A Scrapbook of the Green World
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Smithsonian Reports Spotted Owl In Danger Again
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A Better Beer Bottle Part 2: One Million Beer Bottles Used...
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A Glimpse of the Future of Green Architecture
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Venice Under Water: Deepest Flood in 22 Years
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Category Archives: Green Buildings
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Adam Williams in Green Buildings 584 days ago
BrightBuilt Barn is putting forward an “eco-smart project” that tells who on the block — or in the woods — is energy-nice and who is using more than they generate. Green LED glow is good; red not so much. BrightBuilt’s Web site says: This building requires NO FURNACE, even in Maine, and provides owners with… Read More…
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Using designs that mimic the shape of birds’ flight, as rendered above, these foldable bamboo shelters can be used in a wide range of ways to provide eco-friendly shelter in response to catastrophe that displaces large numbers of people. Ming Tang, the designer, arrived at the idea for the Folding Bamboo Houses after the devastating… Read More…
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Jennifer Lance in Food & Drink 673 days ago
In the sixties, Heineken created the beer bottle that could be used as a building brick. With similar inspiration, Buddhist monks have created the Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew temple in the Sisaket province of Thailand from one million recycled beer bottles: Heineken bottles and Chang Beer bottles.
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A new photovoltaic paint is being developed by UK university researchers and the steel industry and should be ready for use in three years. The solar paint consists of a layer of dye and a layer of electrolytes. It is applied to the steel as a liquid paste in four layers. “If the solar cell… Read More…
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EcoSalon is keeping tabs on sleek, green architecture and has identified a futuristic-cool lineup of 15 houses, including this JLS Design house pictured above. These houses reach for green functionality and 21st Century design. Source: EcoSalon Image: JLS Design
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There is much useable roof space in our communities, and architects are looking beyond homes for solar installations. With an increase of plug-in hybrids and electric cars about to hit the market, solar carports make sense. Standard products, like this solar carport, cost less than custom PV projects. Via and Image: Off-Grid
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This week, the Berkeley City Council unanimously voted to give city-backed loans to property owners for rooftop solar systems. Solar loans for as much as $22,000 will be paid off over 20 years and included on property tax bills. Other cities are closely watching Berkeley’s unique solar loan program and have expressed interest. Via: New… Read More…
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Of all places to start a greenhouse, the Sahara Desert would likely rank pretty low for many. But someone is working on a plan to make food growing happen there. The Sahara Forest Project aims to use massive greenhouses to direct the sun’s rays for heat and energy, which is planned to regulate the air,… Read More…
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These stairs are so cool! At Toronto’s Roarockit Skateboard School, they used skateboard decks to build a stairway. It appears the decks were custom made for the stairs, but this would be a creative way to upcycle old decks. Via: Treehugger
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There are plenty of empty shipping containers in the US from our trade deficit, and several of my neighbors have purchased them for anything from building bridges to storing goods. Travelodge has just built a hotel in Uxbridge, England using shipping containers. By using shipping containers, Travelodge reduced 70% of on-site construction waste and built… Read More…
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Austrian art collective Gelitin has created an installation titled “Normally, Proceeding and Unrestricted With Without Title”. You can row around this four feet deep artificial rooftop lake in boats made from from reclaimed timber and junk-store furniture with oars assembled from old chair legs.
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Philip Proefrock in Green Buildings 806 days ago
Kansas City MO architect Bob Berkebile is one of the key figures in establishing the importance of green building in this country. Berkebile was instrumental in the founding of both the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as well as the American Institute of Architects’ Committee on the Environment (COTE). Those once-radical ideas have started to… Read More…
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All new homes built in Hawaii will be required to install solar hot water heaters beginning in 2010, cutting energy costs by 30%. The state of Hawaii has a goal of at least 70 percent renewable energy use by 2030. “Achieving this goal is nearly impossible without widespread use of solar water heaters,” Hawaii Sierra… Read More…
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Watch out Swiss Family Robinson, this treehouse in Northumberland County, UK is 6000 square feet! Who knew that McMansions would appear in the trees? Via: Fun Shotgun
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Max Lindberg in Green Buildings 843 days ago
They’re probably drinking a lot of beer in Quqiao village, in Shaanxi Province, China. Ma Yanjun, a carpenter, said he wanted his mother to be able to enjoy a comfortable shower anytime, and since a solar water heating system was too expensive, he devised a way to make one of his own. Using only water-filled… Read More…
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Aussie Klara Marosszek has developed a commercially viable hemp building material. Fire and pest resistant hemp concrete is made by mixing hemp hurds (the pithy core of the stem), lime-based binder, water and a little sand. This is not a new technique, as century old bridges in France were made from hemp concrete. Via: Treehugger… Read More…
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These homes in the ancient city of Maymand, Shahr-e Babak, Kerman-Iran were carved into living rocks 12,000 years ago, representing the peaceful coexistence of man and nature. The underground homes protect inhabitants from extreme cold or heat in the desert. See more photos: Fars News Agency
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As part of their Earth Day coverage, NPR’s All Things Considered took a look at a LEED Platinum home renovation in Washington DC. Peter Yost from the green building resource BuildingGreen helped to explain some of the possibly unfamiliar green building terms and explained how the elements of this renovation contributed to its being one… Read More…
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The world’s largest solar kitchen serves up to 38,500 meals per day in Taleti, India. The solar kitchen is a special demonstration project of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. Source: Inhabitat
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In 1963, the Heineken World Bottle, the“brick that holds beer”, was created after Mr. Heineken visited the Caribbean. He saw two problems: beaches littered with bottles and a lack of affordable building materials. The solution: beer bottle bricks! Source: Frost Fire Zoo Check out the Thai Buddhist temple made from one million recycled beer bottles!
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mcmilker in Green Buildings 948 days ago
UK Supermarket goes green growing tomatoes for power. Photograph: Martin Argles
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Pem Charnley in Business 948 days ago
It’s long been a concern of mine – a concern that has been growing in recent months.How exactly do you get the public on board, get them to make green choices? Gordon Brown dreams of 100,000 sustainable homes being built. Only 99,997 to go then. Only three sustainable homes built in UK so far. Image… Read More…
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An interesting report ran in The Guardian today – offering tips on how your community could become greener by way of the green living awards. Environmentally friendly scuba diving, a new kind of courier bicycle service, the “scrapmobile” and more. A thoroughly positive and refreshing report as we head into the weekend.
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A very green DIY house renovation in Chicago: the Heppner residence at the Chicago area green building blog Green Bean. “They have also recycled all the metal, concrete, glass blocks and windows with the assistance of a local scrapper. All new materials are required to meet at least one of the following criteria: sustainable, durable,… Read More…
