10 adorable DIY Halloween costumes for pets

Halloween is just around the corner, which means it’s the best excuse of the year to play dress-up with your pets. In fact, seeing our furry friends in costume have become one of our favorite parts of the spooky holiday—who can say no to a superhero-costumed dog? Of course, while our photogenic pets might not be as excited about their new outfits as we are, it’s important that their adorable ensembles are safe and comfortable for them to wear. If you need help figuring out how to dress up your...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/8-adorable-diy-halloween-costumes-for-pets
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Stanford's new accelerator on a chip could revolutionize medical care

A medical breakthrough is on the horizon, now that Stanford University researchers are developing a linear accelerator that is the size of a chip — instead of two miles long. The device is commonly used for external beam radiation treatments for patients with cancer. However, only a handful have been constructed as they are very expensive to build, maintain and operate. With Stanford’s newest technology, every hospital in the future will have access to the life-saving technology. https://youtu.be/V89qvy8whxY   In...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/stanfords-new-accelerator-on-a-chip-could-revolutionize-medical-care
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High House lets you enjoy the outdoors even in the middle of winter in Quebec

As if built out of snow, this discrete house on stilts blends perfectly into the white winter landscape of Quebec, Canada. Parisian architecture studio Delordinaire raised the house from the ground to capture expansive views of Mont Saint Anne, soak up as much natural light as possible and form a heated outdoor space beneath the volume. The building, named High House, is painted has white concrete panel cladding and corrugated steel roof panels in order to blend into the landscape during winter,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/high-house-lets-you-enjoy-the-outdoors-even-in-the-middle-of-winter-in-quebec
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HOW TO: Carve Pumpkins Into Halloween Jack-o-lanterns and Make Tasty Roasted Seeds

Step One: Gather your materials. You will need: pumpkins, assorted knives, paper, marker, pencil, hammer, nail, candles, bowl, spoon, baking dish, sea salt, olive oil and cleanup supplies. Step Two: Trace the design. To create a fancifully carved pumpkin,

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/diy-tasty-treats-and-pretty-lights-made-with-halloween-pumpkins
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New Zealand considering special visas for climate refugees

Impacts of climate change, like rising sea levels, will likely soon force people to abandon their land. Now the new government of New Zealand is considering action. They're thinking about creating an experimental visa category for people prompted to leave their homes because of climate change. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/new-zealand-considering-special-visas-for-climate-refugees
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Building integrated solar panels from Dubai produce clean energy and color

The United States could obtain 40 percent of power from rooftop solar. But what if solar panels could also line the walls of buildings, without compromising on architectural aesthetic?

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/building-integrated-solar-panels-from-dubai-produce-clean-energy-and-color
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73 million trees to be planted in largest reforestation project ever undertaken

A new project from Conservation International aims to be the largest tropical reforestation effort ever through the planting of 73 million trees in the Brazilian Amazon.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/73-million-trees-to-be-planted-in-largest-reforestation-project-ever-undertaken
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Climate change and volcanic eruptions could lead to years without summer

Scientists warn that if climate change continues at its current pace, oceans may lose their ability to reduce atmospheric effects from volcanic sulfur and aerosols as they have done in the past. This means that volcanic eruptions in the future may lead to "years without summer," as occurred in 1815 after the April eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia. New research led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in the US both confirms that specific eruption's role in altering the global...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/climate-change-and-volcanic-eruptions-could-lead-to-years-without-summer
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This gorgeous Maui home has a geometric roof that doubles as the 'ultimate terrace'

Related: Timber Chimney House gives farmhouse vernacular a modern twist + Dekleva Gregorič Arhitekti Via Dezeen Dekleva Gregorič Arhitekti, maui architecture, sloped roofed homes, sloped roof, angular roof, home design, home architecture, hawaii homes, beach homes, clifftop homes,

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-gorgeous-maui-home-has-a-geometric-roof-that-doubles-as-the-ultimate-terrace
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New Harvard study links pesticide consumption with reduced fertility in women

When trying to get pregnant, many women adopt healthier diets which are abundant in fruits and vegetables. Unless the produce is organically grown, however, the women may be comprising their chances of getting pregnant rather than helping it. This was recently confirmed in a new study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. According to the findings, women who ate 2.3 servings or more of high-pesticide-residue fruits and vegetables had an 18 percent lower probability of getting pregnant...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/new-harvard-study-links-pesticide-consumption-with-reduced-fertility-in-women
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This beautiful home in Portugal was inspired by a child's drawing

