Solar Power News

Glowing rabbit made of 3D-printed polycarbonate pops up in a Dutch pond

Feb 21, 2020: The 3D-printed rabbit was an artist's gift to Heemskerk.

Greenpeace finds most 'recyclable' plastics are sent to landfills

Feb 21, 2020: Study findings have revealed several alarming results, including that many plastics labeled as recyclable are not actually recyclable.

Adorable baby gorilla wants you to recycle your phone

Feb 21, 2020: The first lowland gorilla born in the Los Angeles Zoo in 20 years is building her fan base while raising awareness about the connection between cell phone manufacturing and critically endangered gorilla populations.

MVRDV to revive complex with BREEAM-certified groundscraper

Feb 21, 2020: MVRDV has unveiled designs for a BREEAM Excellent-certified office building in Amsterdam as part of a redevelopment plan for the Tripolis office complex, a project by celebrated Dutch architect Aldo van Eyck long considered a commercial failure. In addition to the renovation of the old buildings and the addition of a park, the Tripolis Park project will feature a new 11-story “groundscraper” office block that will stretch along the site’s south boundary to unite the campus while protecting...

What do Americans think about fake meat products?

Feb 21, 2020: The results show an overwhelming interest in the products and an underwhelming satisfaction.

Why the mystifying axolotl must be saved from extinction

Feb 20, 2020: Today’s axolotls are experiencing extirpation, but scientists and pet enthusiasts are saving them from true extinction. Why?

Check out Glasir, the tree-shaped urban farming solution

Feb 20, 2020: In a bid to revolutionize agriculture, New York City and Bergen-based innovation studio Framlab has proposed Glasir, a community-based system for urban farming that combines the flexibility of modularity with aeroponics to vastly reduce the environmental footprint for growing food.

Marc Thorpe designs live/work buildings built from earth bricks

Feb 20, 2020: New York-based architecture studio Marc Thorpe Design has unveiled renderings for the Dakar Houses, a series of live/work spaces located on the outskirts of Senegalese capital for the artisans of furniture brand Moroso. Designed with compressed earth blocks, a common building material in western Senegal, the multipurpose units take inspiration from the local architectural vernacular. The economical earth bricks also have the advantage of thermal mass to provide comfortable indoor temperatures without...

Home on a sloped ravine uses natural materials to blend into the landscape

Feb 20, 2020: Working directly with the nature-loving homeowners, the architects strategically focused on blending the minimalist home, which was built with natural materials, into the idyllic surroundings while reducing its impact as much as possible.

CLT gives a sustainable community center in Copenhagen a welcoming feel

Feb 20, 2020: In the Copenhagen suburb of Brønshøj, local architectural practice NORD Architects has completed the Parish Center, a contemporary community center and place of worship that’s primarily built of cross-laminated timber to reduce the project’s carbon footprint. Selected for its renewable and durable features, cross-laminated timber has also been purposefully left exposed throughout the multifunctional building to lend a sense of welcoming and warmth to the interior. The project serves as a new...

Scientists develop safer lead-based perovskite solar cell

Feb 19, 2020: Researchers are reporting on a potential breakthrough in the development of hybrid perovskite solar cells. The scientists developed a technique to sequester the lead used to make perovskite solar cells and minimize potential toxic leakage.

Critics question Amazon's sustainability amidst Bezos Earth Fund launch

Feb 19, 2020: Critics warn that Amazon is still heavily invested in fossil fuels and thus cannot be a bona fide climate champion.

Tackling sustainability in sporting events

Feb 19, 2020: There's a growing international trends to shrink the carbon footprints of major sporting events.

Odor-free Sepura makes home composting easier than ever

Feb 19, 2020: If you’ve ever wanted to start composting at home but got put off by the hassle and the smell, the Sepura could be the sustainable solution you’ve been looking for.

Hello Wood unveils a tiny cabin that sleeps up to 8 people

Feb 19, 2020: For those social butterflies who believe that getting back to nature doesn't have to mean sacrificing time with friends, Hello Wood has created the beautiful Grand Cabin.

