Florida residents prohibited from using solar energy after Hurricane Irma
Sep 21, 2017: Millions of Florida residents lost power after Hurricane Irma. But homeowners with solar energy installations couldn't use them - or they'd be breaking the law. Florida's electricity board made it illegal for people to power their houses with solar panels. Related:…
Off-grid Lake House escapes the Texan heat with minimal landscape impact
Sep 21, 2017: There’s nothing quite like taking a cool dip in a lake on a hot summer’s day. The lucky owners of the Lake House get to escape the brutal Texan heat with laps in Lake Austin thanks to their off-grid boathouse. American studio Andersson-Wise Architects designed the two-story boathouse that operates off the grid and exerts minimal impact on the environment. Created as part of a residential estate, the Lake House in Austin is a boathouse set a half-mile away from the main residence...
New waterproof solar cell generates power even after it gets soaked
Sep 21, 2017: A new solar cell could go through the laundry and emerge still working. The photovoltaic cell, developed by Japanese company RIKEN and the University of Tokyo, is ultra thin and coated on both sides with waterproof and stretchable films. The solar cell can be stretched or compressed or washed and continue to work. The innovation could offer a breakthrough in wearables powered by solar cells. Related: This carbon nanotube yarn generates power when pulled Via RIKEN and TreeHugger Images...
Grow your own mushroom lamp with this brilliant DIY kit
Sep 21, 2017: Related: + Grow Kickstarter + Ecovative Design + MushLume Lighting Collection Grow-It-Yourself Lamp Kickstarter, Ecovative Design, MushLume Lighting Collection, Danielle Trofe, mushroom mycelium, lamp design, mushroom lamps, diy lamps, natural lamps, eco lamps, eco interior design, sustainable lamps, Grow Lamp kit, eco-friendly goods, diy gardening, shroom lamps, mycelium technology, earth-compatible products…
Help in the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
Sep 21, 2017: SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) is a scientific area whose goal is to detect intelligent life outside Earth. One approach, known as radio SETI, uses [...]…
Schmidt Hammer Lassen breaks ground on LEED Gold-seeking incubator in Shanghai
Sep 21, 2017: A striking new high-tech building in Shanghai is going for gold—LEED Gold, that is. Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects just broke ground on the new CaoHeJing Guigu Creative Headquarters, an incubator for high-tech firms designed for LEED Gold certification. Engineered for climate control, the boxy green-roofed center will mitigate Shanghai’s muggy summers and bone-chilling winters with its stacked and staggered massing. Located east of downtown Shanghai near Hongqiao Airport, the...
New York City to install around 1,000 fast-chargers for EVs
Sep 21, 2017: New York City aims to majorly expand their electric vehicle (EV) charging network with a $10 million investment. They recently introduced a plan to bring 50 fast-charging hubs to the city by 2020 - and each hub could have 20 chargers. The city hopes to encourage more people to buy EVs, with the goal that by 2025, 20 percent of new car registrations will be electric cars. Related: Germany unveils plans for the world's largest EV charging station Starting next year, the city will work...
Do-it-yourself Gas, think gas prices are too high? This could be for you.
Sep 21, 2017: April 28, 2006 You could be forgiven for not expecting the next John D. Rockefeller to come from Tullahoma, Tenn., of all places. But right [...]…
Futuristic floating bubble car wins London design competition
Sep 21, 2017: Renault and Central Saint Martins, UAL have teamed up to develop the car of the future as part of a design competition. The challenge in the competition was for the students of MA Industrial Design to think about the future of autonomous, modular car design, and how infrastructure and services might support it. The concepts will be shown at Designjunction 2017, which runs from September 21-24. Renault is a partner in the competition, since it is eager to develop the technologies of the...
UNEP chief: Polluters should pay for environmental destruction, not taxpayers
Sep 21, 2017: Many companies profit from environmental destruction, leaving taxpayers to pick up the bill. That shouldn't be the case, according to Erik Solheim, executive director for the United Nations Environment Program. At a conference at Columbia University earlier this week, he said, "The profit of destroying nature or polluting the planet is nearly always privatized, while the costs of polluting the planet or the cost of destroying ecosystems is nearly always socialized. This cannot continue." ...
