Since the dawn of history, human beings have carved out personal shelters for themselves, be it in rudimentary caves or colossal palaces. Because a house (as a shelter) is a kind of a private spatial volume which alludes to our personality at an intrinsically micro-level. It is among the very few places where one can experience the tranquility of physical safety as well as psychological retirement. Moreover, housing industry from the commercial sense also forms a major part of our economy. And as with other major construction industries, housing does contribute to significant levels of carbon emission (statistically, 30 percent of the total carbon emissions in the UK).
This is where green dwellings enter the commercial fray with their adamantly low carbon attributes. In relation to this, let us check out 5 such green homes which have the potentiality to be our sustainable saviors in the future.
1. Plus-Energy House with Electromobility
It is a zero carbon house that can also charge your electric vehicle. Designed by ILEK (Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design) at University of Stuttgart, the futuristic self sustaining dwelling generates its own electricity by various renewable mechanisms. The holistic system includes an array of solar cells, interior solar thermal generators and an interactive facade for optimized user experience. Finally, user features also incorporate a EV charging facility, with extra power being transferred back to the main grid.
2. 995 Longbow Place in Larkspur, Colorado
This palatial 9,800 sq ft dwelling is often touted as one of the greenest luxury homes on our planet. The reason is pretty simple - in spite of the apparent opulence, the total electricity bill generated per month comes to a paltry $350. This is because a myriad of low energy systems ‘fuel’ the house including solar thermal panels, efficacious water heating systems, solar electric panels and wrap-around wall insulation. Even the paint job and exterior finishes are comprised of energy efficient composite materials.
3. Ewok Tree House
A naturalistic housing conception and that too influenced by the Star Wars?! The idea may seem fantastical, but this spherical dwelling designed by Canadian carpenter Tom Chudleigh certainly tickles our interest. With a substantial diameter of 11ft, this house is made up of a sturdy, waterproof exterior designed from a composite of wood and fiberglass. It has a capacity for four people with basic furnishings including bed and a kitchen with a refrigerator, sink, and microwave. The total cost of owning one can range around $95,000.
4. Houl - A house designed by Simon Winstanley Architects
Constructed in the scenic town of Castle Douglas in Scotland, designers Simon Winstanley Architects have aptly described this house as full fledged ‘zero carbon’ house. This is because every design consideration ranging from building materials, orientation to even structural slope alludes to requirement of low energy consumption by the occupants. Moreover, the simplistic building makes use of high levels of insulation, natural ventilation systems and renewable wind energy mechanisms to notch up its overall degree of sustainability.
5. Acqua Liana In Palm Beach County, Florida
Behold the world’s largest and most expensive eco-friendly home. Designed by Frank McKinney, this 15,000 square feet ‘green’ mansion fuses the naturalism of sustainable components with ostentatious spatial volumes. Amenities include a basket ball court sized solar array and a state-of-the-art water purification system. The architect has also made use of passive techniques such as temperature controlling wooden facades, waterfalls and reflecting pools. Coming to the cost factor, it may be out of range for many people, as the figure stands at a whopping $29 million.
Going green with almost everything is the fast catching trend and due to this a lot of industries are innovating and coming out with green alternatives. A lot of eco-friendly technologies are mushrooming and giving rise to all kinds of unusual products, gadgets, clothes, furniture, fuel, architecture. Here are 10 such unusual green creations that are bound to set your mind thinking at the unique concept and innovations.
1. Kirikabu - green speakers
JVC, the electronics manufacturer came out with a very unique and green concept for a home audio system during the Tokyo Designers Week in 2008. The speakers are made out of so-called ‘eco-plastic’ and they had little planters that were built within the speakers to give a green and organic look. The speakers are modular and can be given various forms apart from the usual function of providing great sound quality. The series of such green speakers from JVC is called ‘Kirikabu’.
2. Grass armchair
Purves & Purves, a London-based firm engaged in contemporary design came out with a novel concept of a grass chair in which the company provided a do-it-yourself cardboard framed armchair with a pack of grass seeds. All you have to do is assemble the fourteen pieces, place the chair in your lawn and sprinkle the grass seeds all over it. Your ‘Chia chair’ would then start to ‘grow’ in front of your very eyes and would blend in with the natural green environment.
