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.
News
Thermoslate Solar Thermal System Integrates Unseen Into Slate Roof
The Thermoslate solar thermal system from Spanish slate company Cupa Pizarras is worth observing. Here’s why: a structure’s slate roof can absorb a massive amount of heat and because of this stone, it has good thermal mass and holds it for some time, reports treehugger. In the Thermoslate system, slate roof tiles are integrated with thermal cells where heat is collected. The end product supplies hot water which can be used for various domestic purposes, including solar water heating. As shown in this…
Low Cost Coating For Glass Enhances Sustainability Of Buildings
Researchers at Masdar Institute in Abu Dhabi have created a new coating for glass that blocks heat transfer at less cost than traditional methods.
Welsh Designer Creates Portable And Sustainable Homes
Mark Waghorn is a Welsh architect who has designed two homes that conform to the Wales One Planet Development guidelines for sustainable homes.
Humanihut Makes Portable Refugee Shelters (w/Video)
HUmanihut is an Australian start-up company that makes refugee shelters that are highly portable and durable. They contain sanitary facilities as well as living and sleeping quarters.
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…
Do LEDs Create EMFs? Looking into the Science Behind EMFs
How much do we really know about the connection between EMFs and health concerns. Should we worry about our LED bulbs and EMFs?
Reduce Indoor Air Pollution with Molekule
Air quality is a big concern for large cities, but did you know that indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air? Learn how just one small device can remove all those toxins in your environment and create better air for all.
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…
Health and Environmental Concerns with Traditional Lawn Care
What are the hidden costs of traditional lawn care, and is synthetic turf a healthier and more ecological alternative? This green franchise thinks so!
Facebook Spends $269 Million On Headquarters
According to Jack Cookson, a research analyst at BuildZoom, his company’s business specialty involves collecting all building permits from around the country, a daunting venture which sometimes reveals interesting results on companies like Facebook. A search recently led company researchers to Facebook’s headquarters in Menlo Park, writes Cookson, “…and we couldn’t resist investigating what has been up to.” Here is what BuildZoom discovered: “Facebook is going green. There were a total of 8 permits directly related to solar energy, totaling $8,105,261. The…
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…
Panama Jungle Features Plastic Bottle Village
Far south, a few degrees north of the Equator, the plastic bottle is being smartly repurposed as a residential building insulation material. We visit Panama, where on an 83-acre jungle locale, 90 to 120 planned homes will be insulated by thousands of plastic bottles which have been recovered from the waste stream. The individual behind the scenes of this eco-village named Plastic Bottle Village is Robert Bezeau, a Canadian with a passion for managing and cleaning the waste left behind from the…
Homeselfe Infographic: What Uses The Most Energy In Your Home?
Take a close look at this infographic to see what power-thirsty vampire appliances consume the most energy in your home – and how to stop them We give thanks to Homeselfe co-founder Ameeta Jain, who is sharing this useful infographic on how you can cut your energy bills by up to 30% each month by just making small changes in your home. Look below the see the top 10 leading vampire appliances that excel at sucking excess energy. Then go on an energy efficiency…
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…
The Eco Advantages of Buying a New Build Home
Buying a new build home means that you’re taking advantage of the make eco-upgrades that companies like Strata are choosing for new homes.
Hobbit House Micro-Community Growing In Washington
Inspired by the earth-sheltered tiny homes, often called Hobbit Houses, created by Simon Dale and others, designer, dressmaker and tiny house expert Kristie Wolfe is building a micro-community of three houses in Chelan, Washington. The first Hobbit Home is complete, and Wolfe hopes to have the other two done by the middle of 2016. Wolfe’s Hobbit House is located on a 5.5 acre plot, and built into the mountainside so completely that it could be easy to miss on first…