Largest Solar Park in the World Opens in Germany
Sep 21, 2017: The ribbon was cut on the World’s largest continguous solar plant on 27th April 2006 in Germany. Construction on the 40 million euro (US$48 million) [...]…
New Antarctic farm will grow produce despite temperatures of -100 degrees F
Sep 21, 2017: Imagine having to go months without an adequate supply of fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables. Scientists based in Antarctica know this struggle, which is why engineers at the German Aerospace Center (GAC) are building a high-tech, 135 square-foot indoor farm that can grow an abundance of produce — even when temperatures are -100 degrees Fahrenheit outside. The only way to transport food to McMurdo, the US station where the majority of researcher stay, is by plane or ship. Most...
Ericsson's new mixed-reality platform envisions urban design in "real life"
Sep 21, 2017: Ericsson has created a new mixed-reality platform that allows users to envision urban design projects in space. Teaming up with UN-Habitat, Johannesburg Development Agency and WITS University as part of a community project called Building the Public City Through Public Space, the Swedish telecommunications company recently tested their prototype in Braamfontein, South Africa during the Fak'ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival. Albeit still very much in its early development phase, the technology...
Green-Roofs, is your city alive?
Sep 21, 2017: So, you’re finally a homeowner. You’ve scrimped and saved, and bought the closest thing to a castle that you could afford in a seller’s market. [...]…
Astronomers discover that exoplanet WASP-12b is "darker than asphalt"
Sep 21, 2017: Astronomers discovered the exoplanet WASP-12b in 2008, and since then it's become one of the exoplanets we've best studied. But a recent discovery - that the planet reflects almost no light - could change what we had guessed about WASP-12b's atmosphere. Lead author Taylor Bell, a master's student at McGill University, described the exoplanet as darker than fresh asphalt. Related:…
Fueling Our Future
Sep 21, 2017: Climate warming is accelerating as energy use soars. Nuclear power won’t close the gap. We need to learn to live with coal. Here’s one elaborate [...]…
Floating Cities: The Dutch might have the answer for global warming.
Sep 21, 2017: With fears of artic melting and flooding taking place on more frequent basis some people are thinking into the future. Floating houses have been around [...]…
A Compact Brayton-Cycle Engine and Biomass Process for Mixed-Alcohol Fuels
Sep 21, 2017: Texas A&M chemical engineering professor has developed a process to convert biomass to a mixed alcohol fuel that contains more energy than fuel ethanol. He [...]…
Affordable flat-pack Surf Shack shelter operates completely off the grid
Sep 20, 2017: Related: + Backcountry Hut Company Backcountry Hut Company…
Extraordinary living chandelier with algae-filled leaves purifies the air
Sep 20, 2017: Related: 13 groundbreaking lighting innovations from NY Design Week + Julian Melchiorri + London Design Festival Julian Melchiorri, algae chandelier, algae chandelier that purifies the air, london design festival 2017, green lighting, innovative lighting, london design week, green lamps, green chandelier, green interior design, sustainable lighting, eco lighting,…
Schwarzenegger-backed startup takes on Tesla with new battery tech
Sep 20, 2017: Tesla may be the best-known electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, but its grip on the industry isn't guaranteed. The Elon Musk-founded company has plenty of competition, including the Austrian startup Kreisel Electric GmbH. Having experienced sweeping success in the past two years, Kreisel — which was founded by three brothers — is moving into a $12 million research center and battery assembly facility where it will test new battery technology. For years, Kreisel Electric...
Holographic Solar: New Method of Concentrating Sunlight Energy
Sep 20, 2017: Prism Solar Technologies in New York has developed a proof-of-concept solar module that uses holograms to concentrate light, possibly cutting the cost of solar modules [...]…
Biomimicry helps nature-lovers and fragile wildlife co-exist at the Votu Hotel in Brazil
Sep 20, 2017: The Maraú Peninsula is a 25 mile long bar of pristine Brazilian sand, flanked by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the tranquil Camamu Bay on the other. One glorious beach gives way to another, as the white sands and turquoise waves meet and mingle. With such stunning landscapes, it’s no wonder hip Brazilians are flocking to these shores. But the native mangrove forests here are one the world’s most endangered ecosystems, and great care must be taken to preserve them. GCP Arquitectura and...