Bamboo electric bike is designed for Kathmandu locals and tourists

Feb 19, 2020: The bike helps people travel easier and reduces air pollution.

New world record for conversion of solar energy to electricity using quantum dots

Feb 18, 2020: Researchers have set a world record for the conversion of solar energy to electricity via the use of tiny nanoparticles called 'quantum dots'. The technology has a huge range of potential applications, including the possibility to use it as a flexible, transparent skin to power cars, planes, homes and wearable technology.

LEED Gold-targeted office mimics High Line via lush greenery

Feb 18, 2020: New York City’s award-winning High Line has attracted yet another sculptural building to its side—512 West 22nd Street, a contemporary Chelsea office building that takes cues from the elevated park with landscaped terraces on every floor. Designed by local architecture firm COOKFOX Architects, the new building is inspired by not only its proximity to the High Line, but also the neighborhood’s industrial history.

Green-roofed brick home 'disappears' into the landscape

Feb 18, 2020: Built into a sloped hill, the brick-clad and aptly named Sloped Villa uses an expansive green roof to help the house "disappear" into its serene natural setting.

Meet the urban planner responsible for San Francisco's car-free Market Street

Feb 18, 2020: Downtown San Francisco is putting pedestrians first. Inhabitat spoke with an urban planner at Perkins and Will about the car-free Market Street project.

Craft beer waste saves Montana town $1M for wastewater treatment

Feb 18, 2020: A Montana town has found a money-saving solution to its sewage and wastewater treatment expenses, thanks to a nearby craft brewery.

Sustainable city block in Hamburg goes for gold in energy-efficiency

Feb 18, 2020: The mixed-use building is energy-efficient to boot.

3-wheeled electric truck doubles as a sweet tiny camper

Feb 17, 2020: The cute little "frog" campers have everything you need to enjoy a minimalist outdoor excursion.

A long weekend in nature at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health

Feb 17, 2020: Here's what it is like to immerse yourself in nature at the famous Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health.

This modern furniture collection is made from manufacturing waste

Feb 17, 2020: Dot Collection is made from linoleum and oak that would otherwise be sent to the landfill.

Colorful, solar-powered island home is inspired by local fishermen's buoys

Feb 14, 2020: As one of the most scenic states in the country, Maine is an inspiration for many architects and designers. One architect has managed to use his family's love of the idyllic state to build a beautiful, solar-powered home on a remote island off its coastline.

Sumo wrestles sustainability into an all-natural, biodegradable diaper

Feb 14, 2020: This natural, biodegradable diaper that is as gentle on the planet as it is on a baby's skin.

South Africa's first interior 6 star Green Star awarded to Formfunc

Feb 14, 2020: The Green Building Council recently awarded South Africa’s highest possible Interiors Green Star v1 certification to Capetown-based company Formfunc Studio’s office spaces—the first such rating to be awarded in the country for an office and distribution center.

January 2020 was the hottest January on record

Feb 14, 2020: Meanwhile, the 10 warmest January temperatures all took place this century, since 2002.

DIY sweet treats for Valentines Day

Feb 14, 2020: These sweet treats are sure to sweep your partner off their feet.

LEED Gold-targeted Ottawa library will honor local history

Feb 13, 2020: Community input has shaped the design of this energy-efficient public library.

12 tips for a vibrant spring garden

Feb 13, 2020: When the frost begins to thaw and the first signs of spring appear, it’s time to start thinking about your garden. While it’s true that many of your plants won’t fully come to life for another six months, the more you can knock off your list before spring, the better off your plants, lawn, and schedule will be.

Abandoned amusement park to gain new life as a nature park in Suzhou

Feb 13, 2020: The nature park will even include an old roller coaster repurposed into a habitat for birds.

