Pacificwaters: In the last decade, there was a significant spurt in the use of non-renewable sources of energy. This led to many ordinances being passed towards limiting the usage of these non-renewable sources as well as towards increasing utilization of the renewable sources. An architecture firm had organized in May 2009, an international competition inviting proposals for designing a house with special regards for the supposed environmental conditions in 2050, when probably many non-renewable energy sources would have depleted. A design for such a house of 2050, proposed by M&A Architects, went on to win the third rank at the Materials & Technology Exhibition, Tabriz International Exhibition Co., Iran. The design proposed by M&A Architects for the house of 2050 was based on the fact that the chief source of energy available today, viz. petroleum, would probably have been exhausted by then. This would thereby necessitate the architecture plans used in 2050 to focus on green and renewable energies such as wind and solar energies to the fullest. The house of 2050 was therefore constructed as having transparent photo-voltaic glasses on the exterior to block as much sunlight as possible during the day. The solar energy thus conserved, would serve the energy needs of the household as well as provide luminosity. In addition to maximizing solar energy entrapment and usage, the model for the house of 2050 also attempted to utilize energy from the wind to the maximum extent possible. The architecture of the house was consequently designed in a U-shape, with a system attached to the inner portion of the building and which could convert the mechanical energy of the wind incident and store it as electrical energy for future use. If water resources continue to be used and polluted as they are being today, 2050 has all chances of having acute water scarcity. Hence, the building of 2050 was designed keeping in view its self-sufficiency with regards to water. A sponge-like material which can collect, store, refine and filter rainwater for drinking purposes was incorporated into the design of the house. Also, attempting clever use of architecture, the elevators for the house of 2050 were cleverly constructed on the outer shell of the house with minimal travel distance. To add to the positivity of the urban landscape, the façade for the house of 2050 was to have cold and warm colors as well– each signifying day and night respectively. Via: Architizer

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Futuristic house for 2050 – A proposal

Ayan123: The Shanghai Auto show came alive today when Audi showcased its A3 e-Tron concept to the public for the first time. The A3 e-Tron is Audi’s offer of a plug-in hybrid vehicle based on the auto giant’s four-seat RS 3 Sportback. The vehicle is still in the prototype stage. Since it is a hybrid vehicle it, uses both a diesel engine and an electric one. The diesel engine it uses is a turbocharged, direct injection, 211 hp, 1.4 liter TFSI unit and the electric engine is a 27 hp motor. All this horsepower gives the e-Tron a top speed of 144 miles per hour. This 12kWh lithium-ion battery has dual mode of charging. It charges differently when it is running and when it is parked. When the vehicle is running the battery charges itself through the energy recovery system. But when it is parked, the battery can be charged by a household power socket. The e-Tron is being projected as a very energy-efficient vehicle. Running solely on the electric motor the e-Tron can travel for 34 miles. Since the e-Tron is a hybrid vehicle, it would be less polluting than a conventional diesel car. The capability of running solely on electric power makes it a viable option for city driving. Apart from the engines, e-Tron is equipped with various other unique capabilities. It has a 7-speed S-Tronic transmission which acts like an automatic direct shift gearbox. It can be operated in both manual and automatic mode. The vehicle shares some similarities with Formula 1 cars. The biggest similarity is the steering wheel paddles, which help in changing gears. It also comes with regulated oil pump, the intelligent thermal management system, a start-stop system and an energy recovery system. All these systems combine to make the Audi A3 e-Tron the very cutting edge of hybrid vehicles. Via: Gizmag

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Audi unveils A3 e-Tron at the Auto Shanghai

