27 Jan
2018
Manta5’s new electric water bike lets you cycle on rivers and lakes
Green Transportation & Logistics | NEW ZEALAND
Published by : Eco Media Asia
Forget about biking on boring old roads. New Zealand-based company Manta5 has created a hydrofoil bike that allows cyclists to glide atop water. Equipped with a battery and a quiet 400-watt electric motor, the Hydrofoiler XE-1 is poised to make a splash in the cycling world. Guy Howard-Willis glimpsed New Zealand’s coastline and waterways while riding his bike, and he dreamed of cycling right on the water. He met cycling…
25 Jan
2018
Clever switches use your OCD tendencies to save electricity
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | THAILAND
Published by : Eco Media Asia
Do you have a habit of forgetting to turn off the lights? Thai designer Pakaporn Teadtulkitikul has a smart solution for those of us with obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Meet the OCD Switch, a clever light switch that takes advantage of our preference for pattern and symmetry to encourage users to turn the lights off and save electricity. When turned on, the switch is visually misaligned with its background, only to be set back in its proper…
24 Jan
2018
Elevated bamboo peace bridge for the Korean Demilitarized Zone unveiled by Shigeru Ban and Jae-Eun Choi
Green Building Materials, Construction & Design | KOREA, REPUBLIC OF
Published by : Eco Media Asia
South Korean artist Jae-Eun Choi is teaming up with prolific architect Shigeru Ban to bridge a peaceful relationship between North Korea and South Korea. The artist and architect propose to install a garden-lined bamboo bridge called “Dreaming of Earth” within the Korean DMZ area, which has grown into a unique wildlife sanctuary over the decades of tension between the two countries. The ambitious project includes…
23 Jan
2018
How the world’s first floating city could restore the environment
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | FRENCH POLYNESIA
Published by : Eco Media Asia
The world got a little closer to the first floating city when the Seasteading Institute signed a memorandum of understanding with the French Polynesian government earlier this year. Not only could floating cities offer a sustainable place to live, but they could also potentially help coral reefsrecover and provide a habitat for marine life, according to Joe Quirk, Blue Frontiers co-founder and Seasteading Institute…
21 Jan
2018
Hot electron research could open up greater efficiencies for solar energy
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | UNITED STATES
Published by : Eco Media Asia
Hot electron research is heating up solar and renewable energy research, according to the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory. Nanoscientists there uncovered quicker ways to convert power from light to energetic or hot electrons – and their methods could allow for higher efficiencies for solar power.Argonne researchers and collaborators created hybrid nanomaterials – smaller than the width of human hair – “to…
19 Jan
2018
Shanghai flying car tower to clean the air with a 50,000-plant vertical forest
Green Transportation & Logistics | CHINA
Published by : Eco Media Asia
Flying cars seem to be moving from the realm of science fiction to reality – and Richard’s Architecture + Design (RA+D) helmed by architect Richard Moreta Castillo has already designed a net-zero tower pioneering drone car infrastructure. The Smart Power Long tower, a condominium building planned for Shanghai, features landing pads for flying cars. The futuristic concept is super green, according to RA+D, and will feature a vertical…
17 Jan
2018
Self-sufficient Arval HQ is completely powered by geothermal and solar energy
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | ITALY
Published by : Eco Media Asia
The new headquarters for car rental company Arval uses geothermal and solar energy to achieve complete self-sufficiency and zero-emission status. Pierattelli Architetture designed the building with huge photovoltaic steel wings lined with over 1000 flexible solar panels to maximize its energy-collecting capabilities. The architects designed the headquarters, known as the Photovoltaic Bolt, as a Climate House…
15 Jan
2018
German city offers ingenious alternative to single-use coffee cups
Eco Products & Services | GERMANY
Published by : Eco Media Asia
What do you do when you arrive at a coffee shop and realize you’ve forgotten your reusable mug? Many of us, in need of caffeine, would guiltily accept the disposable cup that may or may not be recyclable. But the city of Freiburg, Germany came up with an inventive solution. They created the Freiburg Cup, which coffee lovers can snag for one Euro and return to participating stores to be cleaned and used again – up to 400 times.In…
13 Jan
2018
Bjarke Ingels Group unveils plans for massive solar-powered sports complex in Austin
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | UNITED STATES
Published by : Eco Media Asia
They say everything is bigger in Texas, but the state’s newest sports arena is going to be really BIG. Bjarke Ingels Group just unveiled plans for the new East Austin District, a solar-powered sports and entertainment center that will include the city’s first pro sports stadium and large-scale music arena. The modern complex will be topped with a series of red photovoltaic roofs in a checkerboard layout. The massive 1.3 million-square-foot…
11 Jan
2018
Colossal cardboard temple pops up in Chiang Mai in just one day
Green Building Materials, Construction & Design | THAILAND
Published by : Eco Media Asia
A titanic Thai-inspired temple just popped up in Chiang Mai—but instead of gold leaf and teak, this one’s built entirely of cardboard. Assembled in less than a day, the prefabricated building is the latest work of Olivier Grossetete, a prolific French artist who specializes in cardboard architecture. Those who hope to gaze upon the temple of cardboard should hurry—the ephemeral building will come down on Sunday for recycling.Temples are…