Off-grid geodesic cabins by FUGU can handle harsh climates

Feb 13, 2020: From remote snow-covered mountains to idyllic beaches in far-flung corners of the earth, Parisian studio FUGU has you covered with its new line of geodesic cabins. The solar-powered cabins, which come in a range of sizes and can be customized, are made with durable, eco-friendly materials and designed to be resilient in almost any harsh climate.

Tropical greenery surrounds a sustainable, solar-powered home in Singapore

Feb 13, 2020: In Singapore, a lush veil of tropical plants has enveloped a sustainable home for a family of five.

Cracks in perovskite films for solar cells easily healed, study finds

Feb 12, 2020: A new study finds that cracks in brittle perovskite films can be easily healed with compression or mild heating, a good sign for the use of perovskites in next-generation solar cells.

Startup creates compostable, single-serve coffee bags for your busy mornings

Feb 12, 2020: Worried about the environmental costs of single-use coffee pods? Steeped Coffee has a game-changing solution for that!

How hobbyists are saving endangered killifish from extinction

Feb 12, 2020: Find out how some killifish enthusiasts are helping save these fish from the brink of extinction.

Water Street Tampa hits major sustainability milestone

Feb 12, 2020: Back in June 2019, Inhabitat did a story about Florida’s Water Street Tampa and its goal to become the world’s healthiest neighborhood. Fast forward to January 2020, and the ambitious 56-acre neighborhood in the heart of Downtown Tampa is making headlines again with its new cooling plant, one of the first buildings to open.

LEED-Platinum learning lab is a beacon of sustainability

Feb 12, 2020: In a bold move to embrace environmental education, Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine recently welcomed the Roux Center for the Environment, a new three-story academic building that’s also been certified LEED Platinum. Designed by Cambridge-based architectural firm Cambridge Seven Associates, Inc., the 29,617-square-foot interdisciplinary building brings together faculty and students from across campus into a collaborative setting focused on finding solutions to the world’s environmental challenges.

Airplane fuselage is converted into a minimalist tiny home with off-grid capabilities

Feb 12, 2020: The Tiny House Guys has breathed new life into a decommissioned Dash 8 airplane fuselage by converting it into the Aero Tiny — a 130-square-foot tiny home fully equipped to go off the grid.

Barcelona's new solar-powered sports center features a green facade

Feb 11, 2020: Barcelona, a city well-known for its avant-garde architecture, both modern and historic, is going green. Local firm Architecture Anna Noguera has just completed work on the Turó de la Peira's Sports Center, a solar-powered complex covered in a lush green facade.

Worlds first car-free IKEA store to open in Austria

Feb 11, 2020: IKEA Austria has announced plans to open the world’s “most innovative and green” IKEA store.

Taylor Guitars and the sustainable approach to instrument-making

Feb 11, 2020: Since 1974, Taylor Guitars has been a champion guitar brand, renowned for its signature sound and instrument-manufacturing innovations. In this feature, Inhabitat goes behind-the-scenes at the company’s headquarters and factory in El Cajon, California, where tour guide Ryan Merrill shares the Taylor Guitars approach to sustainability, sourcing wood and making guitars.

Antarctica reaches record high temperature

Feb 11, 2020: The frozen continent recently logged its warmest temperature to date, a whopping 65 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s quite a leap from its previous record of about 63 degrees Fahrenheit, set five years ago in 2015.

Odd.Bot, the weed-pulling robot that could eliminate herbicides

Feb 11, 2020: The aging adage, “There’s an App for that,” is evolving into the idea that, “There’s a robot for that”. More and more automation is finding its way to the market for household chores like cleaning floors, and now that innovation is in farmer’s fields with Odd.Bot, an automatic weeding robot.

Climate-adaptive park in Copenhagen wins Arne of the Year Award

Feb 10, 2020: One of Copenhagen’s newest green parks, the Sankt Kjelds Square and Bryggervangen, has just received Copenhagen’s most prestigious architecture prize—the Arne of the Year Award. Designed by Danish design studio SLA, the 35,000-square-foot urban park is most notable for its effective solutions to cloudbursts, a term describing sudden heavy rainfall that can trigger violent flash floods.