UNDERGROUND ECO HOUSE: Snowden House

UNDERGROUND ECO HOUSE: Snowden House
by Evelyn Lee

Design firm Crawford Partnership is out to prove that modern living doesn’t require a large footprint, and that sites once used as a repair and lock-up garages make equally excellent sites for a new home. Snowden House and Snowden House II, the two homes in London, show how creative floor plans can accommodate an incredible amount of day lighting and make excellent use of passive cooling while providing ample private outdoor space. Taking Lessons from the first home, Snowden House II goes further to include make the entire house a passive thermal store to help run the wet underfloor zoned heating system, a green roof, and makes full use of the stable temperature that comes naturally when building underground.

Snowden House sits on what used to be the site of a former MOT repairs garage. Three stories low, an underground house, the design encompasses the philosophy of the Crawford Partnership which pursues ideal modern day urban living, even when the plots are small and the land is a premium. The two-storey internal atrium allows light to get into every story of the house. The electric glass sliding roof brings the outside in as well as glazing that comes from ceiling to floor on one wall of each of the two bedrooms.

Snowden House II is located in the North Kensington Conservation Area on a site formerly occupied by two one-story lock-up garages. One of the requirements of the Kensington and Chelsea Planning Authority was that the new house not exceeds the height of the original buildings, which was no longer than 3 meters above the ground level. As with Snowden House I, open light wells allow light to get down to the rear garden levels and each of the three bedrooms. Landscaped by award winning garden designer Paul Cooper, he has included gardens on each level as well as one on the roof. The house takes full advantage of being sunken into the ground using 10%-15% less energy than it’s equivalents above ground.

+ Snowden House I
+ Snowden House II
+ Crawford Partnership

PREFAB FRIDAY: La Reserva by Sebastián Irarrázaval

PREFAB FRIDAY: La Reserva by Sebastián Irarrázaval
by Ali Kriscenski

This stunning prefab in Colina, Chile, is the work of Santiago-based architect Sebastián Irarrázaval. Despite its unique form, it is not meant as a custom design but rather a housing solution that can take shape repeatedly. Constructed of concrete, steel and timber, the 120 square meter structure (1290 sq ft) lives large with a simple geometric that is at ease with the surrounding landscape.

While the sustainability of steel and concrete are debatable, Irarrázaval takes advantage of the inherent benefits of these materials, mainly their thermal attributes. The exterior steel panels create a double facade where sandwiched air is heated and creates a natural draw of ventilation around the structure. The concrete elements work to regulate temperature by moderating swings between heating and cooling. As a complete system, and coupled with expansive adjustable openings, the building self regulates for the thermal comfort of occupants.

Completed in 2006, the La Reserva house is, according to the architect, low-cost housing that “relates to the idea of the container.” Its striking steel facade is meant to weather “as a continuation of the building process rather than as a force antagonistic to it” making the material choice a dynamic part of the design.

Although our critical side questions the materials, we can’t help but be drawn to this design from one of the world’s most exciting new architecture practices.

+ Sebastián Irarrázaval

Via ArchDaily

Photos: Carlos Eguiguren

GRID HOUSE: Maximizing Green Space in Urban Infill

GRID HOUSE: Maximizing Green Space in Urban Infill
by Mike Chino

Moto Designshop recently finished schematics for this beautiful modern residence situated on Pine street in Philadelphia. The Grid House packs a highly efficient floorplan into tight quarters, maximizing daylighting and ventilation via an abundance of open green spaces. The entire front and back façades open to infuse interior spaces with fresh air while the home’s flowing floor plan ensures a seamless transition between rooms. An elevated front garden preserves the residence’s interaction with the street while concealing an underground garage.

Moto Designshop employed a variety of techniques to ensure that the Grid House was as efficient as possible in terms of lighting and ventilation. A long three story skylight suffuses the interior spaces with light, while the home’s open-ended construction allows for excellent cross-ventilation. The front façade features two stories of wooden solar shades which are deployable in a variety of configurations to allow for variable degrees of privacy.

In order to maximize the residence’s available space, Moto Designshop chose to situate the home’s garage below ground floor: “Within the property line, is a 2-tier car/garden lift which lowers the car to the basement level, hiding it from view while creating a private garden space at street level.”

We love how the re-envisioned row home integrates a variety of green spaces and a rooftop garden into an elegant example of efficient modern design.

+ Moto Designshop Inc.

