China's Cars Come in Green: Dispatch from the Shanghai Auto Show

by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY on 04.21.07

The simple fact that global automakers are throwing everything they have into two auto shows spaced just months apart speaks volumes about the former Bicycle Kingdom's appetite for the car. That the second show, starting in Shanghai on Earth Day, has gone eco-friendly is an acknowledgment of just how unhealthy that appetite could continue to be -- and a reminder of China's great opportunity to leapfrog to sustainable technologies, integrating green into its growth from the get-go. What's not helping the situation are low gas prices, which are controlled by the government (in Beijing, where over 1000 new cars hit the streets a day, a gallon of 93 octane gasoline costs a paltry $2.30). What is helping -- in spite of the upper class and government penchant for SUVs and luxury sedans -- is an ongoing push for small cars. An auto consumption tax introduced last year for instance, slashed taxes on low-emission vehicles and raised taxes on high-emission vehicles. In general, too, China's economical car culture remains stuck on smaller, more efficient models. Car manufacturers are listening. Among the show's highlights:

The newest Chevy Volt, Chinese hybrids and more below the fold...

Diesel: Volkswagon's Polo BlueMotion: as we reported earlier, this diesel gets 62 mpg average fuel consumption with 102g/km CO2 output, making it one of the cleanest internal combustion vehicles in the world. Though available in Europe, the BlueMotion (pictured above) is not yet sold in the U.S. due to current emission regulations. (VW's other greenery includes the Magotan, otherwise known as the Passat, which features an economical and low-emission engine, along with their highly efficient TFSI engine, to be manufactured in China.)

Fuel-cell: GM will show off its latest version of the sweet hybrid/electric Chevrolet Volt, with a fifth-generation E-Flex fuel cell stack; the prototype is more advanced than the one shown in Detroit three months ago, no longer relying upon a small gasoline engine as a backup. Honda will show its FCX Concept Car, its new fuel-cell vehicle, alongside its experimental Home Energy Station, which would provide hydrogen home refueling. Shanghai Automotive Industries Corp. (SAIC) will display a fuel-cell sedan with a fourth-generation stack, peak power output of 60 kW / 80.5 hp and a top speed of 150 km/h / 93 mph.

Hybrid: Like Chivas or the ubiquitous Audi A6, Buick is loved in China, and soon it will repay that love with its first ever hybrid model. The hybrid LaCrosse, which will be available by 2008, will not be sold in the U.S., not yet. Even sexier -- but less of a sure thing -- is Buick's new concept car, the gullwing Riviera, which has been outfitted with the same hybrid system set to be used in the LaCrosse. Meanwhile, Ford Motor Co.'s 52 models at the show will include its hybrid SUV, the Ford Escape; the Prius, already available in China, will show, alongside some hybrid Lexuses, like the LS600h L. China's first domestic hybrid cars come from Cherry and Roewe (or Rong Wei). The latter, a subsidiary of SAIC, has hybridized a Rover 75 (the company recently bought UK's MG Rover). Chery's hybrid is based on its A3 supermini. As a so-called mild hybrid, it is not able to run in electric-only mode, but the extra help given by the electric motor allows for fuel consumption of up to a claimed 94.2 mpg. Changan has a new hybrid gasoline-electric minivan. Meanwhile, SAIC is investing one billion yuan (US$129 million) in cleaner, more energy efficient vehicle technologies. The company hopes to produce 50,000 electric vehicles of various types by 2010, about 95 percent of which will be hybrids.

Natural gas: VW's EcoFuel Touran tall wagon is fueled by compressed natural gas, reducing CO2 emissions by twenty percent and NOx and CO emissions by eighty percent. Through a joint venture with Volkswagen, SAIC is aiming to produce 500 Touran hybrids before the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Flex fuel: Honda's Fit FFV, runs on either 100% ethanol or a wide range of ethanol-gasoline fuel mixtures; the company has been producing and selling this in Brazil since the end of 2006.

Two big questions remain: considering that China's love for fuel efficient cars has more to do with wallets than pollution, how will domestic and foreign car makers (along with the government) encourage more advanced (and slightly costlier) fuel efficient vehicles? The Prius may be available in Beijing, but the only one I've seen is on a billboard.

