How the humble bollard can save lives while improving urban design
Jul 21, 2017: Good design can save lives, but sometimes, it’s the humblest designs that do the most good. For instance, you rarely notice them, but bollards are popping up all around cities as an effective way to protect pedestrians during an accident or terrorist attack. That said, no one wants to feel like they are living in a fortress, which is why some designers like Reliance Foundry are creating bollards that don’t just protect people, they enhance the architecture of the city around them. A bollard...
Elon Musk just announced he got verbal approval to build a New York to DC hyperloop
Jul 21, 2017: Elon Musk just announced that the New York City to Washington D.C. hyperloop is happening. Taking to Twitter, Musk said that he has received verbal approval to build an underground hyperloop from city to city, with at least a dozen entrance/exits in each city. Once completed, riders will be able to zoom from city to city in under 30 minutes. https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/888053175155949572 Musk added - again, on Twitter - that there is still work to do to get official approval, but...
This boy accidentally found a 1.2 million-year-old fossil by tripping over it
Jul 21, 2017: Sometimes, there are benefits to being clumsy. A 9-year-old named Jude Sparks recently found this out. While hiking the Orange Mountains in New Mexico with his family, Sparks tripped over an object which at first, he thought was “just a big fat rotten cow.” Instead, it turned out to be a Stegomastodon fossil from 1.2 million years ago. https://youtu.be/xv12xqHcIhw The young boy told KVIA TV: “I didn’t know what it was. I just knew it wasn’t usual.” His family agreed, which...
We've made enough plastic trash to bury Manhattan under 2-miles of the stuff
Jul 21, 2017: Whether one is getting an iced latte to-go in the morning, received their restaurant leftovers in a plastic takeaway container, or forgot to take their reusable bags to the store, there are numerous ways one can obtain disposable plastic — and that is a problem. According to the first global analysis of the production of plastics, humans now produce more plastic than anything else and, as a result, have created 8.3 billion tonnes (9.bn tons) of the stuff since the 1950’s. If the trend...
Frederike Top's geometric LED lamps cast colorful rays of ever-changing light
Jul 21, 2017: Related: Stickbulb’s new Boom LED lamp is made of reclaimed wood from NYC water tanks + Via Organisaion in Design…
Greenbuild: The world's biggest green building expo is coming to Boston
Jul 21, 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.
Gorgeous modern home makes stunning use of recycled and salvaged materials
Jul 21, 2017: Architecture studio tenfiftyfive paired modern luxury with sustainable and nature-centric design in their design of this gorgeous house extension in Melbourne. Named the Park House, this Instagram-worthy dwelling is built around two mature gumtrees and clad in timber to blend into the surroundings. More than just a pretty picture, this stylish abode also boasts energy-efficient principles as well as a natural-materials palette largely foraged from recycled and salvaged items. Completed...
Shigeru Ban designs 20,000 homes for severely overcrowded refugee camp in Kenya
Jul 21, 2017: Related: + Via…
Montreal supermarket is Canada's first to grow produce on its own rooftop garden
Jul 21, 2017: A supermarket in Montreal is raising the roof on local produce. Located in the Saint-Laurent borough, IGA Extra Famille Duchemin says it's the first grocery store in Canada to sell herbs and vegetables grown on its own roof. The 25,000-foot space features more than 30 different varieties of certified-organic produce, including tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, kale, eggplant, and basil. Photos via Facebook…
US DOI scientist claims he was reassigned for speaking up on climate change
Jul 21, 2017: Is the Donald Trump administration reassigning employees who speak out on the dangers of climate change? Joel Clement, former Office of Policy Analysis director at the Department of the Interior, seems to think so. He penned an opinion editorial piece for The Washington Post saying he was moved into an "unrelated job in the accounting office." He said he's a scientist and policy expert, not an accountant - "...but you don't have to be one to see that the administration's excuse for a reassignment...