Tesla patent reveals plans for a new battery-swapping machine
Sep 20, 2017: When electric vehicles (EV) rule the road, don’t expect to sit in line for more than 15 minutes waiting for your car's battery pack to be exchanged. This is because electric automaker Tesla recently filed a patent for mobile battery swap technology which will make the task both efficient and quick. In 2013, the company toyed with the idea of building stationary rigs that can replace a car’s battery pack. However, that idea never took off. Now, the EV maker is improving on the concept...
Greenbuild: The world's biggest green building expo is coming to Boston
Sep 20, 2017: The world's biggest conference dedicated to green building is coming to Boston this November, and you won't want to miss it. The Greenbuild International Conference and Expo will bring together experts, professionals and leaders in sustainable building for mind-blowing exhibits, learning activities, a Net Zero zone, and pavilions with the latest in green building technology.
Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation donates $20M to support environmental causes
Sep 20, 2017: Leonardo DiCaprio's foundation (LDF) just announced their biggest portfolio of environmental grants ever given. LDF is giving $20 million to organizations working for conservation, climate solutions, and indigenous rights. DiCaprio made the announcement yesterday during the Yale Climate Conference hosted by John Kerry, former Secretary of State. LDF CEO Terry Tamminen said, "With a lack of political leadership, and continued evidence that climate change is growing worse with record-breaking heatwaves...
London's sewer-dwelling 'fatberg' will be converted into biofuel
Sep 20, 2017: IT's not the only monster lurking in the sewers. Beneath the streets of London lies the now-notorious "fatberg," a congealed mass of grease, oil, wet wipes and sanitary products which weighs as much as 11 double-decker buses and is 820 feet (250 meters) long. Thames Water Utilities has confirmed that the fatberg will be removed from its subterranean lair and converted into biofuel. “It may be a monster, but the Whitechapel fatberg deserves a second chance,” said Thames Water waste network manager...
Anti-Aging, have we found what causes aging? And can we reverse it?
Sep 20, 2017: In the continued quest to pinpoint the molecules that turn us wrinkly and grey, some scientists are beginning to think that the walls of the [...]…
Strongest storm to hit Puerto Rico in over 80 years made landfall this morning
Sep 20, 2017: Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico earlier today as a Category 4 storm. While the hurricane had weakened from a Category 5, officials still warned the hurricane is dangerous with life-threatening winds that could blow for 12 to 24 hours. Governor Ricardo Rossello said, "We have not experienced an event of this magnitude in our modern history." Related:…
Technology brings Sun Light to a Town of Darkness
Sep 20, 2017: Springtime light may lift the spirits, but in Rattenberg, residents have a long memory for shadows. From late fall to midwinter, this tiny Austrian town, [...]…
Morpholios new Augmented Reality feature lets you sketch any space with the accuracy of a pro
Sep 20, 2017: Move over expensive trace paper—Morpholio just launched a new augmented reality feature to its flagship Trace app that makes it easier than ever to turn your iPad into a digital drafting board. Released after the launch of Apple’s iOS 11, the updated Trace app now offers a “Perspective Finder” tool that superimposes scaled grids on any image to let anyone draw a perspective drawing like a pro. The “AR Perspective Finder” was revealed alongside “AR Color Capture”, an augmented reality...
UNStudio completes sustainable all-in-one urban hub in Hangzhou
Sep 20, 2017: UNStudio has completed a stunning new LEED Gold-certified project in China that we hope will be a model for mixed-use development for years to come. Described by the Dutch studio as “a sustainable urban hub for living, working, and leisure,” the enormous complex in Hangzhou is the latest Raffles City to be erected in China. Located in the city’s new central business district in Qianjiang New Town, this nearly 400,000-square-meter development is made iconic with its pair of 250-meter-tall interconnected...
