Eco Factor: Self-sustaining tower designed for Olympic Games 2016.
RAFAA Architecture & Design has proposed a self-sustaining tower for the 2016 Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro. Dubbed Solar City Tower, the architecture will help Rio start a global green movement for sustainable development of urban structures.
The project features a solar power plant that by day produces energy for the city and the Olympic village. Excessive solar energy produced during the day will be used to pump seawater into a tower. After the sun sets, this water will be released and energy will be generated with the help of turbines.
During night the renewable energy produced by the tower can be used for lighting systems on the towers or to power the city. On special occasions, this tower can also turn into a spectacular urban waterfall, symbolizing the forces of nature.
The tower’s entrance area and the amphitheater can serve as a place for social gatherings and events. The cafeteria and other shops will be situated beneath the waterfall and offer a breathtaking view. The urban balcony, which is situated at the top of the 105m-tall tower, will provide visitors with a 360-degree view of the landscape.
Last year Melbourne’s iconic Southern Star Observation Wheel found a sad turn when it had to be shut down due to cracks and buckling caused by the intense summer heat. The $100 million wheel has since been decommissioned, but that hasn’t stopped designers from thinking about what to do next with the landmark. So why reinvent the wheel you ask? Because it could be transformed into an energy-generating windmill outfitted with solar sails!
Buro North, together with photographer Peter Bennetts and Fooch from Squint Opera, came up with a mind-bending way to re-adapt the wheel. They’ve transformed the simple observation deck into a futuristic windmill powered by solar-sail energy, complete with numerous, well-landscaped hubs for a new fleet of flying steam-powered trams. The base also features quite the garden, bringing nature back to the people with free roaming super flamingoes convening near street performers.
While this fantastical endeavor probably won’t be feasible anytime soon – we imagine flying trams are still some years away – the concept itself brings up key issues such as how to efficiently adapt, and re-function outdated infrastructure.
This green Ekokook kitchen by Faltazi design is one of the most well-researched culinary concepts we have seen. Ekokook proposes that in the future, the general public will strive to become self-sufficient in their homes, and they will do so through conservation and reuse. Eco enthusiasts will drool over the abundance of green features and efficient functionality, and the hearts of design aficionados will beat a bit faster when they see the clean lines, polished renderings, and ultra-cool process video.
The Ekokook kitchen is complex and addresses many needs beyond cooking, such as the short-term storage of fresh vegetables, water conservation, container gardening, sorting waste, recycling, and composting. They have even made it simple to break down waste storage into categories of solid, organic, and liquid. There are also accommodations for energy-saving appliances, such as a twin-tier dishwasher, steam oven, and compartmentalized refrigerator.
The Home Core concept integrates the toilet bowl, sink, mirror and a vanity table into one. However, this is not the central theme for this all-in-one-loo. There is a water storage tank right below the sink, where you can choose to store the currently used water or allow it to drain off. (The stored water is meant for flushing the pot) Also, the water pressure from the tap can be moderated to four different levels, giving you the satisfaction of conserving some resource.
Egyptian naval architecture and design studio Pharos Marine has unveiled plans for a sleek new 60 metre eco-friendly superyacht dubbed the Orcageno, driven by an innovative hydrogen diesel-electric system that could theoretically deliver an incredible-sounding range of up to 13,000 nautical miles. Hydrogen fuel contains three times the energy of diesel fuel and produces no carbon monoxide or dioxide in the exhaust. The yacht is based around an advanced slender hull form with an axe bow, offering lower resistance due to low angle of entrance, inspired by Orca the killer whale and the gentler sperm whale (don’t ask us).
The interior features are just as stunning, with a spa and health centre positioned within the curved glass superstructure. A sun deck with Jacuzzi is surrounded by a leather-covered lounging area. The dining room is positioned forward with a fabulous view of the dual-level swimming pool and its hydraulically-operated glass sunroof. There are accommodations for 12 guests and 14 crew in total with the owner’s quarters being of course the most luxurious. The 13,000 nautical mile range is based on a cruising speed of 10 knots, while at the maximum speed of 18 knots the figure drops to a still impressive 7,100 NM.
