Read the rest of Snohetta’s Eggum Tourist Stop Celebrates the Norwegian Landscape with Local Materials

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Post tags: "sustainable architecture", driftwood, eco design, eggum, eggum tourist stop, gabion, gabion baskets, green architecture, Green Building, green design, local materials, local stone, locally sourced materials, lofoten, national tourist route of norway, norway, norway tourist route, Recycled Materials, snohetta, Sustainable Building, sustainable design, tourist stop, upcycled materials

Read the rest of The Best Green Designs From Wanted Design 2013!

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Post tags: "green furniture", eco products, energy efficient lights, green design, green interiors, new york design week, New York Design Week 2013, nydw, sustainable design, wanted design, Wanted Design 2013, wanteddesign

MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, the world’s largest solar boat, set a new record for the fastest transatlantic crossing by a vessel powered entirely by solar energy, smashing its own 2010 record by four days. The 115-foot Swiss catamaran traveled 2,867 miles (5,310 kilometers) across the Atlantic Ocean in 22 days, conducting experiments along the Gulf Stream as part of the PlanetSolar DeepWater expedition.

Read the rest of Tûranor PlanetSolar: World’s Largest Solar-Powered Boat Sets Transatlantic Speed Record

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Post tags: "energy efficiency", "solar energy", green transportation, Guinness World Records, marine expedition Tûranor, MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, PlanetSolar, PlanetSolar’s Tûranor, solar boat, solar catamaran, solar design, Solar Power, solar powered boat, Swiss solar boat, transatlantic crossing record, TURANOR, World speed record boat

Read the rest of Deger Cengiz’s Threatening Cactus Terrarium Chair Puts Sitters on the Edge of Their Seats

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Post tags: cactus chair, chair with living plants, Deger Cengiz, eco design, green design, green interior design, ICFF, interior design, International Contemporary Furniture Fair, living furniture, plant furniture, sustainable design, Terrarium Chair, Terrarium Furniture, Terrariums

A soaring zero-gravity space hotel set atop a man-made island might sound like the latest project proposed for Dubai, but Mobilona and designer Erik Morvan plan to construct just such a resort off the coast of Barcelona. Barcelona Island would bring Europe’s tallest hotel to the Catalan city – complete with a zero gravity spa, a vertical wind tunnel, and a totally spacey theme. Already met with disdain by local officials, the space island would cost a whopping $1.93 billion, and it has been submitted to the Barcelona City Hall for approval.

Read the rest of Insane $1.93 Billion Artificial Island With Space Hotel and Zero-Gravity Spa Proposed for Barcelona

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Post tags: Barcelona Island, Barcelona Space Hotel, eco design, Erik Morvan, europe's tallest hotel, green design, Mobilona, sustainable design

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Post tags: david trubridge design, david trubridge light rain, david trubridge wanted design, eco lighting, green lighting, LED lighting, light rain, light rain installation, wanted design

Lake Superior and other bodies of water around Minnesota have been found to contain a disturbing amount of chemicals, including prescription drugs and even cocaine. A recent study by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has found that local lakes and rivers are chock full of DEET, BPA, prescription and even illegal drugs. The 10-year study examined surface waters from the Minnesota area, finding contaminants even along untouched shorelines.


Read the rest of Minnesota Lakes Are Contaminated with Cocaine and Antidepressants

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Post tags: cocaine in Minnesota Lakes, eco design, green design, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, sustainable design, water pollution USA

The heat emitted from waste incinerators, refineries, and data processors could soon become much more useful, thanks to a discovery by the startup OsmoBlue. The Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne Laboratory of Microsystems startup has found a way to convert waste heat over 30 degrees Celsius into electricity that could be used to heat buildings and even power the machines that produce the heat in the first place,

Read the rest of OsmoBlue Discovers a New Way to Turn Waste Heat into Electricity

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Post tags: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, converting heat into energy, data processors, epfl laboratory of microsystems, gas or steam into electricity, heat over 30 degrees can be turned into electricity, osmoblue, refineries, turning heat in the form of air, using osmosis to convert heat into electricity, waste incinerators, water issues

As long as industry and infrastructure relies on oil to function, there will be spills. Cleaning up such disasters, like the recent Mayflower, Arkansas rupture, can be costly and time consuming. Even the chemicals that are used to disperse and absorb the crude can be dangerous to the environment, and researchers have long been looking for greener alternatives. A new study finds that raw, unprocessed cotton may be a cheaper and safer way to soak up oil than synthetics.