JayantiAnubhav: The question is where will we grow our food when 80 percent of the population will reside in urban centers and the population will increase by about 3 billion people. As per an estimate, this will happen by 2050. The answer is vertical farming. Many stories high, and consuming less water and fossil fuel for farming, vertical farm is a concept of growing crops in skyscrapers right in the heart of the urban centers. Vertical farm will also be movable and can be transferred from one location to another by dismantling it. The concept is that there will be vertical support columns on the ground and tracks will be created for cultivation of plants. Vertical farm will be divided into various towers. At the base of each tower there will be silos and plastic shafts will be used to transport the harvested crops to the respective silo. Water will be supplied to the water tower through the well pump or water collection cap which will be at the highest level of each tower. There will be solar panels at the edge of each tower to supply energy to the water pump and ventilation system along with other operating other facilities of cooling, heating and lighting the skyscraper. Vertical farm is surely a green revolution as it is comparatively cheaper and easy to maintain. It also has green features with optimum utilization of space for utilities, living, maintenance, and storage. Food and energy is produced without effecting the environment drastically also helping the environment as the living biomass help reducing carbon dioxide and humus are used for fertilization. Well, most definitely green concepts like vertical farming ensures us towards a greener future. Via: Behance

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Vertical Farming – A greener future for farming

In this first installment of a two-part series, Aron Cramer explores three approaches to incorporating sustainainability into corporate boards.

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Giving Sustainability a Seat In the Boardroom

The market for electric cars is so distorted by government subsidies that it’s all but impossible to determine the true cost of an electric car.

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How Much Does an Electric Car Really Cost?

What CEO expects to stand before her or his Maker someday and talk about shareholder value?

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Should Business Have a Conscience?

Zoom2swati: Amsterdam architects unstudio have recently built a new state of the art architectural marvel to serve as headquarters for the Dutch national tax offices and the student loan administration in Groningen, the Netherlands, and have branded it as DUO2 . DUO2 is a consortium made up of Strukton, Ballast Nedam and John Laing. The architect is unstudio in Amsterdam. The subcontractors are Lodewijk Baljon landscape architects, ISS and YNNO. Arup and Studio Linse have played an important advisory role. The DUO2 is a 92-meter-tall state of the art architecture and has a frontage surrounded by horizontal fins which keeps a large amount of the heat outside the building, reducing the requirements for cooling. DUO2 has the facility to accommodate 2,500 employees, and has the provision of underground parking for 1,500 bicycles and 675 cars in an underground garage; the building will be surrounded by a large public city garden with a pond and a multi-functional pavilion with commercial functions. Extensive studies of the sun and wind has given DUO2 an aerodynamic structural form. The facade design, terraces and the rounded corners assures the least disturbance to the surrounding urban green space climate. The important element in the design was to create a healthy and energy-efficient interior climate along with the workspace comfort of the employees. The comfort of the employees is guaranteed by plenty of natural daylight, ventilation and adjustable heating, and access to fresh air for individual workspaces. A softer and a more open-minded profile was the aim of the architecture to present to these institutions. Tall buildings are generally related to the novelty of the mid-twentieth century, wherein their businesslike exteriors gave a kind of feeling. In a unique distinction, the DUO and Tax offices have resemblance of a public institution with a much friendlier and easy to get in approach. The DUO2 project is one of Europe’s most premier pieces of architectural marvel with an aesthetic of sobriety and has been branded as the building of the future. The addition of varied passive and active environmental and energy-efficient solutions has made the building to be one of the most sustainable office buildings in the Netherlands. Via: Dezeen

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DUO2: An architectural marvel

