Solar Decathlon: New tech meets old-school designs
by: Gizmodo , 2011-09-23 13:36:02 UTC
The university competition to build the most practical and compelling net zero-energy house opens in Washington, D.C., where students show off the art of what's possible.

takeshi hosaka architects: roomroom
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2011-09-23 11:57:00 UTC

designed for a deaf couple and their children, the dwelling features a series of square-shaped windows that not only enable natural daylight into the residence, but also as a way for the family to visually communicate between levels. 

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5 Latest trends for green data centers
by: Ecofriend, 2011-09-24 06:59:30 UTC
Srijohn Guha Niyogi:

Nowadays a lot of companies are taking interest in making their data centers clean and more importantly green. With the Green Revolution spreading all across the globe it is not surprising that the data centers will also work towards taking some innovative steps that may help the environment. Let us take a look at the five latest trends for green data centers.

1. Continued emphasis on improving efficiency

There is no denying the fact that the economy is improving and showing better signs of life for the future. But the fact that companies run on a tight budget still remains the same. Companies would also want to check the unnecessary drainage of money and it is obvious that efficient data centers are more economically stable. So in order to improve the economy one has to improve the efficiency. Efficiencies and cost savings are both maximized if the operations of data centers are mixed with a few other business projects.

2. Cloud computing and virtualization

Digital data is one of the most fundamental requirements for every business operation. But from now on companies would not have to depend totally on them. The advances in the field of cloud computing and virtualization mean that those companies, which rely heavily on the digital data for carrying out their businesses, can now look forward to other options in order to meet the needs of data centers. For example a few companies have started to outsource certain applications so as to meet the environment and budget targets. It again underlines the fact that the management of data centers should be incorporated with the overall business targets.

3. Modularity

Companies which are planning to build data centers are now eager to take a better a modular approach-adding applications and individual components as per the requirement. Modularity not only decreases the capital outlay, but it also increases the flexibility which further helps to prevent inefficiencies.

4. Innovative design integration and design

There are a lot of technology advancements happening these days which can enhance efficiency, improve automation and develop new methods of monitoring power use. All these factors are going to play a key role in helping the environment as they lower the emission of GHG and help the data centers to run more efficiently.

5. Continued evolution of regulation and certification

There are many groups, for example, the Green Grid, who has developed some useful metrics that can help to guide efficiency. However, the truth is that the entire data center industry is still a long way behind the other industries when it comes to continued evolution of regulation and certification. But however there is a hope that from this year development will take place in both the regulation fronts and certification.

A few months back, the Certified Energy Efficiency Datacenter Award (CEEDA) was launched by the British Computer Society which would provide a LEED like sustainability for European data centers. In the same manner more development in the field of regulation is also expected. Eventually regulation is going to cover a large area that includes security, workplace and carbon legislation and zoning. Regulation is surely going to catch up with the other fields in a year.

Top 5 biodegradable gadgets for those who love earth
by: Ecofriend, 2011-09-24 07:00:44 UTC
Sandeep Sangwan:

The world has turned green and people have realized the importance and uses of biodegradable products. Being Eco-friendly is the latest trend and people across globe are supporting this green change. The bio-degradable products offer higher durability and are easy to use with no impact on environment. These bio-degradable products can easily be recycled and are popular among people. These products offer better options and are less harmful to environment. Here is a list of top 5 biodegradable gadgets for those who love earth and environment.

1. Cardboard vacuum cleaner

Vacuum cleaner has become a basic necessity of every home and what could be better than having a vacuum cleaner made completely out of recycled products. Yes this is what people are experimenting. This green vacuum cleaner is made completely out of cardboard taken from a shipping box and offers much better durability. Finished with cool logos and paintings, this vacuum cleaner will surely grab your attention for a while. It is constructed by a Loughborough University student named Jake Tyler. As its green, it costs less but is nothing less than a traditional vacuum cleaner. The cool looks and adorable design of the vacuum cleaner is creating a buzz in market and is so popular that people have gone crazy about this stylish product.

2. Corky mouse

Portable mouse are in and this technology is widely appreciated. This unique mouse is specially designed to harvest kinetic energy with every click. Designed by Adele Peter, this Corky mouse is powered with a flick of the wrist and is among top 18 finalists selected for Greener Gadgets Design Competition this year. It looks stunning with its awesome design and prints. It is made completely out of recycled plastic components and biodegradable cork. This mouse makes use of a piezoelectric material to generate energy every time you make a click. No matter what this compact mouse look like, its green features are what is going to be highly remembered. Once you own it, it will let you know the power of green and for what it delivers, its hard to ignore this product.

3. N701i eco phone

Latest in the green technology is the production of mobile phones. Now finally we will be able to use a green phone without affecting us as well as the environment. This phone is launched by NEC and is made completely out of recycled and biodegradable plastic. About 70% of plastic is used to make this cool mobile phone.It is believed to be a perfect green gadget. The plastic used in manufacturing is derived from poly-lactic acid of corn and potatoes. This plastic is then used along with a plant kenaf which makes it really strong. Using this green plastic will reduce over half the greenhouse gas emission. Overall a perfect gadget designed especially for all nature lovers.

4. Eco Turntables

Next up is a turntable set from the electronic giant Sennheiser. The company is known for manufacturing quality products which are very popular among youth and celebrities. They have taken a step forward towards manufacturing green products and this turntable set is one such perfect product. Made completely out of recycled products, it is not just green, but also cost-effective. The biodegradable contents used in this kit are cork, bio-plastic and fiberboard. The stunning pieces are packed in a recycled wood box. The gadget looks pretty good and is worth of a deal.

5. Patch paper watch

The days are gone when watches meant those big steel straps with heavy weight and bulky designs. This is an era of ultra cool, slim and sexy paper watches. These paper watches are so cool and trendy that whoever sees it, will surely try getting one. These watches are completely waterproof and are provided with an LED display. Available in cool colors and trendy designs, it will suit you all. It is believed to keep good time as it’s a stunningly efficient masterpiece. Designed by Altanus, a Geneva based watchmaker, these watches are surely an addiction for their gorgeous design. It is called as “Patch” which is inspired by papier-mâché floats. Made completely out of paper, it offers a complete waterproof body with shock and tear resistant. Weighing just 11 grams, these trendy and funky watches are hard to ignore. It is priced at $33.50.

Five modern trends in sustainable architecture
by: Ecofriend, 2011-09-24 08:55:03 UTC
Pratik Basu:

With so many ecological concerns coming up every year, the need for the hour is to grasp the concept of Eco-friendly and sustainable architecture. The dawn of this green architecture came from the Eco-build in London, Cannes and the Earth Day and it seems to be develop rapidly in the developed countries. Green architecture can change the world. With rapid advancements in the field of Eco-friendly products, there is a huge demand for making buildings and construction techniques more greener and sustainable and less harmful for Earth. The world has grasped this idea very well. The need for new techniques and materials which can be easily recycled are taken into consideration. Here’s showcasing 5 trends in green and sustainable architecture which is a focus of attention amongst Eco-designers.

1. Vertical Farming

With an expected increase in population to 9.1 billion people within the year 2050, feeding all the people around the globe is a cause for major concern. Food production needs to increase by 70%. This would mean having higher crop yields and expansion of the area cultivated. However land available for cultivation is not evenly distributed, while others are suitable for cultivating only a few crops. Thus architects have been designing buildings where one can grow crops on all the edges surrounding the building. This gives more area for cultivation and helps solve the expansion crisis. The vertical farms can be integrated with residential buildings too, with farms being set up on the external periphery of the buildings. This provides a clean environment for the residents to live in.

2. Straw

Straw is a sustainable material which can be used as a building material. Many designers and builders today are making use of this natural material to make phenomenal designs which are Eco-friendly. These buildings can be made from prefabricated panels using straw. These panels can be assembled from locally sourced star which can be fit into the panel frame made from timber. This production style helps save money and energy and decrease build times and carbon emissions. Electricity can be generated by photovoltaic and solar thermal panels and the extra electricity can be sold to the electricity grid. The homes made by straw would be considerably cheaper, as straw is a product which is available in vast quantity. This low cost makes it more popular to the general masses.

