Inflatable Aluminum

A really good video of inflatable aluminum. Last year when visiting Zurich we were given an opportunity to visit ETH where Professor yevs showed us some students that had been experimenting with inflating aluminum and soft metals.


Inflated Metal Chair from aram bartholl on Vimeo.

I will be contacting professor yeves to see if he can help be conduct some experiments of my own in inflatable aluminum.

SIEEB – Sino-Italian Energy Efficient Building

SIEEB – Sino-Italian Energy Efficient Building – was been presented on December 7th 2004 in Beijing

SIEEB project is regarded as a platform to develop the bilateral long-term cooperation in the environment and energy fields and a model case for showing the CO2 emission reduction potential in the building sector in China.

This building will be realized in the Tsinghua University Campus in Beijing and has been designed by arch. Mario Cucinella and Politecninco of Milano .

It is a 20.000 m2 building, 40 m high and it will host a Sino-Italy education, training and research centre for environment protection and energy conservation. This integrated design process is a most distinctive part of the project and a key issue for green buildings.

The building is therefore generated through a series of testing and computer simulations of its performance in relation to its possible shape, orientation, envelope, technological systems and so on. The building is designed to find a balance among energy efficiency targets, minimum CO2 emissions, a functional layout and the image of a contemporary building.

· resources saving including construction materials and water;
· minimization of environmental impact in both the construction and in-use stages;
· intelligent control during operation and maintenance;
· healthy indoor air;
· environmentally sound and durable materials;
· water recycling and re-use.

The SIEEB building shape derives from the analysis of the site and of the specific climatic conditions of the Beijing. Located in a dense urban context, surrounded by some high-rise buildings, the building optimises the need for solar energy in winter and for solar protection in summer.

Reflecting and semi-reflecting lamellas and louvers will also allow for sunshine to penetrate in the rooms in winter and to be rejected in summer, reducing the energy consumption of the building.
Double Façade and artificial lighting will be based on high efficiency lamps and fittings, controlled by a dimming system capable to adjust the lamps power to the actual local lighting needs, in combination with the natural light contribution. A presence control system will switch off lights in empty rooms.

Thermal comfort conditions are provided by a primary air (distributed by means of a displacement ventilation system) + radiant ceiling system. This combination minimises electricity consumption in pumps and fans. Lightweight radiant ceilings allow for lower air temperature in winter and higher in summer, thus reducing energy consumption; moreover, the presence sensors, coupled with CO2 sensors, can modulate either the air flow and the ceiling temperature when few or no people are in the room, thus avoiding useless energy consumption. In summer night cooling takes place.

Gas engines are the core of the energy system of the building. They are coupled to electric generators to produce most of the electricity required. The engines waste heat is used for heating in winter, for cooling – by means of absorbtion chillers – in summer and for hot water production all year round.
A sophisticated, “intelligent” control system manages the plant.
Because of the cleaner electricity produced, the amount of CO2 emissions per square meter of the SIEEB will be far lower than in present Chinese commercial building stock.

Icon of the Expo 2008 made of [fibreC]

Zaha Hadid has chosen glass fibre reinforced concrete from the Austrian company Rieder to envelope the 275 meters long ,Zaragoza Bridge Pavilion“, the new symbol of the Expo 2008 in the northern Spanish Zaragoza: she will cover the outer skin of the building with 29.000 triangles in different grey shades out of [fibreC] - and has so brought the Austrian concrete manufacturer Rieder an order of more than Euro 1,5 Millions The new bridge across the river Ebro is entrance to the Expo area and at the same time multi-level exhibition area; 10.000 visitors per hour will frequent the Main Pavilion of the world exhibition.

From 14 June to 13 September 2008 Zaragoza, in the northern Spain, will host the next international EXPO. More than seven and a half million people are expected to visit over 3,400 performances staged during the three months of the world exhibition. Due to the theme of the EXPO 2008 “Water and Sustainable Development”, worldwide interest is guaranteed in times of climate changes, tsunami and catastrophic drought. Especially the new landmark of Zaragoza, the shining main pavilion, which is a bridge over the river Ebro at the same time – designed by the prestigious architect Zaha Hadid together with Ove Arup Engineers London – is supposed to cause surprise around the world. The Pavilion consists of an inhabited multi-level bridge that spans the Ebro River, linking the city to the EXPO site. Apart from its function as a pedestrian access to the EXPO, the 275 meters long Zaragoza Bridge is a big showroom: on or in the bridge, to be precise, people can visit three exhibitions relating to the water and sustainability theme. Four curved vaults on two floors offer an exhibition area of 7000 m²