Tip via Adam Montalbano

Mobile phone battery dead? Try dancing

Tue Jun 24, 11:08 AM ET

The Orange 'dance charge' prototype charger is shown in this undated handout image.

LONDON (Reuters) - What do you do if you are stuck in a field at a pop festival but there's trouble ahead because your mobile phone's battery is about to run out?

Thanks to a new gizmo, you now just need to face the music and dance.

Mobile phone operator Orange said on Tuesday it had teamed up with GotWind, a firm specializing in renewable energy, to produce a recharger powered by dance energy alone.

The portable kinetic energy chargers will be given a test run at this year's Glastonbury Festival, the world's biggest greenfield music and arts celebration that begins on a farm in Somerset on Friday.

Orange said the prototype chargers weigh the same as a phone and are about the size of a pack of cards.

Attached to the user's arm, they employ a system of weights and magnets which provide an electric current to top up charge in a storage battery. This can then later be used to recharge the phone.

"We wanted to create a fun, engaging and interactive product which would encourage users to have a laugh while charging their mobile phone and at the same time test out a new energy-efficient prototype," said Hattie Magee, Head of Partnerships at Orange UK.

Green up your sex life?

Green up your sex life?

You can apply eco-friendly principles to pretty much every aspect of your life. But even ... your sex life? Yep, according to this article from TreeHugger. They've listed some things you can do and products you can use to protect yourself, protect the environment and still have a great time with that special someone. Some tips?

• Shower together. Not only do you save water, but you are sure to have a steamy time.
  
• When it comes to lubes and lotions, go for the ones that are as natural as possible -- so without artificial colour, scents or tastes. You can even find organic products at some stores.
  
• Try bamboo sheets on the bed -- they're sensual and slippery.
  
• Try some natural aphrodisiacs. Herbs like ginseng and ginko biloba are rumored to be aphrodisiacs, plus some food items like strawberries, oysters, chocolate and wine. Know of any others?

Canada’s Shimmering Solar Collector Sculpture

Canada’s Shimmering Solar Collector Sculpture
by Mike Chino

Earlier this week Cambridge, Canada welcomed a stunning new interactive sculpture that casts a shimmering set of lights against the night sky. Constructed atop a sun-dappled hill, Gorbet Design’s Solar Collector sweeps the skyline as a gracefully ascending corona of light-laced beams. The interactive installation serves as a conduit for both solar energy and creative input, soaking up sunlight and simple web-based controls throughout the day. Upon nightfall the installation synthesizes its stored reserves into a glimmering light show.

Situated at the Waterloo Regional Operations Centre, the installation is composed of 12 illuminated shafts arranged in a graceful curve. The angles of each shaft reflect the angles of the sun throughout the year, with the tallest perpendicular to the sun during Winter solstice, and the lowest aligning with the Summer solstice.

During the day a set of solar panels provide the sculpture with energy, while the Solar Collector’s website stores interactive input for the evening’s performance: “Using simple web-based controls, members of the community compose wave-based patterns that flow across pulsing lights that are spaced along the shafts. At dusk, Solar Collector comes to life with the patterns created that day.”

+ Solar Collector
+ Gorbet Design inc.

Via designboom.com

CHERRYPAL: World’s Most Affordable Green PC

CHERRYPAL: World’s Most Affordable Green PC
by Evelyn Lee

CherryPal is taking cloud computing mainstream in a big way with a soon to be released green personal computer. This green PC comes in a small, affordable package weighing just 10.5 ounces and consuming no more than two watts of power. The triple-core processor only has one fifth of the components of traditional computers, boots-up in 20 seconds, and promises to be faster than Vista and mac’s OS-X.

CherryPal had us doing our computer research to understand the power behind utilizing cloud computing. The PC contains only 4GB of flash storage, 256MB of memory, and a power architecture-based 400MHz Freescale mobileGT MPC5121e chip on a Linux operating system. To the everyday user, this means that most of the computer resources will be owned and accessed by a third-party provider in a data center – the type of service on demand similar to the way we program a Tivo. It also means that computer viruses will truly be a thing of the past for Cherrypal users.