Read the rest of Raw, Unprocessed Cotton Can Be Used to Clean Up Oil Spills

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Post tags: arkansas, barley straw, ch foundation, cotton, cotton incorporated, industrial & engineering chemistry research, kapok, low micronaire, mayflower, oil spill, seshadri ramkumar, unprocessed, West Texas, wool

Read the rest of Alaksan Home Awarded Title of World’s Tightest Residential Building

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Post tags: "sustainable architecture", air tightness, alaska, dillingham, eco design, energy efficient house, green architecture, Green Building, green design, high performance insulation, kristin donalson, passive house, Sustainable Building, sustainable design, tight house, tight thermal envelope, tom marsik, world's tightest house

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Post tags: bamboo cladding, eco design, Garden Terrace Miyazaki Hotel, green design, green hotels in Japan, green materials, green wedding chapel in Japan, japanese architecture, Japanese design, Kengo Kuma, sustainable design, Sustainable Materials

A team of Norwegian research scientists has unveiled a concept that could store energy on the seabed. Conceived by Subhydro AS, the underwater pumped hydroelectric power plant would use high water pressure to create and store electricity for later use on the shore.

Read the rest of Norwegian Scientists Unveil Plans for World’s First Underwater Energy Storage Plant

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Post tags: energy storage, renewable energy, SINTEF, subhydro, Subhydro AS, tidal power, water pressure, wave power

Two supermarkets are making lemonade out of lemons the green way—by converting their spoiled food into energy. Grocery chains Ralphs and Food 4 Less (both part of the Kroger Co.) have joined forces with FEED Resource Recovery to make use of the rotten and expired foods that their markets don’t sell. Any food that can’t be sold or donated will be transformed into energy to help run their distribution center in Compton.

Read the rest of Supermarkets Transform Their Unsold Spoiled Food Into Green Energy

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Post tags: anaerobic digester, biogas, eco design, FEED Resource Recovery, Food 4 Less, food recycling, green design, Kroger Co, Ralphs Supermarket, sustainable design

One of the top urban gardening solutions to debut at ICFF this year is the modular KiGA by Hurbz Vegetable Spirit. Designed as a kitchen garden for urban homes, the four different modules can be configured two ways — either lining a wall or grouped together in a cluster. The four-level garden brings the benefit fresh vegetables and herbs to any household with ease and style, to fit any space.

Read the rest of Hurbz Unveils Stylish KiGA Modular Kitchen Garden Concept

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Post tags: eco design, green design, Hurbz, Hurbz Vegetable Spirit, ICFF, KiGA kitchen garden, modular garden, sustainable design, urban gardening

While not everyone can become a full-time climate activist, it is still possible to contribute to the battle against global warming. Researchers from Arizona State University have created an online computer game called Ventus that serves as a repository that maps the world’s CO2 emissions from power plants. Led by Kevin Gurney, the program allows those living near generation sites to enter the name and location of the facilities along with how much and what type of fuel is used, the amount of electricity generated, and overall CO2 released into the atmosphere.

Read the rest of Ventus: The Computer Game that Uses Crowd-Sourced Info to Map Global CO2 Emissions

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Post tags: Arizona State University, china, CO2, computer game, crowdsourcing, data, emissions, fossil fuels, global warming, google earth, India, kevin gurney, michael m. crow, power plants, ventus

When Inhabitat’s Architecture Editor,  Bridgette Meinhold, heard about the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 and the massive devastation it caused, she wanted to help, and was drawn to start investigating different options for temporary shelters and disaster relief housing. This exploration gradually broadened to a larger focus on design for disaster-preparedness; seeking out what type of shelters can best withstand earthquakes, hurricanes, rising sea levels and tornados. Now I’m thrilled to say that after years of research, Bridgette has just published an incredible new book entitled Urgent Architecture: 40 Sustainable Housing Solutions for a Changing World. Urgent Architecture showcases inspiring and innovative ideas for resilient design – design that will withstand the test of time – surviving climate change, rising sea levels, manmade and natural disasters. I recently had a chance to interview Bridgette about her new book at Inhabitat HQ in NYC, and she gave me some fascinating insight into her inspiration for the book, the impact climate change will have on future housing and what she believes is necessary to create a more sustainable and responsive built landscape. Watch the video above for the interview, and if you want to learn more, you can get your own copy of Urgent Architecture here.

