Architecture + Urban Design + Sustainability = Getting back to the roots

Biological Concrete for a Living, Breathing Facade

2013-03-19T23:48:00.004-04:00

The future of design requires thinking innovatively about the way current construction techniques function so we may expand upon their capabilities. Sustainability has evolved far beyond being a trend and has become an indelible part of this design process. Sustainable solutions have always pushed against the status quo of design and now theStructural Technology Group of Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech(UPC) has developed a concrete that sustains and encourages the growth of a multitude of biological organisms on its surface.

We have seen renditions of the vertical garden and vegetated facades, but what sets the biological concrete apart from these other systems is that it is an integral part of the structure. According to an article in Science Daily, the system is composed of three layers on top of the structural elements that together provide ecological, thermal and aesthetic advantages for the building.

More after the break.

Courtesy of UPC

The biological layer that promotes the plant growth is actually concrete, with a fine tuned cement base that promotes plant growth and is specifically catered to the viability of specific mosses and lichens. Generally, the pH levels of concrete are high. Ideal concrete conditions have pH levels lower than 9, but traditional Portland Cement can have pH levels around 12 or 13, which then needs to be reduced to an acceptable level. These are not the ideal conditions for which researchers at UPC are looking. Instead, they are developing thebiological layer of concrete using a magnesium phosphate cement that is slightly more acidic and does not require treatment to reduce its pH levels.

Mosses can thrive in levels of pH as low as 5 – levels that most other plants do not prefer. Limiting the competition by reducing pH levels will likely promote moss colonization. This strategy will lead researchers to develop several types of cement with a variable distribution of pH levels that promotes specific types of organisms to thrive be it moss,microalgea or lichens.

The assembly for this living concrete is composed of three layers on a structural surface. The first layer is a waterproof membrane that protects the structural elements from water penetration. The new biological layer of concrete is applied on top of this layer. This layer absorbs rainwater, acting as a microstructure that retains and stores rainwater. The final layer is a discontinuous coating that permits the entry of rainwater and traps it between the coating and the waterproof membrane. This optimizes the amount of water that is caught within the biological membrane without compromising the structure.

The system’s advantages are numerous. The plants capture CO2 from the air and release oxygen. The layer also acts as insulation as a thermal mass. It helps regulate temperatures within the building by absorbing heat and preventing it from entering the building in hot weather or escaping the building in cold weather.

The material is patented but is still in its experimental phases. Researchers are experimenting with the types of cement that can be used to promote certain species of plant growth. These variations in the facade, both ornamental and ecological, add diversity and color to any facade be it a new building or a renovation.

Story via Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC). “Biological concrete for constructing ‘living’ building materials with lichens, mosses.” ScienceDaily, 20 Dec. 2012. Web. 6 Jan. 2013.
Images via Flickr user: cowbite; Licensed via Creative Commons

Self Cleaning Fish Tank

2013-03-19T23:46:00.000-04:00

Already an internet hit with their mushroom-growing kit, Back To The Roots went from fungi to fish. Raising over double their Kickstarter goal, they just launched this Home Aquaponics Self-Cleaning Fish Tank.

This self-cleaning fish tank features five pots on the top for growing herbs and plants such as spinach, baby greens, oregano, beans, basil, mint, parsley and thyme. The fish waste naturally fertilizes the plants above. So, all you really have to do is feed the fish!

Pre-order one here.

SOLAR charging stations

2013-03-19T23:44:00.001-04:00

ZERO CARBON: Stamp House / Charles Wright Architects

2013-03-19T23:41:00.004-04:00

CWA were approached by the project client to deliver a carbon neutral (in operation) solution for an environmentally sensitive site off-grid on the edge of the FNQ beachfront rainforest. The aim was not to simply produce an engineered outcome but produce a building which made the most of the sites natural amenity and re-introduced the surrounding native wetland environment. The building is literally reflected by way of its siting over an engineered water ecosystem which was the result of lengthy liaison & collaboration with National Parks, Environmental Agencies, State and Local Government.

The design is formed in an innovative combination of in-situ and precast concrete. The concrete has been engineered & insulated incorporating a total solar panelled roof to provide for a constant cooler & more comfortable ambient temperature year-round. The design utilises massive cantilevers to mitigate impact from potential flooding & king tide inundation associated with cyclonic activity. The project has been designed to be solid and to withstand intense cyclones.

