" the production energy will be significantly longer than you or the Wikipedia "summary" imply.

    But even "significantly longer" is infinitely better than "never", so for those keeping score, the AC who said,

    Everyone knows that the solar panels consume far more energy in their production than they ever produce in their lifetime

    ...is completely full of shit.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  6. Re:Grün by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Informative

    Parking lot filled with SUVs, no bike rack, what a green environment.

    There are bike racks on both sides of the front door, and only 3 SUVs in the parking lot.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  7. Re:Still not truly green by GameboyRMH · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's true for the high-end space-ready panels intended for satellites (as used on satellites). When news of that hit the climate denial blogs, every anti-environmentalist idiot out there assumed it applies to all solar panels.

    --
    "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel