by: Designboom - Weblog, 2012-10-16 11:05:00 UTC through the understanding that there is 50% to 80% of timber wastage during manufacturing, the chair incorporates waste shavings into its design by using an expanding foam process. read more
Next month Method Homes will launch its brand new Paradigm series with the debut of a 722 square-foot modular home on the floor of the USGBC Greenbuild Conference and Expo in San Francisco. The prefab home, designed by New York City-based Bogue Trondowski Architects, is targeting LEED Platinum, it’s designed to have 6 of the 7 petals of the Living Building Challenge, and it features net-zero energy and water consumption.
The Method Paradigm Home features a rooftop solar array, rainwater harvesting, a greywater system, a composting toilet, a ductless mini split HVAC unit, and a super insulated envelope. The materials and fixtures that were chosen to finish the building are also very sustainable and show a conscious effort to produce a holistically designed product. The interior design includes renewable bamboo flooring and cabinets, sustainable wooden cladding and decking, LED lighting and home automation systems.
Method Homes is located in Washington state and they will be opening their doors to display the Paradigm home before it is shipped to San Francisco for the event. They are located at at 6819 Northgate Way, Ferndale, WA, 98248 and will be open November 3, 2012 from 1 pm – 5 pm. After that, the prototype will be shipped to the Moscone Center where it will be displayed in front of the building.
by: Environmental Leader, 2012-10-15 14:42:58 UTC AXA, Coca-Cola, Deustche Bank, EADS, General Electric and L’Oreal – companies that last year were not getting enough credit for their actual environmental, social and governance performance – have now earned reputations that match their relatively high sustainability achievements, according to a report by Brandlogic and CRD Analytics. The 2012 study, which analyzes real versus [...]
Installing solar power in Denmark is going faster than planned, and the country has already reached its goal of 200 megawatts of solar capacity. This amount was the goal that the Danish government had set to reach by 2020.
At present, the country is adding 36 MW of solar panels each month, and industry predictions are that there will be 1000 MW of solar panels (five times the goal) installed by 2020. Denmark has one of the highest levels of renewable power installed as a percentage of total power requirements. The national goals on that front are 35 percent (to be reached by 2020) and 100 percent (to be reached by 2050). More than 20 percent of Danish power is supplied from renewable sources at present.
The Danish energy market makes this an attractive option for homeowners and other building owners. “The demand for solar cells has increased dramatically since net metering was implemented in 2010. Net metering gives private households and public institutions the possibility of ‘storing’ surplus production in the public grid, which makes solar panels considerably more attractive.”
An intriguing method for storing excess power from renewable generation sources is based using super cooled air as a means of storing power until it is needed. British-based Highview Power is developing the system with a pilot plant adjacent to a heat and power plant at Slough.
The frozen air storage system cools air to cryogenic temperatures around -200 degrees F (-129 degrees C) and stores it in tanks. When power is called for, the liquified air can be evaporated and used to run turbines to produce electricity. Fundamentally, it is similar to other steam-based systems, relying on a phase change of a liquid to a gas being used to run a turbine. The process can be coupled with systems that produce waste heat which can be used to augment the efficiency of the system.
The current pilot frozen air storage does not have nearly the efficiency as many other power storage systems (most of which average 70-80% if not better). But the engineers working on the project believe that they can reach similar efficiencies as other systems offer when the system is scaled.
As a small added benefit, the frozen air storage system requires the air to be cleaned of soot and small atmospheric particles, as well as water vapor, before it is cooled down, so in addition to storing power, the process also results in slightly cleaner air.
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2012-10-10 11:20:00 UTC the world's first chainless folding electric bicycle combines a throttle drive with pedal-assisted technology, allowing cyclists to manually power the bike up to 30 kilometers. read more
in collaboration with designboom the india design forum celebrates india's vibrantly dynamic
creative scene and identifies the best in various design disciplines. this brand-new IDF awards program seeks to increase national awareness of design by educating the public and honoring excellence.
Benjamin Hubert’s expertise lies in industrial design, not fashion, but he sure is on a roll with apparel-inspired furniture. Garment, a recent collaboration with Cappellini, wrapped a polyurethane club chair in a single sheet of fabric like a custom piece of clothing; Pelt, a new plywood piece for De La Espada, is a wooden seat with a back that, when unbent, looks surprisingly like a simple T-shirt--a thoroughly human hide rendered in thin timber.
The London-based designer is notoriously keen on experimenting with process and materials, and it took a solid year of prototyping to perfect the shape and structure of Pelt, which sits atop an ash frame. Its cross-legged construction makes stacking possible, meaning a six-unit dining set can be stowed away easily--they’ve even got a handy handle to make schlepping them around no sweat. Hubert has experimented with watches and bags before, so who knows--there might be a ready-to-wear collection in his future, in addition to his ever-growing ready-to-sit series.
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-30 17:15:46 UTC
In Germany alone, every year 1.9 million tons of milk cannot be used for consumption. Due to process steps that are not up to par with the stringent ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-28 08:43:19 UTC
From the graduate exhibition of the Design Academy Eindhoven, in the Netherlands and part of the annual Dutch Design Week. One of my favorite sustainable ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-25 14:47:14 UTC
Created from sustainably sourced softwood, Accoya® matches or exceeds the durability, stability and beauty of the very best tropical hardwoods.
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by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-24 15:18:49 UTC
Taking a shower is in the western world not done once a week anymore like our grandparents did, in most cases it is at least once a day now. And 6 ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-23 14:05:48 UTC
The Centre for Sustainable Design organises the 17th International Conference "Towards Sustainable Product Design", this time around the theme
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by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-21 17:01:36 UTC
The dutch MateriaalPrijs winner 2012 announced at the Dutch design week.
Imagine if every object worked as a solar cell?
In this collection everyday ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-21 16:57:14 UTC
The USDA, US Department of Agriculture, is pushing forward with its bio-based procurement program. But is bio-based preferable over a technological ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-19 17:37:31 UTC
This product changes the user into a co-designer. It comes in a flat pack and can be changed into any shape, again and again. The shade can take whatever ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-16 12:19:01 UTC
Any bike is a sustainable way of transport but the Footloose, this fun looking foldable hybrid bike might be able to get people out of their cars and ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-15 16:17:29 UTC
Nissan LEAF was launched on December 3, 2010 in Japan, and is the world's first mass-marketed and affordable EV. Nissan LEAF delivers a unique driving ...
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