[fibreC] – A Sustainable Material

Apart from its design and visual impact, Zaha Hadid’s idea could stand up to 40 competitors at the jury – not least due to the sustainability of the used materials like [fibreC]. “The composition of [fibreC] out of degradable, purely mineral raw materials entirely complies with the current trend of natural,environmentally-friendly and sustainable materials“, says CEO Wolfgang Rieder. Apposite to the Expo-Theme “Sustainability”, Rieder has been certified in May according to DIN EN ISO 14.001. This international approved environmental management certificate confirms the commitment to sustainability at Rieder. With this „organic approach“, Zaha Hadid’s design of the bridge as well as the use of the material [fibreC] fit with the EXPO theme „Water and Sustainable Development“.

Frank Lloyd Wright boathouse in Buffalo opens to the public

A world-famous architect’s design is coming to life on Buffalo’s waterfront. The newly-opened Frank Lloyd Wright Boathouse was originally designed for the University of Wisconsin.

It took over 100 years to take the design from paper to construction, but the Frank Lloyd Wright Boathouse on the Niagara River is now officially open, and the new building is exactly how the architect designed it.

The idea to resurrect the design nearly 50 years after Wright's death — the architect died in 1959 — came at a conference of Wright scholars a decade ago.

"This is really a piece of modern architecture that still looks modern, even though it was modern 102 years ago," says Marks, who heads the corporation.

The boathouse marks the latest addition to Buffalo's contingent of Wright structures, which includes the Blue Sky Mausoleum, Graycliff Estate and Darwin Martin House.

Air Conditioning Is Obsolete

Global Ecology Research Center at Stanford University is an extremely low-energy laboratory and office building for the Carnegie Institution of Washington. The mission of the new Department of Global Ecology is to conduct basic research on the interactions between the earth's ecosystems, land, atmosphere, and oceans.

This project unified several buildings and activated spaces on a site that the Carnegie Institution has occupied since 1928, improving contact and circulation between two departments and creating an outdoor collaboration space.

This project was chosen as an AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Green Project for 2007. It was submitted by EHDD Architecture, in San Francisco, California.

The cooling system for the Global Ecology Research Center is based on a hydronic system, the first to be used in a laboratory setting. The “coolest” aspect is the night sky cooling system. How it works — at night, water is sprayed on the roof and cooled by the night air. This works well with the Bay Area environment because it rarely freezes, but always gets cold at night. The water is then collected and used to cool the building the next day. Throw in a couple of well-placed fans, and air conditioning is rendered obsolete.

"how insulation today" by onnetworks.com

This video is Very informative for consumers. It's been made by a new digital television (ONnetworks) which promoting ideas for going green in matters related to building practices and sustainable living suggestions.

Today newer, more efficient, and greener alternatives are widely available in order to insulate a building. Alex walks us through these alternatives: new types of batting (such as recycled denim), foam, and loose-fill (recycled paper cellulose). Alex talks to the providers of these alternatives to get the specifics on R factors, cost, durability and environmental impact. He also explores how insulation today can enhance air quality, seal the thermal envelope, and even add rigidity to a structure.

It's nice to see that a company provides visual representation on the subject.

this video is excellent and well executed.

A Gold Rating for city of Santa Clarita's Transit Maintenance Facility

The city of Santa Clarita's Transit Maintenance Facility has received a gold rating from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System.

The facility, intended to be LEED-certified since its planning began in 1999, is a state-of-the-art "green" building, which enables the city to house, maintain and clean its fleet of buses, saving the city more than $1 million annually.

The Transit Maintenance Facility features a 22,000-square-foot administrative and operations office building, a maintenance building with seven maintenance bays, an automated bus wash and chassis wash, a diesel fueling station, a compressed natural gas fueling station for public and transit use, and parking for 110 buses plus 163 automobile parking spaces.

This is Santa Clarita's first LEED-certified project and is a demonstration of the city's commitment to greener development and responsible public policy.


The City of Santa Clarita’s facility is intended to be a high-quality project that is environmentally sensitive, by using state-of-the-art energy efficiency and sustainable building methods. It is the City’s intent to, at a minimum, attain a “Certified” project status as defined in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System by the US Green Building Council.