CETA trade deal puts EU food and agriculture standards at risk
Sep 20, 2017: Do you remember TTIP, the proposed trade deal between the US and the EU? Its negotiations were stopped by the hundreds of thousands of people who took to the streets in the capitals of Europe. 3.3 million signatures were collected against it. Greenpeace played a key role in the resistance against TTIP, by publishing the leaked texts in May 2016. It caused many European politicians to harden their stance, leading to a breakdown in the trade talks.Protest ahead of Vote on EU-Canada Trade Deal at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, Feb. 2017But guess what: while TTIP is now in cold storage CETA, the proposed EU-Canada trade and investment deal is not. It has been ratified by the European parliament, although it has many of the characteristics t…
The beginning of the end for nuclear weapons
Sep 20, 2017: "I have been waiting for this day for seven decades and I am overjoyed that it has finally arrived,” said Hiroshima survivor Setsuko Thurlow in July, when a new treaty banning nuclear weapons was agreed at the United Nations in New York. “This is the beginning of the end of nuclear weapons.”However agreeing on a new treaty is only the first step towards a treaty becoming valid international law. As of Wednesday 20th September, governments can take the next step and officially sign the Treaty on the Prohibition on Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Once a country signs, it needs to have it adopted as national law to ratify it. And 50 countries need to do this before this treaty becomes agreed international law.Governments th…
Gogoro revs up Smartscooter expansion with $300 million in new funding
Sep 19, 2017: Get ready Gogoro fans—the firm’s innovative electric scooters could soon be coming to a city near you. The Smartscooter maker just nabbed $300 million in new funding with an impressive list of international backers. Four new high-profile partners joining their current investors include Al Gore’s Generation Investment Management, Singapore-based Temasek, Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation, and French energy giant ENGIE. A sign of growing global support in electric vehicles, this successful round...
Could France-sized ocean garbage patch become 196th nation?
Sep 19, 2017: Trash is polluting our oceans, and now there's a patch near Hawaii that is around the size of the entire country of France. The charity Plastic Oceans Foundation and publication LADbible want to recognize the garbage patch as a country, called Trash Isles, to not only raise awareness, but try to get the area cleaned up. Related: A garbage patch bigger than Texas was just discovered in the Pacific Ocean…
Visionary eco-resort design for the Philippines features rotating seashell towers
Sep 19, 2017: Related: + + NAUTILUS ECO-RESORT…
Dozens of Japanese cities and towns quietly go off-grid
Sep 19, 2017: Dozens of cities and towns in Japan have quietly shifted from traditional utility-based grid power system to a more local, resilient model of generating and storing power where it is used. In the wake of the significant damage caused by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, many Japanese municipalities rebuilt to be more equipped for the 21st century. “At the time of the Great East Japan earthquake, we couldn’t secure power and had to go through incredible hardships,” said Yusuke Atsumi, a manager...
Supervolcano in Italy is "becoming more dangerous" as magma builds beneath the surface
Sep 19, 2017: Like the super volcano in Yellowstone National Park, experts have been fearing the eruption of the Campi Flegrei volcano near the Bay of Naples, in Italy. The eight-mile-wide circular formation, known as a caldera, last erupted in 1538. As the result of a new study published in Scientific Reports, experts now fear it could erupt very soon. Reportedly, the area has been “restless” since minor eruptions began in the 1950’s. Researchers with the University of Aberdeen, the INGV Osservatorio...
America's largest urban farm to be planted in Pittsburgh
Sep 19, 2017: Pittsburgh, once of the site of heavy industry, will soon be home to the biggest urban farm in the United States. Local residents will cultivate produce at the 23-acre Hilltop Urban Farm, and there will be a youth farm there as well. The city's Southside, where the urban farm will be, is underserved by supermarkets or purveyors of fresh food, so Hilltop Urban Farm could help supply nutritious fare to those who otherwise wouldn't have much access. Related: 20 kids transform a rough Pittsburgh...
Unique temporary shelter in Greece offers an elevated camping experience
Sep 19, 2017: This modern version of a temporary wooden shelter acts as a short-term residence for farmers and harvesters or a summer beach lodge. hiboux ARCHITECTURE and Studio Genua designed the timber structure, named Tragata, as a place where people can relax and enjoy panoramic views of the natural surroundings. The structure is located in Cephalonia, Greece, and functions as a transformable space raised from the ground. Its permanent timber frame structure and detachable panels are made from...
