Ecoscraps

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 earthquake that struck China in May, killing tens of thousands of people.

Sources: OneInchPunch.net and Eco Architecture

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.  Read the rest of this entry »

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 paint can be successfully brought to the market, it could spell big changes when it comes to the future production of electricity,” said Steve Fisher of the Corus Group, the Anglo-Dutch steel manufacturing group investing in the project.  The solar paint will be more efficient at capturing low radiation light than conventional solar cells, so it is suited to all climates.

Image:  Corus Group

Via:  Renewable Energy World

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

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

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 York Times

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, filter water and create an environment for plant growth.

Via: greenpacks.org

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

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 the hotel 40-60% faster than using traditional building techniques.

Via/Image:  Inhabitat

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.