To aid in LEED certification of the project, a few of the features incorporated into the design of the facility are as follows:

* Straw bale insulated exterior walls for the administration building
* Optimize energy performance by providing under-floor HVAC system through a raised-floor plenum in the administration building.
* Daylighting for both the administration and maintenance buildings
* Recycled building materials, e.g., carpeting, timber, concrete, steel, tile, and vinyl.
* Water efficient landscaping
* Stormwater management






















Energy Advantages

"Straw-bale construction may be a rediscovered technology," says HOK's senior project manager Charles Smith, "but it is appropriate and sustainable by today's standards. When combined with more recent technologies such as under-floor air distribution, high-performance glazing, and daylighting — as it is in this project — it can be part of a powerful strategy for creating an energy- and resource-efficient building. We were able to exceed California Energy Efficiency Standards by over 40 percent."

The HVAC system is an efficient water-source heat pump. Chilled water is generated by an on-site cooling tower. Under-floor air delivery eliminates the need for overhead ducts, leaving the ceiling unobstructed for better daylight reflection. The raised-floor system uses concrete-filled metal pans, which are left exposed to eliminate the need for carpet or other floor coverings in most spaces.

The desert climate, with large diurnal temperature swings, is ideal for cooling by nighttime ventilation. Cool night air is brought into the administration building where it chills the interior surfaces' thermal mass, preconditioning the space for the following day. The HVAC system is designed to condition space only 7 feet (2.1 meters) above the floor. Each occupant can control the airflow and temperature of his or her work area.

The building also incorporates high-performance glazing and a well-insulated roof. Combined with the thick straw-bale walls, these create a super-insulated envelope that moderates temperature fluctuations and protects the indoor environment from the hot, dry daytime conditions.

The relatively narrow floor plates — no more than 60 feet (18 meters) deep — mean that all spaces have access to daylight and views. Deep roof overhangs shade the glazing while protecting the perimeter of the straw bale walls from direct water infiltration. The daylighting strategy reduces reliance on electric lighting and the associated heat loads. Skylights over the interior corridors and lobby limit the amount of electric light required in those areas.

A solar canopy bus shade structure, consisting of a 129.6 KW-DC photovoltaic system, provides on-site renewable energy that meets 45 percent of the facility's annual energy demand.

ZeroHouse 100% autonomous

Do you know a House which designed to operate autonomously and generates its own electrical power ? Let me introduce you to ZeroHouse.

ZeroHouse is a 650-square-foot prefabricated house designed to operate autonomously, with no need for utilities or waste connections. It generates its own electrical power from the high-efficiency solar panels and then stores it in a battery backup. Once completely charged, the home can run efficiently for a week without a hint of sunlight. It collects and stores rainwater, and processes all waste.

ZeroHouse also collects water into a 2,700 gallon cistern, which then distributes it by the force of gravity as needed to other parts of the home. The house, fully air-conditioned and heated, is configured to comfortably support four adults with two bedrooms, a full bathroom, a kitchen/dining room, and a living room. In addition, two elevated exterior terraces and an outdoor shower extend the living spaces.

Conceived by architect Scott Specht, AIA, of Specht Harpman, zeroHouse can be used in remote or ecologically sensitive locations. It can be installed in places unsuitable for standard construction, including in water up to 10-feet deep or on slopes of up to 35 degrees. ZeroHouse employs a helical-anchor foundation system that touches the ground at only four points and disturbs the ground to a minimal degree. The tubular steel frame can withstand winds of up to 140 mph, and the living modules feature flexible attachment points to the frame to allow for deflection and movement without damage.

The design and engineering work on the project was funded by a venture capital group with the intent of creating a start-up company to produce and market zeroHouse. Initial studies indicate that zeroHouse will sell for approximately $350,000.

Pretty incredible little House!

Eastgate Centre in Zimbabwe : Modeled After Termite Mounds

Designed by the architect Mick Pearce in conjunction with engineers at Arup Associates, Eastgate Building in Harare, Zimbabwe, is just one example of sustainable architecture that uses dramatically less energy by copying the successful strategies of indigenous natural systems. The building - the country's largest commercial and shopping complex - uses the same heating and cooling principles as a local termite mound.

That's no mean feat. Termite mounds are marvels of engineering. Deep inside, the insects farm a fungus, their only food. It must be kept at exactly 87 degrees, while the temperatures on the African veld outside range from 35 degrees at night to 104 degrees during the day.