Second, and related to the first: will foreign automakers transfer their green technology to their Chinese partners? As the New York Times reports:

Multinationals face repeated demands from Chinese joint venture partners to share the most advanced technology available. Katsumi Nakamura, president and chief executive of Dongfeng Motor, a joint venture in Hubei province between Nissan Motor and the Dongfeng Group of China, said that the Dongfeng side had tried to negotiate an agreement that would require the sharing of the latest technology.

But at Nissan's insistence, the final pact only calls for the sharing of "appropriate" technology. There may not be enough demand in China for advanced technologies like hybrid engines to justify the cost of setting up production in China that duplicate those in Japan, Nakamura warned.

Auto executives are reluctant to mention the illegal copying of technology in China, a problem that discouraged Chrysler from even trying to build minivans in China in the 1990s.

But, as Larry Burns, GM vice president of R&D, put it, “It’s in the best interest of the United States for China to diversify its energy resources.”

For cars, black is still the color of choice in China these days -- it's the best way to conceal all that stuff that comes out of the cars. But as long as the car obsession continues to grow -- and as long as China wants its economic growth to be sustainable -- green will need to be the new black.

日本的全自动自行车停车场

由. Ken Wong 将文章归档于 神乎科技

　　日本的机械技术早已令人惊叹，但你可别以为它只用来做机械人。事实上，日本的机械技术早就被大量应用于民用设备里，从马桶到停车场。说到停车场，之前 你或许听说过日本已经有全自动化的停车场，你只需要把车停在指定的位置，剩下的工作会由停车场自动操作完成。现在我们来看看日本的另一种全自动化停车场， 这一次不是汽车，而是自行车。

　　在日本要找个合法的自行车停车位可不容易，尤其是在车站里。很多骑自行车到车站的人常常会因为没有地方停车而苦恼。因此日本在东京的Kasai车站推 出了一种全自动化的自行车停车场，可停泊9400部自行车。这种停车场是全机械及自动化的，你所要做的只是将自行车放在指定位置，再按下按钮，停车场会自 动把你的自行车存放至空闲位置；当你取车时，也只需按一下按钮，你的自行车就会自动被传送至你面前：



　　不要以为这种如此先进的停车场收费很贵，事实上每天的停车费只需要1美元左右，包月也只需18美元左右。在全面禁摩的广州，何年何月才会有这种东西出 现？这可能近乎于幻想了，因为广州在禁摩后，连自行车道也没有划分，自行车往往要走机动车道或人行道，更不要说停车场了。囧

Easy To Install Solar Panels Are City Friendly and Affordable

by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 03.11.09

Solar start-up Veranda Solar wants to change the world of solar power the way Apple changed computers. Veranda got a big head-start on financing the start-up when the company was awarded 100,000€ as runner-up in the PICNIC Green Challenge, funded by the Dutch postcode lottery. The solar panels Veranda uses are nothing special. The prototypes were developed in cooperation with Stanford University and SunPower Corp. No new photovoltaic advances, no biomimicry.

But these solar panels are offering something new to the market. Check the photo over the fold to see what makes Veranda solar special and decide for yourself if they have what it takes for success.

Image via: Veranda Photos

Veranda Solar panels are plug-and-play. They can be installed in hours, with just a screwdriver, and without expensive solar specialists. The ease of installation on balconies and hanging out of windows will appeal to sustainably-oriented city dwellers, although solar panels will certainly join clotheslines and television dishes in the architectural eyesore wars. But this is exactly the angle Veranda Solar will use to compete. Veranda intends to win the wars by selling -- in the words of Travis Bradford, president of solar-research firm Prometheus Institute: "sexy solar."

The solar panels can be flat-packed for efficient shipping and come with everything needed for operation. At $400 for a 60 to 70 watt ($600 for a panel with inverter and cables), the Veranda solar panels are affordable, or at least in line with the cost of many electronic toys that are enjoyed by the people in Veranda's target market, but not beating the market benchmark of $1 per watt. However, Veranda can appeal to lower income buyers with the expandability concept. Consumers can start with one panel, adding additional panels later simply by snapping them on. Veranda also plans to use financing models that promote the accessibility of the technology, such as leasing the panels through utility companies.

