With your help, we'll continue to provide Northwesterners with important news and information on critical topics.
NWPR Series on Morning Edition and ATC
Correspondents Sueann Ramella and Mary Hawkins explore developments in sustainable building design, construction and maintenance for Northwest homes and communities.
Small Collaborations: Nanotechnology, Home Design and Living Small. We consider the potential impact of nano research and how innovative thinking is revolutionizing the building industry. Two WSU professors are featured: M. Grant Norton and Gregg Kessler. Listen here
Ceramic Concrete. Sueann Ramella reports on an ancient building material as strong as concrete, but which releases less CO2 into the atmosphere during production. It is a fire retardant, has incredibly strong adhesive properties, is compostable and will last for centuries. Listen here
At Home Solar Power Generation. Mary Hawkins speaks with Mike Nelson, director of the Northwest Solar Center about state and national incentives to install solar systems, and about solar generation as a revenue source for the average homeowner. You might be surprised to learn that solar is a technology that works great even in the cloudy coastal regions of the Northwest. Listen here.
Wood and Straw Materials. You can huff and puff and not blow the house made of straw down…if you use straw based boards. Sueann Ramella speaks with Vic Yadama and Karl Englund of WSU's Wood Materials Engineering Laboratory about materials that used to be thought of as debris and now comprise durable and sustainable buildings.
Toward a Sustainable Building Culture. In order to become sustainable, our designers and construction professionals need to get away from a cookie-cutter approach to building. This is especially true in an era when building from regional materials is essential to low carbon emissions and sustainability. Mary Hawkins and WSU's School of Architecture and Construction Management's Jason Peschel.
Green versus Sustainable Design. Smart builders are moving toward a ‘triple bottom line’ as they strive for best practices in development: Environmental quality, economic efficiency and social justice. Sueann Ramella speaks with Michael Wolcott, Director of WSU's Institute for Sustainable Design.
Mapping Carbon Emissions in the Construction Industry. We know that the construction industry is a major contributor to carbon emissions. However the industry is just beginning to tally the energy and emissions that go into construction materials and assembly. Correspondent, Mary Hawkins speaks with architect, Sadie Martin, about her experience on a job site in Bothell, Washington.
Xeriscaping in the Northwest. In Spokane, the average family triples their water usage in the hot summer months. Most of that water is used outdoors on yards and gardens. Sueann Ramella discusses the problem and attractive low-water landscape solutions with Bill Rickard, Water Quality Coordinator for the City of Spokane, Kathy Hutton of Plants of the Wild in and WSU School of Biological Sciences botonist, Chuck Cody.
Other WSU partners for this on-air and online series include: School of Architecture and Construction Management 's Max Kirk and Greg Kessler, WSU's Wood Materials Engineering Laboratory 's Don Bender, Civil and Environmental Engineering and WSU Extension.
"Ask Chuck" and Master Gardeners Now Featured on Our Organic Northwest
It's time to prune those trees and start those seedlings. Our Organic Northwest features dozens of articles and links to regional soil, seed and gardening sites. You'll also find a prominent link to the Washington state county by county WSU Master Gardeners map.
While you're there, ask Chuck Cody questions about what to plant and how to care for your yard, garden and greenhouse.
NWPR Series on Alternative Energy Developments
Our series on alternative energy features Dave Sjoding, Renewables and Engineering Division Manager for WSU’s Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, along with correpondent Mary Hawkins.
NWPR Series on Columbia Basin Water Issues
Our series on Columbia Basin water issues features Mike Barber, Director of the
Water Resource Center for WSU along with correspondent, Sueann Ramella. Washington's DOE and other key stakeholders are gearing up for a massive drawdown of water from Lake Roosevelt behind Grand Coulee Dam, to boost rapidly-depleting supplies. We learn about the challenges involved in bringing water to fish, towns and farms that depend it for survival.
Our Northwest is a multi-media extension of Washington State University’s Educational and Public Media. Our project partners include The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, WSU's Extension Program, Washington State Magazine, and experts on a host of topics.
