Solar-powered Austin home embraces sustainability in more ways than one
Nov 13, 2019: In South Austin, Miró Rivera Architects has completed the Westridge Residence, a contemporary home with an emphasis on sustainable design.
Excessive road salt threatens public health and wildlife
Nov 13, 2019: Many people and municipalities turn to road salt to de-ice wintry streets and sidewalks. Unfortunately, road salt poses serious environmental risks.
Mirrored outhouse disappears into a lush river valley landscape
Nov 13, 2019: In Australia’s Kangaroo Valley, Paddington-based design studio Madeleine Blanchfield Architects carefully crafted a freestanding bathroom that all but vanishes into its surroundings.
Four tiny pavilions make up a low-impact forest home in Mexico
Nov 13, 2019: A family that enjoys nature together, stays together — that's the idea behind the amazing, nature-inspired Casa de Bosque.
Tacoma's Dune Peninsula: from slag heap to beloved park
Nov 13, 2019: On a gorgeous fall day, people jog and walk dogs along Tacoma’s waterfront in the new Dune Peninsula at Point Defiance Park. Locals appreciate the almost miraculous transformation of this land.
New material points toward highly efficient solar cells
Nov 12, 2019: A new type of material for next-generation solar cells eliminates the need to use lead, which has been a major roadblock for this technology.
LAVA designs carbon-neutral LIFE Hamburg with an edible green roof
Nov 12, 2019: Slated to open 2023, the solar-powered sustainable building will feature a carbon dioxide-absorbing green facade and an organic rooftop garden.
Iron-based solar cells on track to becoming more efficient
Nov 12, 2019: An international study shows that 30% of the energy in a certain type of light-absorbing iron molecule disappears in a previously unknown manner. By closing this loophole, the researchers hope to contribute to the development of more efficient solar cells using this iron-based solar cell.
Look inside BIGs yin and yang-shaped Panda House in Copenhagen
Nov 12, 2019: With their cutest new inhabitants comfortably settled in, the Copenhagen Zoo and Bjarke Ingels Group have shared new pictures of the recently completed yin and yang-shaped Panda House, a new home for giant pandas Mao Sun and Xing Er.
Collection of plant-based shirts raise awareness of endangered species
Nov 12, 2019: The collection includes vibrant, hand-drawn images that are printed on seaweed fiber T-shirts using natural dyes.
Tech-free hobbies that benefit you and the planet
Nov 12, 2019: Technology has become an integral part of our everyday life. From smartphones to smart appliances, the advancements continue to make our lives easier while simultaneous distracting us from traditional hobbies and interests. How we spend our time has changed so much over the past few decades that those seeking to reconnect with non-techy hobbies sometimes struggle to think of ways to spend their time that doesn’t involve a screen of some sort. So we’ve put together a list of eco-friendly hobbies...
Cambridge students create the UKs most efficient solar-powered electric car
Nov 12, 2019: Helia is a solar-powered electric car that is so energy efficient, it can travel more than 500 miles at 50 miles per hour on the same amount of power it takes to boil a kettle.
A young couple creates a dreamy Scandinavian-inspired yurt home in Oregon
Nov 11, 2019: The couple’s modified yurt offers 930 square feet of light-filled living space furnished to ooze hygge vibes.
New e-snowmobiles bring eco tourism to the northern lights
Nov 11, 2019: Electric snowmobiles, powered by Arctic winds, are making northern-lights viewing experiences more eco-friendly.
LARQ: the world's first portable, self-cleaning water bottle
Nov 11, 2019: The LARQ water bottle features the world’s first portable, digital water purification system that relies on a rechargeable lithium polymer battery to keep it going.
Green-roofed addition brings a mid-century home into the 21st century
Nov 11, 2019: There are few things we love more than witnessing the transformation of something old into something new — and sustainable.
DPR office hopes to become Austins first WELL-certified workplace
Nov 11, 2019: Designed to follow sustainable principles, the net-zero energy office is fitted with energy-efficient fixtures, environmentally friendly materials and health-minded features that have earned the project WELL Silver and LEED Gold certifications.
Carney Logan Burke thoughtfully inserts a modernist jewel in Jackson Hole
Nov 8, 2019: After over twenty years of working with a family on their 180-acre Jackson Hole property, Montana architectural firm Carney Logan Burke has capped their fruitful relationship with the Queens Lane Pavilion, a modernist two-bedroom retreat with spectacular landscape views. Topped with a flat roof and surrounded by walls of glass, the minimalist pavilion was crafted as“art piece” that seamlessly blends into the landscape and the fifth project completed in the wildlife-rich riverine ecosystem. Architect...