CEO Capra J’neva is quoted in Salon:

We interact with real people to create our products, so we are reducing market risk by understanding the real needs of people.

The bioeconomy at work: renewable products from palm empty fruit bunches

Palm oil may have a bad reputation for the role it plays in tropical deforestation, but is definitely here to stay, as the industry is highly profitable and offers a ready replacement for petroleum products, prices of which will keep rising. However, in order to limit the expansion of plantations, it is crucial to get the most out of each hectare of the plantations that already exist. One way to do so is by recuperating the vast waste-streams that result from the processing of palm fruits. If these waste streams can be turned into value-added products, the pace of the expansion of new plantations may be somewhat slowed down.

For each tonne of crude palm oil (CPO) produced from fresh fruit bunches, the following 'waste' products become available: around 6 tonnes of waste palm fronds, 1 ton of palm trunks (after a life-cycle of 25 years per tree, and at 150 trees per hectare), 5 tons of empty fruit bunches (EFB, photo), 1 ton of press fiber (from the mesocarp of the fruit), half a ton of palm kernel endocarp, 250kg of palm kernel press cake, and 100 tonnes of palm oil mill effluent (POME). In short, a palm oil plantation yields a vast stream of biomass that is currently not used in a productive way (earlier post). Often, it is burned in the open air, or left to settle in ponds where the degrading biomass emits methane.

Over the past few years, many research efforts have been undertaken to make use of these waste products. Some of those look at utilizing the biomass as an energy source for green electricity and power (to power palm oil mills) or as a feedstock for the production of second-generation biofuels. Others have shown that a whole range of bio-based products can be made from the residues - products such as renewable and biodegradable plastics, packaging, paper and specialty products such as geo-textiles.


Here are some of the actual products.

ECOMAT®

	ECOMAT® is a type of mulch mat made from natural fibre for soil protection and erosion control. The major raw material used in producing ECOMAT® is palm fibres derived from empty fruit bunches (palm biomass) and it is eco-friendly material. From the invention of Ecofibrex, a fibre shredder machine, EFB are then shredded into fibres. These palm fibres are raw materials for products such as mulching, pulp and paper, packaging material, fibreboard, flowerpot, etc. With this breakthrough technology, air and soil pollution be eliminated, chopping of trees be reduced thus preserving and creating a green and clean environment.
	Mulching Mulching is a method for soil conditioning. It helps with moisture retention in the soil, thereby enhancing its quality for healthier plant growth particularly in hot countries with long periods of dry weather. In addition, it retards growth of undesirable weeds, detrimental to plants. Traditionally, various materials have been utilized for mulching. These include empty fruit bunches (EFB) from oil palm, wood chippings, plastic mats etc.
	ECOMAT® Mulching ECOMAT® is made from oil palm fibres. The nature of it allows for free flow of water through to the ground whilst also acting as a protective layer. Uses ECOMAT® is suitable for various plants including oil palm, rubber, durian and other fruit trees. Why should we consider using ECOMAT®? Essentially, ECOMAT® enhances soil quality:
	What are the advantages of Ecomat® mulching? 1. Reduce labor cost, i.e. weeding and up keeping of plants; handling of EFB. 2. Reduction on fertilizers, i.e. more efficient utilization of fertilizer. Fertilizer concentration on mats and gradual release into soil improves optimal absorption for plants. Losses of fertilizer in the surrounding areas away from plants are minimized. 3. Reduction of transportation effort and cost as the mats are easy to handle, i.e. compact and lighter. 4. Reduction in chemical usage, e.g. weed - killers and insecticides for beetles, etc. 5. Health and safety of staff are not unnecessarily compromised as there is less need to handle weed - killers that can endanger their health and well - being. 6. Easier recovery of loose fruits on the mats.

EcoPak®

EcoPak® are made from natural oil palm fibres. Using the latest technology, machinery and human expertise, EcoPak® products were developed with the following distinctions: -

Natural Product Processed by organic means, EcoPak® products contain no harmful chemical additives and colorings and are toxic-free. Natural Fibre Color EcoPak® products possess contemporarily attractive natural fibre-color unseen in any other type of packaging materials, making it a pure and natural product that is easily accepted by the general public. Eco-friendly & Environmental Friendly EcoPak® products are biodegradable within a short period of time after disposal, turning it into natural soil-like fertilizer, unlike other substances like petroleum byproducts, it takes more than a decade to biodegrade and it is poisonous. Provides the Finest Qualities for Food Packaging EcoPak® products has been tested and proven to preserve freshness of foods, even after long hours of storage, making it the most ideal packaging material for all types of food. Suitable For All Types of Packaging EcoPak® technology enables the creation of light, strong and durable packaging materials suitable for all types of products ranging from fruits, electronic item and etc.