This gorgeous monolithic house in Portugal, designed by Filipe Saraiva Arquitectos, uses modular design to stay true to the simplicity of a child’s drawing of a house. Its geometry and materials don’t only reflect the archetypal image of a home– they also allow for optimal energy performance and lower maintenance costs. The house sits on a sloping piece of farmland in Ourém, Portugal, with a difference in height of approximately 15 feet (4.5 meters). It is surrounded by natural landscapes...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-beautiful-home-in-portugal-was-inspired-by-a-childs-drawing
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Medicine drum woman builds beautiful earth home village in Joshua Tree, California

If you've ever wanted to stay in an earthbag dome home, here's your chance. When Lisa Starr first purchased land in Joshua Tree, California, she wasn't thinking about vacation rentals. Instead, the artist and drum medicine woman sought a place not too far from the coast where she could build a sustainable life for herself. After deciding to build in accordance with the Iranian architect Nader Khalili's affordable and disaster-resilient superadobe methodology, she recruited volunteers and CalEarth...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/medicine-drum-woman-builds-beautiful-earth-home-village-in-joshua-tree-california
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Weathering steel wraps around a solar-powered California home

When Faulkner Architects was tasked with building a family home just outside San Francisco, the clients emphasized the importance of the environment. The Truckee-based architecture firm set about creating a striking site-specific dwelling with a small energy footprint. The result is an AIA award-winning three-bedroom home, called Miner Road, that’s wrapped in sheets of Corten Steel—chosen for its low maintenance and the way it “refresh[es] every time it rains, just like the landscape,” says...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/weathering-steel-wraps-around-a-solar-powered-california-home
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Artist upcycles plastic bottles into enchanting chandeliers

These elaborate chandeliers might look like they’re made from crystal at a distance—but take a closer look and you’ll see they’re actually crafted from recycled plastic bottles. Czech artist Veronika Richterová created these upcycled beauties as part of PET luminaries, a series of working lamps and chandeliers made from colorful PET. Previously featured on Inhabitat, Veronika Richterová won our hearts with her PET-ART collection made up of lifelike fauna and flora crafted...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/artist-upcycles-plastic-bottles-into-enchanting-chandeliers
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CO2 levels in Earths atmosphere hit a record high in 2016

2016 was a year for breaking records — and not all of them were good. Not only did each of the first six months of 2016 set a record as the warmest respective month global in the modern temperature record, it turns out CO2 levels in the Earth’s atmosphere were at their highest in 800,000 years. “The abrupt changes in the atmosphere witnessed in the past 70 years are without precedent,” said the report published by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Every year, the...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/co2-levels-in-earths-atmosphere-hit-a-record-high-in-2016
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LEGO relaunches its beloved Taj Mahal model with almost 6,000 bricks

Related: LEGO celebrates Frank Lloyd Wright’s 150th birthday with Guggenheim Museum kit + LEGO Creator Expert Taj Mahal,architecture, lego architcture, lego buildings, lego sets, lego architecture sets, lego kits, lego launches,

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/lego-relaunches-its-beloved-taj-mahal-model-with-almost-6000-bricks
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China's self-driving trackless train hits the streets of Zhuzhou

Back in June, Chinese company CRRC Corporation debuted a trackless train that runs on virtual tracks. The railless train recently went for a spin on streets in Zhuzhou in the Hunan Province.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/chinas-self-driving-trackless-train-hits-the-streets-of-zhuzhou
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20 Trumpkins that are making Halloween great again

[Trump 1] The first Trumpkin on our list, and possibly the most terrifying entry, is painted on the face of the pumpkin rather than carved. A tuft of real hair finishes off the eerie image. It was posted on Instagram by user @ktmod with the tasteful caption, "Grab 'em by the pumpkin."   [Trump 2] This next Trumpkin by Instagram user @petermartindk takes a more classic approach, transforming the presidential candidate into a glowing jack-o-lantern. We dig the minimalist approach here.   [Trump...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/people-are-making-halloween-great-again-with-these-terrifying-trumpkins
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Boston outlines its plans to adapt to rising sea levels