3. Personal Massager powered by the sun
The solar powered ‘Personal Massager’ is the world’s first vibrator that works on solar energy! The charging process of this gadget take a good five hours of natural sunlight and can power the massager for 2 1/2 hours. In case of absence of sunlight, you can charge the device by using a 100W bulb - but that would take you a good 19 hours to fully charge the device.
4. Green coffin coffee table
It is amazing to see how well coffins are being used - from elegant designer sofas to coffee tables! This biodegradable coffin coffee table is a great design from Halfway House. Not only does it serve as a table but you can also store your essentials.
5. Slaughterhouse waste used to make fuel
Slaughterhouse waste comprising of turkey remains is being turned into fuel at Changing World Technologies by using a thermal conversion technique which produces fuel that is worth more than 12 thousand dollars in approximately 20 minutes. This process is being improvised so as to figure out its commercial viability. The only downside about this is that the putrid smell coming from the plant are extremely unbearable.
6. Gadget charger powered by the wind and sun
Now you can charge your personal gadgets like MP3 players and cell phones by using the Hymini gadget charger that operates by using a solar panel array and a small wind turbine. It has been proved that the time take to recharge a cell phone using electricity and the green gadget recharger is the same. This is a very efficient gadget to carry when on the move.
7. Truck using coffee grounds for producing fuel
The Cafe Racer, a 1975-built GMC pickup truck runs on the pyrolysis gas released by coffee grounds as its basic fuel. The truck has a mechanism in which its steel pipes that are full of coffee grounds are heated and produce gas that powers the truck. This technology, when improvised could be a good alternative source to fossil fuels.
8. Pollution-Sensitive EPA Dress
The EPA dress that has been designed by Stephanie Sandstrom is a unique outfit that senses pollution and displays the quality of the air through the dress. The more the pollution in the air the crumpled and dirty the dress becomes!
9. The RollOn mp3 Player
The RollOn mp3 player looks like a kids toy, however, its looks do betray the sophistication of this innovative gadget. Using your hands to roll this gadget surprisingly charges the gadget making it operate just like a regular MP3 player.
10. Power generated by using cow manure
Cow poop is being used quite efficiently these days and the methane gas that is released by this is now being used for the production of electricity. A pit full of cow poop has the capacity to power an entire dairy farm with surplus energy still left.
While restricting emission remains the best possible way to stop global warming, researchers all over the world are trying to invent more efficient ways to save our planet from a devastating end which is not far away if the global carbon dioxide emission continued rising with the same pace. Awareness for the environment has certainly led to many inventions, energy saving technologies and consumption of alternate sources of energy. Given below are 7 most amazing inventions for globally warmed world.
1. Floating houses
Global warming has not only increased the temperature globally but has also taken coastal areas under its territory by flooding them in water. Flooding problems and concurrent housing shortage have led to the development of unique floating houses. First such houses were created by the firm Dura Vermeer and were installed on the coasts of Maasbommel city in 2007. They consist of hollow cubes which provide them upthrust and enable them to float in water. These houses can resist up to five meter rise in sea level.
2. Artificial glaciers
Agriculture of developing countries like India is fully dependent on rains and rivers. The rivers of India, Peru, Chile etc and many more countries are glaciers fed and melting of glaciers is posing a big problem for agriculturists of these countries. To solve this problem a concept of creating an artificial glacier has been given by Chewang Norphel, a retired civil engineer in the Ladakh region of north India. These artificial glaciers are very resourceful and provide water in summers. The glacier is created by collecting water into a shallow pool blocked with rocky embankments. Water in the pool freezes with the fall in temperature and forms a sheet of ice. When summers approach this water melts and is used to sow the crops. The largest artificial glacier till date is one kilometer long and 45 meter wide.
3. Drought- and heat-resistant crops
It’s not only difficult for human beings to survive in scorching heat but it is impossible for crops too to stay alive in such conditions. Researchers are using selective breeding methods to adapt crops with the changing climatic conditions. Behavior and characteristics of the drought-tolerant species is studied carefully and their features are added to the crops by genetic engineering. Researchers are already experimenting with oilseed rape and maize, and their drought-tolerant samples are ready with 40 percent better yield than conventional variety. Similarly tests are being carried out on wheat in Egypt which is claimed to use one-eighth of the water used by conventional wheat crop.