Common LED Types and Packages

LEDs come in two basic categories: Low power LEDs commonly come in 5 mm size, although they are also available in 3 mm and 8 mm sizes. These are fractional wattage devices, typically 0.1 watt, operate at low current (~20 milliamps) and low voltage (3.2 volts DC), and produce a small amount of light, perhaps 2 to 4 lumens. High power LEDs come in 1-3 watt packages. They are driven at much higher current, typically 350, 700, or 1000 mA, and—with current technology—can produce 40-80 lumens per 1-watt package. High power LEDs come in many different shapes and sizes. Some current products from the leading LED manufacturers are shown below.		Structure of a 5mm type LED. Source: Lumileds™ Structure of a high-brightness LED. Source: Lumileds™

Cree® XLamp 7090

Philips Lumileds Luxeon® K2 Emitter

Osram® OSTAR Lighting

Luminous Efficacy

Energy efficiency of light sources is typically measured in lumens per watt (lm/W), meaning the amount of light produced for each watt of electricity consumed by the light source. This is known as luminous efficacy. DOE's long-term research and development goal calls for white-light LEDs producing 160 lm/W in cost-effective, market-ready systems by 2025. In the meantime, how does the luminous efficacy of today's white LEDs compare to traditional light sources? Currently, the most efficacious white LEDs can perform similarly to fluorescent lamps. However, there are several important caveats, as explained below.

Color Quality
The most efficacious LEDs have very high correlated color temperatures (CCTs), often above 5000K, producing a “cold” bluish light. However, warm white LEDs (2600K to 3500K) have improved significantly, now approaching the efficacy of CFLs. In addition to warmer appearance, LED color rendering is also improving: leading warm white LEDs are now available with color rendering index (CRI) of 80, equivalent to CFLs.

Driver Losses
Fluorescent and high-intensity discharge (HID) light sources cannot function without a ballast, which provides a starting voltage and limits electrical current to the lamp. LEDs also require supplementary electronics, usually called drivers. The driver converts line power to the appropriate voltage (typically between 2 and 4 volts DC for high-brightness LEDs) and current (generally 200-1000 milliamps or mA), and may also include dimming and/or color correction controls.

Currently available LED drivers are typically about 85% efficient. So LED efficacy should be discounted by 15% to account for the driver. For a rough comparison, the range of luminous efficacies for traditional and LED sources, including ballast and driver losses as applicable, are shown below.

Light Source	Typical Luminous Efficacy Range in lm/W
	(varies depending on wattage and lamp type)
Incandescent (no ballast)	10-18
Halogen (no ballast)	15-20
Compact fluorescent (CFL) (incl. ballast)	35-60
Linear fluorescent (incl. ballast)	50-100
Metal halide (incl. ballast)	50-90
Cool white LED 5000K (incl. driver)	47-64*
Warm white LED 3300K (incl. driver)	25-44*

* As of October 2007.


Thermal Effects
The luminous flux figures cited by LED manufacturers are based on an LED junction temperature (Tj) of 25°C. LEDs are tested during manufacturing under conditions that differ from actual operation in a fixture or system. In general, luminous flux is measured under instantaneous operation (perhaps a 20 millisecond pulse) in open air. Tj will always be higher when operated under constant current in a fixture or system. LEDs in a well-designed luminaire with adequate heat sinking will produce 10%-15% less light than indicated by the “typical luminous flux” rating.

LED Lighting

Durable solid-state light that is more compact and durable than incandescents

Summary

A Light Emitting Diode (LED) is a semiconductor device which converts electricity into light. LED lighting has been around since the 1960s, but is just now beginning to appear in the residential market for space lighting. At first white LEDs were only possible by "rainbow" groups of three LEDs -- red, green, and blue -- by controlling the current to each to yield an overall white light. This changed in 1993 when Nichia created a blue indium gallium chip with a phosphor coating that is used to create the wave shift necessary to emit white light from a single diode. This process is much less expensive for the amount of light generated.