They do it by venting breezes in at the base of the mound, down into chambers cooled by wet mud carried up from water tables far below, and up through a flue to the peak. Toiling with the tireless, compulsive work ethic of all ants, they constantly dig new vents and plug old ones to regulate the temperature.

Temperature regulation is a struggle familiar to any architect. Mick Pearce of the Pearce Partnership was given a challenge by Old Mutual, an insurance and real estate conglomerate: build an office block that would be livable with no air-conditioning and almost no heating.


This is a terrific example of sustainable architecture that is biomimetic, indigenous, and economically viable on its face. Yet the Eastgate story also demonstrates an important aspect of the sustainability/biomimicry trend - that incrementally greater value may be found by studying solutions from those niches (ecological and economic) where resources are more constrained than the ones you inhabit. Don't study the oasis - study the desert.
Termite Mounds Inspire Design of Zimbabwe Office Complex.

The complex is actually two buildings linked by bridges across a shady, glass-roofed atrium open to the breezes.

To keep the harsh highveld sun from heating the interior, no more than 25 percent of the outside is glass, and all the windows are screened by an unusual form of sunshade: racks of cement arches that jut out more than a yard.

Fans suck fresh air in from the atrium, blow it upstairs through hollow spaces under the floors and from there into each office through baseboard vents. As it rises and warms, it is drawn out through ceiling vents. Finally, it exits through 48 round brick chimneys.

During summer's cool nights, big fans flush air through the building seven times an hour to chill the hollow floors. By day, smaller fans blow two changes of air an hour through the building, taking advantage of what Pearce calls "the coolth in the slab." For winter days, there are small heaters in the vents.

- The Eastgate's owners saved $3.5 million on a $36 million building because an air-conditioning plant didn't have to be imported
- The building uses less than 10 percent of the energy of a conventional building its size.

Anti Smog the new sustainable development by Vincent Callebaut

Architect Vincent Callebaut ’s latest project balances public galleries, meeting rooms and gathering spaces over canals and abandoned railroad tracks in the 19th Parisian district. The prototype uses green technologies and techniques but is more than just an example of sustainable design.

Looking somewhat like an energy saving light bulb and a mouldy spaceship, the organically designed scheme has two components namely a tower and a pod like structure which looks like it has docked on the railway bridge spanning the canal.

The pod which will be known as the Solar Drop will have a 250 square metre photovoltaic blue roof which will capture the sun and convert it into energy for the pod, the main body of the pod is made up of polyester fibres which is strengthened along its main profiles with steel banding. The whole structure is then covered in titanium dioxide which reacts with ultra violet light to reduce pollution.

As an auto cleaning building it will also be able to absorb and recycle by means of photo catalytic technology the smog cloud generated by the huge amounts of traffic on the near by Parisian belt, hence the name Antismog - clever eh?

Other technologies allow the pod to be totally energy sufficient while two planted arches over the roof of the pod will collect rainwater which will service the needs of the of the exhibition, meeting and café space within the pod which are arranged around a plant purified lagoon.

The tower will reach 45 metres in height and is a wind tower. The core of the tower will be covered in digital screens which will constantly beam the news out whilst other panels will be tactile in nature. A ribbon like banister unfurls itself down the length of the tower the main body of which is moves in accordance with the direction of the dominant wind.

A second polyester fibre structure will be covered with greenery and punctuated with slits which hold the wind turbines. At the top of the tower a suspended public garden will offer spectacular views of Paris.

As a prototype in environmental building and technologies the project could lead the way forward for future sustainable building worldwide but only if it gets approval, which for now remains to be seen

Anti-Smog is thus a didactic prototype of ecological experimentations. Solar Drop and Wind Tower implement the most advanced technologies in the auto-sufficient construction to better reveal the applications of the contemporary society. Its energetic results are positive and enable to assure not only the functioning of the centre but also the nocturnal lighting of the banks of the second Bassin de la Villette. Moreover, this project aims at reducing the atmospheric pollution of the area by capturing the CO2 and thus improves the quality of the air. It is a play project, an urban and truly live graft. In osmosis with its surroundings, it is an architecture that interacts completely with its context that is climatic, chemical, kinetic or social to better reduce our ecological print in urban area!