Boston, Massachusetts recently announced specific infrastructure projects and policies that must be implemented so that the low-laying, water-surrounded city may adjust to expected sea level rise in the coming decades. In a comprehensive report, short-term and long-term solutions are outlined in hopes of protecting communities from what is expected to be a three-feet sea level rise by 2070. "Climate change is here. It's happening now,” said Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. "It's more important than...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/boston-outlines-its-plans-to-adapt-to-rising-sea-levels
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Airless tires could help Toyota make lighter electric cars

Airless tires could boost performance and cut down weight of electric cars - and Toyota is interested. They recently unveiled the Fine-Comfort Ride hydrogen fuel cell car fitted with the tires at the Tokyo Motor Show. The Fine-Comfort Ride is about as big as a crossover SUV, but chief engineer Takao Sato said the airless wheels could be used on any electric car. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/airless-tires-could-help-toyota-make-lighter-electric-cars
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Leading Stanford climate scientist builds incredible net zero home, complete with Tesla Powerwall

Related: + Mark Z. Jacobson Via Mark Z. Jacobson, Net Zero home

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/leading-stanford-climate-scientist-builds-incredible-net-zero-home-complete-with-tesla-powerwall
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BP and Shell prepare for catastrophic climate change

Global fossil-fuel corporations BP and Shell are preparing for a world in which global temperatures will have risen by 5 degrees Celsius, all but assuring catastrophic climate change, while publicly portraying themselves as supporters of the Paris agreement. A 5 degree temperature increase represents more than double the limit of 2 degrees set out and agreed to by most nations on Earth in the Paris agreement. This difference between publicly supported goals and privately pursued plans represent an...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/bp-and-shell-prepare-for-catastrophic-climate-change
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Berlins famed brutalist Bierpinsel tower hits the market for $3.8m

Related: + Via The Spaces ‘Sci-fi Brutalist’ Bierpinsel tower

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/berlins-famed-brutalist-bierpinsel-tower-hits-the-market-for-3-8m
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This Living Vehicle can take you completely off grid for a month

Combining a glossy aluminum cladding with eco-friendly materials and self-sustaining features, HofArc's new Living Vehicle trailer may just be the future of stylish, off-grid living. The stunningly sophisticated home on wheels was built with low-impact materials meant to last a lifetime and can be equipped to go off grid for weeks of a time. https://youtu.be/5u-ymClsGqY HofArc's founder, Matthew Hoffman, has spent years living and designing modern, mobile living spaces. The Living Vehicle...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-living-vehicle-can-take-you-completely-off-grid-for-a-month
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LGs new smartphone repels mosquitos using sound waves

Forget bug spray — LG recently unveiled a new smartphone that repels mosquitos using sound waves. The India-exclusive K7i smartphone is a fairly ordinary phone with a 5-inch HD display, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of storage. Its Mosquito Away feature sets it apart from other devices, however. By using ultrasonic sound wave technology, pesky mosquitos are supposedly driven away from the vicinity. The Mosquito Away feature was previously installed in the company’s air conditioners, washing...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/lgs-new-smartphone-repels-mosquitos-using-sound-waves
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Supersonic car reaches 210mph in 8 seconds

The Bloodhound supersonic car wowed an audience of 3,500 at its first public run at the Cornwall Airport Newquay recently. In its successful test, in just eight seconds the car hit speeds of 210 miles per hour (mph) from a standing start. The team's ultimate goal is to reach 1,000 mph and break the World Land Speed Record. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/supersonic-car-reaches-210mph-in-8-seconds
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Greenery will engulf this pair of metal prefab offices in Madrid

Nature is encouraged to take over this pair of prefabricated metal buildings in a leafy corner of Madrid. Designed by BETA.ø architecture office for a tennis and padel school, these two small buildings use simple pitched-roof geometry to recede into the landscape, so as not to disrupt the existing tree-lined environment. To further blend the architecture into the landscape, a metal mesh is overlaid atop steel cladding to allow vines to surround the building over time. The pair of...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/greenery-will-engulf-this-pair-of-metal-prefab-offices-in-madrid
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Iridescent Monet-inspired Mtropole building catches the light on the River Seine

