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Posts Tagged ‘Environment’

Foster and Partners designed eco friendly residences for a community called Banyan Tree Corniche Bay in Mauritius, way back in 2006. The concept was to build discreet and environmentally sensitive homes that integrate harmoniously with the lush landscape. Another aspect of the concept that makes the integration complete is the use of indigenous materials so as not to disturb the natural beauty of the landscape. Unfortunately the concept has not been turned in to reality as yet.

The luxurious eco-residences were designed as part of a master plan for the Banyan Tree Cornich Bay development in La Gaulette, on the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius. Unienville & Associates Architects Ltd. partnered with Foster and Partners for the project. The homes thus designed would have views of Morne Brabant which is a Unesco World heritage Site.

Indigenous recyclable materials would be used predominantly to build the homes that would feature undulating roofs that would allow natural ventilation and cross breezes. The design would be not only eco friendly but energy efficient also. There would be photovoltaic mounted on the roof and a rainwater collection system. The designers have also provided tropical vegetation within the walls. The home will blend with the environment and yet retain a contemporary look.

Via: Evolo

Project Playhouse, an annual fundraiser by Home Aid has an interesting entry this year. It is called the Ocean Adventure lab. It is the result of collaboration between LPA Inc. who came up with the design and Turner Construction who actually built it. As apart of the fundraiser the Ocean Adventure Lab will be auctioned off in early September. You can have a look at it and appreciate the sustainable elements used in creating it, as it is on display at the Irvine Spectrum Centre.

It was a conscious effort on the part of the designers and builders to create as much of sustainable elements as possible. The Lab was built with reclaimed and recycled materials, natural wool insulation, a composite wood structure, energy-efficient lighting and LEDs, recycled content panels and siding by Trex Accents and Black Label photovoltaic from Suntech.

To encourage such green practice the local green building chapter will bestow an honorary certification with a bamboo plaque on the project team later this month. LPA estimates have put the cost of constructing the Lab between $8,000 and $10,000. It should be able to raise at least three times that amount at the charity auction on September 10, 2010.

Via: ProjectPlayHouse , JetsonGreen

As the global climate change intensifies, wreaking havoc on weather conditions across the globe, millions upon million of people are now getting more aware about the impact of various elements that have impacted our environment and are increasingly turning to more innovative means of living that, have reduce that impact. With this phenomenally growing trend, even the hospitality industry is now looking towards means of becoming more environmental friendly, catering to the needs and expectations of similar guests.

One such entity is the Motel 6 Texas Motor Speedway in Northlake, that has been designed and developed to extremely environment friendly. The entire motel’s water supply is heated with the help of state of the art thermal solar units, that are known to make use of tubes rather than conventional solar panels. Even with this state of the art technology and a design that has proved to environmental friendly, the Motel 6 charges only $40 a night, just like the other Motel 6 properties. One of the foremost things for a guest to observe while checking in a eco friendly hotel is the property’s LEED certification, which is considered to be one of he toughest ratings to be acquired. The LEED certification is issued by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), that judges the buildings on their efficiency in conservation of energy, water etc. and the reduction in CO2 emissions.

According to Robert Moore (Exec. V.P, Tech. Services & New Engineering, Accor North America),

“It’s a very competitive market out there and customers are very savvy. At the end of the day, if customers have a choice, we think they’ll go to the green property.”

Via Miami Herald

Being eco-efficient is the new mantra for every organization that is involved in delivering goods and services to the society. One of the ways to induce them to adopt green practices is to either penalize them for contraventions or give monetary benefits for compliance. But I never thought somebody would coin the idea of making the most efficient swimming pool endowed with solar panels on the roof.

Hailed as Richmond Plunge, this swimming pool is touted to be the most efficient for it lacks chlorine and its building is powered by roof top solar panels. Seated in Richmond, California, this pool ha debuted in 1926 and was now opened after 10 years of renovation. It measures 6 0 feet by 160 feet and can hold 324,000 gallons of water. The water in the pool is heated by means of eighty Heliodyne Gobi solar collectors on the roof. The folks here have used saline solution coupled with an ultraviolet disinfectant system as a substitute to chlorine for obvious health reasons.

The Richmond Plunge has set new standards for swimming pools and probably, as we strive to create an eco-efficient living environment around us, other amenities too would catch up with this pace.

Via: MetaEfficient

Global warming has made the plants grow bigger, as estimated, but less.

According to a study published in the journal Science, the productivity of vegetables has fallen around the world.

Until then, it was thought that higher temperatures would be constantly stimulating plant growth, but the new research, done with data from NASA satellites, the U.S. space agency, indicates otherwise.

The reason is the regional drought, indicates the study by Zhao Maosheng and Steven Running of the University of Montana, according to which the trend in productivity has lasted a decade.

Productivity is a measurement of the rate of photosynthesis process that green plants use to convert solar energy, carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen on the same plant tissue.

The observed decline in the last decade was 1%. Seems small, but, according to the authors of the study, is an alarming sign because of the potential impact on food production and biofuels and the global carbon cycle.