Surf artist battles massive tides to paint powerful mural in the Bay of Fundy
Sep 19, 2017: https://youtu.be/0N-nX_4C95o Related: Andreco paints climate change mural ahead of COP21 in Paris + Sean Yoro Via CNN Sean Yoro, street mural, underwater art, underwater streetmural, surf artists,…
Dubai to expand massive solar park to include world's tallest solar tower
Sep 19, 2017: 2.3 million photovoltaic panels blanket the ground at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park near Dubai. But that large solar farm is about to get even bigger with a 700 megawatt (MW) extension. Part of the addition is a solar tower that towers 853 feet into the air. Related: Phase 3 of world's largest solar park slated to begin this month…
Raindrop makes rainwater harvesting at home beautiful and easy
Sep 19, 2017: Traditional rain barrels are often clunky eyesores, which is why Studio Bas van der Veer designed a beautiful modern alternative that we love. Meet Raindrop, a stylish drop-shaped rain barrel with a built-in watering can. The award-winning design was recently unveiled during the three-day spoga+gafa 2017 fair in Cologne and will be ready for sale by 2018. Eight years ago, Van der Veer introduced his stylish drop-shaped design as ‘A Drop of Water’ as part of his thesis for the Design...
Yves Bhar unveils new Smart Locks that make keyless entry a breeze
Sep 19, 2017: One of the worst feelings is wondering whether or not you left your house door unlocked. With August Home Inc.’s new Smart Locks, this will never again be a concern. Today, August unveiled three new product, two of which are Smart Locks equipped with brand new DoorSense technology — the first integrated sensor that tells homeowners if their doors are opened or closed. The next generation of Smart Home Access products includes two new Smart Locks and the new-and-improved Doorbell Cam....
New study shows a 1-in-20 chance climate change will cause a complete societal collapse
Sep 18, 2017: Most of the world's human population, and the health and well-being of ecosystems across the planet, could face an existential threat by the end of the century if rapid, forceful action is not taken to combat climate change. According to a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, there is now a 1-in-20 chance that climate change will cause an "existential/unknown" warming effect which would have a devastating impact on humanity while wiping out 20 percent of life...
Provocative street art installation shows baby peering over US-Mexico border wall
Sep 18, 2017: French street artist JR, who is best-known for his artistic commentary on social issues, has installed a new piece on the US-Mexico border. Supposedly a response to the wall’s erection and Trump’s effort to rescind the DACA program (which protects the children of undocumented immigrants from being deported), the piece depicts a baby peering over the border fence from the Mexican side. The installation is entitled “Kikito,” and is visible from the American side. Marc Azoulay,...
Dimension Plus turned Oreo cookies into edible records that play music
Sep 18, 2017: Related: And Vinyly Turns Your Remains Into a Vinyl Record When You Die! + Dimension Plus Dimension Plus, Oreo Vinyl, mini cardboard record player…
This man has saved over 700 stray dogs in China over the last 8 years
Sep 18, 2017: There are animal enthusiasts, and then there are animal lovers. Chinese resident Zhou Yusong is definitely the latter. Over the last eight years, Yusong has rescued over 700 stray dogs and given them homes at his animal protection center. Though he didn’t intend on becoming the “Guardian of Dogs,” that is exactly what he is known for in his home city of Zhengzhou, China’s Henan Province. It all started in 2008 when Zhou Yusong was walking down a road in Zhengzhou and noticed a stray...
Thomas Heatherwick unveils massive museum carved out of a historic grain silo
Sep 18, 2017: http://inhabitat.com/thomas-heatherwicks-va-waterfront-gallery-in-cape-town-will-be-carved-from-an-old-grain-silo/ Related: Heatherwick Studio completes tornado-like university building in Singapore + Thomas Heatherwick Studio Via Dezeen Thomas Heatherwick, Zeitz MOCAA, Zeitz Museum, cape town museum, museum design, heatherwick cape town museum, grain silo, silo renovation,…