Gavin Newsom's San Francisco: The New Windy City?

It is the greenest home in the city of San Francisco, and one of the greenest in the world. Nestled in the city's Mission district amidst old and colorful Victorians, La Casa Verde is built entirely from sustainable and recycled materials, has a green roof and solar panels, and draws 40% of its energy from a single wind turbine (.pdf), which rises 45 feet in the air.

San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom loves it—unsurprising, considering the many green initiatives he's supported in the city. He couldn't stop talking about how "great" and "fantastic" he thought La Casa was as he toured the building this morning, and listened attentively as homeowner Robin Wilson described the building's many green features: the countertops made from discarded rice hulls, the recycled flooring, the chandelier whose shimmering LED lights will last for over 15 years. "This is not a modest or symbolic effort," he commented. "This is real. This is not fanciful."

And for San Francisco residents, "real" green housing is about to be a lot more attainable. Speaking to reporters after the tour, Newsom announced that he is creating a residential wind working group, tasked with figuring out how to revamp the city's zoning and building codes to allow wind turbines on private lots. If implemented, it would be the first urban program of its kind.

It's possible this is a pipe dream, as the announcement seemed to take Newsom's staff by surprise. "I guess we're doing residential wind," said deputy communications director Brian Purchia, adding that although the idea had come up before, he hadn't realized it was a go. But Newsom insists that his commitment is both firm and pragmatic. "This is who I am, this is what I want to do," he said, emphasizing that the project, along with the city's other green policies, would survive even the worst opposition or budget cuts. "Money is an excuse," he said. "It's never the problem. Money always follows great ideas."

It's a good thing he's confident, because homes like Wilson's don't come cheap: Greening La Casa cost her several million dollars. Wilson, a local green contractor who began remodeling the house in 2006, says she's aware that the price tag is not for everyone. What she wanted, she says, was to give people an idea of what was possible, an inspiration. "I want people to be able to pick and choose what works for them," she said. Newsom, meanwhile, said that the city plans to find a way to make green choices affordable, through a combination of financial incentives as well as a carbon tax that he will place on the ballot in November. Going green makes financial sense, he said, and businesses know it. "This is going to be mandated very soon," he said. "In 15 years, you're not going to be able to build in San Francisco without doing everything she's done and more."

—Casey Miner

Comments

I am so proud to live in this city.From what I was able to see so far, its people really take care of its environment.

Posted by: Nousha.com on 04/12/08 at 6:25 PM Respond

Nice post. But at "several million dollars" I'd say this is definitely "Fanciful", not to fault the mayor, I'm still impressed.

Posted by: Rai Blaydo on 04/13/08 at 12:08 PM Respond

Oh yeah imagine San Francisco with several million 45'+ wind towers; one for every yard. Or NYC. Why not one for every apartment too? I bet if we mount them on the trollies it would work too - remember how everyone loved and used the trollies? How the wires everywhere looked great and saved the city from any gas consumption? Lol pipe dream is right. I'm all about green but come on wind is not going to replace major power, and as soon as it goes out of style, replaced with hydrogen fusion or something, imagine all these giant, steel, not-so green monsters rotting across the country like bomb shelters. Seems like a tad of South Park logic.

Posted by: Justin on 04/14/08 at 5:39 AM Respond

Rotting giant green monsters? Justin, you don't seem to be aware of the small 1 Kw units that have a 5 foot diameter sweep, made with carbon fiber blades that make so little noise they're not even heard above the regular wind noise. Furthermore, they can be placed back so they're not in your face, or others who would rather have nuclear or gas fired plants instead. Also, for larger buildings you can put several up, all of these with mesh or other safety guards to prevent bird casualties. Normally the bird casualties (Altamont Pass for example) are because the blades are in a migratory flight path. I tip my hat to Gavin for his foresight, given the resistance of many like yourself who don't seem to take the energy crisis seriously. When there's something better than these 10 to 15 years down the line, we'll replace them. In the mean time, green energy and plenty of jobs.

Posted by: Sam on 04/14/08 at 12:52 PM Respond

Justin - do a little thinking man. First of all, they are called "Cable Cars" NOT trollies. Although, technically, you could call the F-Lines 'trollies'. Trollies are not pulled by cables, get it.

Secondly, it's about a mix of sources. This is a great start.

Posted by: Tubbsie on 04/14/08 at 12:53 PM Respond

At $2K for a 1 Kw generator, compared with $10K for the equivalent PV panels, I don't see a multi million dollar pie in the sky dream. The question is whether green minded people are indeed green. Will it take brown outs and more cold winters where we can't afford the nat. gas to stay as warm as we used to, in order to move this to a reality? A renter could (and should) get a rebate, and could take the unit with her to another place years down the line, much easier than dismantling and carting 6 panels and mounting plates. Let's go for Venitian blinds that have PV for renters, along with a mini grid tie Xantrex used to make but mysteriously disappeared from their product line. This small inverter plugged into a wall outlet and reversed the meter somehow...

Posted by: Sam on 04/14/08 at 2:20 PM Respond

Hopefully, bomb shelters will be making a comeback!

Posted by: Gary Austin on 04/14/08 at 3:46 PM Respond