What has been missing from efforts to create
sustainable communities is transportation —
representing 29 percent of U. S. energy use. But
deployed within a “smart electric grid,” plug-in
hybrids offer the opportunity for truly sustainable communities nationwide.
BETTER PLACE LLC
you awake on a chilly Saturday morning, your highly energy-efficient home
just degrees cooler than when you went
to bed, though the heating has remained off
during the night. The morning sun is already
generating electricity and heating water in
your rooftop photovoltaic (PV) and solar
water-heating systems. Breakfast is an omelet
made with vegetables grown in the community
greenhouse. Life is good — and environmentally friendly — in your “green-built” subdivision. Then you get into your car to run some
errands — starting with the weekly trip to the
gas station. Your vehicle’s engine burns the
gasoline that aggravates international tensions developments even include community-level
and the nation’s balance of payments, spewing heating systems or renewable energy genera-greenhouse gases and other toxic pollutants tion equipment.
all the way. What is missing from these sustainable
Numerous articles and books have advo- visions and on-the-ground efforts, however, is
cated sustainable communities that combine transportation — representing 29 percent of
energy-efficient house construction with U.S. energy use. Light vehicles alone account
rooftop PV or other renewable energy genera- for 18 percent. Automotive fuel has never
tion, and standards have been established for been easy to produce renewably. Biofuels
sustainable construction. Indeed, progressive such as ethanol and biodiesel will substitute
developers in many states are building sub- for a fraction of gasoline and diesel use in the
divisions featuring LEED-certified, energy- future, but growing the crops to make them is
efficient and near-net-zero-energy homes. In highly energy intensive. Making the ethanol
Europe, Canada, Iceland and elsewhere, some from cellulosic material or the biodiesel from