"La tour vivante" The vertical farm

Would you have ever thought it conceivable to grow vast amounts of produce in the heart of densely populated cities ?

The concept of eco-tower "Tour Vivante" aim is to associate agricultural hydroponic production, dwelling and activities in a single and vertical system.

A continuous agriculture, emancipated from seasons and climatic hazards (drought, flood, weather), which provides a production 5 to 6 time better than open fields cultures.

Tour Vivante allows a local production and to wipe out transportation needed for food supply and thus, the process of the very energy-consuming preservation.

The hydroponic agricultural production purifies the districts air by the provision of plants oxygen.
An efficient use of salvaged rainwater is transformed into drinking water by the evaporation/respiration of plants.
Tour Vivante generates a large amount of methane or electricity by the fermentation of food waste and vegetals.
The hydroponic agricultural production purifies the districts air by the provision of plants oxygen.
An efficient use of salvaged rainwater is transformed into drinking water by the evaporation/respiration of plants.
Tour Vivante generates a large amount of methane or electricity by the fermentation of food waste and vegetals.

Located at the top of the tower, two large windmill directed towards the dominant winds produce electricity facilitated by the height of the tower. The produced electric power is about 200 to 600 kWh per annum.

4 500 m of photovoltaic panels included into the facades generate electricity from solar energy.

This tower will have as well : Rainwater and Black water systems, Ecological or recycled materials and Thermal and hygrometrical regulation.

Vertical farming could revolutionize the way we produce food. This new model could replace, traditional farming methods. This is one idea where the sky is truly the limit.

The boulders house.

The two-story house, of minimal 9-meter cubic proportions, was designed to be a habitable sculpture. Titus Bernhard, the architect used some 365 steel baskets, weighing 28 tones of dolomite stones. The entire house giving it a solid, medieval look. The steel and stone structure is placed in front of the brick shell insulation. The entire shell of the building is built under the steel baskets and is designed to act as a water-bearing layer.

The 28 tons of boulders have formed a kind of ecological shell for the building, buffering the heat in summer and the cold in winter. This way the consumption of energy is reduced to a minimum.

Architect : Titus Bernhard
Location : outside Augsburg, Germany

Comfortable and sustainable house in Brazil

This comfortable and sustainable house Located 40 kilometers from São Paulo, was designed by Mauro Munhoz. this summer house occupies two lots and is characterized by the division into two buildings perpendicular. the structure od the house, totally of coumarou wood with environmental certification, was cut and prepared in worlshops and assembled at the site with great speed. Features of the project design such as passive ventilation, natural light, taking advantage of the hot sun, the shade provided by porches and breezeways, improve the energy efficiency of the house.

The project leads to the extreme the idea that the house of summer is different from urban address.The ground arround led to the creation of open spaces and the use of materials such as stone and wood.

The design was born of the relationship between the topography and volume built.

Besides the division into levels, the house has two well-defined blocks - connected by the stairway -, which separates the guests from the rest of the house. The idea is not isolate the family, but in the absence of visitors only the main wing will be use.

Area built: 626 m2
Architect : Mauro Munhoz

Green Prefabricated Homes By Brio54

The H1 home by a young, design-driven development firm providing unique homes for a green, modern lifestyle. The aim of brio54 is to offer a prefabricated passive family house, functional, inspiring and affordable. The company plans on including environmentally friendly features, such as whole house allergen filtration, low VOC materials, on-demand water heating, dual-flush toilets, Energy Star HVAC and appliances, natural wood and stone flooring, 3Form countertops, and passive energy design.

They're also investigating the use of geothermal, photovoltaic, solar heating, graywater recovery, and rainwater harvesting systems, all of which can be implemented as an upgrade to the standard designs.


The H1 is a single-family 4-bedroom home designed for 1 to 2 acre down-sloping suburban lots with a min. building envelope of 42 x 72 feet.The size is 2542 Square Feet (236 m²).

Walking on the water

t must have a boat house? There must be a boat, it should be a home to care for their environment, it has to be built with materials very different from the usual, and it must seem like a home.

Staffan Strindberg initiated the project for a specific customer but without a specific place, so he had to shape an imaginary place to start.

Through an expression of modern design and form, Villa Näckros has been developed to offer comfortable, exclusive water side living close to nature.

A residence with leading words as; sustainability, low maintenance, development of materials and building, care for the environment, low energy costs, identity.