The Murakami chair’s attached lamp is powered by kinetic energy produced from the chair’s rocking back and forth—deliciously simple and elegant. Oh, and that lampshade? Not a lampshade. That’s the actual OLED light source, shaped like a lampshade.
The OLED lamp even senses when it’s light or dark out, and if it’s light, stores the energy produced by rocking in a battery pack until nightfall. The chair, designed by Rochus Jacob, rightfully shared first prize at the DesignBoom Green Life Competition, which you can read more about here.
energy aware clock by loove broms, karin ehrnberger, sara ilstedt hjelm, erika lundell, jin moen, 2006 – 2008
the energy aware clock is designed to make you aware of your energy consumption on a daily basis. the clock visualizes the daily energy rhythms of the household and reminds us of the ordinary kitchen clock in its form, place and use. the clock indicates electrical use of its environment in real time.
the device is hung on your wall like a normal clock, and can read the electricity being used in the space
where it is situated
image courtesy of interactive institute
power aware cord by anton gustafsson, magnus gyllenswärd, sara ilstedt hjelm, christina öhman
in collaboration with thinlight AB, 2004-2006
this power cord has been designed to visualize the energy of the current use of electricity of appliances connected with it through glowing pulses, flow and intensity of light.
it can be used as a tool for people to rediscover energy in their homes as well as having an ambient display of their consumption that they can see at any given time.
the power cord provides an ambient display of light
energy curtain by anders ernevi, margot jacobs, ramia mazé, carolin müller, johan redström, linda worbin, 2004-2006
the energy curtain reinterprets our familiar relation to curtains as a means of controlling light in a room. the curtain must be drawn shut in order to collect light, and the amount and duration in which it is drawn during the day determines how much light is collected for the night. it gives users the choice as to whether to open the curtain and enjoy the day light, or close it and save energy for later. even through the mundane act of opening or closing the curtain embodies the trade-off between consuming and conserving energy.
flower lamp by sofia lagerkvist, charlotte von der lancken, anna lindgren, katja sävström, göran nordahl
technical modifications by: anton gustafsson, fredrik kronqvist, 2004-2006
the shape of the flower lamp responds to the amount of electricity being used in the household. with a decrease in usage, the flower lamp slowly opens up and appears as if its ‘blooming’. on the contrary, if energy consumption increases, the lamp closes into a closed cylindrical form, which also effects the quality of light emitted. in order to make the flower lamp more beautiful, a collective change in behaviour is needed.
the flower lamp blooms when you decrease your household electrical use
The speculation about the concept’s powertrain has gone in several directions, almost all of which were correct. The new concept is a plug-in hybrid with a three-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. Conceived with the idea of melding the performance of a M3 with exceptionally low fuel consumption, BMW claims a 0-62 mph time of 4.8 seconds while scoring 62.6 mpg (U.S.) on the E.U. combined test cycle.
There has been considerable speculation that future BMWs will go to smaller engines including a three-cylinder. The concept uses a 1.5-liter turbodiesel that is essentially half of the fabulous 3.0-liter found in the 335d. The triple is rated at a hefty 163 hp with peak torque of 214 lb-ft. The engine is paired with a six-speed DCT derived from the unit used in the M3 and Z4.
Adding fuel to recent reports that BMW would not continue developing the two-mode hybrid system that will debut soon in the X6, the concept uses a new strong hybrid system. The new system is a further development of the mild hybrid that is debuting in the ActiveHybrid 7. As in the 7, a more powerful 33-hp electric motor is sandwiched between the engine and transmission. A second 80-hp motor provides drive to the front axle. The total net output of the drive system is 356 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque.
Making use of electric motors requires some electrical energy system. Here BMW’s new concept has an arrangement similar to the Chevrolet Volt using a lithium–polymer battery pack running down the center tunnel of the car. Also similar to the Volt, the pack has a usable capacity of 8.6 kWh. However, the total capacity is just 10.8 kWh. BMW claims the pack used in the concept can use 80% of its capacity, considerably more than the 50% that the Volt uses. The upside is that the pack weighs just 187 pounds. When plugged into a standard European 220 V / 16 A outlet, the battery can be charged in just 2.5 hours.