4. Rotating power-generating skyscrapers
A unique building has been designed by Italian-Israeli architect David Fisher in Dubai, where each floor can rotate about its central axis independent of other floors of the building. The shape of this building constantly changes with the rotation of its floors. This eco-friendly building is fitted with wind turbines between each floor which generates huge amount of energy that could power 10 similar sized buildings. After designing green building for Dubai, Fisher is designing similar towers for London, New York and Moscow.
5. Vertical farms
Producing crops closer to the consumers and using efficient techniques will cut down on wasted water and other resources used for farming. Dickson Despommier at Columbia University in New York City stated that 80 percent of the land available for farming is already being used and to feed more people by 2050 we will have to produce crops in farms in Skyscrapers. Solar powered lighting system will be used to grow the crops, and there will be provisions to recycle water and waste by natural means. Crops will be safe from flood as well as drought and required amount of irrigation could be provided.
6. Solar-powered air conditioning
High temperature rise in Australia has made summers extremely hot and unbearable. Similarly there is a huge demand for air conditioning equipments in California. Mike Dennis, an engineer at the Australian National University has found out an eco-friendly air conditioning concept that works on solar energy. The design is very efficient and gives the maximum cooling effect when the Sun is at its peak. It also provides hot water which could be used for other household purposes. Air compressed with thermal energy sprays refrigerant out of a jet, and heat is lost in this process as the refrigerant evaporates.
7. Floating sustainable cities
We have already discussed floating houses, on the similar rationale concept for laying floating city has been created. Cities like Sydney, New York and London which have to invest huge amount on flood defenses are looking forward to create such sustainable floating cities. This innovative and ingenious concept has been given by Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut and is believed to be a long term solution to rising sea-levels.These cities could accommodate as many as 50,000 refugees and could generate power using various renewable sources including wind, wave and solar heat.
Green technology is one of the most adopted technologies these days in almost all fields of technology and science. Green is the word everywhere and people love this green technology to the core. These days even the apps for mobiles are made keeping green environment in mind.
These green apps are gaining massive popularity among all ages of people and especially among youth and students. These apps available on Android Market have become a source of imparting the message of saving our environment. Most of these apps are available free of cost. These apps makes your phone go green, saves your battery life, helps in calculating carbon footprint and much more.
Here is a list of 10 green apps for Android users that are creating a buzz around.
1. 3rd Whale Mobile App
This Android mobile app is a really cool one that lets you find the locations around you that offer green products. It also provides the location for fair trade shops, yoga centers, ecofriendly meetings, vegetarian restaurants, and much more. All you have to do is tap the search button in the app and you are into a greener world.
2. Eco Buzz Widget APP
The Eco Buzz Widget makes everything go green in your Android phone. It is specially made to deliver the information on climate change, best places to buy organic threads, Ecofriendly car and much more. It helps you find out locations and objects that has least impact on environment. Overall it is one of the best green apps for all green technology lovers.
3. Print Green App
The Print green app emphasizes on the sustainability in the printing and graphic arts industry. This green app lets you print green on any kind of object in your mobile. This Android app is an initiative from Chevalier International Printers which are known for their first Carbon neutral printer in Europe.
4. IAmGreen App
This green app is made to deliver the message of saving our environment by recycling cell phones. The concept says that every year millions of cell phones are used and are thrown into garbage. This garbage cell phone covers a plenty of area and also pollutes the green environment. So this app is made to create awareness among people regarding the recycling of these unused cell phones.
5. Green Mileage App
This cool green mileage app is specially developed keeping in mind the vehicle’s mileage questions. This app lets you track your vehicle’s mileage when you are on the move and gives exact detailed information about the mileage of your vehicle. It records each time you fill-up you tank and also determines the vehicle’s MPG.
6. Green Driving Gauge App
Next up is the Green Mileage App which is again something related to your vehicle’s mileage. This green app determines your driving and provides solution and feedback to help improve the efficiency of car and make you a fuel efficient driver. It also keeps a check on your acceleration and breaking intervals.
7. GreenYou App
This cool green app developed for the Android market is capable of calculating the quantity of carbon footprint on the planet by providing the information related to transportation, housing needs, and solutions, food locations, goods and services provided for green environment and ways of saving the environment. When you are done with the calculation part, make your own Green plan by selecting various key options and see how much impact is made by you on the environment.
