Coral in the Mediterranean threatened by heatwaves
Jan 21, 2022: A new study has found that heatwaves associated with climate change are threatening coral populations in the Mediterranean. The study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society Biology, established that corals could be wiped out unless action is taken soon.
Tonga faces environmental damage after massive eruption
Jan 21, 2022: The world’s most powerful eruption in more than 30 years has left the Pacific Island nation of Tonga an ashy mess. The January 15 eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai, a massive underwater volcano, has left unknown environmental consequences in its wake.
Canton Avenue harkens back to the Silk Road of China
Jan 21, 2022: The Canton Avenue by MOK Design for the Westin Pazhou Hotel in Guangzhou is a walk back in time, revisiting the days when the hotel was a stop on the historic Silk Road of China.
19th century Harlem house restored to be energy efficient
Jan 21, 2022: A 19th-century house, owners interested in passive house design and an architectural firm came together with a resulting blend of original elements married to modern innovations in a big-city row house.
Urban Forest is set to be the greenest residential building
Jan 21, 2022: Urban Forest designed by Koichi Takada Architects and developed by Aria Property Group received approval to be built in South Brisbane, Australia. The 20-storey building will house 194 apartments, all trimmed out with luscious vertical garden balconies.
Aptera upgrades its unique solar-charging EV
Jan 20, 2022: Aptera's three-wheeler enclosed electric car has already made its mark as a unique new offering on the EV scene. The solar self-charging car never needs to be plugged in, all while competing with mid-level Teslas for range when charged as a traditional EV. Now, Aptera says it has completed some major upgrades to make the cars even more competitive. Here's what's new with Aptera's revolutionary EVs.
Indoor-outdoor living drives this design for VAVA House
Jan 20, 2022: Architecture takes a variety of forms and serves many purposes, but most people would agree that the best home is one that meets the family's needs and lifestyle goals. To this end, VAVA House was designed to emphasize shared space and a connection to the outdoors.
Meditation cottage fits on the tiniest lakefront space
Jan 20, 2022: Sometimes, architecture is about specific design elements or striking visual characteristics. Sometimes, it’s more about letting the location of the structure have the last word. Situated on a slim slice of shorefront land in eastern Finland, the Kynttilä (candle) is a sustainable meditation cottage that honors unique location requirements.
LEED Gold HEC Montreal will house AI research
Jan 20, 2022: HEC Montreal, designed by Provencher_Roy, is a partnership between Montreal's business community and local students and researchers. The certified LEED Gold center is located at the intersection of the Quartier des Affaires, Quartier des Spectacles and the Quartier International on a historic site of Canada.
Energy efficient bamboo device in Vietnam is a cooling system
Jan 20, 2022: AREP, a multidisciplinary architecture agency, created a cooling system prototype based on the history, culture and original designs used by ancient civilizations. Called an adiabatic urban cooling system, the idea dates back centuries, yet is still perhaps the most natural solution for the challenges of cooling modern Vietnamese cities facing regular heat waves.
IMMERST floating community is adaptable, modular and prefab
Jan 19, 2022: As buildable land becomes increasingly scarce, long-standing yacht company Stephens Waring Design has developed a new design concept called OASys (Ocean Architectural System), which could be the answer for coastline challenges like animal habitat conservation, erosion and lack of suitable development space.
ExxonMobil plays dirty to deny role in the climate crisis
Jan 19, 2022: ExxonMobil has turned to intimidation in attempts to stop its critics from taking legal action. The giant oil company is trying to use an unusual Texas law to target critics outside the state. Exxon has asked the Texas Supreme Court to allow it to use rule 202 to take on California municipal officials.
Polar researchers discover enormous icefish nesting site
Jan 19, 2022: They have see-through skulls, transparent blood, and they built 60 million nests beneath the frigid waters of the Antarctic Sea. They’re Jonah’s icefish, and a polar research team has just discovered what might be their largest breeding colony in the world.
Airavat is a home in the clouds flowing with beauty
Jan 19, 2022: Airavat, a "home in the clouds," is a new creation by reD Architects on the outskirts of Mumbai that casts a striking complement to its natural surroundings.
Ambitious new EV charging network launches in the US
Jan 19, 2022: Access to charging stations is one of the stumbling blocks for America's proposed electric vehicle future. Missouri-based EOS Linx found a way to combine its work in advertising, security, data analytics and renewable energy into an interesting package that could quickly boost EV drivers’ charging options.
The climate crisis could sink the UK's economy by 2045
Jan 18, 2022: The U.K. is at risk of losing 1% of its economy every year by 2045 due to the climate crisis. This is according to the U.K. government's recent assessment of the risks posed by climate change. In a five-year analysis of the climate risk, officials determined that the U.K. stands to lose even more if actions are not taken to reverse the climate crisis.
Coal production in China reached record high in 2021
Jan 18, 2022: Despite global cries for an end to fossil fuel use, China’s coal production reached record levels last year. The government encouraged miners to ramp up production, working at maximum capacity to increase China’s economic growth.