This Philips non-spherical-biosphere is a self-contained farm for that produces hundreds of calories of various food sources a day. Its five-level design breaks down like this:
Levels 1 and 2: Plants
Level 3: Algae
Level 4: Fish and Shrimp
Level 5: Organic Waste
From what we can tell, the system is designed to cascade nutrients from the top to the bottom (back to the top). Optical fibers capture and redirect light to the plants during the day, while methane capture from organic waste can power lights at night. The algae create oxygen for the fish.
Rebuilding New Orleans is an ongoing effort and pitching into the concept-zone is the New Orleans Arcology Habitat or NOAH. Since the details on this structure are in-depth and plenty, lets plunge into them right away. NOAH proposes to be a habitat for 40,000 residents who can benefit from the planned residential units, school system, commercial, retail, hotels, casinos, parking, and public works facilities.
NOAH is based upon the following preliminary program outline.
1. Residential Units / Rental and Condominium; 20,000 units @ average 1100 Sq ft
2. Three Hotels; Average 200 rooms plus associated services
3. Time Share Units; 1500 units @ average 1100 sq ft
4. Three Casino Facilities
5. Commercial Space / Rental and Condominiums; 500,000 sq ft
6. Commercial Space / Retail; 500,000 sq ft
7. Parking Garage / within foundation; 8,000 cars
8. Cultural Facilities; 100,000 sq ft
9. Public Works; 50,000 sq ft / includes storage
10. District School System; 100,000 sq ft
11. District Administrative Office; 50,000 sq ft
12. District Health Care Facility; 20,000 sq ft
Estimated Total Square Footage : 30 million
Location/ Site Specific:
In reviewing all the options and possible sites for NOAH, the most logical location is on the Mississippi riverfront and adjacent to the Central Business District.
Design Challenge:
1. The first challenge is to overcome both the physical and psychological damages of recurring severe weather patterns. Though re-population has begun, the need to provide a stabilized and safe environment is paramount to a long term recovery and economic well being of New Orleans.
2. The second challenge is that New Orleans has too much water. The city has been built at and below sea levels which creates consistently high water table and makes it prone to flooding and storm surges.
3. The third challenge is that New Orleans is built on soil condition which consists of thousands of feet of soft soil, silt and clay. These conditions make building large scale concentrated structures difficult.
Believing that NOAH is a viable plan, our solution to overcome these challenges is to take advantage of these seemingly conflicting issues with the introduction of a floating urban platform.
Foundation Design / Basin
The NOAH foundation system is twofold. The first part of the system is to create a water filled “basin” within which the urban platform (NOAH) will float.
The second part of the system is to create a multi-cavity “hull” which will be the actual foundation for the superstructure.
Basin/Foundation:
The water basin will be a combination of carving into the existing land and extending out into the Mississippi River.
This man made basin is estimated to be 1,200 feet in diameter with a depth of 250 feet.
The walls and floor of the basin would be constructed of high strength concrete with applied lateral bracing and exterior attached tension rings.
Backup intact valves will allow basin and river water levels to remain constant.
The Foundation:
Noah, at its current height of 1,200 feet will rest up its triangulated foundation constituted
to be a buoyant multi-cavity “hull.” This “hull” will consist of high strength concrete cells, forming approximately a 40×40 matrix. This matrix not only gives buoyancy to the structure, it also becomes the framing matrix for the steel framed superstructure. It is estimated that the combined weight of NOAH will draft 180 feet within the water-filled basin, allowing a minimum 50 foot space between the floor of the basin and the floor of the buoyant foundation.
The hull will accept all land connectors as flexible conveyors to take into account any movement.
A triangulate shape has been chosen as the basis for NOAH. For two reasons:
First, the triangle is inherently the most rigid of all structural framing systems. The system is designed to dissipate gravity and severe wind loads through an all-steel applied (eko skeleton) exterior frame and conventional internal framing methodology.
Second, the triangle is an “open” frame configuration, dividing NOAH into three separate “towers” converging at the top. The intent of this open system is to allow all severe weather /winds to in effect “blow through” the structure in any direction with the minimum of massing interference.
Some Other Features:
1. Sky Gardens will be inserted into the three main towers every 30 floors. These sky gardens provide landscaped glass enclosed atria.