For those of you who are a little more tech savy, here’s a more complete list of CherryPal’s Hardware:

• Freescale’s MPC5121e mobileGT processor, 800 MIPS (400 MHz) of processing
• 256MB of DDR2 DRAM
• 4GB NAND Flash-based solid state drive
• WiFi 802.11b/g Wi-Fi
• Two USB 2.0 ports
• One 10/100 Ethernet with RJ-45 jack
• One VGA DB-15 display out jack
• Headphone level stereo audio out 3.5mm jack
• 9vDC 2.5mm 10 watt AC-DC adapter power supply
• 10.5 ounces
• 1.3″ high, 5.8″ x 4.2″ wide

Skeptics standby, CEO Max Seibold stands firmly behind his product believing it will not only deliver on energy savings and cost, but also on speed, making it “the most affordable, greenest computer on the market.” According to Seibold, CherryPal will be able to appease the music collectors, the gamers, and those looking for a simple to use word processor. While official pricing hasn’t been released yet, sources say to look-out for prices well under $400 sans the monitor, keyboard, and any additional accessories necessary to run the desktop. Look out for an early August release along with a laptop to follow in the near future.

Honda Puyo

TRANSPORTATION TUESDAY: Honda Puyo
by Jorge Chapa

The PUYO, an environmentally friendly concept car designed by Honda, is just as green as it is, well, cute. The concept vehicle is ultra-efficient, powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology, and a unique aesthetic to boot. The Honda PUYO will officially be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show at the end of the month (Oct 2007).

Its shape was designed to be both as minimalist and as efficient as possible. Indeed, by far the most striking feature of this vehicle is the rather odd ’seamless soft box’ shape. The body of the vehicle is made of soft materials, which Honda refers to as a ‘gel body’. This body is meant to promote greater real-world safety. Furthermore, the gel body is of a luminescent nature, it lights up!

+Honda Puyo

Astro Boy Mural made from Recycled Subway Tickets!

Astro Boy Mural made from Recycled Subway Tickets!
by Mike Chino

Astro Boy, Japan’s favorite mid-century anime android, was recently immortalized in a stunning metro ticket tableau at the Shinjuku Takashimaya department store. The pointillist portrait is composed of scores of recycled subway tickets folded into black and white squares to create a pixel-perfect rendition of the iconic robot as he ushers in a new era of public transportation. Created to celebrate Tokyo’s new Fukotoshin subway, the mural measures 10′ by 7′ and is composed of a staggering 138,000 tickets.

We love to see projects that explore innovative applications for cast-off materials, and this Astro Boy artwork strikes us as the perfect way to stir public sentiment around an exciting development in public transit. The new Fukotoshin line will ease inner city congestion by providing convenient service through the northwest, southwest, and central districts of Tokyo. The piece was created entirely through the collaborative efforts of a team of volunteers, and serves as a testament to the emblematic appeal of Astro Boy, whose modern message has resonated through Japanese culture since his creation in the 1950’s.

Thanks to Seireeni for the tip!

CAR FREE NYC?

CAR FREE NYC?
by Jill Fehrenbacher

The beauty of living in a place like New York City is that you don’t need a car for ANYTHING. When I left California five years ago to move to NYC, I sold my car and never looked back - it was one of the most freeing moments of my life. Most New Yorkers - especially those in Manhattan - get by just fine without cars and rely on public transportation for mobility. And everyone knows that streets are more pleasant for walking, biking and shopping when cars are taken off the road. So it makes perfect sense for NYC to try out a no-car zone in Manhattan. Just because Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan was shot down in the spring doesn’t mean we’ve called off our dreams of a traffic free future.

Even though it’s a baby step, a new summer proposal has us excited about the possibilities of moving in the direction of a car-free Manhattan. A new initiative called SUMMER STREETS is an attempt to turn parts of Manhattan into a haven for pedestrians for 3 days in August.

The car-free zone runs right up Lafayette Street. The route will be closed to all cars, trucks and buses from 7a.m. to 1p.m. on the 9th, 16th and 23rd of August.

The car-free route will be 6.9 miles long and run from Central Park to the Brooklyn Bridge (and through the less well-known, but much loved Inhabitat Headquarters at Lafayette street). For those that are wondering what to do, aside from a having a healthy walk, a number of activities such as dancing, walking, yoga classes and even bike rentals will be available along the route.

It has been said that no New Yorker should ever need a vehicle to get around the city, and why should they? The city has one of the best public transport systems in the world. Although this step is a mere baby step, we’re hoping that if we all support this plan and work together to make ‘Summer Streets’ a success, perhaps we can gradually push New York, the city that never sleeps, into eventually becoming ‘The City That Never Drives.’

+ On 3 Days in August, City Will Try No-Car Zone

Historic German Town Laying Down the Solar Law

Historic German Town Laying Down the Solar Law
by Bridgette Steffen

Despite the typical cloudy weather, Germany has become a solar energy powerhouse fueled in part by government measures to reduce greenhouse gases and bring more renewable energy into the grid. Voluntary solar arrays are common throughout the country on barns, residences and in large solar plants, but a new law proposed in Marburg, Germany, is making solar a legal requirement on private and commercial buildings.