Each diode is about 1/4 inch in diameter and uses about ten milliamps to operate at about a tenth of a watt. LEDs are small in size, but can be grouped together for higher intensity applications. LED fixtures require a driver which is analogous to the ballast in fluorescent fixtures. The drivers are typically built into the fixture (like fluorescent ballasts) or they are a plug transformer for portable (plug-in) fixtures. The plug-in transformers allow the fixture to run on standard 120 volt alternating current (AC), with a modest (about 15 to 20 percent) power loss.

The efficacy of a typical residential application LED is approximately 20 lumens per watt (LPW), though efficacies of up to 100 LPW have been created in laboratory settings. Incandescent bulbs have an efficacy of about 15 LPW and ENERGY STAR® qualified compact fluorescents are about 60 LPW, depending on the wattage and lamp type. Some manufacturers claim efficacies much higher than 20 LPW; make sure to examine system efficacy, which accounts for the power use of all components. In December 2006, the U.S. Department of Energy studied the efficacy of four luminaries. All four fell short of the manufacturers’ claims; the study implies that manufacturers are relying on measurements of how much light an isolated LED produces, rather than how much light an LED luminaire actually delivers.

LEDs are better at placing light in a single direction than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. Because of their directional output, they have unique design features that can be exploited by clever designs. LED strip lights can be installed under counters, in hallways, and in staircases; concentrated arrays can be used for room lighting. Waterproof, outdoor fixtures are also available. Some manufacturers consider applications such as gardens, walkways, and decorative fixtures outside garage doors to be the most cost-efficient.

LED lights are more rugged and damage-resistant than compact fluorescents and incandescent bulbs. LED lights don't flicker. They are very heat sensitive; excessive heat or inappropriate applications dramatically reduce both light output and lifetime. Uses include:

• Task and reading lamps
• Linear strip lighting (under kitchen cabinets)
• Recessed lighting/ceiling cans
• Porch/outdoor/landscaping lighting
• Art lighting
  
• Night lights
  
• Stair and walkway lighting
  
• Pendants and overhead
  
• Retrofit bulbs for lamps

Definitions and Terms

Term	Definition	Units	How to interpret
Color Temperature	Color of light	Kelvin (K)	Sunlight at sunrise is 1800K 100W Incandescent light bulb is 2850K Overcast Sky is 6500K
Color Rendering Index (CRI)	Light’s effect on color	Scale of 0 to 100 with sunlight at 100	The higher the number, the more “true” the color will look in that light
Brightness	The intensity of the light.	Lumens	The higher the lumens, the brighter the light
Power	Amount of electrical energy consumed	Watts	Lower the watts, the lower the energy consumed
Efficacy	The efficiency of the bulb to convert electricity into light	Lumens per Watt	More efficient bulbs provide more light using less energy

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PATH Attributes

	Individual LEDs are considerably more efficient; however, the lamp or fixture design is reduced by the driver and electronics. In addition, LEDs do not produce heat like incandescent bulbs.
	LEDs last considerably longer than incandescent or fluorescent lighting. LEDs don't typically burn out like traditional lighting, but rather gradually decrease in light output. Their "useful life" is defined by the Alliance for Solid-State Illumination Systems and Technologies (ASSIST) as the time it takes until 70% of initial light output is reached, often 50,000 hours. They are resistant to thermal and vibrational shocks and perform well when subjected to frequent on-off cycling.

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Ease of Implementation

No additional tools or training are required for installation of LED fixtures.

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Initial Cost

The biggest limitation to LED for common residential use is the cost of manufacturing due to still-limited production runs. Manufacturers claim production will increase considerably in the near future, further lowering prices. Currently, there is a limited number of LED fixture manufactures, but this is changing. Retrofit bulbs range from $25 to $60 for night lights and small lamps.

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Operational Cost

The cost savings of LEDs can be found in smaller wattage lamps or for applications that take advantage of their longevity, such as difficult to reach places. They are also advantageous for dimmable fixtures, since dimmable fluorescents are expensive.

