• Category Archives: Architecture

    Star Islands – An Eco getaway

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    The next time you think of going on a vacation to the Bahamas, maybe stop and consider an environmentally friendly resort in order to contribute in reducing your own carbon footprint. One such resort is the Star Island in the Bahamas, which has the distinction of being entirely energy self sufficient. It generates its power from solar, wind and micro-hydro generators, furthermore the resort’s construction, interior and grounds have also been planned so that its details are environmentally sustainable. The luxury resort is a 10-minute boat ride from Harbour Island, near Eleuthera, and combines private homes, resort residences and bungalows with leisure facilities like a spa, restaurants, bars, pools and a “no fuel” marina. Guests can get in touch with nature through outdoor activities such as diving, sailing and deep-sea fishing. The building’s structure is designed to meet or exceed LEED requirements, through the use of materials such as cold formed steel (CFS), a mostly recycled material which relies on its manufacturing process to give it the same strength as virgin steel. The heat-free manufacturing process also reduces its carbon footprint. Additionally, construction time, shipping demands and waste are reduced through the use of insulated concrete forms – lightweight forms that are filled with concrete on site.

    Posted in Architecture on June 9, 2008
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    Orchid house – Most expensive eco house sold

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    Sarah Featherstone’s cutting-edge green home has been sold for a record-breaking $14.2million USD! The building, known as Orchid House, is one of the key homes on Lower Mill Estate, a project to turn a disused gravel pit into a beautiful 450-acre nature reserve. At $5800 per square foot, its one of the pricey real estate markets in the UK. The aim of the building is to produce more energy than it consumes by way of geothermal heating. The form is created using laminated veneer lumber which is more long lasting than conventional timber but isn’t too great for the environment.

    Posted in Architecture on June 6, 2008
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    Singapore’s green skyscrapers

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    Singapore is gearing up to build the ultimate green city block. The design of the structure maximizes the amount of natural light that filters throughout the building, and is studded with solar panels to help power elevators, lights and other amenities. Its slanted facades are designed to help airflow by catching and directing the wind, which will also keep things cool. . Foster + Partners has plans for an over-1,600,000-square-foot (filling an entire city block), mixed-use structure that’s completely decked out with green-friendly tech.

    Posted in Architecture on May 7, 2008
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    GreenPix – Zero Energy giant billboard

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    The really amazing thing about the enormous wall of light is that it’s completely self-sustaining. That is, the light panels themselves harness the energy of the sun during the day to power a colorful light show at night. GreenPix was designed and implemented by New York architecture firm Simone Giostra & Partners, along with global design and engineering firm Arup. GreenPix – Zero Energy Media Wall uses thousands solar photovoltaic capture cells attached to a grid of glass panels, each of which conceals an array of computer-controlled LEDs. The wall was constructed for visitors attending the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and located in the Xicui entertainment complex, near the site of the games.

    Posted in Architecture on May 5, 2008
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