2. Vertical commuting within NOAH will be supported by a series of local and express custom canted elevators.
3. NOAH is geared to an all pedestrian environment. Accordingly, only select horizontally based areas will be fitted with moving walkways and/or electric train carriers.
NOAH is a three phase master plan with a proposed 10 year build out. This time frame can be reduced to an estimated 6 years should demand accelerate.
Eco-Highlights:
The structure is designed to expand the horizon of sustainability and will seek LEED certification.
It will eliminate the need for cars within the urban structure, and thus becomes a carbon neutral entity. Internal electric transport links, vertical and horizontal, create a pedestrian-friendly community,
Some of these elements are secured wind turbines, fresh water recovery and storage systems, passive glazing system, sky garden heating/cooling vents, grey water treatment, solar array banding panels, and river based water turbines.
In a perfect world we’d all be getting back to our zero energy, prefabricated homes by foot, bike or public transport, but on a planet where cars won’t be disappearing anytime soon, it’s nice to know that some car companies are trying to reduce their carbon footprint when producing new vehicles. In 2003 BMW set out a design competition for a new building and distribution center located in Munich, Germany. The results were more than grand; not only is the new BMW Welt aesthetically pleasing with its sinuous curves and gleaming façade, but it was also consciously designed to save energy in its production of cars through efficient solar heating and natural ventilation systems.
The BMW Welt was designed by architects Coop Himmelb[l]au in five thematic blocks: Hall, Premiere, Forum, Tower, and Double Cone, where areas have been reserved for car production, exhibition space, restaurants, shops, and even a business center. Coop Himmelb[l]au, not unfamiliar with designing large and complex spaces, developed a totally integrated and ecologically friendly air system combining both low and high tech methods to create optimal air circulation.
The multifunctional Hall, which sits as the centre point of the complex, was designed as a solar-heated, naturally ventilated sub-climatic area, removing the normal requirements for building heating and ventilation. Instead, a natural air supply is generated by thermal currents, wind pressure and turbulences when air accumulates in the area of the façade and roof projection. Air intake and outflow take place through automatically controlled and strategically placed vents providing the Hall with all its air needs.
The system proves to be especially beneficial to the Premiere section where BMW Welt produces its cars, and which directly opens up to the Hall. Because of the intensive exhaust gases that are released during the delivery process, and the subsequent energy heavy regulation typically required for air cleanup, the system was further fine-tuned to adjust the volume of air intake and outflow and to extract the exhaust fumes directly and pump in fresh air. A considerable feat given that BMW assumes a turnover of about 40 cars per hour, for a total of 250 cars per day.
On top of all this, the Forum, Tower and Double Cone are definitively public spaces, and have specially incorporated air systems to meet the comfort needs of their occupants while utilizing natural ventilation when possible.
In Possible Future Scenario #317-B, San Francisco industrial design firm Mike and Maaike presents the atnmbl ( “autonomobile”). Less a car than an autonomous, seven-person mobile living room, the atnmbl is billed as a complete redesign of the car for those who believe that the ideal driving experience is not driving.
Essentially an all-wheel-drive Internet sitting room, the solar and electric atnmbl asks you where you want to go and then takes you there. Speed and acceleration are “irrelevant considerations,” time savings is the key – that is, unless you ask the atnmbl to take the scenic route. Since you’re not driving, you’ll need something to do during the trip, hence the Internet browsing screen and open-source software architecture to download apps, social networking capabilities, and… a bar.
Mike and Maaike don’t predict seeing the atnmbl until 2040, which gives you some time to enjoy having to leave your couch to go camping. As for such a thing actually materializing, coming from the folks who designed the Google Phone.
Summary of Features: – fully electric powered plus solar assist
– driverless navigation via GPS, Lidar, radar, stereo camera, accelerometers
– wrap-around seating for 7
– voice recognition and remote for real-time control/ input
– large display for info, searches, browsing, communication
– open-source software with downloadable apps for carpool and carshare through social networking, pre-loaded trips, city tours, virtual drivers, etc. – live trip info on mini display – electric door, standing height entryway
– all wheel drive with motors in each wheel
– very few mechanical parts (drive by wire)
– bar
Car designer Harsha Vardhan has a different vision of tomorrow. While his vehicle calls for an electric engine, just like we see in cars now like the Prius or Volt, that engine drives magnetic fields, not wheels.
