Designs for new technologies to green homes, or even building new ‘eco-friendly’ neighbourhoods from scratch like in Kfar Saba (Green Building or Greenwashing?), are coming in thick-and-fast in Israel. But what about the millions of people living in buildings that have been standing for decades?
One man who has come up with the answer is Gil Peled, an Israeli architect and green building consultant, who has rallied the neighbours residents in his Jerusalem apartment building to the cause. Since 2002, the Eco-Housing Pilot Project has succeeded in reducing energy use, waste and water consumption by over 30%. “When I began, not many people knew what I was talking about,” Peled told Green Prophet. “We all went through the process of becoming green together.”
In inheriting a 50 year-old building he says that the greatest asset has not been new technologies (although they swear by energy-efficient light bulbs), but good old-fashioned motivation. “Motivation is the most resource-saving device. If you have energy-efficient light bulbs but leave them on all day, then you’re not saving anything,” argues Peled.
For now, the location of the building is a secret (it can’t even be found on Jerusalem’s (Green Map) as the residents prefer that it remains a secret. It is their home after all. (However, Green Prophet can reveal that it’s walking distance from the Prime Minister’s official residence.)
Six years after its inception, the project is still the only one of its kind in Israel and Peled is currently searching for funds in order to spread the project to more homes. We say: What are you waiting for Mr Olmert?
More on Green Building:
Green Building or Greenwashing in Kfar Saba?
Living High-Rise and Green
Photo: Michael Green.
Author: Michael Green
Born into a family of auto mechanics and engineers in east London’s urban sprawl, Michael bucked the trend and chose a bicycle instead of a car. A relative newcomer to Jerusalem, he works as a freelance journalist writing for the Jerusalem Post and other publications. Before moving to Israel, he worked for an environmental NGO in England where he developed a healthy obsession with organic vegetables and an aversion to pesticides and GMOs. Michael’s surname is pure coincidence. Michael can be reached at michael (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
I was actually praying for Israel to have this and then found out that it was happening already! Israel needs Green and Beautiful cheap housing like that in New Mexico's adobe houses and Greece's beautiful White Stucco houses in the Cyclades! Keep up the good work and keep the housing cheap for the needy Israelites!
Hi Clare, for queries contact me by e-mail:[email protected]
Clare — I met a company today (at the Cleantech conference in Israel)called water arc:
http://www.water-arc.com
They are building innovative solutions for home water recycling. A unit for a single house costs about NIS 15,000.
Hi Gil, I will soon be building a house on a moshav (extension area) and am interested in an ecological building design (materials, solar energy, ventilation etc). Have you any ideas or suggestions?
I met with Gil earlier today, and apart from being a very committed environmentalist of many years (and a warm soul indeed), really reccommend everyone reading this site to visit the project – kol a ka vod Gil: may every building in Jeru (& Israel) take inspiration from your efforts!
Hi Karin, you may contact me at [email protected], Gil
Gil — can you give us your contacts?
The project may be viewed on a Friday, prior arrangement required.
This project is a few doors down from my apartment!