IKEA has developed some innovative green designs over the years, but now the home furnishings retailer has the distinction of having the largest photovoltaic array in the state of Michigan. The
This awesome boat, dubbed Firefly, is a six-person boat that is powered entirely by the sun. The first Firefly was built in 2010 by Dan Baker who decided to construct his own pontoon to cruise around
Standard photovoltaic cells only harvest energy from a single surface - the side facing the sun. Israeli startup bSolar has found a way to improve upon this unidirectional design with a double-sided solar
Summer is the perfect time for picnics and pool parties, but don’t count on the mediocre built-in speakers of your smartphone or laptop to kick things off. Eton’s Rukus Solar boombox is a portable,
London’s super-solar Blackfriars Station is halfway to becoming home to the world’s largest solar bridge. Solarcentury began construction on the ambitious project last fall, fitting the bridge with a
Carbon nanotubes have been used in everything from energy-free lights to oil spill clean-up technology, and now a team from Rice University has used them to develop a paint that transforms any surface
The Mini Home's exterior materials are comprised of an Iverit façade and a bitumen roof while the floor is laid with hardwood panels. All of the prefabricated modules and add ons, including a compact
Wouldn’t it be amazing to be able to simply raise an anchor and move your home to a new country? Well, if you live on a luxury Orsos Island, you can do just that. The floating home resorts are
Owned by the Farzam family, the Shore Hotel opened last fall and offers up a bright green alternative to chain hotels and a hum drum overnight experience. The spot was previously occupied by the Pacific
The center is also designed to incorporate passive solar heating and cooling and collect rainwater through its roof. The central spire feature an observation deck, and it's ringed by a green roof
Currently 40% of the solar energy that reaches Earth lies in the near-infra-red region of the spectrum, and while most photovoltaic devices are unable to harness this energy, a team at MIT has created an
INHABITAT: The start of the Rio+20 conference is upon us now. What is the UAE hoping to achieve whilst there? Thani Al-Zeyoudi: The UAE’s ultimate goal in Rio is to ensure the success of the summit. We
Scientists at the US Naval Research Laboratory, Electronics Science and Technology Division recently announced that they have developed a new breed of underwater solar panels that are able to power
The Living Building Challenge promotes the most sustainable development possible and we would venture a guess that the Groundhouse would at least come really close to meeting their requirements. Yes, that
A team of researchers at MIT has developed a new type of textured solar surface that could bring down the cost of photovoltaic technology by reducing the thickness of silicon used by more than 90% while
When BVN Architecture was designing the new dormitories for Monash University, they focused on the residents' experience rather than just ensuring they met the spatial requirements. The project consists
Honda has announced that its new thin-film solar cell technology is now being used at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. As the founding sponsor of the Aquarium, Honda is providing the
Here at Inhabitat we love finding urban gardens flourishing in the most unlikely places, like this brilliant school bus turned mobile greenhouse! The Green Urban Lunch Box is a 35-foot bus in Salt Lake
Late last night the Solar Impulse successfully completed the world's first solar-powered intercontinental flight! After taking off from Spain, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg piloted their Solar
The Solar Impulse solar-powered plane will take off from Madrid-Barajas airport (Spain) at 11:30PM (ESDT) and will ascend to an altitude of 12,000 feet in the direction of Seville. The plane will then
The couple who owned the farm house are getting on in years and wanted to update their residence to provide more space for visitors and create a connection with the outdoors. They also
Sharp just signaled a bright future for renewable energy as it achieved a new solar cell efficiency record of 43.5%, eclipsing its previous record of 36.9% set in November. Sharp shattered the efficiency
The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) - the US Air Force's top-secret automated space plane - is finally set to return to Earth after a year in space. Although not much is known about the spacecraft, we do
Despite recent clashes between the US and Chinese solar industries, it seems that the entire solar power sector is prospering. As stated in a new report from GlobalData, with the ever-increasing number
Solar panels must be regularly cleaned and maintained in order to keep them operating efficiently and maximize the amount of sunlight they convert into electricity. With this in mind, a group of students
With China becoming the world's leader of solar cells and panels, it was hoped that their mass production would help bring down global prices. However, in order to aid domestic manufacturing, the US has
The world's first Solar-Geothermal Hybrid power plant has been inaugurated in the town of Fallon, Nevada. Just ten months ago Nevada Senator Harry Reid announced that the addition of solar panels to the
Saudi Arabia has long been a wealthy country because of its enormous oil reserves. But the kingdom also is rich in sunlight, and it now promises to invest over $100 billion to develop 41 gigawatts of
When driving along a sprawling motorway towards the UK city of Bristol at night, a massive glowing helicoidal tower welcomes visitors and locals. Installed in 2008, the tower, called Twist, was designed
Ombrellone Solare recently unveiled two solar parasols at Fabbrica Del Vapore during this year’s Milan Design Week. Dubbed Eclipse and Kosmos, the designs saw great success, not only because of the