Fish scale-like colored glass clads the iridescent headquarters of Métropole Rouen Normandie, a stunning new landmark for a “future eco-district” in France. Designed by Jacques Ferrier Architecture, the eye-catching building takes inspiration from the impressionist works of Claude Monet, who produced many paintings of the nearby Rouen Cathedral. More than just good looks, the multifaceted structure emphasizes smart energy consumption with passive thermal protection and rooftop solar panels. Located...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/iridescent-monet-inspired-metropole-building-catches-the-light-on-the-river-seine
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Daylit retreat in Mexico fits perfectly into the surrounding walnut groves

A walnut garden and coffee plantations surround this retreat in Amacueca, México. CoA arquitectura and Departamento de Arquitectura designed Casa Amacueca using primarily stone and timber, creating a serene retreat that fits perfectly into the natural setting. The layout of the house radiates from the central courtyard which allows more natural light to penetrate the interior. Slender timber columns frame a beautiful walkway that offers a visual connection between the living spaces and nature. Related:...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/daylit-retreat-in-mexico-fits-perfectly-into-the-surrounding-walnut-groves
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American women and their dogs rescued after surviving five months at sea in shark-infested waters

Two women from Honolulu, Hawaii, are basking in the sweet relief of being rescued after they and their dogs spent five months stranded at sea in shark-infested waters. Jennifer Appel and Tasha Fuiava set a course for Tahiti on May 3rd but shortly after, suffered engine failure and a broken mast when a storm battered their boat. Fortunately, they had water purifiers, a year’s worth of dog food, and rice, pasta, and oatmeal. The basic supplies kept them alive long enough to be spotted by a Taiwanese...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/american-women-and-their-dogs-rescued-after-surviving-five-months-at-sea-in-shark-infested-waters
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Staten Island neighborhood returning to nature for superstorm buffer zone

Oakwood Beach, a Staten Island neighborhood, was one of those hit by the destructive Superstorm Sandy. Five years later, almost 80 percent of Oakwood Beach residents have sold their homes to the state of New York, which hopes to turn the area into a buffer zone to guard against superstorms in the future. Many homes have since been torn down, and the areas that are left planted with grass. Related: How to Prepare Your Home and Family for a Hurricane or Superstorm Via Reuters Images...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/staten-island-neighborhood-returning-to-nature-for-superstorm-buffer-zone
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Turns out, two giant volcanic eruptions formed Yellowstone's iconic caldera

Iconic for its size and striking appearance, the sprawling Yellowstone caldera came into being as a result of two massive eruptions from the Yellowstone supervolcano that occurred approximately 630,000 years ago, according to new research. Geologists from University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) made this discovery when they uncovered new evidence of the two massive eruptions in the Santa Barbara Basin, which was uniquely suited to capture a long-lasting record of volcanic activity. The record...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/turns-out-two-giant-volcanic-eruptions-formed-yellowstones-iconic-caldera
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Twin brothers convert organic waste into truly biodegradable plastic

You know plastic is a problem. But Jeff and Dave Anderson, twin brothers in California, are trying to do something about that problem. They started a company, Full Cycle Bioplastics, to make a fully biodegradable plastic. They aren't the first to do so, but they utilize cheap, readily available organic waste to make their bioplastic. Related: Any organic waste into compostable, marine biodegardable plastic

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/twin-brothers-convert-organic-waste-into-truly-biodegradable-plastic
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Denver to vote on green roof mandate for new large buildings

In November, voters in Denver will go to the polls to approve or disapprove a new ballot initiative that would require most new buildings of at least 25,000 square feet to include a "green roof," one covered with trees, vegetables or other plants that adds aesthetic value and helps to counteract the urban heat island effect. Although the idea of green roofs is broadly popular, the mandate to require them, something that even liberal San Francisco has not implemented, is somewhat controversial. “I...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/denver-to-vote-on-green-roof-mandate-for-new-large-buildings
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These Christmas lights are made of trash left on Canary Island beaches

Interestingly, instead of classic “White Christmas”, snowflakes and snowmen the architect proposed a more appropriate for the local context marine theme. Therefore Menis has decided to light up Oliva, traditionally linked to the sea and fishing, with luminous Giant Squids, Hibiscus Flowers, Palm Trees, Boats and Jelly Fish Garlands, all using energy efficient and environmentally friendly LED technology. And some equipped and therefore entirely fed with small solar panels. Besides, he decided...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/these-christmas-lights-are-made-of-trash-left-on-canary-island-beaches
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New fractal concentrated solar power receivers absorb sunlight more efficiently