3. Phase change materials (PCMs)

Phase change materials are used to store both cooling and heating energy. These new age materials can be embedded in the ceiling and the wall tiles from where they absorb heat to keep the space cool and reduces the need for air conditioning. These Phase change material tiles have micro capsules made of a special wax which is developed to contain heat during the day. Some companies selling phase change materials claim that using the material reduces temperature of your indoor surrounding by almost 7ºC, hence reducing air conditioning costs.

4. Bees and biodiversity

Bees are an integral part of our biodiversity. A small garden or a rooftop is all that is required to keep bees. They help in making delicious honey from plants and flowers in your gardens, parks and the tree lined roads. It is important to make an environment in cities that safeguards wildlife and also helps in further diversity. By incorporating biodiversity into architecture, we can make a cleaner and greener world. Hence keeping bees and making bee hives are an important step that needs to be taken to ensure a cleaner, greener environment. In London, vast number of bee hives have been created on the roof tops of buildings, attracting many bees.

5. Sustainable materials

Apart from the many products used in construction made from recycled materials, many researchers are looking at the construction industry for other sustainable materials from other sectors which are rarely used in design and construction.

Thousands of samples have been taken from countries all over the world. These selected materials provide an Eco-friendly alternative to other resource hungry materials which generally have many by products which are harmful to the environment. These samples are being studied and their properties are made good use of. So it is essential that we find sustainable materials which can be easily recycled and are durable and appropriate for construction.

3 Insects from which the solar industry can learn
by: Ecofriend, 2011-09-24 08:55:21 UTC
Ashish Chugh:

With the changing time and growing population the demand and consumption of energy is rising day by day. One of the most efficient sources of energy is solar energy. But the technology that is used by us to convert this solar energy into another form is highly inefficient. The solar panel can only convert 24% of solar energy into electricity and moreover the plant that converts this solar energy costs very high. But when we look around its solution can be found in nature itself.

From last many million years of evolution the nature has adapted some of the insects that can convert solar energy into other forms and the results are much more efficient than our solar panels.

Here are three insects from which our scientist could learn something to convert solar energy into other forms of energy.

1. Moth: Moth’s inner eye

Moths are such insects from which our scientist can learn many things. The inner eye of the moth is of deep black color. It is one of the least reflecting surfaces of all other surfaces. And due to this texture of the eye moths have a sensitive night vision. The reflection of the moth eye is so low that the moth can find food in darkness. Moth can be of great use to scientist for study because of its inner eye. As we all know the less the solar cell can reflect, the more it can convert the solar energy. If we are successful in building such solar cells then 98% of the sunlight could be converted into electricity. Though the trial has been made by many scientist and one of the experiments was carried out by the Japanese scientists. They replicated the texture of the moth eye over an acrylic resin film and that film is used over the solar cells and because of that the efficiency of solar cells increased by 7%. And In some coming years the solar cells with such films will be sold out commercially to satisfy the modern demands.

2. Oriental hornet: Stripes on its body

There is a pigment in the body of the hornet that is named as Xanthopterin. Because of this pigment the stripes on the abdomen of the hornet are of yellow color. And this pigment acts as a biological cooling pump that helps the hornet to cool its body. Our scientists believe that this is one of the best solar panel of the nature because of its efficiency to convert the sunlight directly into other forms of energy.

Last year scientists from Israel and UK dipped the electrodes of solar cells into this Xanthopterin that was extracted from the Hornets but the results was not satisfactory. The cells only achieve the efficiency of a single percent. The researchers say that this pigment can only work with the materials present in the body of the hornet and thus they are trying to replicate a structure made by the similar material present in the hornet. If this research got success then we may have the best solar cells of all time.