This small German college town of Marburg in central Germany has over 100 pubs, has more stairs in its alleys than in its houses, and is where the Brothers Grimm collected many of their fairy tales. It is truly a city of inspiration and historic significance. On June 20th, the town made 21st century history by becoming the first city in Germany to require solar power for newly built or renovated buildings. While all the reports say it is the first city in Germany, I can’t find any information that doesn’t disprove it may be the first city in the world to require solar power.

The law will officially come into effect October 1, 2008, after the city has worked out more of the details. The Mayor of Marburg, Fritz Kahle, says of the decision, “We don’t want to save the world and we don’t claim that Marburg will revolutionize climate action, but we must chart new territory in order to ensure a future supply of energy independent of oil and gas.”

This law will require newly constructed buildings or existing buildings that are expanded or altered by more than 20% to include solar panels as part of the heating system. The main goal of this law is to encourage the use of solar thermal systems to displace the use of non-renewable energy sources for heating. Photovoltaic systems also meet the requirement. Each building is required to install at least 1 square meter per 20 square meters of roof surface (that’s 5% of the roof surface).

City Hall, Marburg

Certain historically significant buildings, such as the Marburg Castle, Elisabeth Church and the City Hall will be excluded from the requirement. Meanwhile any commercial or residential building that violates the law will be subject to a €1,000 fine. The city estimates that the cost of the system will be around €4,000 per household, with a €250 subsidy provided by the city.

Why is the city not setting a good example by putting panels on the City Hall? How did they decide on 5% of the roof surface as a good standard? Why is their subsidy so low? All of these are relevant questions, but we don’t have the answers just yet. Still, it’s nice to see that even small cities are starting to be more forward thinking with their codes and requirements. It’s certainly not surprising to see that a German city is leading the way.

+ Marburg City Press Release

Via Treehugger

Top left photo: ideeone

Antro Solo gets 150mpg

TRANSPORTATION TUESDAY: Antro Solo gets 150mpg
by Jorge Chapa

Hungary is not the first place that comes to mind when thinking about cutting edge green vehicles, yet. If the creators of the Antro Solo have their way, the country will be synonymous with green machines by 2012. The Antro Solo is a solar, human and gas-electric hybrid vehicle. It looks like nothing else out there, and has a fuel efficiency of more than 150 miles per gallon!

The Antro Solo is a three seat gas-electric hybrid prototype made entirely out of carbon fiber. This material choice allowed the graphic designers to lower the weight of the vehicle to a measly 270kg. This also allowed them to achieve phenomenal fuel efficiency and a pretty decent top speed of 87mph. All of this is impressive enough, but the Solo’s designers were not content to stop there.

In order to maximize the efficiency of the vehicle, the designers installed solar panels on the roof. These solar panels store energy in the car’s batteries which can be used for short 15-25km trips. If there hasn’t been enough sun to power the batteries, each passenger’s seat comes equipped with pedals that can power the vehicles generator. If you are by yourself, or everyone gets tired, the car can switch to its small combustion engine that is capable of running on petrol or ethanol.

The prototype was shown at the Budapest Museum of Transport. It is set to go into production in 2012, and expected to cost around $20,000 dollars.

+ Antro Solo

Via Autofiends.com

China’s Olympic Dream Faces Pollution Woes

China’s Olympic Dream Faces Pollution Woes
by Jorge Chapa

The Chinese government has announced plans to ban 1 million vehicles from the streets of Beijing beginning July 20th. The intention is to reduce the city’s air pollution in time for the 2008 Olympic Games, which start August 8th. China has also announced that fuel prices will be raised by 18 per cent. While the two news stories are distinct from one another, both have the potential to take cars off the road and, perhaps, allow athletes to breathe a little easier at this year’s summer games.

China’s incredible growth and increasing energy demands are commonly known. The pollution in the city of Beijing just relays the environmental issues around the country’s fast-paced development. With the Olympics right around the corner, the Chinese government is well aware that the one thing that can destroy all their best laid plans is the heavy smog common in Beijing.

Already a large number of athletes are severely concerned about how competing in the Olympics will harm their health and chances at winning. The Australian track and field team, and the Canadian athletics team are skipping the opening ceremony due to concerns about pollution.