8. Green Sushi Selector App
Next up is the Green Sushi Selector app that allows you to find your favorite sushi available in market. This green app provides you the every key information regarding sushi and also lets you know which species is harmful to human beings as these days some sushi come from threatened fish species. This perfect green app will make your work of ordering a safe and green sushi very simple. So next time when you go out looking for a decent and non-harmful sushi, do make use of this app.
9. iGreenCircle App
This iGreenCircle app allows you to interact with people who love this green technology and have faith in improving our green nature and saving our planet. It acts as a social media where people can interact anytime from any place of the world. Using this app will help you in transferring and gaining knowledge from different people across the world.
10. Recycle Guide App
Next on the list is the Recycle Guide app that is developed to provide a complete guide for using various recycled products effectively. This app helps the environment by providing new effective recycling ideas. Now you can use this app to discover things that are available around you which can be easily recycled into useful products. Moreover, it is available free in market.
In a world suffering from global warming issues and the impact of emission on the environment, where customers look for organic certification of foodstuffs before buying, everything has to have as minimal a carbon footprint as possible, and each food item has to be organic.
For environment conscious people on the move, it had always been a challenge trying to find a breakfast, lunch, or a dessert that suited their green ethics. But not anymore, because mobile food trucks that cater to these consumers on the move are going green, running on green fuel and serving food that have little carbon footprint being locally sourced and are completely organic. Here are 5 eco friendly trucks designed to sell green cuisine on the move.
1. Green Truck
Founded by Kam Micelli and Mitchell Collier, Green Truck is an innovative green diner on wheels. Serving at specific locations in and around Los Angeles at specific times, Green Truck offers hungry diners food cooked on solar powered commissary that are served on degradable and compostable disposables. With a motto of ‘healing the planet one meal at a time’, Green Truck runs on vegetable oil fuel too. Stocked with organic foods, Green Truck menu consists of certified organic vegetable salads, mercury-free line caught tuna tacos, free range chicken and tofu lavash wraps. With made-to-order organic food qualitatively notches ahead of fast foods like hot dogs or taco stands, and location updates on Twitter, Green Truck is set to go places.
2. Gmonkey
This diner is green, mobile, and completely vegetarian. Gmonkey serves hungry environment-conscious mouths in and around Hartford. With an aim to expose the street to the goodness of farm fresh food, Gmonkey sources all their vegetable and other ingredients from local farms and local producers. Not only is their food vegetarian and green, but even their truck runs on biodiesel. The organic vegetarian dishes are served on biodegradable and compostable containers. Brought into existence by Mark and Ami Shadle, Gmonkey uses Twitter and Facebook to announce its route and menu. With quality ingredients and a green footprint, the Gmonkey serves up farm fresh, organic, and mouth watering vegetarian food that are a delight with consumers.
3. On the Fly
If you live in and around Washington D.C. and have a hankering for great tasting, convenient, affordable, natural and healthy food, then On the Fly is the solution. Founded by three friends, Michael Heitstuman, Christopher Lynch and Gabe Kleir, who missed natural, delicious and healthy foods in the D.C. area, On the Fly serves at tourist locations in and around Washington D.C. like the National Zoo, National Arboretum and the National Mall. Heitstuman, one of the founder states with high costs associated with setting up a brick and mortar restaurant, food trucks offer an easy and attractive entry into the diner industry. And in this market food trucks that go green, offer organic fresh food and serve at convenient locations will come on top. It has the honor of serving the likes of Leonardo Di Caprio and with mouth watering menu ‘On the Fly’ is set to fly high.
4. Clover Food Lab
Ayn Muir, an MIT alumnus left his corporate job and started an ecofriendly vegetarian food truck enterprise at the MIT campus. Named the Clover Food Lab, the founder sees the ecofriendly food truck as his contribution to the environment to bring about a change. With completely vegetarian food items sourced locally, the Clover Food Lab creates very little carbon emission. On top of this the ecofriendly vehicle runs on biodiesel. With an exterior that reflects Muir’s MIT past, the truck is a destination for anyone looking for healthy, affordable, and tasty food. Located on Carleton Street and with a former Waldorf-Astoria chef at the helm, the Clover serves up unique tastes and flavors that are a hit with the breakfast as well as lunch crowds.