Vertical farming startup raises $200M from Alphabet, Jeff Bezos
Jul 21, 2017: Indoor vertical farming is on the rise, if a recent funding round for San Francisco startup Plenty is any indication. The company just scored what they say is the largest agriculture technology investment in history at $200 million. Plenty has attracted attention - and quite a lot of money - from well-known tech entrepreneurs like Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Alphabet Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt. Related: 40-foot shipping container farm can grow 5 acres of food with 97% less water…
Scientists discover the Amazon forest sets off its own rainy season
Jul 21, 2017: For years, scientists have been stumped over why the rainy season in the southern Amazon rainforest begins when it does, two to three months earlier than they'd expect. But now an international team that includes researchers from NASA and Google has discovered the forest actually triggers its own rainy season, thanks to water vapor off plant leaves. The finding points to one disastrous consequence of deforestation in this part of the world: as trees are cut down, there's actually less rainfall. ...
Configurable wooden shelter hangs from the treetops
Jul 21, 2017: Related: + Etablissements Tourneux Via NotCot Etablissements Tourneux, shelter design, wooden shelters, treetop shelters, Sequoia shelter…
Aspiring Jedis can pilot the Millennium Falcon at Disney's upcoming 'Star Wars' hotel
Jul 21, 2017: Related: + Via…
Gehry Partners unveils plant-covered offices for Los Angeles
Jul 21, 2017: Frank Gehry’s firm Gehry Partners is bringing a burst of greenery to Los Angeles’ Playa Vista neighborhood. The world-renowned architecture firm unveiled renderings for their new eight-story office project, called New Beatrice West, that will incorporate the firm’s current offices next door. The eco-conscious structure will be covered in green walls, topped with trees, and feature energy-efficient systems. Located on a corner lot across five contiguous lots, New Beatrice West will...
Dutch studio unveils colorful solar-powered village for area homeless
Jul 20, 2017: Related: Missouri community is building 50 tiny homes for homeless veterans + Studio elmo Vermijs Via Curbed Studio Elmo Vermijs, Skaeve Huse, netherlands tiny house, tiny house design, tiny house living, homeless shlterrs, tiny homes for homeless, urban design, tiny homes urban design, mass tiny home construction, tiny house villages, small spaces, Tiny house villages netherlands energy-neutral tiny homes, green design, sustainable design, energy efficiency, Eindhoven tiny home vi...
Cecil the lion's son shot and killed by trophy hunter
Jul 20, 2017: In 2015, Cecil the lion was reportedly lured out of Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park to be slaughtered by American dentist Walter Palmer. But lion hunting in the area hasn't been stopped. The group Lions of Hwange National Park recently said Cecil's son, Xanda, was shot by trophy hunter Richard Cooke. Xanda was just over six years old and is the father of multiple cubs.
Why the new Nissan Leaf won't need a brake pedal
Jul 20, 2017: Your next car may not have a brake pedal. But don't worry - it's totally safe. Nissan's new Leaf will feature what they call an e-Pedal, which allows users to accelerate, slow down, and stop using just one pedal. This seemingly small change could alter car design of the future in a large way. Related:…
Congress just voted to allow the slaughter of tens of thousands of wild horses and burros
Jul 20, 2017: This week, a Congressional committee signed the death warrant for tens of thousands of wild horses and burros in the US. The House Appropriations Committee voted on Tuesday to remove language from the BLM budget that prohibited the "destruction of healthy, unadopted wild horses and burros," opening the door for inhumane and unnecessary killing of the iconic symbols of the American West. Congressman Chris Stewart (R-Utah) authored the amendment, stating "I love horses and am concerned about...
16-year-old inspires U.S. city to pass law requiring solar panels on all new homes
Jul 20, 2017: More United States cities are taking strong measures to move the clean energy economy forward. This week, South Miami passed a law requiring new houses to be outfitted with solar panels. The law will even apply to some renovations. It passed four to one - and some of the inspiration for the law came from a Florida high school student. Related:…
These African farmers carved an important message to the world - into the soil
Jul 20, 2017: Most people in Western countries reflect on Africa as a continent in which poverty is rife and economic opportunities are lacking. While this may be true depending on the country in question, it’s a fixable problem if agriculture is invested in. Such is a message a group of farmers and villagers in Zambia seeks to share with the world, which is why they spent 5 days last December tilling a field into a series of data. The series of graphs in the soil, called the Field Report, outlined...
Surprisingly modern hut in the Scottish Highlands is insulated with heather, moss and stone
Jul 20, 2017: This small hut nestled in the Scottish Highlands combines the influences of Le Corbusier's iconic Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut and those of the region's vernacular architecture. The building, designed by Moxon Architects, is covered with heather, moss and stone was gathered from local hillsides, which camouflage it and provide additional insulation. The Culardoch Shieling hut sits in the grounds of the client's Highland estate in the mountains of Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. Its...