ESD initiatives include: total 250,000 ltr water harvesting, recycling & reticulation, renewable solar energy generation with solar backup non-reliant on fossil fuel backup generation, On-site Advanced Tertiary Sewerage treatment plant, grey water recycling & irrigation, Shaded & Insulated Thermal mass engineering, ‘green’ cooling & energy conservation controlled via building automation system (CBUS).

Floor Plan 02

Seattle Leads the Way in Tracking Building Energy Use

2013-03-19T23:38:00.002-04:00

Enthusiasm for water and energy data collection for commercial and residential buildings has been growing strong across the U.S. in major cities such as Austin, New York, Washington D.C. and San Francisco. It’s no surprise to learn that Earth-friendly Seattle is ahead of the game when it comes to tracking its buildings; reports show that the city is receiving data for a whopping 87% of its commercial and multi-residential buildings over 50,000 square feet, which totals to 1,160 individual properties covering over 200 million square feet of the city.

But that’s not all. New cities are hopping on the data collection bandwagon, most recentlyMinneapolis – the first city in the Midwest to adopt rules for energy benchmarking and disclosure. Other cities who already have a green reputation, such as Boston, are upping their game to adopt this beneficial practice in an effort to create even healthier and more prosperous urban conditions. With the President himself expressing support for cutting energy use by constructing more energy efficient buildings at last week’s State of the Union address, water and energy data collection is finally receiving the attention and consideration it deserves.

More on tracking building energy use after the break…

Architecture 2030, inventor of the 2030 Challenge, an incremental set of energy-reducing targets for building sector professionals, says that the sector is undergoing a dramatic transformation. As of July 2010, 73% of the 30 largest Architecture/Engineering firms in America had adopted their challenge to incorporate into their designs “appropriate planning and passive design strategies, improved material selection, building envelope design, more efficient lighting, equipment and appliances as well as on-site and community-scale renewable energy technologies.” If the building sector continues to lead, Architecture 2030 believes that it can “dramatically reduce U.S. and global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions over the next twenty years and beyond.”

Collecting, documenting and displaying the effects of these design decisions in a way that makes them useful for the future is a matter of governmental policy and it’s clear that governments who choose to implement such policies are seeing real results. Cities experiencing disclosure requirements for energy and water are reporting lower energy costs for businesses – one of the desired outcomes – along with the bolstering of market forces and the motivation of owners and tenants to invest in energy efficiency improvements. New York City is uncovering intriguingly less-than-ideal performances of some of its LEED buildings while older buildings seem to be doing less harm than expected – evidence of significant knowledge that would otherwise go undetected.

Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston hopes to reveal similar potentials in his own city by filing the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance with the Boston City Council, another component of the Mayor’s extensive action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Lessons learned from experienced cities informed the Ordinance, which will similarly require “all large and medium sized buildings to report annual energy use, water use and greenhouse gas emissions tracked through Energy Star Portfolio Manager,” only one of the many services offered by the EPA to educate and organize new leaders in this green endeavor. Other services include help centers, workshops, daily technical assistance and a how-to-guide to facilitate the transition to more earth and energy-friendly buildings.

According to Brian Swett, Boston’s Chief of Environment and Energy, “the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance follows the principal of what gets measured gets managed. Through measurement and transparency, the Ordinance will encourage cost effective building investments in energy and water efficiency that will improve building performance, save money, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” With this quickly-spreading concern for water and energy conservation, it’s only a matter of time before the rest of our nation’s cities follow Seattle’s lead.

Tokyo Urban Farm: Eat While Watching Your Food Grow

2013-03-19T23:37:00.001-04:00

Offering some green relief in a dense and brightly-neoned cityscape, these mini urban farming cubes add visual relief and interest but also provide a functional habitat supplying an adjacent restaurant.

Simple iron frames enclose full glazing on all sides so passers by or diners can watch from any side. The growing plants within provide shade and configure exterior space for the restaurant-goers as well.

The 8 Most Interesting Ideas to Revolutionize Urban Farms

2013-03-19T23:30:00.002-04:00

Today, while the Center for Science in the Public Interest was busy coordinating Food Day events across the nation, we got to thinking about all the delicious plants that will have to grow on buildings if our rapidly urbanizing world is to produce enough sustenance for the projected 9.1 billion people who will need access to fresh food by 2050. Could it really be a coincidence that so many of the causes CSPI addresses—healthy eating, hunger, food security, agriculture policy—find some resolution in the promise of agritecture, farmscrapers, and other utopian portmanteaus? We think not!

As the vertical farming trend has taken off in recent years, many architects and designers have begun tackling the question of how to marry agriculture with architecture. Here’s a look at some of our favorite concepts (most of them un-built) for fanciful food-producing pyramids, geodesic domes, flower pods, and insects.

1. Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut‘s design for the 132-story Dragonfly—a solar- and wind-powered vertical-garden concept for New York City’s Roosevelt Island—packs in 28 agricultural fields as well as meat and dairy production. Two oblong towers sandwich a greenhouse in clear glass "wings," which are buttressed by a pair of inhabited rings.

2. The Swedish organization Plantagon‘s concept for a vertical garden tower (left) and a rendering of a new Plantagon Greenhouse, which will begin construction in Linköping, Sweden, in 2013 (right). The approximately 175-foot-tall greenhouse will house a Center of Excellence for Urban Agriculture and begin food production in 2014.

3. Pictured here is Plantagon’s now-iconic design for a geodesic greenhouse, released in 2009. Inside, spiraling ramps make up the main circulation. The dome’s curved glass allows light to reach crops at varying angles, and to penetrate deep into the structure in winter when the sun is low.

4. Studio Mobile developed this concept for a vertical farm in Dubai. Addressing the coastal city’s scarcity of fresh water, the design borrows the logic of flowers to irrigate the gardens inside its five greenhouse-pods, which are made of polyethylene-wrapped steel. Studio Mobile’s “plant” has five stems that send humid and cooling sprays of seawater up through the pods, and condensers separate out fresh water that can be used to water the plants.

5. Designers Michaela Dejdarova and Michal Votruba conceived this cactus-like farm as a communal garden on the outskirts of Prague. The garden gets its structure from clusters of tetrahedrons that form an exoskeleton, which in turn supports hundreds of terraced agriculture plots. And since the tetrahedron clusters are modular, the structure can grow with demand or even be “harvested” to seed new farms across the city.

6. Columbia professor Dickson Despommier and collaborator Eric Ellingsen designed their speculative farm as its own ecosystem. In addition to raising crops and fish and poultry, this futuristic food pyramid manages its own waste with a heating and pressurization system: sewage separates into water and carbon, which in turn powers machinery and lighting. As Despommier writes on his Vertical Farm website, “We cannot go to the moon, Mars, or beyond without first learning to farm indoors on earth.”

7. Mithun’s concept for a Center of Urban Agriculture in Seattle envisions full-on urban-farm living. The design combines 318 affordable apartments with vegetable fields, greenhouses, and a chicken farm, all on a condo-friendly site just under three-quarters of an acre. Rooftop rainwater-collection tanks would keep the center off the city water system; the design also calls for 34,000 square feet of solar arrays, whose unused energy could be stored as hydrogen gas.

8. Taking an approach we can only guess at (techno-utopian rainbow… Swiss army knife?), FABLAB designer Kevin Chu proposed this concept for a vertical farm in London—and took home an award for it. As the Atlantic Cities’ John Metcalfe marvels, the design specifies a dizzying array of features, including solar helium balloons, a laterally mounted wind turbine, transparent wing canopies, and the tallest organic restaurant, sky lounge, conference hall, and theater in the world.

This post originally appeared on Architizer, an Atlantic partner site.

Keywords: urban farm, Vertical Architecture

Lamar Anderson is a San Francisco–based freelance writer. Her work has appeared in Architectural Record, ARTnews, the Hairpin, and Salon.

The Farming Technique That Could Revolutionize the Way We Eat

2013-03-19T23:21:00.003-04:00

Sustainable highways

2013-03-18T20:22:00.001-04:00

A smart road design that features glow in the dark tarmac and illuminated weather indicators will be installed in the Netherlands from mid-2013.

"One day I was sitting in my car in the Netherlands, and I was amazed by these roads we spend millions on but no one seems to care what they look like and how they behave," the designer behind the concept, Daan Roosegaarde, told Wired.co.uk. "I started imagining this Route 66 of the future where technology jumps out of the computer screen and becomes part of us."

The Smart Highway by Studio Roosegaarde and infrastructure management group Heijmans won Best Future Concept at the Dutch Design Awards, and has already gone beyond pure concept. The studio has developed a photo-luminising powder that will replace road markings -- it charges up in sunlight, giving it up to ten hours of glow-in-the-dark time come nightfall. "It's like the glow in the dark paint you and I had when we were children," designer Roosegaarde explained, "but we teamed up with a paint manufacture and pushed the development. Now, it's almost radioactive".

Special paint will also be used to paint markers like snowflakes across the road's surface -- when temperatures fall to a certain point, these images will become visible, indicating that the surface will likely be slippery. Roosegaarde says this technology has been around for years, on things like baby food -- the studio has just upscaled it.