Dramatically twisted timber weaves together in the Steampunk pavilion
Nov 8, 2019: In Tallinn, Estonia, a team of designers have merged traditional craftsmanship with digital modeling to create Steampunk, a sculptural pavilion that uses steam-bent hardwood and computer-aided design. Winner of the Tallinn Architecture Biennial 2019 Installation Program Competition, the spectacular artwork uses the laborious process of steam bending timber by hand, rather than robotic production, to call attention to the merits of traditional craftsmanship absent in machine building. Gwyllim...
Fiji's Cousteau Resort launches a new botanical program for guests
Nov 8, 2019: The initiative is part of a larger goal to protect the island’s natural environment.
First Smart Forest City in Mexico will be 100% food and energy self-sufficient
Nov 8, 2019: Milan-based architecture firm Stefano Boeri Architetti has unveiled innovative designs for a nature-infused smart city in Cancun, Mexico that will serve as a model for resilient and sustainable urban planning.
These glass vases let you grow your own avocado tree no toothpicks required
Nov 8, 2019: While most home gardens tend to conceal the roots within decorated pots, Ilex Studio's new collection of glass vases displays one of the most underrated parts of a plant — the roots.
Snhetta-designed center may provide a rare look inside the worlds largest seed vault
Nov 7, 2019: Snøhetta has unveiled preliminary designs for The Arc, a proposed visitor center for Arctic preservation storage on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, a remote island north of the Arctic Circle.
San Francisco breaks ground on new "Tunnel Tops" national park
Nov 7, 2019: Today, San Francisco has broken ground on “Tunnel Tops,” a new 14-acre national parkland that will span two sections across the top of the Presidio Parkway highway tunnels.
This sustainable luxury smartwatch monitors climate change
Nov 7, 2019: Just in time for your conscious holiday shopping, Veldt, Inc. is unveiling its newest luxury smartwatch, the LUXTURE AARDE, designed with sustainability and wellness in mind.
Easy ways to make your home and garden more sustainable this fall
Nov 7, 2019: As the final leaves drop from the trees and the temperatures continue to plummet, you’ve likely already prepped the woodpile and dug out your winter wear. But before you head inside to hunker down with movies and hot cocoa, also prep your home and yard to act sustainably throughout the months ahead.
Lemay injects new life into Montreals Expo 67 site
Nov 7, 2019: Using an integrated design approach, Lemay has enhanced the pedestrian experience.
Architects reveal winning design for Western Sydney Airport
Nov 6, 2019: Located in Sydney’s new western Parkland City region, the green-field airport draws inspiration for its form and material palette from the unique local flora and nearby mountains.
Alliance of more than 11,000 scientists warns that our planet faces a climate emergency
Nov 6, 2019: At our current climate trajectory, humanity will likely face “untold suffering,” as reported in a new study signed by more than 11,000 scientists around the globe.
Copenhagens new eco-friendly bicycle hills hide parking for thousands of bicycles
Nov 6, 2019: Danish architectural firm COBE recently completed a one-of-a-kind public space in Copenhagen that not only serves as a multifunctional meeting place, but also provides covered parking for over 2,000 bicycles. Inaugurated in late August, Karen Blixens Plads is one of the largest public spaces in Copenhagen and measures over 20,000 square meters in size. The elevated undulating terrain helps break the large space down into small zones for activities and helps channel and slow rainwater to improve the...
High-tech wetsuit protects divers and surfers from toxic elements in the oceans
Nov 6, 2019: With ocean waters being polluted at an astonishing rate, swimmers, divers and surfers are putting their lives at risk simply by entering the water. Fortunately, Vissla and Surfrider have collaborated on a slightly depressing solution aimed to keep water-lovers safe. The Rising Seas Wetsuit is a high-tech body suit that uses nanotechnology to block the absorption of any harmful pollutants in the water. Additionally, Nitrile pads on the stomach, elbows and knees help surfers maintain their grip on the board, even in seriously slimy conditions.
Studio NAB wants to rehab parking lots into energy-producing urban gardens
Nov 6, 2019: Paris-based design firm Studio NAB has unveiled a proposal for transforming the traditional asphalt parking lot into an urban farming green space with solar-powered parking spaces. Created with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals in mind, Studio NAB’s Car Park 2.0 rethinks the car park as a productive space that could generate green jobs, renewable energy, and food. Retained parking spaces would be set on permeable paving, rather than asphalt, and could be connected with solar-powered...