Näckros Villa sits securely and stably in the water with its 165 ton constructed weight and is impervious to wind.

A Näckros Villa is constructed with material recycling potential as a starting point. New techniques and carefully chosen materials have resulted in a house that is extremely comfortable to live in and is in many parts recyclable.

Heating is provided by a pump, which draws heat from the surrounding water. Heat is distributed through the house through water bearing under floor heating. Two-way air ventilation can be found throughout the house. As far as possible, the house has been designed to meet demands in respect of both energy and environment.

A comfortable living and a lay-out that gives you the optimal feeling of the closeness to the water.


area : 178 sqm of living area, 30 sqm terrace close to the water and a 100sqm "garden" on the roof.

Achitect : Staffan Strindberg

Masdar Headquarters set a new paradigm

Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture has won an international competition to design the Masdar Headquarters, the first building in the zero waste, zero carbon emission Masdar City outside of Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates. The Masdar Headquarters will be the first mixed-use positive energy building in the world. AS+GG worked with MEP engineers Environmental Systems Design and structural engineers Thornton Tomasetti on the design.

The roof is entirely covered by 1,4 million square feet (=130000 m2) solar panels. the roof covering a building is absolutely gigantic. The building will also have integrated wind turbines, solar-driven cooling and de-humidification will consumpt 70% less water than other building of its size. They decided to make the building process as green as possible by building the solar roof first - that way it alone will produce enough energy to power the rest of the construction. It’s very encouraging to see progress like this in the sustainable building field.

"Masdar Headquarters will set a new paradigm for the way buildings are designed, constructed and inhabited," said Gordon Gill, partner, AS+GG. "The project represents the perfect integration of architecture and engineering, resulting in a dynamic, inviting building that outperforms any other structure of its type in the world.". The building will cost over $300 million.

Orquideorama the trees growing together

The town of Medellin, Colombia, got another architectural addition. An amazing botanical garden with a superstructure called Orquideorama. This steel and wood structure in an hexagonal shape extends through its organic shape. The renovation was done by Plan B architects and the idea was to make a structure that looks like trees growing together at the branches. A stunning study on structure and scale, the project unites the micro and macro worlds through an elegant synthesis of cellular and architectural forms. The plants situated beneath each trunk are sustained via rainwater collected by the petals, and are protected from the elements by the translucent pine wood weave that is sourced from reforested lands.

The project serves as a showroom, concert area and an exposition area. So beautiful.

Mill Valley Straw-bale Residence By Arkin - Tilt ArchitectsMill Valley Straw-bale Residence By Arkin - Tilt Architects

Arkin Tilt Architects is an award-winning firm specializing in energy and resource efficient design. This compact four-bedroom 1860 s.f. passive solar straw-bale home illustrates solutions to ecological living designed by this firm.

Although oriented on a north-south axis to maintain neighbor’s views, the interior temperature of the home stays within 5° of 68°F without additional heating or cooling. The roof is insulated with cellulose (recycled newspaper) insulation and sheathed with ‘Meadowood’ rye-grass straw-board. Straw-bale walls with PISE (sprayed-earth) finish are balanced by fiber-cement clad conventionally framed walls in appropriate locations (i.e. plumbing, bays and the high cupola walls).

A structural wall of exposed framing provides ample storage for books and art while dividing the living and sleeping areas. Bedrooms all feature bed-sized window bays, and two of the children’s bedrooms are separated with movable wall panels, adding further flexibility. Other ecological features include built-in composting and recycling (hatches in the backsplash allow recyclables to be placed in bins which are accessed from the outside), high efficiency lighting, Fire-slate countertops and many reused doors throughout the house.

Wind Generator by Bil Becker

Professor Bil Becker worked with Buckminster Fuller and has developed helical turbines which use centrifugal force to efficiently harness the power of the wind.

These compact turbines can be located on top of buildings, or attached to other parts of large structures like bridges.
Reasonably sized and modestly priced, the turbines may be used in urban locations. For many years, a fellow named Bil Becker has been hard at work developing his Aerotecture turbines. The turbines are elegant devices which incorporate both Savonius and Darrieus styles into one turbine.

There is no reason a city with its ample wind and sunshine, couldn’t generate all of its own power, helping people unplug from its addiction to nuclear power.

