eco-bling
n. Ineffective green technology, particular equipment added on to an existing building that does little to reduce the building's use of natural resources.
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Examples
2010
Doug King, a visiting professor of building engineering physics at the University of Bath and author of the new report, said that it had become fashionable for people to install renewable energy at home but warned against it. "Eco-bling describes unnecessary renewable energy visibly attached to the outside of poorly-designed buildings - it's a zero-sum approach," he said. "If you build something that is just as energy-hungry as every other building and then put a few wind turbines and solar cells on the outside that addresses a few per cent of that building's energy consumption, you've not achieved anything.
—Alok Jha, “Eco-bling and retrofitting won't meet emissions targets, warn engineers,” The Guardian, January 20, 2010
2009
In new buildings, energy efficiency does not need to come at an additional cost, especially if it is introduced at the planning stage. Last minute eco-changes or later eco-additions tend to be ineffective, costly and often not very aesthetic. 'Eco bling' has had its day.
—Sibylle Clucas, “Sustainable building for the future,” The Western Mail, April 29, 2009
2007 (earliest)
The time for knee jerk green tokenism and Eco-Bling are almost behind us as we begin to see clients taking a more mature approach to sustainability in the Built Environment.
—Jeremy Percy, “Sustainability: No time for eco-bling and sustaina-babble,” What's New in Building, July 10, 2007
Notes
This campaign really has legs. Not only has the DPPEA Re3 team received sponsorship from nationally known corporate players and gotten nationwide participation in their contests, but they are showing up at street fairs and other special events around the state. They are showing off their new "eco-bling": T-shirts, stickers, bottle openers (what else do 20-somethings like more than fashion, surfing and TV?) and sharing recycling facts.
—Muriel Williman, “Recycling message hits Triangle airwaves,” Chapel Hill Herald, July 16, 2005