According to the study, although higher temperatures continue to increase productivity in some areas and higher latitudes, tropical forests, accounting for much of terrestrial plant matter, the rise in temperatures has decreased productivity due to water stress and plant respiration that returns carbon to the atmosphere.

Via: NASA.

We live in times when solutions come very late and long after crisis destroys everything but nevertheless we must appreciate the fact that solutions are being worked out for next crisis. The Gulf of Mexico oil spill was a rude awakening about shortcomings of our technology in cleaning up and protecting our oceans. MIT researchers have been working on the problem and now with the use of modern nanotechnology they have devised and designed prototype Seaswarm Robot which can move over ocean surface and absorb the oil more effectively than the skimmers.

Nearly 70 percent of our blue planet is covered with water and we haven’t spared deep oceans in our search of oil and sea food. It takes an unfortunate disaster like Deepwater Horizon leak to make us realize the dark side of all our endeavors. Much marine life must have got choked on oil and we cannot even comprehend or assess the damage. In such sad times it is good news that researchers and engineers are designing new clean up systems.

Seaswarm robot is simply a machine which consists of conveyor belt made of nanowire mesh that can absorb surface oil and repel water. It also heats and burns up the oil locally. This system is powered by solar energy and is very inexpensive. The initial prototype will be displayed in Italian pavilion at Venice Biennale which begins today.

Via Gizmag

Recycling waste products is one very important step that could delay global degradation, but the lack of willingness of people has always curbed the potential benefits of this measure, not any more! By next year the authorities in Cleveland will make it compulsory for everyone to recycle, failing which people will be charged with a fine of $100 and to keep a vigil on every resident’s waste products high tech trash cans will be employed.

This will coerce the people of Cleveland to act responsibly and show up at every recycling session. Its time the government took such stern steps, as people are taking their responsibility towards the planet for granted. The high tech trash cans will detect the amount of material in the trash that could have been recycled and will report to the authorities.

If the trash cart is found to contain more that 10 per cent of recyclable material then the owner will be entitled to pay a fine of $100. So, make sure that recyclables like glass, metal cans, card board, paper and plastic bottles go in to the right trash can!

via: blog.cleveland

        news.slasdot

Germany has been facing the problem of air pollution owing to concentration of nitrogen oxide surpassing the maximum permitted levels. Sources suggest that the road traffic is the principle reason behind soaring levels of this harmful gas. The Baroque City of Fulda in Hesse took the baton of fighting air pollution and came up innovative paving slabs that reduce the amount of nitrogen oxide in the air.

These special paving slabs would come coated in titanium dioxide nanoparticles which would convert harmful substances such as nitrogen oxides into nitrates. Titanium dioxide being a photocatalyst utilizes sunlight to accelerate a naturally occurring chemical reaction. The slabs would be first laid through the length of Petersberger Straße where pollution levels are recorded above the annual mean limit of of 40 micrograms per cubic meter.

The innovative “Air Clean” paving slabs were developed by F. C. Nüdling Betonelemente and the project has been funded by the German Environment Foundation. These slabs were previously used in Italian cities and results showed that they help in improving air quality.

Via: Innovations-Report/ScienceDaily

Robots or manmade machines’ taking care of our chores wasn’t unheard of. But summoning a robot to undo the damage done by mankind is really offbeat. So here we have a Tree Planting Robot with a mission to avoid an environmental apocalypse.

Designed for reforestation projects, the robot is capable of carrying as much as 320 seedlings, each stored in a biodegradable plastic to avoid damage by plant eating insects. It is equipped with hot stream to destroy competing vegetation like weeds and choking vines that do not make any value addition to the environment.

The robot can be programmed to plant in patterns just in case one is up for a beautification sort of a thing. Since people are contemplating moon as an alternative to earth, these machines could be used to create a perfect habitat. Too bad the growth duration of trees is in control of the mankind. I like the intention behind this project for it actually acknowledges that mere talks and conferences or whimsical industrial designs cannot handle the impeding problem of Global warming.

Via: CoolestGadgets

It must have been difficult challenge to come up with creating design plans to save the day when sea levels will rise and drown vulnerable nations because of global warming. International Urban Sea Level Rise Ideas competition for Sydney Harbour had many interesting entries and winners but the co-winner idea – The Embassy of Drowned Nations Concept Plan hits at the right painful nerve.

The basic concept plan is to build a sunken city off Sydney Harbour which will be blend of Atlantis and Eden something like Ellis Island. Such islands will be refuge for displaced population of drowned nations who will then later integrate into harbour nation as refugees and migrants with no roots. It is very sad but true that the reality is not very far when citizens from Maldives and Venice will need transitional homes because we cannot reverse climate change, sea levels will rise with global warming and angry sea will engulf land.

It is very futuristic and real concept indeed because there will be need of Embassy of Drowned Nations too in few decades. The silver lining is, these ideas give hope that for every drowning home there will be a savior.

It is very disturbing that dark competitions are being held to create awareness but darker question is, does collective humanity (which is enjoying state of amnesia and bliss) really care about the planet and future of vulnerable countries? Can we stop the deluge?

Via Gizmodo