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Installation

The small size of LED lights encourages a variety of design options. White LED lamps are available with Edison (screw-in type) bases to retrofit existing fixtures. There are LED strips that can be used under cabinets. In addition, outdoor landscaping fixtures are available.

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Benefits/Costs

LED lamps have many advantages over traditional lighting methods. These include:

• Low energy consumption – retrofit bulbs range from 0.83 to 7.3 Watts
• Long service life – LED bulbs can last up to 50,000 hours
• Durable – LED bulbs are resistant to thermal and vibrational shocks and turn on instantly from -40C° to 185C°, making them ideal for applications subject to frequent on-off cycling, such as garages and basements
• Directional distribution of light – good for interior task lighting
• No infrared or ultraviolet radiation – excellent for outdoor use because UV light attracts bugs
• Safety and environmentally conscious – LEDs contain no mercury and remain cool to the touch
• Fully dimmable – LEDs do not change their color tint when dimmed unlike incandescent lamps that turn yellow
• No frequency interference – no ballast to interfere with radio and television signals
• Range of color – LEDs can be manufactured produce all colors of the spectrum without filters, they can also produce white light in a variety of color temperatures

There are some current disadvantages to LED lighting:

• LEDs are currently more expensive than more conventional lighting technologies, and may be hard to locate
• LED are very heat sensitive. Excessive heat or inappropriate applications dramatically reduce both light output and lifespan
• LEDs typically cast light in one direction at a narrow angle compared to incandescent or fluorescent lamps so lenses or reflectors are needed in fixtures to broaden the beam (if desired)

Big LED Breakthrough at Purdue University Could Change the World

by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 07.22.08

Better, Cheaper LEDs
The incandescent lightbulb that wastes 90% of the electricity as heat is dying, we all know that. But a new breakthrough in solid state lighting might also kill compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) faster than some expected. Scientists at Purdue University have figured out how to manufacture LED solid-state lights on regular metal-coated silicon wafers (more details below). What this means is: much lower costs.

10% Reduction in Total Electricity Use
And since about 1/3 of U.S. electricity is used to produce light, this is major. "If you replaced existing lighting with solid-state lighting, following some reasonable estimates for the penetration of that technology based on economics and other factors, it could reduce the amount of energy we consume for lighting by about one-third. That represents a 10 percent reduction of electricity consumption and a comparable reduction of related carbon emissions," said Timothy D. Sands, professor of Materials Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering states at Purdue.

Old LEDs vs. New LEDs
What makes traditional LEDs so expensive is that the light-emitting layer of an LED light is a gallium nitride crystal and it needs to be treated in various ways with expensive materials.

Dailytech:

In sapphire based LEDs, used for green or blue lighting, mirror-like reflectors are need to reflect and resend emitted light, increasing the efficiency. Typically, this layer is extremely expensive to produce, part of the reason the current generation of LED lighting costs so much,costing at least 20 times more than conventional incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. Also, the LEDs are built on sapphire crystals, which provide the color, but are extremely expensive.

But the new LEDs can be made using standard silicon wafers and already existing, less expensive, processes. This would make them competitive with incandescent and CFLs.

The new techniques yield a crystalline structure aligned to the crystalline silicon. This means that the LEDs are less prone to defects and will perform more efficiently [...] silicon dissipates heat more effectively than sapphires. This will reduce damage during operation and lead to longer lifetimes and more reliability..

We might soon have to get used to changing lightbulbs every other decade.

LEDs that are currently available convert electricity to light with an efficiency of 47 to 64%. It is predicted that LED produced with Purdue's process would have an efficiency in the high-end of that range, compared to about 10% for incandescent.

LED Street Lights are Coming

by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 05.28.08

New Foothold for LED Lights
Dusseldorf, Germany, has 17,000 gas street lamps. The city's power utility has decided to replace 10,000 of them with LED street lights, but that hasn't happened yet. So far, only about 25 of them have been installed.

