If you’ve ever owned a laptop or a netbook, you know that their batteries come with a finite lifespan. But what about a longer lasting alternative to powering up your computer? Fuel cells, namely hydrogen fuel cells, not only boast a longer useful life, but they are also capable of running for weeks without requiring a recharge. Not surprisingly, it is reported that Apple is looking into using this technology, recently filing two patents incorporating the cells.
by: Sustainable Design News, 2011-12-23 13:32:10 UTC Leo A Daly recently received two 2011 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Hong Kong awards-an Honor Award for Architecture and a Sustainable Design Award-for its design work on the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Hong Kong campus in the Sham Shui Po district.
Of the 12 winning projects, only two architecture firms received both Honor and Sustainable Design awards.
by: mocoloco, 2011-12-25 05:04:38 UTC
Everyone at MOCO LOCO wishes you, our readers, very happy holidays. Here's a selection of season's greetings we've received over the past few weeks. Above, colored icicles from schindlersalmerón (it's their logo colors). Made with an ice tray designed by Ramón Middelkoop and Chris Koens, art directors at Invotis Orange.
by: Gizmodo , 2011-12-21 14:25:47 UTC
Startup GMZ Energy raises $14 million to make materials that convert heat to electricity, including a solar hot thermal product and chips to draw electricity from car exhaust pipes.
by: Gizmodo , 2011-12-22 20:23:28 UTC
In newly published patent applications, Apple describes how a fuel cell can be built right into a device, such as a laptop, and work with a battery to provide a much longer run time.
Bamboo is considered a green building material, but it is most often found as an adjunct within larger construction using other materials. Recently, however, an entire chocolate factory has been built in Indonesia as the world's largest commercial bamboo structure. The 26,500 square foot (2,460 square meter) facility handles the entire range of operations, from initial processing the beans to final production of chocolate, what they call "beans to bars."
The Big Tree Farms factory, located in Sibang, Bali, not only has the exterior built from bamboo, but bamboo was also used for interior walls, which were made from woven bamboo strips, and stairs which used bamboo plywood for treads. The bamboo was treated with borax for fire-prevention and boric acid to resist insects, and a food-grade coating was applied to interior walls.
What makes bamboo an especially green building material is that it is fast-growing, making it a rapidly renewable resource that doesn't devastate the landscape when it is harvested. Bamboo is strong enough to compare with mild steel in some applications. It is regularly used for construction scaffolding throughout southeast Asia.
by: The Design blog, 2011-12-24 06:40:30 UTC
Balasubramanya Subbarao:
Presentation is everything in the world of statistics. When you present any figures or numbers, they often tend to get boring and they make no meaning to an average member of the audience. But if you help the audience to visualize the import and meaning of the same numbers, it suddenly becomes interesting and at times, exciting too. GO is an interactive exhibit that converts the numbers and facts of nutrition and energy into a visual demonstration that grabs the interest of the viewer.
GO! - interactive exhibit
Here is what happens. The amount of energy that is present in six different types of foods is represented visually by how far an average 12-year old can run with that energy. You just have to set the foods and pull back the release triggers behind each ‘boy’ and off they launch to give you the information. Thus, in a matter of seconds you realize that ’seafood’ powers a human body to a greater extent compared to a soft drink for instance. And the visual medium is so powerful that once seen, the message is rarely forgotten.
The exhibit works on simply a ball and piston system. The tension in the piston is set differently. The ball has the mounted ‘boy’ on top. As the trigger is released, the piston shoots the ball to different distances. The idea becomes very clear when you watch the video below. Education and learning can be made interesting and fun with such innovative ways of display.
GO! - interactive exhibitGO! is an interactive exhibit designed to show how much energy embodied in our food.
the primitive grandfather clock collection is a study by the israeli artist examining the effect of two dimensional design planning upon project completion.
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2011-12-29 17:13:45 UTC
The first ceramic box cutter in the world. It is designed to reduce injuries on the workfloor. It's handle is anti-slip, easy to hold and protects ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2011-12-28 16:29:20 UTC
Paperfoam is an sustainable alternative to foamed plastic inlays and other packaging. It is made from starch, fibers to fill and water. CD boxes for ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2011-12-23 14:36:50 UTC
The United Nations is urging countries across the globe to phase-out old style incandescent light bulbs and switch to low-energy compact fluorescent ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2011-12-23 14:02:36 UTC
Organic farming isn’t easy in China, but Tony’s Farm is doing its best. Located in the Shanghai area, it delivers organic vegetables to its member’s ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2011-12-22 08:09:46 UTC
The new Vitocal 300-A is the first air/water heat pump with Digital Scroll Technology and electronic bi-flow expansion valve. This enables high annual ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2011-12-20 06:23:58 UTC
Airdye is a water-less dye process for synthetic fabrics and materials. AirDye technology eliminates hazardous wastewater as a byproduct of dyeing ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2011-12-18 08:00:57 UTC
Rusty Allen designed a great water bottle; re-usable, easy to fill due to the big fill opening, easy to carry on a finger, a mouthpiece that fits the ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2011-12-16 09:00:46 UTC
Since a year or so Laundry driers are available more energy-efficient. Of course the most energy efficient is to dry the laundry outside on the line ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2011-12-16 09:00:16 UTC
Economist Intelligence Unit Report on Sustainable Future
The research department of the weekly magazine regularly gives out the results of its research ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2011-12-14 07:56:08 UTC
Thanks to an innovative adjustable mechanism that can change the width of the stroller, in just three simple clicks the Bugaboo Donkey transforms with ...
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