A full transcript of the interview with pics is available after the jump.

Read the rest of INTERVIEW: With Bridgette Meinhold, Author of ‘Urgent Architecture’

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Post tags: "sustainable architecture", adaptable housing, book review, bridgette meinhold, bridgette meinhold interview, design for disaster preparedness, design to withstand disasters, disaster design, disaster housing, Eco Architecture, eco design, green architecture, green books, green design, inhabitat book review, Prefab Housing, resilient architecture, resilient design, sustainable design, urgent architecture

As if the oceans are not struggling enough with climate change, pollution and overfishing, the United Nation’s International Seabed Authority (ISA) has issued 17 prospecting licenses for state and private companies eager to dig up the ocean floor. The ISA has published a report evaluating the impact that mining the sea bed to extract about mineral rich “nodules” amid “an unprecedented surge of interest,” according to The BBC. And they are frank to note that there will be “inevitable environmental consequences.”

Read the rest of UN Issues 17 Prospecting Licenses for Deep Sea Mining Across Three Oceans

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Post tags: deep sea mining, Environment, environmental destruction, gold rush of the sea, International Seabed Authority, ISA, Lockheed Martin mining, marine destruction, News, sea bed mining, United Nations

When architect Ed Mazria announced that buildings account for nearly 50% of man-made greenhouse gas emissions, the building industry was taken aback. After a long career in passive solar architecture, he has taken on the goal of steeply reducing the carbon footprint of architecture – most notably with his 2030 Challenge, which aims to eliminate the use of fossil fuels in new construction, and to cut the use of fossil fuels in existing buildings by 50% by 2030. To help hit those targets, Mazria is launching a new initiative called the 2030 Palette—a robust, visually oriented online design tool which strives to help produce low-impact, people friendly projects. We recently visited Mazria’s offices in Santa Fe, where we spoke to the architect in-depth about his work and how sustainable development can save us from the worst climate change has to offer.

Read the rest of INTERVIEW: Ed Mazria, Founder of Architecture 2030 Introduces the 2030 Palette

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Post tags: 2030 Palette, Architecture 2030, carbon neutral architecture, Ed Mazria, global warming, green architecture, green construction, Sustainable Building

Many people bemoan the fact that they can’t grow their own food (or even flowers) because they lack any kind of garden space, but guess what? You can actually grow more than you realize in really small areas as long as they get a bit of direct sun. Hell, you can even grow things indoors under a lamp, but there’s something special about plucking your own food from a stalk that’s been sitting in summer sunshine all day. In any case, whether you have a little concrete slab behind your house, a fire escape outside your window, or even a tiny balcony, your urban garden can be a veritable Eden of fresh, healthy, home-grown vegetables, and herbs.

Read the rest of DIY: How to Plant a Personal Garden In a Small Urban Space

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Post tags: balcony garden, companion planting, food, herbs, Organic vegetables, patio garden, patio gardening, self sufficiency, tomatoes, urban food gardening, urban food solution, urban garden, urban gardening, vegetables

There are some phenomena in nature that inspire tears of joy, some that spark a sense of awe, and then there are those that send chills up your spine. The Taylor Glacier in Antarctica, which was discovered in the McMurdo Dry Valley in 1911, appears to be bleeding. The bright red waterfall, dubbed “Blood Falls,” is nearly five stories high, and it seeps through a crack in the ice. Geologists first believed that the color of the water came from algae, but the hue is in fact caused by a small body of water containing a hidden lake of microbes.

Read the rest of Antarctica’s Taylor Glacier Appears to Be Bleeding with a Five-Story Crimson Waterfall

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Post tags: antarctica, atlas obscura, blood, blood falls, extremophiles, Iron, lake, mcmurdo dry valley, microbes, red, slate, taylor glacier