Of course, LED are still kind of expensive, so there's a capital cost. But once they are in place, their operating costs are lower and they can last for a very long time. Another benefit is that you can direct light much more easily, so you can avoid sending light in all directions (people with a street light across the street from their bedroom window will understand...). The first bump in the road for LED street lights was that some people thought their white light was too cold compared to the red-ish glow of the old lamps, but that can easily be fixed by using colored LEDs. ::Replacing gas lamps with LEDs

BEIJING BIRDSNEST: New Pics of Herzog + deMeuron’s stadium

BEIJING BIRDSNEST: New Pics of Herzog + deMeuron’s stadium
by Mike Chino

The 2008 Olympics have found China caught in the center of a heated nexus of political and social controversy, with human rights and of course the Tibet issue popping up to disturb Olympic revelers’ idealist visions for the celebration. While originally commissioned as a monument to Beijing’s might, Herzog and deMeuron’s stunning Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium, (looking as spectacular as we imagined it), perhaps now better symbolizes the complex web of problems and paradox assailing modern China. Photographer Andy Ryan has recently released a eye-catchign set of photos depicting the structure silently weathering its storm-ridden cultural context. Divorced from scenes of social turmoil, these frames capture the architectural marvel’s complex and implacable beauty.

Recently completed Beijing Olympic Stadium, photos courtesy of Andy Ryan

The Beijing Olympic Stadium (better known as the ‘Birdsnest’) is a carefully composed network of connections and features a very atypical structural framework - which functions as both structure and facade all in one. The building’s lofty green architectural aspirations are tempered by some of the malignant conditions of its construction (such as laborers dying in construction accidents). Whatever you think of the Herzog + deMeuron Beijing Birdsnest, it certainly is provocative, both as a piece of architecture, and a symbol of current social ills. We’d love to hear your thoughts….

+ Photos of ‘Beijing Birdsnest’ Olympic Stadium - courtesy of Andy Ryan

+ Beijing Birdsnest: Herzog & deMeuron’s Stunning Olympic Stadium

Recently completed Beijing Olympic Stadium, photos courtesy of Andy Ryan

Recently completed Beijing Olympic Stadium, photos courtesy of Andy Ryan

Stunning New Terminal at Shenzen Bao’an International Airport

Stunning New Terminal at Shenzen Bao’an International Airport
by Mahesh Basantani

It’s not often that we get to talk about airports but there is a lot happening in the aviation industry. One landmark development is the proposed construction of a new terminal at Shenzen Bao’an International Airport in China. Positioned as a gateway to China and designed by architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas, the terminal will no doubt be a sleek transit destination. What has captured our attention is the incredible double skin canopy intended to let patterned natural light into the space, and significantly reduce energy consumption.

Shenzhen, located in the southern portion of the Guangdong Province in China, is one of the most important industrial and tourist locations, and holds a great potential for economic development. The new terminal at Shenzhen Bao’an International has been proposed as an addition to the 10.8 km2 airport, located near Huangtian and Fuyong villages in Bao’an District of Shenzhen.

The design has been made keeping in mind the unpredictable nature of the aviation industry. The terminal will be made so that people could have a glimpse of the outside, where planes will fly in and out to all corners of the world. The roof canopy will be made of of a patterned double skin. The inner skin will be made of fine net and allow diffused sunlight into the terminal. It will reduce energy consumption and create a pleasant indoor atmosphere.

The master plan shows a truly stunning design. The new terminal, dubbed Terminal 3 or T3, will be built in three phases and cover 400,000 square meters. Phase 1, expected to be complete in 2015, will bring the unit terminal, traffic system, parking place, landscape, and shopping center into form. During phase 2, the first remote passenger concourse, and satellite terminal with rail stations will be built and completed by 2025. Phase 3 is scheduled to be complete in 2035, when the terminal will be fully constructed.

+ Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas

Via Dezeen

Green Vehicle

Solar Harvesting Textiles Energize ‘Soft House’

Solar Harvesting Textiles Energize ‘Soft House’

by Jorge Chapa

If architect Sheila Kennedy gets her way, textiles will soon be able to take the sun’s energy and turn it into electricity. Kennedy is an expert in the integration of solar cell technology in architecture. And, her team from KVA Matx has designed the Soft House, a structure that can create close to 16,000 watt-hours of electricity by transforming household curtains into flexible, semi-transparent, solar collectors.