The advantages of these kinds of turbines are numerous. They are much more bird-friendly than typical bladed wind turbines. The bladed turbines become "invisible" to birds once they reach speeds of about 400 RPMs. At these speeds, the blades blur, and birds cannot see them. Becker's Aerotecture turbines are always visible, even at their highest speeds, which literally cannot exceed about 250 RPMs.

Eco wood By Exwood

Exwood is an eco-friendly material, it looks, feels and has many of the same characteristics as wood. It can be worked in the same ways as wood with the same tools. Exwood is a composite material made from a combination of the waste organic fibre rice husk and PVC plastic.

Exwood is a truly eco positive material. Unlike many other wood alternatives Exwood is made from 50% rice husk as opposed to using wood powder and so has a true grain affect unlike many WPCs (wood plastic composites).


Exwood is a unique SPC (silicon plastic composite), it does not have the 'plastic' looking texture of WPC's but a mat wood like finish which is incredibly similar to natural wood.

In the past there existed two problems for such an eco-friendly wood-alternative; there wasn't any material that shared the same physical characteristics and workability as timber; and it was too expensive to create such a material.

After years of research and analysis, Exwood noted that mixed with rice husk, PVC was the base polymer whose characteristics were closest to the requirements in terms of mechanical properties, resistance to atmospheric agents, workability and most importantly, price.

Exwood can be processed using conventional thermoplastic processes such as extrusion and injection moulding. Presently the technology enables the material to be made with over 50% (by weight) of organic fibre (rice husk) in the composite matrix.


Since the production of Exwood requires no virgin wood resource and does not contain any wood preservative, plus Exwood incorporates recycled plastic from post consumer window frames which would otherwise be sent to land fill, it is an environmentally superior material.

Exwood can negate much of the need for deforestation and requires effectively no maintenance, that is no varnishes, no paints, no thinners - no chemicals.

Solar cells facade of a Manchester skyscraper

The facade of this Manchester skyscraper (owned by CIS, an insurance company) was original covered with small mosaic tiles, but after only six months, they began to detach and fall.

A solution was needed, and a company called solarcentury came up with a clever idea replacing the failing tiles with solar cells. Not only do the solar cells provide a weatherproof barrier, they also generate about 390kW of power for the building. In total, 7,244 Sharp 80W modules are used to cover the entire service tower (but apparently only 4898 of these modules are "live" the others are "dummy modules" — strange). The building also has 24 wind turbines on the roof, which provide 10% of the total power used by the building. (from MetaEfficient.com)

There’s even a peregrine falcon nesting box up on top with a camera installed to keep an eye on the birds’ comings and goings – this isn’t just a normal office block, this tower could soon be an ecotourism hotspot!

Synthetic slates

The company Polco developed a slate of synthetic roofing, Polyard®, having same aspect as natural slate while being twice lighter and resisting better to the bad weather. They are obtained by moulding of mix polyurethane / sand. Then, they are covered with an anti-UV film. Raw materials come from abundant resources as sand or renewable quickly as the castor oil used for the polyurethan synthesis. The manufacturing process is little energy-consuming. These slates are recyclable : once crushed, they are added at the raw material to produce new synthetic slates. This allows a less consumption in virgin raw materials.

The apparent face of slates is protected by a coating pigmented slate, hydrophobic, anti UV, and resistant to an aggressive environment : not cleared or tarnished effect, resistance to the hail, not stagnation of water. A polyard® plate contains the equivalent of 6 natural slates.

Polyard® slates benefit of an Atex (technical appreciation of experimentation) of the CSTB (scientific and technical center of building).

ZERO ENERGY MEDIA WALL

GreenPix designed by Simone Giostra & Parners and the Arup engineering corporation is a groundbreaking project applying sustainable and digital media technology to the curtain wall of Xicui entertainment complex in Beijing, near the site of the 2008 Olympic Games. Featuring the largest color LED display worldwide and the first photovoltaic system integrated into a glass curtain wall in China, the building performs as a self-sufficient organic system, harvesting solar energy by day and using it to illuminate the screen after dark, mirroring a day’s climatic cycle

The wall’s low-resolution will emphasize the abstracted image of the work that will be shown. This spectacular screen which offers stunning projections will release no carbon into the atmosphere thanks to the sustainable technology, which corresponds directly with China’s political wish to appear ecological.

Schueco and SunWays, Giostra and Arup developed a new technology for laminating photovoltaic cells in a glass curtain wall and oversaw the production of the first glass solar panels by Chinese manufacturer SunTech.