New handrail sterilizer claims to wipe out 99.9% of germs on escalators
Jul 20, 2017: There's no worse feeling than sliding your hand along an escalator or Subway rail and realizing the number of germs you're picking up. While most bacteria are benign and, therefore, pose no threat to human health, issues can still arise from the spread of microbes. Because this issue is a serious one, LG Innotek and Clearwin developed a new sterilizer that claims to wipe out 99.99 percent of germs on a handrail through the process of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI). Reportedly, it's the...
Tesla "rival" Faraday Future unveils trippy space-age campus
Jul 20, 2017: Beijing-based MAD Architects just unveiled designs for Faraday Future’s new campus—and it looks like something straight out of the Jetsons. The electric car company, once hailed as the “Tesla Killer,” plans to relocate its headquarters from Los Angeles to Mare Island, north of San Francisco. The stunning campus features sleek and sci-fi-esque buildings that reference the aerodynamic shape of Faraday Future’s recently unveiled FF91, a self-driving vehicle said to be the world’s fastest-accelerating...
Zen-like Seattle retreat keeps a minimal footprint in a lush landscape
Jul 20, 2017: For those seeking an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life, feast your eyes on this beautiful light-filled cabin just outside Seattle in Greenwater, Washington. Robert Hutchison Architecture designed Crystal River Ranch House, a cedar-clad home hidden in the shadow of Mount Rainier that exudes a zen-like air of tranquility. Crafted to blend into the lush evergreen landscape, the 1,900-square-foot retreat was kept as compact as possible to minimize site impact and to epitomize the small home...
PlasticWaste Labyrinth is a stunning look inside our plastic waste problem
Jul 20, 2017: Much of our trash is hidden from our daily lives, which is why design collective Luzinterruptus is shining the light on wastefulness in their latest environmental art installations. Located at the heart of Madrid’s popular tourist attraction Plaza Mayor, PlasticWaste Labyrinth is a massive maze constructed from the thousands of plastic bottles that had been consumed in and around the plaza in the past month. The Madrid City Council commissioned the installation, built in June for the fourth Centennial...
Oregon just approved the nations first tax on bicycles - and cyclists are furious
Jul 19, 2017: Because bicycling is good for one’s health and results in fewer cars being on the road (reducing carbon emissions), one would think governments would go out of their way to encourage more people to commute in such fashion. Right? Wrong. In Oregon — a state which is known for its avid bicycling culture, the nation’s first statewide bike tax has been approved. The new excise tax will require consumers to pay $15 in tax on a bike that costs more than $200 and has a wheel diameter of at least...
HonoMobo's container homes can be shipped anywhere in North America
Jul 19, 2017: HonoMobo built an entire collection of flexible, multi-use living units out of reused shipping containers. You can use the structures as a backyard cottage, garage suite, weekend getaway or combine them to create apartments and multi-family developments. The fact that you can simply order HonoMobo houses online makes them even more appealing to homeowners. Related: You can order HonoMobo’s prefab shipping container homes online + HonoMobo Honomobo shipping container home,…
Taipei transforms subway cars into ultra-realistic swimming pools and sports fields
Jul 19, 2017: Related: + Via This is Colossal Taipei Subway Cars…
"Crown jewel" wildlife refuge to be decimated as Trump starts building border wall
Jul 19, 2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eTg6FQT5hM A 2,000 acre wildlife area known as the “crown jewel” of the national refuge system is about to be gutted as Trump begins construction on his border wall. US Customs and Border patrol has quietly been preparing to start the 18-foot tall border wall in the Santa Ana National Refuge in southern Texas, according to an anonymous official. The refuge is home to 400 bird species and the endangered ocelot, but if the wall is constructed as planned, it will...
Gorgeous billboards by street artist Kelsey Montague are being recycled into one-of-a-kind bags
Jul 19, 2017: Fans of Kelsey Montague, an artist best known for her murals of sprawling angel wings, flocks of dragonflies, and other flights of fancy, will soon be able to tote her work wherever they roam. After a stint as a featured artist for Rareform, a company that turns billboards into one-of-a-kind bags and other accessories, Montague will receive its signature treatment. Montague followed the footsteps of fellow artists Tyler Ramsey and Milton Glaser when she participated in Rareform's...