Concentrated solar power facilities are often large. But smaller plants could offer a clean energy option for villages if researchers could boost receiver efficiency. Sandia National Laboratories engineers have come closer to that goal with a fractal-like design for receivers that are as much as 20 percent better at absorbing light than today's technology. Related: Trump's DOE invests $62 million in concentrated solar power

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/new-fractal-concentrated-solar-power-receivers-absorb-sunlight-more-efficiently
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Striking apartment complex is made of 48 raw shipping containers

Related: + Arkitema Architects Via Archdaily Arkitema Architects, shipping container apartments in denmark, shipping container buildings, shipping container architecture, green design, sustainable building materials, shipping container homes, container buildings,

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Error in sea temperature data suggests climate change is worse than we thought

We might have been wrong about how dire climate change really is. New research points out methodology to work out sea temperatures may have been based on a mistake - so hundreds of millions of years ago, the oceans may have been colder than scientists thought. Study co-author Anders Meibom said, "If we are right, our study challenges decades of paleoclimate research." Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/error-in-sea-temperature-data-suggests-climate-change-is-worse-than-we-thought
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Aerospace-inspired high-speed train concept shows off the future of train travel

Lucky Brits could soon ride on high-speed trains with luxury jet-like interiors. Taking inspiration from aerospace design, Andreas Vogler Studio and the German Aerospace Center dLR designed and developed the AeroLiner 3000 train, the first double-deck high-speed train for the UK. Conceived with plans of implementation, this innovative and ultra-lightweight design would allow for an increase in capacity of 30% on the British railways’ existing infrastructure—no new railways needed. Winner...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/aerospace-inspired-high-speed-train-concept-shows-off-the-future-of-train-travel
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Floating sauna with charred timber cladding boasts minimal site impact

When Milan-based Small Architecture Workshop was asked to design a tiny sauna for a bed and breakfast in Åmot, Sweden, they wanted to do so with minimal environmental impact. The result of their efforts is this dreamy floating sauna on a lake wrapped in blackened timber to blend in with its forested surroundings. The architects built the compact structure in the span of two weeks as the first in a series of new amenities for the nearby bed and breakfast set in the middle of the forest. Located...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/floating-sauna-with-charred-timber-cladding-boasts-minimal-site-impact
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Rusting 1950s cargo ship transformed into a stunning modern floating home

Yacht construction and house building come together in this conversion project that turned a 1957 cargo ship into a floating home in Amsterdam. Dutch studio ANA architecten redesigned the structure for a client who wanted to live on the water and enjoy expansive views of Amsterdam's canals. The architects shortened the ship to fit the water plot and made sure that the interior has enough space to house a modern home. Unlike most ship and barge conversions, this transformation eliminated the linear...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/rusting-1950s-cargo-ship-transformed-into-a-stunning-modern-floating-home
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For the first time ever, scientists spotted an object from outside our solar system

Until recently, every asteroid and comet that zipped by Earth came from within our solar system. That changed when scientists spotted an object with a trajectory not tied to our Sun. Based on limited observations, astronomers now believe this is the first visitor of its kind to be observed. The direction of its approach suggests the comet — later determined to be an asteroid — came from Vega, one of the closest (and most famous) stars beyond our Sun. The preliminary findings were...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/for-the-first-time-ever-scientists-spotted-an-object-from-outside-our-solar-system
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Nissan debuts IMx electric SUV concept with 373-mile driving range

Nissan is getting ready to expand the number of electric vehicles it offers with the next model being a Leaf-based electric SUV. Earlier this year Nissan confirmed that an electric SUV is in the works and now we're seeing our first preview with the debut of the Nissan IMx concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. The IMx concept features a bold exterior that does borrow a few styling details from the new 2018 Nissan Leaf, but its suicide doors are purely concept. The IMx concept is based on Nissan's new...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/nissan-debuts-imx-electric-suv-concept-with-373-mile-driving-range
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Brand new "mega-carnivore" dinosaur discovered in Africa