Create your own trees out of greenscreen's 3D trellis
Jan 18, 2022: The greenscreen gsTree modular trellis system has won the 2021 Architizer A+ Product Award for conceptual design, the largest awards program in architecture and design. This unique 3D trellising system forms a tree-like shape that elevates and then spreads, growing plants to 10-feet heights.
Zero waste homes are 3D printed in less than 24 hours
Jan 18, 2022: Industries around the world are constantly innovating, however, the construction industry has been slow to adopt new technologies. Mighty Buildings is changing all that with the development of a concrete-replacement known as light-stone material (LSM) used to 3D print a home in less than 24 hours.
Carbon-neutral Nabr apartments are move-in ready by 2023
Jan 18, 2022: Designers at Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) are disrupting the housing market with a completely new way to buy a customized sustainable apartment. You can buy one entirely through software.
Passive design helps Lucio building regulate its temperature
Jan 17, 2022: The architectural design of the Lucio office building in Lille, France, integrates with the sun for variable lighting and temperature control in a smart passive design.
Green roofs top Marmormolen's sustainable timber architecture
Jan 17, 2022: The timber design for Copenhagen's upcoming large commercial building Marmormolen shows sustainable architecture leadership from designers Henning Larson and Ramboll. Lush with green roofs, a waterfront garden and more, the project shows what a commercial building can be to a community.
New ACME Pavilion employs sustainable CLT construction
Jan 17, 2022: Design house ACME's director Friedrich Ludewig drew on the inspiration of Alpine architecture and nearby Olympic Park to guide the design of The Pavilion at Stratford Square in east London, a gently undulating pavilion made using cross-laminated timber (CLT) construction.
Vegan handbags' new line was inspired by photography and women
Jan 17, 2022: Investing in a long product lifespan is one of the most sustainable actions companies and consumers can make. NOIRANCA, a company singularly aimed at this goal, has debuted a line of handbags with a commitment to protecting the environment. Quality is the primary objective at NOIRANCA, with the belief that creating a timeless look will keep the bag in circulation longer and out of the landfill for many years to come. Unlike many companies that prime their profits by promoting fast...
New chip brand upcycles corn germ for water-saving snack
Jan 17, 2022: Americans eat a million tons of tortilla chips per year. But as we crunch our snack foods, few of us ever realize their water cost. Million tons of chips have a water footprint of 180 billion gallons.
Urwahn Platzhirsch e-bike wins major sustainability award
Jan 14, 2022: German bike maker Urwahn has received the German Sustainability Award 2022, Europe's biggest award for social and ecological commitment to helping the planet, for its E-Bike Platzhirsch. The Platzhirsch is a 3D-printed steel electric bike with a gorgeous matte frame.
Prague Meander competition to reinvent Prague neighborhood
Jan 14, 2022: Urban planning is central for new or re-imagined areas that house and employ the population. Sometimes it’s a process that happens before a city even takes root. Other times, as in the case of Prague Meander, an area is given a second life.
Town Enclosure art installation is made of CLT panels
Jan 14, 2022: Lots of art are meant to be seen and not touched. It is visible to the public but separate, untouchable and unknowable. That is not the case with Town Enclosure, an art installation that's also functional. The incredible design was created by CLB Architects.
Dog toy and treats from Project Hive help save bees
Jan 14, 2022: What do dogs and bees have in common? A company called Project Hive Pet Company. Based out of Minneapolis, the mission-driven business makes dog toys and treats that directly contribute to rebuilding bee habitat.
Nokia Arena has touchless digital keys with mobile access
Jan 14, 2022: The new Nokia Arena in Finland just opened its doors last month, but only to those with special digital keys. The entire arena, designed by Polish Architect Daniel Libeskind, is wired with touchless digital access technology that make innovative use of new artificial intelligence security.
Urban Sequoia is a blueprint for sustainable architecture
Jan 13, 2022: This past fall, COP26 opened the door for discussions about many environmental issues. However, few presentations addressed one elephant in the room — the fact that the construction industry contributes up to 40% of ongoing carbon release. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) used the COP26 platform to offer a proposal that could reduce the impact of the built environment and implement systems that will result in a carbon-negative initiative.
Kentucky coal mine to become clean energy water battery project
Jan 13, 2022: An old Kentucky coal mine will soon be turned into a pumped hydro “water battery” in an ambitious renewable clean energy scheme. Hydropower developer Rye Development is transforming a strip mine in southeastern Kentucky's Bell County into the Lewis Ridge pumped storage project.
Coca-Cola is cleaning up river plastic pollution worldwide
Jan 13, 2022: Coca-Cola and The Ocean Cleanup selected the Cần Thơ River in Cần Thơ City, Vietnam as one of 15 river locations around the world to tackle plastic pollution. The global partnership between the two organizations will implement advanced technology to intercept and clean up waste in some of the world’s major rivers.
Award-winning apartment design is built 90% out of wood
Jan 13, 2022: The World Architecture Festival 2021 just took place December 1 to 3. SAWA designed by Mei Architects and Planners won the Experimental Future Projects category. SAWA is an apartment building dripping with green roof and balcony plantings.