Indian startup pioneers new battery swapping system for electric buses
Jul 19, 2017: One of the hassles associated with electric vehicles is how long it takes to charge them. But in India, an energy infrastructure startup has partnered with the country's second biggest truck manufacturer to pioneer a solution: a battery swapping system. The target to start is electric buses, which could stop at stations reminiscent of today's petrol pumps to avoid having to spend a lot of time charging. Related:…
Porsche's new EV chargers top up Mission E batteries by 80% in 15 minutes
Jul 19, 2017: We're still about two years away from the arrival of the Porsche Mission E electric car, but Porsche has already started installing the 800-volt chargers that will power it. Porsche recently installed two 800-volt chargers in Berlin that have the ability to recharge an EV's batteries up to 80% in a mere 15 minutes. The 350kW chargers are twice as powerful as the 145kW chargers that Tesla's Supercharger network uses. Although Porsche's new charging stations, Tesla refuses to be out done, since...
Caltech scientists speed up carbon sequestration process by 500 times
Jul 19, 2017: Carbon sequestration, or removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it long-term, could help us fight climate change. It's a complex chemical reaction, but a team of scientists led by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) just made a breakthrough in speeding up a slow part of the reaction. Study co-author Jess Adkins said, "This is one of those rare moments in the arc of one's career where you just go, 'I just discovered something no one ever knew." Related:…
Solar-powered prefab homes for struggling millennials pop up in a single day
Jul 19, 2017: An increasing amount of people in the United Kingdom make too much money to qualify for social housing, but not enough to buy a house. Prefabricated homes manufactured at the Legal & General Leeds factory could meet housing needs for that group, largely millennials, and the first ones recently popped up in the London area. The…
Vertical Line Garden engulfs visitors in a flurry of colorful kinetic tape
Jul 19, 2017: Canadian design studio BACKOFFICE found a surprising and fun new use for commercial barrier tape for the Vertical Line Garden, a kinetic installation bursting with color that changes dramatically with the light and wind. Developed for the 2017 International Garden Festival in Quebec, the Vertical Line Garden offers a twist on the formal traditional garden, using “contemporary ready-made means and hyper un-natural materials.” The multi-sensory and interactive pavilion comes to life as the pavilion’s...
Elon Musk has a simple plan to power the US entirely on renewable energy
Jul 18, 2017: With all the talk in the US about bringing back more coal and opening more oil reserves, it can be discouraging for those of us dreaming of a sustainable energy future. But Elon Musk, who is always looking at what we can do, rather than what we can't, has laid out a feasible plan for moving the US entirely onto renewable energy. Speaking at the National Governors Association meeting this week, Musk talked about powering the entire country with just 100 square miles of solar panels. …
Larger-than-life pineapple origami structure pops up on a historic UK landscape
Jul 18, 2017: If you love pineapples, prepare to pine over this gorgeous sculpture that’s popped up at the National Trust’s historic Berrington Hall in Herefordshire. Heather and Ivan Morison of Studio Morison designed Look! Look! Look!, a stunning sculptural pavilion in the shape of pineapple origami. The temporary installation is both beautiful and functional, and also draws attention to iconic landscape designer Capability Brown’s final masterpiece, the walled garden at the Georgian mansion. The...
Magical Cape Cod-style cottage perched on NYC rooftop goes on sale for $3.5M
Jul 18, 2017: Related: + Via NY Post NYC rooftop cottage, nyc real estate, nyc cottage for sale, nyc rooftop terrace, East Village rooftop cottage, East Village penthouse apartment, Gale Barrett Shrady, magical cottages, nyc penthouses, nyc design, nyc architecture, nyc secret buildings, east village cottage, rooftop gardens.
Dog rescues drowning baby deer in the most adorable video youll see today
Jul 18, 2017: We already knew dogs are saviors to humankind, but it turns out they are heroes to other species, as well! This was made evident when recently, a golden retriever rescued a baby deer from the water off the coast of Long Island, New York. The dramatic ordeal was captured on video and has since gone viral. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suh2ggzLm_U This past weekend, a pooch named Storm was out for a walk with his caretaker Mark Freeley when he “plunged into the water and started swimming...