The polycrystalline photovoltaic cells are laminated within the glass of the curtain wall and placed with changing density on the entire building’s skin. The density pattern increases building’s performance, allowing natural light when required by interior program, while reducing heat gain and transforming excessive solar radiation into energy for the media wall. This giant screen of 2,200 m² absorbs energy during the day and generates light from the power during the evening.

The Eco Home Zero Carbon Footprint

Eco House, residential villa, Benahavis, Spain, 2009

It is called The Eco Home, it is 7000 square feet with a zero carbon footprint and almost zero operating costs. Diseño Earle is an international architecture firm known for unique, and often ecologically minded, projects.
With this beautiful work Diseño Earle set a good standard in the world of Green House. This project will be built in Southern Spain by 2009, with 75% less waste and will operate 80% more efficiently than a similar sized home.

This is one amazing eco-house with the key environmental friendly aspect being the massive solar panels built into the wing like roof. The angle allows the roof integrated solar panels to sit at the optimum angle for solar energy harvesting. The roof also creates a space around the building exterior where thermal air currents are created. But the Diseño Earle team didn’t stop there, the house also features a rainwater reclamation system, grey water recycling, radiant heating system powered by the solar panels, geothermal energy for back-up cooling and heating, low VOC paints, LED lights, environmentally-sensitive smart glass and abundant natural lighting, and energy and water efficient appliances.The modern, glass filled design allows plenty of natural light into living spaces, while a natural, saline pool helps keeps chemicals out. The building stores grey water in holding tanks in the basement, and features a rainwater harvesting system to manage and conserve water. The rooftop photovoltaics supply electricity to a radiant floor heating system that works in tandem with the natural ventilation of the building which retains and removes heat by natural thermal draws throughout the structure. A geoexchange system provides backup heating and cooling.

Lighthouse UK’s first zero carbon home

The Lighthouse is the UK’s first ever net zero carbon home that also meets the level 6 of the UK Standard Code for Sustainable Homes. The design has been unveiled at the Offsite 2007 exhibition in Watford. The two-bedroom house is only 93.3 square meters and is insulated to lose 60% less heat than a normal home. The building has solar panels and evacuated solar tubes on its roof, as well as making use of passive measures with ventilation chimneys. It also incorporates rainwater catchment as part of the building design.

The Lighthouse use Kingspan Off-Site’s TEK Building System with a U-value of 0.11W/m2K and excellent levels of airtightness and has been designed to provide generous daylight levels and includes effective solar control.
The building integrate renewable and sustainable technologies designed by Arup. These include water efficiency techniques, such as low volume, sanitary ware and appliances, rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling, as well as renewable energy technologies, including a biomass boiler, building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and a solar-thermal array.

Lighthouse also includes mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR), as well as a roof-mounted wind catcher, which provides secure night-time ventilation for passive cooling, in conjunction with thermal mass boards in the ceilings and external shading.

It is a leading example because not only is it made with the most sustainable materials, but is also designed to encourage and shape a more sustainable lifestyle for its occupants.

more : www.kingspanlighthouse.com, www.sheppardrobson.com

The Green on 19

The "Green on 19" Project recently completed by the Architect Jesse Bornsteinis a town home project on 19th Street in Santa Monica with environmentally features.

This project was to integrate green technologies and materials within a modern design sensibility on a larger scale to act as a catalyst.

It received a lot of ink for being a very green development, i.e., for having solar panels, low water








landscaping, double-sided EcoSmart ethanol burner, high efficiency ac, bamboo cabinetry,
dual-glazed windows that provide abundant natural light and ventilation and many other features.

The design with its serial pattern and clean dipartite formal composition capped with semi-transparent bi-facial photovoltaic solar canopies that provide shade for roof decks as well as over 3, 000kwh of electricity generation per year for each unit, these townhomes are made to incite excitement and a sense of optimism for a sustainable future.

Also at the core of each house is an ethanol burning fireplace that is encased in the same FSC-certified bamboo laminate that is used throughout the project for cabinetry and flooring.

Orther features include low flow plumbing equipment and fixtures and 100% drought tolerant landscaping. All rainwater is retained on site for irrigation use and urban runoff mitigation. HVAC equipment exceeds 90% efficiency and uses non-toxic refrigerant.

In addition to its active green features, each townhome has been designed to take the greatest possible advantage of natural light and ventilation.