(The magnetic fields, of course, do eventually drive the wheels forward when the energy is transferred from over superconducting fluid that touches the rims.)
The result is, theoretically, a very smooth and quiet ride with a low environmental impact
At the Geneva Motor Show in March, the gas-electric hybrid Essence made jaws drop with its commanding size, beautiful lines, and green-inspired 592-hp soul.
Infiniti’s voluptuous concept will make an appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it’ll make the run the hill climb and be joined at the FoS-TECH pavilion by the world’s first right-hand-drive G37 convertible . While it’s more than a little disappointed that the Essence will never hit production, if the concept’s handsome design makes its way into other Infinitis, it’d be a good start.
The tent produces enough electricity to power a small town and connects to the internet wirelessly.
Telecommunication firm Orange’s latest eco tent concept exploits photovoltaic fabric to produce energy without bulky, inflexible solar panels. This power feeds gadgets that are stored in a magnetic induction pouch, and also drives a flexible LCD screen with wireless internet.
Designed by Benjamin Graindorge and Duende Studio, this tank not only looks nice, but uses some simple ingenuity to accomplish the task of water filtration.
Here’s how it works: nitrate-heavy water from your fish tank is pulled up into the garden, where it is passed over a layer of river sand, which uses bacteria to convert impurities into nitrates. The water is then passed over some plant life, which naturally absorbs the nitrates as nutrients. Then the purified water is thrown back down into the fish tank, where your gilled friends can swim at ease.
To combat the Sahara Desert’s ongoing growth, student Magnus Larsson has proposed a 6,000km wall that will be—wait for it—constructed by letting a bacterium have its way with the sand, forming sandstone.
How many years do we have left if the world consumes at the current rate? How about if we consume at half the current US rate? The answers are sobering.
The idea of harnessing solar power from space has been around for a while; Asimov included it in at least two of his stories that I remember—but may finally be a reality come 2016.
LightPot uses LED lights, and can collapse down on itself when not in use. Created by designers Studio Shulab, LightPot still a prototype, but they have big plans to bring this thing to store shelves soon.
When the next step in the road to 35 mpg by 2020 CAFE standards was announced recently, those in the know made it clear that the Obama administration’s upcoming goal of 27.3 mpg by 2011 would not be hard for automakers to meet. In fact, the 2007 average was already 31.3, so the 2011 goal would not require any change in product lineup (more difficult changes are scheduled to come into effect down the line). The 2011 standards were so light, in fact, that the Center for Biological Diversity took the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Department of Transportation to court last week, saying that the Obama administration’s standards “ignore greenhouse gas emissions and the climate crisis, are illogical, illegal, and very disappointing from a president who has promised to make the United States a leader in the fight against global warming.”
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Center filed suit in the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to push the 2011 standards to “the maximum feasible level, in light of current technology, economic impact, and the nation’s need to conserve energy.”
We all know alkaline batteries are really bad for the environment if you don
’t dispose of them properly. The right thing to do is send them to special recycling centers but hundreds of tons end up in landfills where their toxic innards seep into the earth… This idea is to encourage people to throw their batteries away into the Energy Seed.
The Murakami chair’s attached lamp is powered by kinetic energy produced from the chair’s rocking back and forth—deliciously simple and elegant. Oh, and that lampshade? Not a lampshade. That’s the actual OLED light source, shaped like a lampshade.
![sustainable design, green design, bmw welt, factory, eco-friendly, natural ventilation, Coop Himmelb[l]au](https://i0.wp.com/www.inhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/bmw-welt-5772.jpg)
![sustainable design, green design, bmw welt, factory, eco-friendly, natural ventilation, Coop Himmelb[l]au BMW-Welt](https://i0.wp.com/www.inhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/bmw-welt-7032.jpg)
Car designer Harsha Vardhan has a different vision of tomorrow. While his vehicle calls for an electric engine, just like we see in cars now like the Prius or Volt, that engine drives magnetic fields, not wheels.
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