architecture

Spring in New York City is always exciting, but here at Inhabitat it’s not just the weather that gets us going! Spring is packed with tons of great green design events and conferences — like BKLYN Designs and ICFF to name a few. There is a lot to get done in preparation for these exciting events, so we are looking for a new intern to help out our Editorial and Operational teams. As an Inhabitern, you will be given the opportunity to write for the site and will be an important part of a stellar team where, even as an intern, your work is valuable and necessary. If you’re based in the NYC area and interested in getting involved, please read on!Read the rest of Inhabitat is Looking for Operations/Editorial Interns! Permalink |
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The Nissan Leaf electric vehicle is set to be released in a few months, with Nissan pushing it ahead of their original 2011 release date, and even ahead of the official release of the Chevy Volt in November. Some industry insiders are wondering whether Nissan has cut a few corners in order to get the Leaf to market – unlike the Tesla Roadster or the Chevy Volt, the Leaf does not have an active thermal management system for its lithium ion battery pack. Read the rest of Will the Nissan Leaf Battery Deliver All It Promises? Permalink |
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Most of us have been re-purposing cardboard boxes since childhood, transforming them from containers for transporting objects into forts or secret hiding places. With her project entitled “Move!” Janine Perkuhn has developed a more practical application for those used cardboard boxes — re-purpose them into furniture! Perfect for those who move often or lack the funds to furnish their living space, Perkuhn’s bio-degradable cardboard furnishings can be re-figured into a chair, stool or beside table. They are inexpensive, stable and %100 recyclable.Via Yanko Design Permalink |
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Examples of climate change’s strange consequences abound. Warmer temperatures may bring about more instances of kidney stones and cause longer allergy seasons. Now, research shows that environmental changes brought on by global warming may affect women more negatively than men.Read the rest of Research Shows Climate Change Disproportionately Affects Women Permalink |
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Last September, China discovered a large reserve of “combustible ice” on the tundra of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. “Combustible ice” is essentially frozen natural gas – a natural gas hydrate, and is one of the newest energy sources to be discovered. The new reserves found in China reveal a very large supply equal at least 35 billion tonnes of oil, enough to supply China with 90 years worth of energy. Read the rest of China Developing “Combustible Ice” as New Energy Source Permalink |
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On Monday a bill was dropped on Colorado Governor Bill Ritter’s desk that ups the states renewable energy standard to over 30% by 2020. The bill was passed by the state legislature and will place Colorado in the number two spot in the country — behind California — in renewable energy mandates. If signed by the Governor it will lower the state’s emissions by 30 million tons of carbon, equivalent to the emissions of 670,000 cars per year. Read the rest of Colorado to Be #2 in Renewable Energy Standards by 2020 Permalink |
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Just in time for sunny spring days, Novothink has announced that its hotly anticipated Solar Surge iPod and iPhone cases have hit the market and are available for sale! We’ve followed these sleek solar cases all the way from their concept renderings, and we’re excited to say that the potent photovoltaic chargers look even better in real life. Touted as the first apple-certified solar iPod cases, they’re capable of harnessing the sun’s rays to extend audio playback by 20 hours and 3G talk time by 4 hours. Read the rest of Solar Surge iPod and iPhone Cases Are Now Available! Permalink |
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Due to a bad drought that’s dried up the hydroelectric plants that supply more than two-thirds of its power, Venezuela has been suffering through its worst energy crisis in the last 50 years. President Hugo Chavez’s solution? Change all the light bulbs! Well, that might not be the only action the country is taking (they’ve also put electricity rationing into effect) but an army of Venezuelan soldiers has been given direct orders from the president to distribute thousands of Firefly energy-efficient CFL bulbs. The big switcheroo may not make it rain, but the president sure hopes that it can cut the energy his citizens consume in the meantime. Read the rest of Hugo Chavez Sends Army to Change All Lights in Venezuela to CFLs Permalink |
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Last week we reported on the EPA’s upcoming plans to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Yesterday 18 United States governors including Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty sent a letter to the EPA to protest the upcoming regulations. The governors are worried about the EPA’s ability to properly oversee the regulations as well as the potential cost on industry and the states’ governments in light of our frail economy.Read the rest of 18 US Governors Write to EPA to Say Emissions Limits Will Hurt the Economy Permalink |
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Photo: Velo Steve via FlickrLEDs are already known for being a super energy efficient way to light up a room, but did you know that they might also be a way for you to connect to the internet? That’s right, a group of scientists from Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute have devised a way to encode a visible-frequency wireless signal in light from our plain old desklamps and other light fixtures. Just think – in the near future, jumping on the interwebs might be as simple as flipping on your lightswitch! Read the rest of Scientists Find Way to Turn LED Lights Into Wireless Internet Source Permalink |
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The most efficient solar tech on the market today is the silicon solar cell. There’s just one drawback–implementing the tech costs up to $4 per watt, almost four times the cost of fossil fuel-derived electricity. Luckily, an innovative new production process could completely revolutionize the solar industry. 1366 Technologies says it can reduce silicon cell production costs by as much as 80 percent, finally decreasing the cost of solar to the point where it can compete with fossil fuel-based electricity! If the company can deliver on its claims, America may see widespread adoption of solar technology in the next few years. Read the rest of Start-Up Makes Solar Cells Cheap Enough to Compete with Fossil Fuels Permalink |
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Read the rest of Crazy Pixel Building to Be Australia’s First Carbon Neutral Office Permalink |
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