3. Swallowtail butterfly: The wings of the swallowtail butterfly

The wings of the swallow tail butterfly are another miracle of the nature. Our researchers could also learn from it. The wings of the swallowtail butterfly do not reflect any of the sunrays. Due to this reason the body temperature of swallowtail butterfly remains stable and helps the butterfly to regulate its temperature.

Similar to the moth’s eye its wings do not reflect the sunlight and if it do not reflect any sunlight than positively it can absorb the sunrays efficiently and convert them to other forms of energy. As the wings of the butterfly are flat in nature so it is easy to imitate and similar structures can be applied to solar cells to increase their efficiency.

A team of researchers formed similar structure like its wings by using titanium dioxide scales and applied it over the solar cells that increase its efficiency by 10 percent. And the similar cells will be available in the market in next 2 years. Though our technology cannot meet the nature’s evolution but surely by studying and replicating some of the substances and insects we can increase our efficiency to use sunlight.

5 Indoor lamps powered by clean solar energy
by: Ecofriend, 2011-09-24 08:55:33 UTC
Sandeep Sangwan:

Green energy is becoming very popular these days for its wide use and ecofriendly properties. Solar energy is being harnessed these days for various day-to-day activities and people have realized the importance of using this solar energy. These days’ indoor lamps powered by solar energy are what people are talking about.

These lamps offer a high intensity of light and brighten your house even in day time. So many such indoor lamps are available in market. Here is the list of best five indoor lamps powered by clean solar energy.

1. Riflessi

The solar lamp is the trend these days and people prefer these solar lamps as they consume no power to charge up and are durable. The Riflessi Solar-powered LED lighting system is one such solar lamp. This solar lamp is exceptionally stunning and is believed to be one of the best lighting systems ever made. This ultra-small power packed indoor solar lamp was designed by Yana klimava and he named it Riflessi. This unique lamp system is made into two parts-one is the mirror droplets and the other is the fabric. This lighting system can provide you light all day and never runs out of battery. It synthesizes solar energy to charge up its battery and hence you need not waste your electricity doing the same. During day time the fabric part of the lamp captures the sunlight and the mirror part reflects it across the room. Overall this is a perfect gadget for all those who have been looking for a green indoor lamp.

2. Graphic2

The Graphic 2 is another creative solar indoor lamp which is believed to produce high amount of light and lightens your house for the whole day. The gadget looks stunning. It was designed by Damian O’Sullivan and he named it Solar Lampion. It is specially made to harness the solar energy effectively and perform its function. It uses 36 solar cells to capture the solar energy during day time and each of these cells are connected to LED bulb structured lamp. Hang it outside your house where it can capture energy and use it when current goes off. It is capable of giving light for a longer period of time.

3. Orchid lamp

The Orchid lamps are inspired by Orchid flowers and look stunning. These are made in shape of an orchid flower and are capable of harnessing solar energy very effectively. Its awesome looks with gorgeous design is what makes it a perfect indoor solar lamp and there is nothing better than this lamp. This concept lamp is designed by artist Vivien Muller. The lamp contains photovoltaic cells on its surface and leaves to harness maximum solar energy. The energy is then stored in on-board battery which can be used effectively when required. This energy is then used to illuminate tiny devices placed in flowers. The intensity of light can be altered by rotating the petals of the flowers.

4. Sinthesya

It is a concept solar indoor lamp. This cool designed concept lamp is what will drive you crazy by its looks. No matter what it delivers, its looks are what is creating a buzz in the industry. This is still a concept solar lamp which is designed to make the maximum use of solar energy for lighting up purposes. It is inspired from the natural process of photosynthesis and derives its looks from a structure of a plant. It generates energy during daytime and illuminates it using the LEDs provided in the lamp. It can radiate energy for a longer period of time and will never disappoint you on this account. It comes with a movable head that enables easy rotation and more focus on required areas.

5. Simax solar powered lamp

It is a unique solar lamp which is inspired from the basic source of light, candle. These cool lamps are designed by Simax Materials Solutions and they announced the development of first solar lamp in their headquarters situated in Singapore. These are available in various colors and designs to attract more number of customers. These lamps can be used as an indoor lamp as well as for outdoor activities. The company is also developing solar jars and solar candles in different shapes and designs to suit the requirement of the users. These lamps are equipped with solar cells that can capture energy in daytime to illuminate light when required. These candles look cool and also deliver a romantic atmosphere.