5. Mini Yums
For those looking to satisfy their sweet tooth, here is Mini Yums. Officially launched recently, Mini Yums serve miniature cup cakes, peanut butter cookies and miniature cakes that are also a rage at chain restaurant boardrooms and industry trade events. These food trucks announced their roll out on Facebook and Twitter and is making runs around the city. Inviting all to come and try their ‘crack’ which they say everybody will love, these blue, and pink colored food trucks serve mini cup cakes and mini desserts.
One of the finest aspects of cooking and dining outside is to enjoy the nature with friends and family. But, while cooking we should make sure to use eco friendly grills that does not actually hampers the environment. Grills with green solution should be used instead of fossil fuel grills. For all the food lovers and eco friendly people, we have the collection of seven eco friendly BBQ grills to boost their spirit and make you think and act in a greener way.
1. Helios solar grill
Helios solar grill uses solar energy to cook your favorite dish. It charms the people with its innovative solution and unique design. Its reflective parabolic dish absorbs the heat from the sunlight and then the heat energy is transmitted towards the receptors. The receptors heat the coil and the food is cooked by the heat. When sun light is not sufficient, it is also featured with an electrical option and retractable plug is attached to the solar cooker.
2. Hyro-que grill
Can water cook food? Well yes, the hydro-que uses water to cook food. It is hydrogen powered grill that uses a new eco friendly concept and avoid using charcoal or propane. The price of this sizzling grill is reasonable with its fuel saving efficiency and costs $495.
3. Wood flame
The wood flame grill is an awesome grill that offers charcoal and propane free collection. It works on wood flame and electric power too. 4D batteries and AC or DC source is required for electric energy. Although burning wood harms the environment but according to the company it is good for health. A small piece of hardwood is required for cooking food.
4. The green egg grill
The name suggests the shape of this fabulous egg shaped designed ceramic BBQ grill. These grills do not use electricity but uses charcoal or wood. There are five different versions of this grill offering different sizes and selection of natural or electric fire starters by the company.
5. Corn burning grill
Corn burning grill are portable and eco friendly powered by renewable fuels. This grill is easy to clean and it is manageable in the balconies or any small area without the fear of fire.
6. Kamado grills
Kamado grill is another eco friendly BBQ grill which uses electric energy. It is a ceramic cooker that uses alternative solutions other than fossil fuels. Kamado grills are handy and energy efficient models. Its superb design can be part of the house decoration which can be placed indoor or outdoor.
7. FlameDisk grilling
FlameDisk is another sizzling eco friendly grill by Ugo that uses plant based ethanol to cook food. FlameDisk offers the green solution instead of using filthy charcoal. It works with the traditional cookers and takes around 40 minutes to prepare your favorite dish and after 10 minutes of cooling it can be recycled.
30,000 green building professionals are coming to Toronto for Greenbuild in October; this series will try to explain Toronto to them.
There has been a lot of green building going on in Toronto and much has shown up on TreeHugger; Here is a roundup of some of the buildings we have shown. Perhaps the most dramatic and important recent addition to the Toronto scene is Stephen Teeple's 60 Richmond Street East Coop, that is green, gorgeous and from the public sector yet, proving that social housing doesn't have to be boring and oppressive. Read the full story on TreeHugger
Finally, a cold weather companion to Dyson Air Multiplier fans, the Dyson Hot. Image: Gizmodo
The Dyson Air Multiplier, the magical, ridiculously pricy, blade-less fan that’s wowed us for years has a wintertime version: the Dyson Hot.
Its blade-free oblong ring looks almost exactly like Dyson’s cool breeze-blowing Tower Fan model, yet it’s smaller and of course, hotter.
The Dyson Hot doesn’t have any exposed heating elements and has automatic shut-off when it tips over, which makes it a safe option for the home. Dyson claims its surface won’t reach dust-burning levels, so that means you’ll never get that funky scorched smell you normally get when you finally flip the space heater on after six months of storage.
According to the product description, it’s designed for “small to larger sized rooms”, whatever that means, so I’ll just buy six to make sure I’m covered.