Paleontologists have discovered fossil remains of what may have been the largest predator to ever hunt on the African savanna. Found in Lesotho, the recently revealed fossilized footprints of a previously unknown "mega-carnivore" date back to the early Jurassic Period, 200 million years ago. Although its size and demeanor was likely on par with well-known species such as Tyrannosaurus Rex and Allosaurus, the carbon dating of the fossil remains suggests that this new dinosaur may have existed far...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/brand-new-mega-carnivore-dinosaur-discovered-in-africa
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Tesla-powered trolley spotted charging in Minnesota

Tesla vehicles are the only ones that can charge via a Supercharger, at least at this time. So the sight of what looked like a custom-built orange bus charging up at the Oakdale Supercharger station in Minnesota raised a few eyebrows. A battery monitor seemed to show the electric bus project actually charging up. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/tesla-powered-trolley-spotted-charging-in-minnesota
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Dunkirk, France offers free public transit to all

The small coastal city of Dunkirk in northern France is perhaps most famous, at the moment, for its portrayal in Christopher Nolan's eponymous 2017 film, but it also deserves the spotlight for its decision to offer free public transit to all. In a move designed to reinforce economic fairness and establish Dunkirk as a sustainable, low-carbon community, Mayor Patrice Vergriete established the city's inclusive transit policy, first by launching free weekend services, then expanding this service to...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/dunkirk-france-offers-free-public-transit-to-all
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6 urban farms feeding the world

As cities sprawl outwards, there's less land for farming but more people to feed. Inside warehouses, on top of rooftops, and even on small plots of land, urban farms are popping up all around the world, offering creative answers to the issue of food security. We rounded up seven very different projects to highlight the diversity of urban farms which are pursuing several approaches of how to feed a lot of people with little land. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/6-urban-farms-feeding-the-world
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MIT students develop method to reinforce concrete using plastic bottles

Every year, Americans consume 8.6 billion water bottles. Of those, only 1 of 5 is recycled. Fortunately, a handful of MIT students have developed a solution to this problem, and it involves repurposing plastic bottles to reinforce concrete. Because the newly-invented method results in the concrete being 20 percent more durable than the conventional product, plastic bottles may soon be used to construct everything from stronger building foundations to sidewalks and street barriers.    According...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/mit-students-develop-method-to-reinforce-concrete-using-plastic-bottles
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These hurricane-proof floating homes are packed with green features

These solar-powered, zero-emission livable yachts are packed with green goodness. Designed in collaboration between Dutch architect Koen Olthius of Waterstudio and Arkup, "avant-garde life on water" company based in Miami, the floating homes are 100% off-the-grid structures that feature waste management, rainwater harvesting and purification systems. The 4,350-square-foot yachts are equipped with 30 kW of solar panels, 1,000 kWh of lithium-ion batteries and high grade insulation. They are also...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/these-hurricane-proof-floating-homes-are-packed-with-green-features
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Shocking Caribbean photos reveal a "sea of plastic and Styrofoam"

We hear about the issue of ocean plastic a lot, but new photographs offer a visual image to demonstrate just how pervasive the pollution is. Roatán-based photographer Caroline Power shared pictures on Facebook taken near the Caribbean island belonging to Honduras, revealing plastic bgas, utensils, and bottles floating in the water. Power said, "This has to stop." Related: Could France-sized ocean garbage patch become 196th nation?

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/shocking-caribbean-photos-reveal-a-sea-of-plastic-and-styrofoam
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Zaha Hadid Architects futuristic KAPSARC named Saudi Arabias smartest building

Despite its name, the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Centre (KAPSARC) is big on renewable energy, as evidenced by its LEED Platinum certification—the first of Zaha Hadid Architects’ projects to receive the title. Located in the Riyadh Plateau, KAPSARC is a non-profit dedicated to studying energy and their environmental impacts. The crystalline and futuristic campus recently opened to the public for Saudi Design Week 2017; the Honeywell Smart Building Awards program named the project...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/zaha-hadid-architects-futuristic-kapsarc-named-saudi-arabias-smartest-building
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Natural light floods this solar-powered business school in Frankfurt