09 Jan
2018
World’s first solar panel mural unveiled in San Antonio
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | UNITED STATES
Published by : Eco Media Asia
In a world where solar farms are shaped like giant pandas, there’s certainly room for some solar butterflies. Determined to beautify our cities by converting solar panels into creative works of public art, the Seattle-based Land Art Generator Initiative just unveiled the world’s first solar mural installation, called La Monarca, by San Antonio artist Cruz Ortiz with creative direction from artist Penelope Boyer. La Mariposa solar…
07 Jan
2018
Historic French building stuffed with plastic bags looks ready to explode
Others | FRANCE
Published by : Eco Media Asia
A shockingly large number of plastic bags appeared to fill a historic stone building to near bursting in Bordeaux last month. The eye-catching installation is the most recent work of Luzinterruptus, a design collective famous for raising environmental awareness with luminous art installations. Created for the FAB Festival de Bourdeaux, the temporary artwork, titled The Plastic We Live With, turned into a light installation at night evocative…
05 Jan
2018
Trump’s first big brawl with China may center on solar panels
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | UNITED STATES
Published by : Eco Media Asia
The Trump Administration has signaled its intention to take a significantly tougher approach to trade with China, where most of the world’s solar panels are produced. This stance follows President Trump’s campaign promise to protect American jobs from being outsourced to other countries. Due to increasing international competition in the solar industry, at least a dozen solar companies have closed factories in the United States. In response to Chinese…
03 Jan
2018
“Cannabis walls” add warmth to this eco-friendly home in Israel
Green Building Materials, Construction & Design | ISRAEL
Published by : Eco Media Asia
Cannabis is good for more than just medicine—industrial hemp has its uses in eco-friendly architecture too. Haifa-based studio Tav Group built Ein Hod, an eco-minded home for artists, using hempcrete, a bio-composite made from hemp hurds, hydrated lime, and water with desirable thermal properties. Located on a hillside in a rural Israeli village, the beautiful terraced home is optimized for passive solar energy and natural ventilation to further…
01 Jan
2018
Recycled materials make up this quirky solar-powered hotel in West Africa
Others | CAPE VERDE
Published by : Eco Media Asia
This beautiful sun-soaked retreat on Cape Verde’s island of Sao Vicente prides itself on sustainability. Ramos Castellano Arquitectos designed the Terra Lodge Hotel using recycled and found materials, water recycling systems, and a rooftop solar array. The hotel draws the eye with a gridded timber frame constructed from unfinished African wood that partially encloses private verandas. Built predominately from lime-plastered concrete, the Terra…
30 Dec
2017
The world’s first 100% solar-powered train launches in Australia
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | AUSTRALIA
Published by : Eco Media Asia
The world’s first 100% solar-powered train is now gliding down tracks in Byron Bay, Australia. The Byron Bay Railroad Company refurbished a three-kilometer, or almost two-mile, stretch of tracks and restored a heritage train, outfitting it with a 6.5 kilowatt (kW) solar array with flexible solar panels. A limited service launched over the weekend, with full service set to commence in January.Byron Bay Railroad Company restored…
28 Dec
2017
Building integrated solar panels from Dubai produce clean energy — and color
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Published by : Eco Media Asia
The United States could obtain 40 percent of its energy solely from rooftop solar (with sufficient political will). But what if solar panels could also boost architectural aesthetics? Dubai-based Emirates Insolaire hoped to do just that with their Kromatix technology, providing an alternative to the blue or black panels that adorn many roofs. Plus, their solar products aren’t limited to rooftops — they can also be integrated in…
26 Dec
2017
Steven Holl unveils office clad in colorful photovoltaic glass for Doctors Without Borders
Green Building Materials, Construction & Design | SWITZERLAND
Published by : Eco Media Asia
Steven Holl Architects just beat out a slew of other firms with plans for the new Doctors Without Borders headquarters in Geneva. The energy-efficient “Colors of Humanity” building features an innovative facade made of multi-hued photovoltaic glass and it’s topped with a lush green roof.The New York-based architect’s design was chosen over various proposals from architecture firmsaround the world. According to Mathieu Soupart, Logistics…
24 Dec
2017
New smart grid solution heals itself amid central grid outages
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | UNITED KINGDOM
Published by : Eco Media Asia
Renewable energy may offer emissions-free electricity, but it isn’t always easy for electrical grids to integrate that energy. Dutch company Alfen is launching their answer to the dilemma. The Cellular Smart Grid Platform (CSGriP) allows a central grid to be divided into smaller cells that can operate independently, if necessary, and even self-heal.CSGriP provides energy from sources like biogas, solar…
22 Dec
2017
Black butterfly wings provide inspiration for superior solar cells
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | UNITED STATES
Published by : Eco Media Asia
Researchers recently took cues from butterflies to design thin film solar cells that can better absorb light. The rose butterfly, common to India, has soft black wings that keep the insect warm with the sun’s heat. Mimicking the design of the butterfly’s wings, the scientists created a solar cell that The Verge reports can gather light twice as efficiently.California Institute of Technology and Karlsruhe…