The million car ban will include 70% of all government and state-run vehicles. China’s government probably hopes that the recent increase in domestic fuel prices will dissuade drivers during the summer and slow down China’s hunger for new vehicles, though that seems unlikely. If there’s one lesson that China should take from this, it is that unfettered demand for oil consuming vehicles brings serious consequences that cannot easily be solved.

+ Beijing to Impose Odd-Even Car Ban During Olympics
+ China shocks with 18 percent fuel price rise
+ Oil price rise sparks mixed reaction

Tourism Businesses Go “GREEN”

The new Qualmark enviro-ratings for tourism businesses will help New Zealand deliver on its 100% Pure New Zealand promise, Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton says.

Details of the new environmental criteria were unveiled today (May 27) by Tourism Minister Damien O’Connor. Minimum environmental standards will apply to all Qualmark licence holders as part of their quality accreditation assessments from 1 August 2008.

However, all tourism operators and businesses will be able to apply for higher Enviro-Gold, Enviro-Silver and Enviro-Bronze ratings depending on their environmental performance.

"The natural environment is the main reason people come to New Zealand and we need to protect it and to deliver on the 100% Pure New Zealand promise we make to our overseas visitors," Mr Hickton said.

"We know that international visitors from some markets, particularly the UK and Europe, are looking for more environmental options and this programme will help New Zealand’s tourism businesses meet those expectations," Mr Hickton said.

"We would encourage every tourism operator to get Qualmarked and to aspire to getting the Enviro-Gold standard, it will be good for the environment and local communities, good for their business and good for the industry," Mr Hickton added.

Find out more at: www.responsibletourism.co.nz

Photos of the launch and copies of the Qualmark logo can be obtained by contacting Chantelle Taylor on 021 220 8012 or emailing chantellet@tnz.govt.nz

For further information contact:

Cas Carter, Corporate Communications, Tourism New Zealand
Mob 021 915 410

Indoor Air Pollution

by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 10.11.07

Science & Technology (science)

Pollution from power plants, cars, and other transportation is a well-known contributor to outdoor air pollution, but indoor air pollution is often worse; it can be up to 10 times worse for you than the air outside. Microbial pollutants like mold, pet dander and plant pollen can combine with chemicals like radon and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to create a pretty toxic environment in your home; since we spend an average of 90% of our time indoors and 65% of our time inside our homes, according to the National Safety Council that can add up to allergies, asthma and worse.

Everything that comes in to our homes has the potential to be harmful to our health; this includes things from the building materials and elements that hold our homes together to the furniture we sit on and the paint that goes on the walls. Indoor air pollution can be bad, but it doesn't have to be.

Indoor air pollution can be easy to manage once you understand where it comes from. Looking at the image above gives you some idea of the more common sources for poor indoor air quality. In many cases, it comes from chemicals that are part of the things that you bring into your home; the polyurethane common in mattresses, formaldehyde and organic chemicals like dioxin, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) used in lots of furniture and other interior elements are all harmful to us humans. Drapes, carpets and other absorbent fabrics can help trap these nasties, along with dust, mites and other allergens, and our modern, mostly airtight homes keep them inside. Remember this: if there are chemicals and VOCs in a product, there are chemicals and VOCs that could come out, and they won't be good for you if they do.

Not having proper ventilation can also help promote mold and other microbial growth, especially in damp climates; if cellulosic materials (like paper, wood and drywall) become moist and fail to dry within 48 hours, mold colonies can propagate and release allergenic spores into the air. As such, a basic way of maintaining the health of indoor air is by the frequency of effective replacement of the indoor air with cleaner outdoor air.

Aside from keeping known pollutants out of our homes, there are several strategies for keeping the indoor air healthy. At the top of the list is maintaining proper ventilation, which can be done most easily by just opening up the windows at regular intervals (even in the winter). Using green cleaning products can help cut way back on the toxins in your home, as citrus and pine-based solvents can react with ozone to create formaldehyde. Keeping pesticides out of your garden and off your lawn can also help, as they're easy to track in on shoes and clothing. It's also important to keep filters and vents clean, as pollutants can cycle through air ducts and central heating and cooling mechanisms.

For further reading in TreeHugger, check out our top 5 plants for improving indoor air quality, our picks for improving the quality of the air in your homes, and read up on considerations when picking out an indoor air filter. For outside sources, we recommend checking out the US EPA's indoor air quality site, along with the US National Library of Medicine's Environmental Health and Toxicology indoor air quality section and the Medline Plus Indoor Air Pollution section.