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, 2012-10-12 17:57:28 UTC
Raindrop is a rain barrel that makes saving water really easy by providing a watering can that fills up automatically when it rains. This way, the ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-11 06:16:38 UTC
You like the acceleration of an electric car but you love the design of a car that doesn't come in an electric version or you drive a classic then ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-11 06:16:29 UTC
Machines are designed for easy disassembly and contain fewer parts. Parts are durable – designed for multiple product life cycles. Coded with instructions ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-11 06:15:59 UTC
Machines are designed for easy disassembly and contain fewer parts. Parts are durable – designed for multiple product life cycles. Coded with instructions ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-09 16:34:25 UTC
Despite its groundbreaking premise, the Sugar & Spice hasn’t been the roaring success that Patagonia had hoped it would be. The first—and so far, only—shoe ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-08 17:12:04 UTC
Lush sells vintage fabric to Knot-Wrapping their products, which are sold, in most cases, unpacked.
Knot-wrap scarves can then be re-used again and ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-04 15:55:51 UTC
Ekobe coconut tiles are made from Bahia coconut endocarp (hard coconut shell) using a patented process. There is no environmental impact. The fact ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-03 07:11:56 UTC
Help Remedies goals was to do what you expect of a healthcare company, be people as well as earth friendly. Not confusing or scaring people but make ...
by: Design 4 Sustainability, 2012-10-01 18:25:09 UTC
h1. Magical; didn't we always think we need energy to amplify music?
AirCurve Play is based on some very advanced technology, indeed; and when you ...
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