It carries a whopping $400 price tag and is available in one of two stylish color combos: iron and blue, or white and silver.
via The Giz
Outside of metropolitan Manila in the Philippines, there are an astonishing 3 million households living without adequate power and electric lighting. A nonprofit called the MyShelter Foundation, working in conjunction with MIT students, has an ingenious program in place to bring free light to these areas:
Isang Litrong Liwanag (A Liter of Light), is a sustainable lighting project which aims to bring the eco-friendly Solar Bottle Bulb to disprivileged communities nationwide. Designed and developed by students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Solar Bottle Bulb is based on the principles of Appropriate Technologies—a concept that provides simple and easily replicable technologies that address basic needs in developing communities.
The video says it all, and you'll be surprised at how bright the "bulb" is. (And if you're wondering what the bleach is for—I initially thought it might have phosphorescent properties—it's to prevent algae from forming and clouding the "bulb.")
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Necessity is the mother of all inventions. In an overcrowded world with limited resources, everything that man does has an impact on the environment. So in a world besieged by this reality all solutions to man made problems have to be environmentally friendly. And technology that seek to fulfill our needs constantly turns to the bounteous nature for inspiration. Nature being the greatest inspiration of all has solutions to all problems big and small which threaten mankind.
Here are the five eco friendly technologies that are inspired by mother nature.
1. Energy Forest
Wouldn’t it be great if by harnessing the wind and solar energy an entire forest were to be used to produce clean energy? Jaewon Sim, an industrial designer, has conceptualized the Energy Forest, a forest made up of natural and artificial plants that would generate clean energy. The forest would have power plants that generate electricity using solar and wind power. This energy would be used to recharge electric vehicles or power the grid. The forest would also have mechanisms to harvest rain water and this stored water would be used to irrigate the natural plants. The Energy Forest would not only generate clean energy but would also be self sufficient. The forest would also have EV recharge stations so designed to double as chairs.
2. Self cleaing solar panels
We have the story of how King Robert the Bruce was inspired to try again and again by a humble spider. Here we are talking of a technology that is also inspired by spiders. The insect’s ability to remain dry and clean in spite of rain and dirt have inspired a group of scientists at the University of Florida to recreate the water phobic properties of the spider’s body. The scientists have been able to reproduce the spider hair patterns and shapes to create a water phobic surface. When water falls on such a surface it not only rolls off the surface but also carries the dirt away with it and in the process cleaning the surface. This technology will be used in making self-cleaning solar panels and windows.
3. Adaptable Polymer Inspired By Sea Cucumbers
Sea cucumbers have for ages been sought as food but a group of scientists are seeking sea cucumbers not as food but as an inspiration. Researchers at Case Western University, Cleveland, have created a bio-polymer that has the unique property of softening when exposed to water based solvents but hardening as the solvent evaporates. This remarkable bio-polymer has been created by using materials that is inspired by sea cucumbers. The leader of this project, Professor Christoph Weder says that such a substance will be useful in the design of brain activity recording implants, as the use of this material can substantially reduce scarring compared to conventional implantable electrodes.
4. Lotus Leaf-Inspired Nanotechnology
The lotus has for ages been a symbol of purity not only in the culture of India and Japan but also in China and Myanmar as well. With its roots in mud a lotus blooms in pristine beauty and cleanliness seldom muddied. Beliefs aside, millions of microscopic bumps on the surface of the lotus leaf turn it into an extremely hydrophobic material from which water drops roll off removing dirt too. For years, scientists have been awed and inspired by the “lotus effect”. Wilhelm Barthlott, the discoverer and developer of this effect has a vision of a world where surfaces would self clean. Scientists, Michael Rubner and Robert Cohen of MIT envisage a similar world with technologies to control the flow of microfluidic components.
5. Solar Lilly Pads
Solar energy is one of the cleanest forms of energy and man has used solar panels to harness this energy. Of late, the use of solar energy as a dependable energy source has exponentially grown and today we see open fields, rooftops lined with solar panels. Efforts are also underway to harness every bit of sunlight that falls on the surface of water bodies. In Sonoma County, an irrigation pond is covered with 144 solar panels that are fitted on top of pontoons. Another such assembly of 994 solar panels cover a pond in Napa Valley. These are but ideas inspired by the lily pads, nature’s own design of harnessing the solar energy on water surface.
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