The first few hundred metres of glow in the dark, weather-indicating road will be installed in the province of Brabant in mid-2013, followed by priority induction lanes for electric vehicles, interactive lights that switch on as cars pass and wind-powered lights within the next five years.

The idea is to not only use more sustainable methods of illuminating major roads, thus making them safer and more efficient, but to rethink the design of highways at the same time as we continue to rethink vehicle design. As Studio Roosegaarde sees it, connected cars and internal navigation systems linked up to the traffic news represent just one half of our future road management systems -- roads need to fill their end of the bargain and become intelligent, useful drivers of information too.

"Research on smart transportation systems and smart roads has existed for over 30 years -- call any transportation and infrastructure specialist and you'll find out yourself," Studio Roosegaarde comunications partner Emina Sendijarevic told Wired.co.uk. "What's lacking is the implementation of those innovations and making those innovations intuitive and valuable to the end-consumers -- drivers. For this, a mentality change needs to take place within a country and its people, but also within a company such as Heijmans.

"This is a story that goes beyond the 'Smart Highway' as such -- it's about the fact that Heijmans and Roosegaarde are not going to wait any longer for innovations to find their way through the political system, but will start building this highway now."

All together, the studio has around 20 ideas that will eventually be rolled out and it has had inquiries from countries across the globe -- "India is really keen on it; they have a lot of blackouts there, it would be hallelujah to them".

Roosegaarde also hopes to take his designs to the US west coast, where companies like Google already have autonomous vehicles driving round their campuses: "It amazes me that most innovation in the west coast is screen based -- I always imagined that technology jumping out of our screens and becoming part of our environment. It's incredibly important we keep imagining what our reality is going to look. A lot of people have told me along the way that what I wanted could not be done, and it's my job to prove them wrong."

The Roosegaarde design promise comes as UK authorities announce that lights on motorways, residential streets and footpaths will be turned off or dimmed from as early as 9pm to save money (hundreds of thousands of pounds, in some cases) and to meet green targets.

Some councils are, however, taking on the burden of installing new lights with dimmers, the cost of which will mean they will need to wait four to five years before they recoup the money -- by which time, they could have conserved cash for more efficient and safer ways to save on lighting costs. A Sunday Telegraph report has also revealed that nearly 5,000km of motorways and trunk roads in England are already unlit, 75km have their lights switched off between midnight and 5am and 73 percent of 134 councils surveyed switch off or dim lights, or plan to. Fully switching the lights off on major roads saved the Highways Agency just £400,000 in 2011.

Paul Watters, head of roads policy at the AA, told the Telegraph: "We do know that most accidents happen in the dark. It's also comforting for people, especially if they arrive back from somewhere in the night, when they have got a late train. There are also suggestions that it increases crime. So it may save money in terms of energy but then you have to look at the cost in terms of security, safety and accidents, it may actually be more."

According to a report by car insurance company Zurich Connect, there is an 11 percent increase in claims immediately following the winter clock change in the UK, when nights get darker earlier.

Sustainable Education

2012-01-13T23:50:00.001-05:00

Online Classrooms: The Future of Sustainable Education for All

Author: Ryan Rollins
Online classrooms may be the future of sustainable education for all. Faced with high drop-out rates, annual state testing, crumbling buildings, and competition, many schools are making the decision to offer online classrooms.
What is a sustainable education?

Sustainability has been defined by the United Nations as something that can "meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs" (WECD, 1987). Essentially, a sustainable education is one that thoroughly educates students today without hindering the learning of future students. Online classrooms are sustainable because they are affordable and adaptable.
What is an online classroom?

Online classrooms take many forms. At one end of the spectrum is the fully online course. In this type of course, all teacher-student and student-student contact takes places within cyberspace. Instant message chats and postings are made in lieu of face-to-face discussions. All of the traditional learning experiences of a physical classroom exist; the only difference is that the teacher and students do not share the same physical space. Many schools choose to utilize this option for at-risk students. Sadly, a working student or young parent may be forced by money issues and time constraints to drop out of school. Online classes offer the opportunity for these students to remain enrolled.
Why would traditional classroom teachers opt for online classrooms?

All teachers know that, despite their best efforts, not every student has a chance to contribute to a verbal discussion. A student may be shy, absent, or simply not get the opportunity. How can participation be monitored and encouraged, given these obstacles? Online classrooms offer forums wherein students can interact freely. Teachers can easily monitor and track student participation without putting individual students on the spot.