Dattatreya: Saint Petersburg Zoo or the Leningrad Zoo with more than 2,000 animals from 410 species certainly has a rich history, as being one of Russia’s oldest zoos, founded back in 1865. But the problem lies with its location, as it is situated in the historical town center of the exalted city. This already accentuates upon the severe predicament of the rising population density, in effect adding to the urban congestion levels. So, in a bid to rectify the situation, an international competition for a new Primorskiy Zoological Park was held, and it was comprehensively won by this ingeniously conceived entry from the experienced team of Bruno Tanant and Jean Christophe Nani of landscape design firm TN PLUS and Aldric Beckmann and Françoise N’Thépé of architects Beckmann N’Thépé . The new zoo will cover an expansive area of 300 hectares on the outskirts of Saint Petersburg. The site was deliberately chosen for its ample supply of water. The conception itself will carry forth a higher degree of symbolic significance, which is quite unprecedented in the design of zoos. Clearly and rather poetically alluding to the primeval times when there was the lone existence of Paleolithic Pangea (a ’supercontinent’ which splintered to finally give shape to the present continents), an archipelago (different islands) within the park will contain ecological samples from all the seven continents. Even two of these islands (symbolizing North America and Eurasia) will be connected by a pack of ice brought from the Arctic Pole. As already mentioned, the water supply will rather assist in this allegorical yet ambitious venture. But symbolism aside, the zoological park will also incorporate sustainable features. Other than being a sanctum for bio-diversity, the park will also act as an educational facility for us to learn more about our planet’s ecological history. Source: Bustler

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The winning design from Beckmann N’Thépé and TN Plus for the new Saint Petersburg Zoological Park

Dattatreya: A startlingly dismal figure according to UNICEF reveals that – there are an estimated 250 million children aged 5 to 14 in child labour worldwide, and that too excluding the bulk of child domestic labor. Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL) estimated that among this drastically high number, there are between 70 and 80 million child laborers only in India. Now added to that, India is also considered to have one of the highest numbers of orphans. In view of such severe circumstances, Peterborough-based charity HEAL (Health and Education for All) has come up with a speckle of hope, but hope nevertheless, in the form of their sustainable village design for 1000 destitute children. This conscientious conception aptly christened as the ‘Paradise Village’ is already touted to be the most ambitious project from HEAL, costing around £3 million. It will be based in the south-eastern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The location will be a paradisiacal 26-and-a-half acre site in Thotapally, completely surrounded by water, and will incorporate a plethora of convenient features like shelter, support, education and healthcare for children. The efficient zoning will constitute of spatial elements such as school, family-style dormitories, an eye hospital and a myriad of recreational facilities, including visitor’s centre, auditorium, artistic and manual workshops. They will combine to maintain the ambiance of a traditional Indian ‘gurukul’ system. Now coming to the sustainable part, the whole village design will pursue a holistic approach to green technology. Solar energy, wind power from turbines on a nearby hillock and even geothermal energy will be utilized to their full potential. Added to that there will be hydroponic vegetable gardens, solar cooking and water recycling systems integrated within the space. Ingenious design considerations like vaulted roofs would reduce structural costs by 45 per cent and negate the need for steel. And at last but not the least, the process of incorporating landscaping elements with extensive green cover and planting of fruit bearing and shady trees has already been started, to accentuate upon the level of total sustainability. Source: PeterboroughToday

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In an utterly conscientious move, HEAL to built a sustainable village for deprived children

Bjwrites: War is not just about surviving bullets and bombs but ruthless environmental conditions and inhuman conditions. A recent survey revealed that US military requires around 7 gallons of water for daily purposes, such as drinking, cooking and cleaning. Supplying such amount of water consumes both time and money, which could otherwise be used for some other purposes. Spearheaded by a team of experts, Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) came up with a unique solution to address this critical issue. The have come up with an innovative technology that can capture drinkable water from combusted diesel fuel emitted by power tanks, Humvees and other machines. The basic concept behind this technology is that whenever hydrocarbon fuels burn, they get oxidized to produce carbon dioxide and water. Water, thus produced is emitted out from the exhaust. This water can be collected and condensed before use. ORNL also worked upon the principle of capillary condensation to extract clean water. Capillary condensation depends upon the capillary action in the micropores of hollow pipes. The water condenses in these micropores to be extracted later. Humvee has a 25-gallon tank which is capable of providing adequate water for 3 soldiers per tank of fuel burned. This technology is capable of recovering about 65-85 percent of it. Once commercialized, this technology can be of immense utility to harvest water in drought affected areas. The US Military has filed an application to fund the project. The estimated cost to commercialize this technology is around $6 million. Via: Physorg

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Scientists suggest converting diesel exhaust into potable water for troops in war