This amazing retractable roof shelters a pool in Maine for year-round fun
Jul 18, 2017: Turkish company Libart has installed an innovative retractable wall system for an outdoor pool in XXX. The sliding aluminum and glass structure can be extended out over the pool to protect it in inclement weather or opened during sunny days. The flexible architectural system .... Related: Sliding Walls Transform This Tokyo House Into an Office For the pool Libart installed a high-walled, 4-piece sectional design called Evolution Freestanding. The glass panels not only provide a...
Vietnam's longest cable-stayed bridge lights up with 16.7 million colors
Jul 18, 2017: A prism of colors bathes the recently completed Nhat Tan Bridge in Hanoi and turns it into an illuminated work of art. Philips Lighting partnered with Vietnamese construction company, the Sun Group, and installed their cloud-based Philips ActiveSite lighting management system with Philips Color Kinetics which can create a staggering 16.7 million different colors. The new luminous landmark– Vietnam's longest cable-stayed bridge– crosses the Red River in Hanoi and connects the city to...
OG&E and SunPower Announce 10-Megawatt Solar Plant in Oklahoma
Jul 18, 2017: OKLAHOMA CITY, OK & SAN JOSE, CA --(eSolarEnergyNews)-- OGE Energy and SunPower today announced the two companies have signed a contract to build a 10-megawatt (AC) solar photovoltaic power plant in Covington, Okla. Construction on the plant is anticipated to commence next month. "The Covington project is a continuation of our successful pilot initiative, which launched with 2.5-megawatt solar…
EDF Renewable Energy Announces Acquisition of Solar Projects from First Solar
Jul 18, 2017: SAN DIEGO, CA--(eSolarEnergyNews)--EDF Renewable Energy today announced the acquisition of the 179 megawatt AC (MWac) Switch Station 1 and Switch Station 2 Solar Projects from First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) in late June. The projects, currently under construction, will sell their combined output and environmental attributes under three Power Purchase Agreements to subsidiaries of NV Energy,…
Non-toxic alternative for next-generation solar cells
Jul 18, 2017: Researchers have demonstrated how a non-toxic alternative to lead could form the basis of next-generation solar cells.
LAGI announces location for 2018 renewable energy design competition
Jul 18, 2017: Oil refineries and rigs aren't typically considered beautiful. But as the world transitions to more renewable sources of power, what if grid-scale energy could double as an art installation? That's the dream pursued by the Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI), which holds a design competition every two years to present visions for energy-generating art able to power hundreds of homes. 2016's winners included ethereal sailboats that harvested both wind for power and fog for water, and whale-like installations...
Climate change could transform one of Africa's driest regions into a wet one
Jul 18, 2017: Climate change is often connected to heat waves and hot temperatures. But researchers recently found almost the opposite could happen in a dry region of Africa: the Sahel. The area sprawls across multiple countries and is considered a transitional zone between the Sahara Desert and more humid regions to the south, and itself is prone to extreme dryness. But climate change could suddenly cause this region to experience heavy seasonal rainfall. Related:…
New genetically engineered yeast that could clean up heavy metal pollution
Jul 18, 2017: A genetically engineered version of the fungus in your bread and beer could help clean up the environment. A team of seven Romanian and Norwegian scientists developed yeast that could clean up heavy metal pollution - and their research revealed the most effective strains are able to soak up 80 percent of metal ions. Related:…
World's first solar-powered hot air balloon visits UK school
Jul 18, 2017: Bristol was recently named the best place to live in Britain so it was natural that schoolchildren living in the coolest city in the UK just got a glimpse of the one of the coolest energy sources in action with the arrival of the world's first solar-powered hot air balloon. The balloon actually took its maiden voyage back in 2015 but on Monday youngsters from the Hannah More Primary School got to learn about how renewable energy can power global transport -- even a hot air balloon. ...
Light-filled timber home is a modern zen haven in Seattle
Jul 18, 2017: How do you combine countryside tranquility with urban style? MW|Works Architecture+Design strikes a thoughtful balance in Helen Street, a beautiful modern home with handsome craftsmanship and careful attention to detail. Filled with light and views of the landscape, this lovely Seattle home is built largely of wood, from the heavy reclaimed timber cladding to the naturally weathered cedar plank roof. Helen Street was commissioned by clients who had been living on a rural property east...