Nearly all of the German Pavilion is recyclable
Jan 13, 2022: The exhibits at this year’s Expo 2020 Dubai (postponed to 2021 due to the pandemic), feature a range of innovative designs from around the world. Working within the theme of "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future," the German Pavilion highlights sustainable features that cater to the desert environment.
Extreme cold closes schools and COVID testing sites
Jan 12, 2022: On Monday, the New Hampshire Department of Health announced that the state's COVID-19 would close due to extreme cold weather. The sites include Claremont, Manchester, Newington and Nashua. The announcement mirrors several other northeastern states closing schools due to subzero temperatures.
CLOUDROOM's bioclimatic design highlights the climate crisis
Jan 12, 2022: Students and design/consulting company Ecosistema Urbano worked together to design this futuristic, outdoor, sustainable classroom created in Columbus, Indiana. The project, called CLOUDROOM, is a bioclimatic design for an outdoor classroom. It's an installation that aims to inspire a rethink of educational spaces and raise awareness about today's climate crisis.
This frying pan gives new life to recycled aluminum
Jan 12, 2022: For most people, using cookware is a way of life. Even if you make little more than scrambled eggs, pots and pans are a basic requirement for every kitchen. Inasmuch, the type of pans you use has the power to positively or negatively impact the planet and your health.
University under a hill in India has a green roof
Jan 12, 2022: India's new Prestige University designed by Sanjay Puri Architects features a fully walkable angled green roof that is accessible to staff and students from the ground. The building may look like a Minecraft creation, but it's a full university sliding seamlessly under the landscape beneath a rooftop composed of squares of green planted turf.
Basketball museum is meant to be viewed from all angles
Jan 12, 2022: The Lithuania House of Basketball Museum is a focal point in the town of Kaunas. The museum sits near the medieval Kaunas castle and Santaka park, where the two largest Lithuanian rivers converge.
Rilu the snow leopard has passed away due to COVID
Jan 11, 2022: Rilu the snow leopard, a big cat at the Miller Park Zoo in Illinois, has died from COVID-19 complications. The 11-year-old leopard tested positive for COVID on Dec. 3 alongside three other big cats at the zoo. After struggling for over a month, the endangered cat was pronounced dead in an official announcement on Thursday.
England Environment Agency tells people to ignore pollution
Jan 11, 2022: England Environment Agency tells people to ignore pollution…
These shoes are made in the world's only entirely vegan factory
Jan 11, 2022: Buying vegan sneakers from Grounded People means supporting your choice of charity. Founded in Vancouver by CEO Maximilian Justus, Grounded People, an eco-friendly apparel company, started just as the pandemic began.
Womb building reflects nature in the middle of Milan
Jan 11, 2022: UOOU Studio’s recent project provides the cozy architectural atmosphere the project name Womb implies. The office building was developed in conjunction with MAO Architects, Studio Dedalo Architettura, BEONE, Davide Frati for client Reale Group/Reale Immobili.
Net-zero emissions area will be built on renewable energy
Jan 11, 2022: Bjarke Ingels Group's (BIG) Oslo Science City is part of Oslo's 2019 Strategy for the Development of the Knowledge Capital, a 1.4 million square meter hub that aims to house 150,000 scientists, entrepreneurs and students. It will also contribute to the country's shift to renewable energy.
Ghost orchid among new plant species discovered in 2021
Jan 10, 2022: The ghost orchid grows in complete darkness in Madagascar’s dense forests. Instead of using photosynthesis, its nutrients come from symbiotic relationships with underground fungi.
House Offset reinvents New York renovation aesthetics
Jan 10, 2022: Overlay Office has renovated a 19th-century New York City townhouse to create House Offset. Located in South Slope, Brooklyn, the three-unit condominium uses classic design and sustainable materials that reinvent and enhance common contemporary renovation methods. It features increased natural light, open floor plans that maximize interior space, and outdoor spaces for each apartment.
LEED-certified apartments set highest green design standards
Jan 10, 2022: The initial LEED-certified project by The Procopio Companies was completed in conjunction with DMS Design as the design architecture and CUBE 3 for interior design to analyze materials for sustainability. The result is Caldwell, a high-rise, mixed-use and multi-family apartment complex in Lynn, Massachusetts with 259 units.
Beam solar-powered off-grid EV chargers deployed worldwide
Jan 10, 2022: Off-grid EV charger manufacturer Beam has now installed solar-powered off-grid EV chargers in more than 100 municipalities in the U.S. and around the world in Spain, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean. It's big news in an industry that has so far relied on EV chargers that are on-grid and permanently installed.
These goldfish learned to drive with the help of scientists
Jan 7, 2022: These goldfish learned to drive. Yes, you read that correctly. In a recent study, scientists have successfully trained six goldfish to drive a "fish operated vehicle" (FOV). The study, conducted by researchers at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, aimed to determine the ability of the goldfish to navigate in different environments.