Minimalist hotel gym made out of locally-sourced stone features one of the largest glass panels in the world
Nov 5, 2019: Related: + Via World Architecture…
Perovskite solar cells get an upgrade
Nov 5, 2019: Materials scientists find inorganic compounds quench defects in perovskite-based solar cells and expand their tolerance of light, humidity and heat.
Biodegradable coffee pods are now available for composting
Nov 5, 2019: Roughly 20 billion non-biodegradable, one-cup coffee pods end up in landfills. But Italian espresso giant Lavazza is offering a more eco-friendly alternative — a compostable coffee pod.
To reduce air pollution, New Delhi restricts cars to alternate days on the road
Nov 5, 2019: Air pollution in New Delhi has reached its worst levels this year, prompting the Indian government to legislate for a two-week rationing of private car usage.
Sead Pod offers grassroots solution to air pollution and global warming
Nov 5, 2019: Gardening should be good for the environment, adding oxygen to the air, nutrients to the soil, and filtering water for consumption. But plastic and toxins have become ubiquitous, leaving the home gardener to make intentional choices about which products to use. That’s where Sead Pod comes in, a vertical garden made using sustainable practices and recycled materials. Sead (Sustainable Ecology, Adaptive Design) Pod offers a simple plastic planter for bringing gardens into the smallest spaces while...
Reclaimed materials star in this surf villa with ocean views in Bali
Nov 5, 2019: Puri Bukit is an ocean-facing, four-bedroom villa with sweeping views of the Indian Ocean in Bali.
Swanky hotel made of 26 repurposed shipping containers opens in London
Nov 4, 2019: Visitors to London can now stay at the fabulous Stow-Away Hotel, a chic lodging built from 26 shipping containers.
Costa Rica hopes to end selfies with wild animals
Nov 4, 2019: Costa Rica, renowned for its wildlife, has recently launched a campaign to dissuade people from taking selfies with wild animals.
Survey shows most adults prefer volunteering at local parks and recreation areas
Nov 4, 2019: Communities deserve wonderful parks, and individuals can make that a reality through volunteer work.
Clean your plants and reap the reward of clean air
Nov 4, 2019: Although cleaning house plants probably ranks somewhere between wiping down the blades on the ceiling fan and cleaning out the gutters on your to-do list, it’s a chore that’s critical to the plant and, one could argue, to humanity. Let’s go back to science class for a minute in order to understand why a clean plant is a productive plant. Remember that little thing called photosynthesis? Leaves are a central organ in the process. Technically, the stomata, which are small openings...
BREEAM Excellent office building keeps London's carbon reduction targets in sight
Nov 4, 2019: The site of a former petrol station has been given a new lease on life as 1 Valentine Place, an award-winning sustainable office building certified BREEAM Excellent.
This amazing tiny solar-powered cabin can be used as a retreat on land or on water
Nov 1, 2019: Related: + Scott Cronk Via Curbed Heidi-Ho/ Scott Cronk…
Foie gras ban to take effect in New York
Nov 1, 2019: Fancy feasters in the Big Apple will have to acquire new tastes because New York will soon follow California’s example in legislating for a foie gras ban.
Keystone Pipeline leaks 383,000 gallons of crude oil, renewing debate on its expansion
Nov 1, 2019: About 383,000 gallons (1.4 million liters) of oil has leaked out into the environment from the controversial Keystone Pipeline system.
Touring restored wetlands at a Wisconsin nature conservancy
Nov 1, 2019: Take a tour of the beloved Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy with Inhabitat.
Decrepit barn in Quebec was converted into stunning modern design by salvaging all of its old materials
Nov 1, 2019: Related: + Via…
New technique lets researchers map strain in next-gen solar cells
Oct 31, 2019: Researchers have developed a way to map strain in lead halide perovskite solar cells without harming them. Their approach can image the grain structure of a perovskite solar cell, showing that misorientation between microscopic perovskite crystals is the primary contributor to the buildup of strain within the solar cell. Crystal misorientation creates small-scale defects in the grain structure, which interrupt the transport of electrons within the solar cell and lead to heat loss.
This mountain-biking getaway is an energy-efficient base for adventure in Tasmania
Oct 31, 2019: Australia’s new mountain bike trails in northeast Tasmania are now more accessible than ever thanks to Dales of Derby, a contemporary, purpose-built group housing that is the perfect base for adventure.