Textiles have been a fixture of architecture and design for their ability to define and modify a space. For Sheila Kennedy, textiles are just another material from which energy can be generated. The thin-film photovoltaic textiles are essentially solar panels created from organic photovoltaics. While not as efficient as the silicon based type, they are able to be molded and modified without any manufacturing process.

The Soft House has gone through a number of prototypes, but don’t expect to see it anytime soon. The cost of the solar textiles would, at current, make it cost prohibitive. However, Kennedy’s work on this project shows that renewable energy technologies can be easily integrated into designs in ways that had never been thought of before. Kennedy’s own words best describe our thoughts on the Soft House: “Never underestimate the power of the architectural imagination.”

+ Soft House @ KVA Matx

Ultra Motors Light Electric Vehicle

Ultra Motors Light Electric Vehicle Hits US this Summer

by Kate Andrews

Following the success of Ultra Motors Light Electric Vehicle (LEV) in India and China, this eco and economical form of urban transport is set to go on sale in the U.S. this summer, and in Europe later this year. The 2008 electric bike, the “A2B”, offers the style of a bike with the power of an electric motor, offering ‘unassisted power’ for up to 20miles, with a top speed of 20mph/33kmph.

Priced at $2,200 and available through retailers across the states (incl. California, Ohio, New York and Texas), the A2B “comes with a tissue-box-sized removable lithium ion battery that can be charged in a normal electric outlet, just like a mobile phone.” In an article written for BusinessWeek (March 2008), Jennifer L. Schenker explained the relevant timing for the launch of Ultra Motor’s electric transport, noting ever-crowding cities and high oil prices making the market timing just right.

Not only is the A2B a great form of sustainable travel, but the six year old British company Ultra Motor have extended the design and are currently rolling out their concept for ‘LEV Cities’, “a new transportation system providing clean mobility to city dwellers, commuters and tourists alike.” Similar to the Vélib’ bicycle rental scheme in Paris, the LEV City is built on a network of charging stations and is incredibly simple to use; once registered as a LEV user, you find a charging station, dock your bike, swipe your card, charge the battery… and ride (there is a short animation, illustrating the concept on the Ultra Motor website).

Just last week, BusinessWeek reported that Stuttgart have signed up with the British company, to make LEV’s available for rent throughout the German city: “LEV parking spots, which will be connected to the electricity grid in Stuttgart and double as charging stations, will be sprinkled every 150-200 meters throughout the city. The plan is to have 1,200 LEVs available for rent at 250 stations in a first phase, and 10 times that many in a second phase, says Ultra Motor Chief Executive Joe Bowman. Launch is expected in about 10 months.”

What a refreshingly simple and sustainable concept! Maybe we are looking at the future of inner city travel.

+ Ultra Motors
+ BusinessWeek (June 2008). Urban Eco-Transport to Hit the Street.
+ BusinessWeek (March 2008). Revolutionizing Urban Transport.

Modular Architectural Wind Microturbines Take Off

Modular Architectural Wind Microturbines Take Off

by Mike Chino

From costly installations to strict city ordinances, there’s a number of factors that have limited the growth of wind power in urban environments. Now, Aerovironment is ushering in an era of urban wind power with a sleek series of small, silent turbines that eschew the need for a tower. Dubbed ‘Architectural Wind’, the system seamlessly integrates into the parapets of buildings, taking advantage of aerodynamics to catch wind as its speed escalates up a structure’s side. The turbine’s innovative approach boasts up to a 30% increase in energy production, and their adaptable, modular assembly makes installation a snap.

Aerovironment’s website states: “Architectural Wind is designed to install easily onto the building parapet, operating in plain sight as an attractive complement to the building’s architecture. Additionally, based on its proprietary system design, Architectural Wind turbines rotate at low wind speeds, resulting in a form of ‘kinetic architecture’ that communicates clearly the generation of clean energy. Working alone or in tandem with other renewable energy technologies, Architectural Wind is designed to offer an attractive ROI and cost per kW of installed capacity.”

Installations have little or no structural impact upon existing buildings and are easily scalable starting at 6KW. Each module weighs approximately 200 pounds, measures 4 feet tall by 4 feet wide, and features a bird screen.

We’re excited to find more and more microturbines cropping up in the alternative energy world, since they offer a variety of advantages over traditional turbine towers, especially in urban applications.

Via designboom.com