Seven most eco friendly luxury saloons
by: Ecofriend, 2011-09-24 08:55:41 UTC
Pratik Basu:

Saloon cars are amongst the classiest cars on the road. With environmental issues being a major concern, the need for the hour is to have eco friendly cars, so, even the luxury saloon cars have undergone the ‘eco makeover’. All the green eco friendly models have been exclusively fine tuned for maximum ‘eco efficiency’ besides the designated high mpg and low CO2 eco models.

Luxury being common in all the cars, the whole range caters to entry-level junior executives to senior board members. They have stylish drive and yet they are green as far as the environment is concerned. This range strengthens the fact that green isn’t boring and listless. The best in the range even dashes to 62mph in a meager 8.0 seconds.

Going the eco way is nothing new. VW is coming down from their Blue Motion range in 2006 and there have been major changes in eco consciousness since then, with models evolving into more greener and eco friendly range with every passing year. Here is the top 7 most eco friendly luxury saloons. Take a look.

1. Mercedes E200 CDI Blue EFFICIENCY:

One of Mercedes’ finest in the swanky and luxuriously build department, the Mercedes E200 CDI is more greener than all modern luxury saloons. It’s a bit conservative but with the new E250 CDI in 2011, the certification for E-Class’ green will be boosted even more.

2. Lexus IS200d:

A revised and improved version from its 2005 model, Lexus’ IS is lustrous, beautiful, stylish and agile. Its has a new 200d mill which gives better mpg, lower CO2 emissions and a smoother drive. The 0-62mph dash has reduced by 1.3 seconds from 10.2 sec. It features maximum power. However, the torque has come down about 15%.

3. Audi A5 Sportback 2.0 TDI S line:

This has a more practical interior with all enhancing coupe like lines. The A5 Sportback makes for a great option on paper. It has high levels of refinement. It’s rather sporty and not very much a relaxing and comfortable cruiser, but its ride is far from engaging.

4. BMW 5 Series 520d:

Here comes the cheapest and economical 5 Series model in the market, affordable within just £30k. Being cheap it doesn’t give the immensely efficient dynamics but it doesn’t cut down on its efficiencies. The 181bhp 520d rises to 62mph and takes a meager 8.1 seconds.

5. Mercedes C220 CDI:

The most recent C-Class is an improvised version from its previous one and has major improvements. The outsides are almost the same as the 2007 version with slight changes and it gives a classy look. Mercedes’ green enhancements are too good to be ignored.

6. Volvo S80 DRIVe:

Powered by a diminutive 1.6-liter turbo diesel engine, the S80 DRIVe is not that efficient as expected. It gives 62mph in 12.4 seconds which is very negligent. The compensation comes with its leisurely nature. For 2011, Volvo has boosted its green qualifications even more.

7. Volvo V70 DRIVe:

The V70 DRIVe comes with the same 1.6-liter turbo diesel built as in the Eco-S80, and even has identical green figures which are reinforced a little. However, Volvo fine-tuned the V70’s aerodynamics a little more extensively than the previous sleek S80. It has introduced its covering grille and lowered chassis.

Ethical Rugs by GAN Make Any Space Cosy (Photo)
by: TreeHugger Design, 2011-09-23 17:20:59 UTC
Today FEED, the international blogger meeting at the Valencia Design Week, took us on a pleasant visit to GAN, Gandia Blascos' rug showroom. Laura Mora explained us how all their rugs are hand-made under fair-trade conditions in India with 100% natural materials. For the new season they re-did Patricia Urquiola's Mangas in natural colours and introduced a great collection of 3D rug pr... Read the full story on TreeHugger

100% Design’s Best Green Exhibits at the London Design Festival
by: Inhabitat , 2011-09-23 22:17:40 UTC


Read the rest of 100% Design’s Best Green Exhibits at the London Design Festival

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