According to the World Green Building Council, students score higher on tests and learn up to 26% faster when placed in rooms lit by natural light. Danish practice Henning Larsen Architects took this report to heart when they designed the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, a light-filled academic building that officially opens today. Powered by solar and wind energy, this sustainability-minded business school takes cues from its urban surroundings while setting “new standards for transparent...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/natural-light-floods-this-solar-powered-business-school-in-frankfurt
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Melbourne architects upcycle 1960s warehouse into stunning energy-efficient home

Related: Perkins + Will overhauls a boring concrete warehouse into beautiful LEED Gold offices + Zen Architects Via Dwell Zen Architects, repurposed warehouse, warehouse turned into home, home design, green home design, sustainable architecture, sustainable homes, melbourne sustainable design, energy efficiency, melbourne warehouse home, solar power, waterproofing issues, warehouse design, home in warehouse

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/melbourne-architects-upcycle-1960s-warehouse-into-stunning-energy-efficient-home
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Italy seeks to phase out coal power plants by 2025

Nation by nation, Europe is going green. The latest country to prove its commitment to sustainable solutions is Italy. On Tuesday, the Italian Industry Minister announced that by 2025, the country seeks to phase out coal power plants. By 2030, the country aims to source 27 percent of “gross overall energy consumption” from renewable sources, according to the new energy strategy. During a parliamentary hearing, Minister Carlo Calenda asked the national grid company to identify the infrastructure...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/italy-seeks-to-phase-out-coal-power-plants-by-2025
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Saudi Arabia announces plan for $500B megacity powered by renewables

In over 10,000 square miles of land in three countries near the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia aims to gather innovators, scientists, and dreamers into an aspirational society to pioneer futuristic technologies. NEOM, an independent economic zone owned by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia will be "a part of the world set aside for those who want to change the world." The future of food, energy, and biotechnology, to name a few, will be explored in this global community to be backed by over $500 ...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/saudi-arabia-announces-plan-for-500b-megacity-powered-by-renewables
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Chinese scientists created a type of rice that can grow in saltwater

For the first time, rice grown in diluted saltwater has yielded a crop sufficient enough to be commercially viable, according to a new study by Chinese scientists. The research team led by agricultural scientist Yuan Longping, also known as China's "father of hybrid rice," planted two hundred types of rice in spring in the coastal city of Qingdao in eastern China's Shandong Province and then subsequently tested their resilience to saline-alkali soil and diluted saltwater; four types of rice showed...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/chinese-scientists-created-a-type-of-rice-that-can-grow-in-saltwater
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Ice Home materials for future Mars dwellings are heading to space

Before astronauts ever venture to Mars, materials for their red planet habitat will undergo space testing. The inflatable Mars Ice Home, designed by Clouds Architecture Office (Clouds AO), Space Exploration Architecture (SEArch), and NASA's Langley Research Center, could protect explorers from radiation in the extreme environment of Mars, but the materials that comprise it need to be assessed first. They'll be flight tested for one year attached to the International Space Station. Related:...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/ice-home-materials-for-future-mars-dwellings-are-heading-to-space
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Microsoft unveils amazing treehouse office where employees can brainstorm in fresh air

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/microsoft-unveils-amazing-treehouse-office-where-employees-can-brainstorm-in-fresh-air
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Tesla rapidly installs solar power at a children's hospital in Puerto Rico

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has spoken recently about the role it may play in rebuilding Puerto Rico's devastated electrical grid, with its replacement being more resilient and sustainable thanks to micro-grid technology and on-site solar generation and storage. Now, Tesla is turning these words into greater actions by building up the modern energy infrastructure of Hospital del Niño, a children's hospital in San Juan. Tesla has already begun constructing a solar field near the hospital and is shipping...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/tesla-rapidly-installs-solar-power-at-a-childrens-hospital-in-puerto-rico
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Technicolor greenhouse in Tokyo converts into pulsating light show when plants are touched

Sound designer Ray Kunimoto recorded sounds of rubbing seeds, touching leaves and eating fruits. “Tomatoes are violin, carrots are trumpet, cabbages are oboe, mini radishes are flute, sweet potatoes are piano, eggplants are harp, pumpkins are clarinet,” says Kunimoto, who mixed actuals sounds from vegetables with orchestra instruments. Related: NASA unveils inflatable greenhouse for sustainable farming on Mars + Party Via This is Colossal Party design, Tokyo Greenhouse, Digital...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/technicolor-greenhouse-in-tokyo-converts-into-pulsating-light-show-when-plants-are-touched
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Entering this mind-blowing mirrored room is like walking inside a diamond

