6/28/2011: Solar Design / Green Building Potluck BBQ

Passive solar design is quite possibly one of the most efficient building techniques ever. Yet we rarely see the conscious implementation of this timeless way of building structures which are in-tune with the energy balance of their environment. Thanks to our dear friend Thomas Wagner, we got a firs hand look at innovative solar design in action.
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A Silicon Valley Innovation Journey: from Semiconductors to Sustainability

Kevin Surace
CEO, Serious Materials

“FACTORIES RE-OPEN, CREATING NEW JOBS AND COST SAVINGS FOR U.S. EMPLOYEES”. Is this a headline from years gone by? A satirical story reported in The Onion? Or an apt characterization of the work of a 21st Century Silicon Valley innovation leader? Our third option has all the charm.
Join us as Kevin Surace, former semiconductor executive and current CEO of Silicon Valley-based Serious Materials, shares with us his recent White House commendations from the President and Vice President, and his adventures as a leader in one of the most critical 21st Century innovation industries.

Serious Materials develops and manufactures sustainable green building materials that save energy, save money, improve comfort and aggressively address climate change. The company was voted #1 at Cleantech Forum XII, won Global Gypsum Product of the Year 2008, won the first Aspen Institute award for innovation in Energy Conservation, and was awarded Green Product of the Year by Popular Science. It has also been recognized by TIME/CNN, Fortune, and Business Week as one of the top green technology companies. SeriousWindows(TM) and SeriousGlass(TM) reduce heating and cooling energy costs by up to 50% and improve occupant comfort. QuietRock® soundproof drywall and QuietGlass® reduce material use, enhance livability, and support dense sustainable urban construction. EcoRock(TM) uses 80% less energy in its core production and has the potential to save billions of pounds of CO2 annually making it the only true green alternative to gypsum drywall and five times more environmentally friendly. SeriousWindows, SeriousGlass and super-insulating ThermaRock(TM) drywall support energy efficiency funding programs as outlined under The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) including Weatherization (WAP), Green Federal Buildings, State Energy Program (SEP), Energy Efficiency Block Grants, Energy Tax Credit for Consumers, and Tax Deductions for Commercial Buildings.