Another additional notable benefit of an online classroom is the accessibility of course content. Both students and parents can, from home, access handouts, notes, and more.
How can a school utilize the online classroom experience for its students?

The wide range in types of online classrooms can be confusing to many teachers and administrators. Obviously, no one wants to sign up for something only to learn that the online system does not meet the school's needs. It is strongly recommended that any school looking into an online education venture work with a consulting company. Consulting companies are knowledgeable regarding the online market, software, and course content. Likewise, a consulting company will understand the needs of individual schools and types of students.
To learn more about learning management systems (LMS) and Moodle, visit moodlerooms.com today!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/online-education-articles/online-classrooms-the-future-of-sustainable-education-for-all-3643774.html

About the Author

Fight to save China's Lake Tai

2011-09-19T20:18:00.001-04:00

Making Transport Eco Friendly

2011-09-19T20:17:00.002-04:00

Indian Organic Farming Natural Technique

2011-09-19T20:14:00.000-04:00

Speeding into new energy

2011-09-19T20:12:00.002-04:00

Smowtion

2011-08-21T01:48:00.001-04:00

2011-08-18T22:59:00.001-04:00

New Satellites battle pollution ghosts

2011-08-18T08:55:00.002-04:00

Sustainability at Penn University

2011-07-26T14:40:00.002-04:00

2011-07-26T14:34:00.001-04:00

iFOLD Save paper initiative by Ogilvy & Mather - INDIA

2011-04-16T14:29:00.000-04:00

Carbon Dioxide Capture and Sequestration: Hype or Hope?

2011-03-27T08:06:00.002-04:00

Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design with Nature

2011-03-27T07:53:00.003-04:00

Solar Rain

2011-03-10T23:02:00.002-05:00

The RainPerfect pump and solar panel install easily and provide plenty of pressure to run water through a garden hose. The pump provides enough pressure to run most low pressure sprinklers, wash a car or water just about anything around your home.

A convenient solar panel captures natural energy from the sun eliminating the need for electrical power to charge the battery. This makes the RainPerfect pump ready to go anywhere, anytime and involves no additional utility cost for you.

SAHARA GREEN

2011-03-10T23:01:00.000-05:00

The objective of the Sahara Forest Project is to develop and deploy an integrated, large scale system for reforestation and creation of green jobs through profitable production of food, freshwater, biofuels and electricity.

The result is: Restorative growth. The inputs are simple and abundant: Nutrients, sunlight and seawater.

The processes integrated into the Sahara Forest Project will work optimally under sunny and arid conditions. The unique benefit of the system arises synergistically from the integration of proven technologies: Seawater Greenhouses Seawater greenhouses allow the production of freshwater from seawater, and provide a cool and humid micro-climate well-suited for food and biomass production. Seawater greenhouses have already been built in some of the hottest regions on earth.

Concentrated Solar Power Concentrated solar power uses solar radiation to produce heat and power, and is the fastest growing technology for harvesting solar energy in the world.

The Sahara Forest Project will allow for production of high quality crops, both inside and outside of the Seawater Greenhouses.

The team behind The Sahara Forest Project comprises award-winning experts from Exploration Architecture, Seawater Greenhouse, Max Fordham Consulting Engineers and The Bellona Foundation.

Preparing for the LEED Exam? Check out the LEED Visual

2011-01-15T10:09:00.005-05:00

If you are preparing to give the LEED exam this is an awesome read! highly recommended. It is a complete pictorial reference guide to the LEED exam.

The book is intended as:

A comprehensive study guide for USGBC's LEED^® Green Associate Exam (v 3.0).

·   A visual explanation of sustainable and high performance buildings, and their benefits
·   A handy reference guide for building owners, architects,engineers, developers, contractors and all other design and construction professionals.

Topics explained in the book:
·         Green Building,
·         Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design,
·         Sustainable Sites,
·         Water Efficiency,
·         Energy and Atmosphere,
·         Material and Resources,
·         Indoor Environmental Quality,
·         Innovation in Design and Regional Priority.

Graphics and text layout:
·   All chapters are color coded for easy navigation through the book.
·   Each topic is explained for its 'Intent' - addressing the environmental issue   and 'Approach' - explaining the strategies to solve it.
·   Every topic is explained through colorful illustrations to help you understand the concept clearly and retain it in your memory.
·   Relevant glossary is explained at bottom of the page, saving time of having to look it up at end of the book.

Mnemonics for easy memorization:
Visual mnemonics used throughout the book to help you remember difficult standards with ease.