An Eco-Lodge “Touching the Earth Lightly”
Originally published on EdenKeeper.org Constructed with an eagle’s loft in mind, a newly renovated eco-lodge in South Africa offers a bird’s-eye view from a well-feathered nest. Overlooking lush vistas of Kruger National Park wildlife refuge, the view is so vast you might easily be inspired to sing a hymn in praise of Creation. Singita Lebombo Eco-Lodge lets you sleep in an “eagle’s nest.” Credit: Singita.com Singita Lebombo Eco-Lodge Resort Singita Lebombo Eco-Lodge Resort resides within 33,000 acres of private game…
Aluminum – The ABCs of Green Building Materials
Used in a wide variety of ways in the building construction market, aluminum is a very versatile green building material, especially when it’s recycled. Everything from huge external building structures to delicate window blinds can be manufactured from this lightweight, durable, and corrosion-resistant metal. Doors, windows, and awnings are popular products made from this material, as well as parking canopies, warehouses, and other commercial outbuildings. Solar panels typically rely on low-weight aluminum framing components in solar installations on residential and commercial…
The ABCs of Green Building Materials – Adobe (New Series!)
Green building materials are as diverse as Earth itself. Some of the most sustainable materials on the planet are modern inventions, and some are as old as the hills, like adobe. Familiarizing yourself with the best green building materials will help ensure your environmentally friendly projects enjoy sustainable success. Over the next several weeks, watch for new posts in GBE’s new series, “The ABCs of Green Building Materials.” If you have a project in mind highlighting any great green building…
Tiny Techtonics Timber Urban Infill Wins Passivhaus Trust Award
Techtonics Architects has won the coveted Passivhaus Trust award, featuring its tiny techtonics timber urban infill home. Designed by Techtonics Architects, the firm describes the design which was used: “We have just completed a new build ‘Passivhaus’, a very low energy construction following principles for comfort and energy developed in Germany by the Passivhaus Institute based on high insulation, low air leakage and control of ventilation. “The 2-storey house consists of an in-situ reinforced concrete lower level, half sunken from street…
Brick In Architecture 2016 Award Winners
The 2016 Brick in Architecture awards have been released. According to the press announcement, these awards were judged by a jury of peers. They feature 32 Best in Class, Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in 17 states and Canada, awarded in seven categories: Commercial, Educational (Higher Education), Educational (K-12), Healthcare, Municipal/Government, Residential (Multifamily) and Residential (Single Family). “These winners demonstrate the best of brick’s aesthetic flexibility, and as a material made from abundant natural resources, it’s a perfect strategy in…
Brownfield Development Web Site Links Project Team Members
Brownfield developments, sites or buildings that have environmental contamination, are not usually the most desirable projects. However, a web site called Brownfield Listings is giving these projects a new lease on life. A small town in Missouri wanted to convert an abandoned school into a community center and emergency shelter. It put out three requests for proposals for their brownfield development to find contractors and designers willing to work on the site that was contaminated with lead paint, asbestos, and…
On The Smaller Side Of Houses, Meet GreenPod
A recent visit to treehugger has provided us with a great resource for the smaller side of the housing spectrum: GreenPod. It appears modular and prefab homes are finally gaining some mainstream traction, states treehugger author Kimberley Mok. For people interested in getting an eco-friendly home relatively quick, going prefab can be an easier route with less headaches. “Woman-owned GreenPod Development, LLC creates green-jobs by building new modular and sitebuilt homes with healthy interiors and furnishings. GreenPod assures basic human needs: clean water,…
Concrete Brise Soleil Cools Sustainable Building In Ghana
One Airport Square in Accra, Ghana uses an innovative brise soleil of concrete to let light in while keeping heat out, which greatly reduces the cost of cooling.
Solar Air Conditioning System Uses Heat To Cool Spaces
CSIRO’s solar air conditioning system now sits on top of a major shopping center in Australia, and it is saving energy by using heat from the sun to cool the air in the center. The system uses concentrating solar thermal technology to produce heat energy used to power the air conditioning system. It is a “closed-loop” air conditioner, meaning it heats and cools air within the building without introducing any external air into the system, with a pair of “desiccant” (drying)…
Seattle’s Bullitt Center Stands As The Greenest Model
At the headquarters of the Seattle-based Bullitt Foundation, author Mary Adam Thomas documents the building of the Bullitt Center, a structure she regards as the world’s greenest building in her recently released book, “The Greenest Building: How The Bullitt Center Changes The Urban Landscape.” The Bullitt Center stands as an eye-catching model of environmental design. Using the Living Building Challenge, created by the International Living Future Institute, an organization dedicated to making green building the new normal as a guideline, a team…
Vienna Will Be Home To World’s Tallest Wooden Building
The tallest wooden building in the world is under construction in Vienna. It will be 276 feet tall and save 2,800 metric tons of carbon dioxide compared to a concrete building.
Minneapolis City Center NFL Showcase: Finishing Touches Take Place On US Bank Stadium
We have enjoyed following the vision and ensuing work leading to the development of US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, now scheduled to open this August. Here is the most important item to keep in mind about this project: we’re not just looking at a new Minnesota Vikings football stadium replacing the old Hubert Humphrey Metrodome. Here the $1.1 billion investment involves a new kind of product for a sporting franchise and a government. This new-fangled stadium product represents the savvy evolution…
World’s First 3D-Printed Building Completed In Dubai
3D-printed construction is occurring far more quickly than many first imagined. Take a look at Dubai, which now features the world’s first 3D-printed office building. Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has stated the UAE stands as one of the major incubators of innovation and future technology in the world today. “We announce today the opening of the first 3D-printed office in the world, after less…
Florida Town Aims To Be Greenest Community In America
Babcock Ranch in southwest Florida will be the greenest community in America. Designed for easy walkability and bike riding, it will feature solar power, advanced gray water recovery systems, and autonomous driving cars instead of public transportation.
Top 10 Green Projects 2016
AIA’s Committee on the Environment (COTE) has announced its list of the top 10 green projects for 2016. Biosciences Research Building, Galway Ireland The design of the BRB embraces the moderate climate of Ireland. By locating low-load spaces along the perimeter of the building, the project is able to take advantage of natural ventilation as the sole conditioning strategy for the majority of the year and is supplemented less than 10% of the year with radiant heating. Due to this…
Car Free Building In Austin Will Have No Parking
Developers in Austin, TX are looking to build a 30-story mixed-use building in the heart of busy downtown without adding any additional parking. The building, called The Avenue, will not contain a parking garage or any other on-site parking, and is being billed as the first “truly car-free luxury development in downtown Austin.” Residents and visitors to the building’s shops and offices will be asked to use alternative transportation, or park somewhere else, when using the building’s facilities. “This is the…
Masdar City Sets The Bar For Sustainable Urban Development
Masdar City, near Abu Dhabi, has set its sights on being the most sustainable city on the planet, and it is well on the way to meeting that goal. Development started in 2008 and is expected to continue for at least the next five years, with 40,000 people expected to live within its boundaries, and another 50,000 commuting to work there. “Masdar City is a template for sustainable urban development, and its evolution is taking place in partnership with a…
Net-Zero Home Kits Available From Acre
For those ready to build a net-zero home, Acre, might be a good place to start looking. The Acre website states this company addresses architecture and construction from an entirely new perspective. “We want to replace today’s out-of-date houses with innovative, attainable, high-quality homes that are better for people and the planet. Our goal is to give families back the freedom to prioritize what matters most to them – and a home that reflects these values.” In terms of a net-zero design approach to…