Related: + Via Design Milk

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/entering-this-mind-blowing-mirrored-room-is-like-walking-inside-a-diamond
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Toshiba lithium-ion battery could offer EVs 200-mile range after 6-minute recharge

The electric vehicle (EV) movement could receive a major boost from a lithium battery that can charge up in a snappy six minutes and offer a 200 mile range for compact EVs. Toshiba recently announced their next-generation SCiB lithium-ion battery, with an anode comprised of a different material to charge up so rapidly. Related: includes a titanium niobium oxide anode instead of a lithium titanium oxide anode to charge up so rapidly.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/toshiba-lithium-ion-battery-could-offer-evs-200-mile-range-after-6-minute-recharge
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Foster + Partners Bloomberg HQ opens in London as worlds most sustainable office building

Bloomberg’s new European headquarters—billed the “world’s most sustainable office building”—opened yesterday in London. Designed by Foster + Partners, the 3.2-acre Bloomberg HQ achieved a BREEAM Outstanding rating with a 98.5% score that the architects say is the “highest design-stage score ever achieved by any major office development.” The nine-story headquarters is estimated to save 73 percent in water consumption and 35 percent in energy consumption when compared to typical office...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/foster-partners-bloomberg-hq-opens-in-london-as-worlds-most-sustainable-office-building
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Frances first Vertical Forest will add a hectare of forest to Paris skyline

Stefano Boeri Architetti’s Vertical Forests continue to take root around the world, with the latest project planned for Paris. Designed for Villiers sur Marne in east Paris, Forêt Blanche will be a 54-meter-tall tower built predominately of timber. Two thousand trees, shrubs, and plants will cover the wooden facade—a green surface equivalent to a hectare of forest. Forêt Blanche recently won the Marne Europe — Villiers sur Marne competition along with a dozen other structures...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/frances-first-vertical-forest-will-add-a-hectare-of-forest-to-paris-skyline
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Groundbreaking Passivhaus development features ultra-green homes that you can actually afford

Related: + Hamson Barron Smith Hamson Barron Smith, Carrowbreck Meadow

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/groundbreaking-passivhaus-development-features-ultra-green-homes-that-you-can-actually-afford
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MVRDV unveils futuristic hotel whose rooms can be configured in countless ways

Related: + Via Dezeen

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/mvrdv-unveils-futuristic-hotel-whose-rooms-can-be-configured-in-countless-ways
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How to Make Your Own Organic Caramel Apple Treats for Halloween

We're still enjoying the best of apple season, and there's no better way to enjoy their crisp deliciousness than by taking a big bite out of a caramel apple. They make autumn feel just a little more festive, but you don't have to go to a carnival or a state

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/how-to-make-homemade-caramel-apples
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Tiny Montana company signs $300M contract to help restore power in Puerto Rico

The majority of Puerto Rico's 3.4 million residents still lack electricity in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Now, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) is looking to a two-year-old Montana-based company, Whitefish Energy, to help them switch the power back on. But some people are wondering why PREPA would sign the $300 million contract, the largest issued yet, with a company that had only two full-time employees at the time Hurricane Maria hit the island. Related: Germany company...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/tiny-montana-company-signs-300m-contract-to-help-restore-power-in-puerto-rico
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Magnetic particles may be the future of data storage

Recently discovered magnetic behavior may have enormous potential to power the next generation of data storage technology, according to new research reported this week in the journal Nature Nanotechnology. The promise of data storage based on "skyrmions," minuscule disturbances in magnetic orientation, offers a potential path to overcome fundamental limitations in computing and storage technology that otherwise may have heralded the end of Moore's Law, which holds that computing power doubles...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/magnetic-particles-may-be-the-future-of-data-storage
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Biggest grid operator in US attacks Perry's proposal to prop up coal

Energy secretary Rick Perry is attempting to keep coal alive under the guise of grid resiliency, but the largest grid operator in the United States called on regulators to scrap Perry's plan. PJM Interconnection CEO Andrew Ott called Perry's proposal unworkable and discriminatory, and even said it's inconsistent with federal law. Multiple other grid operators have also called for a rejection of the plan. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/biggest-grid-operator-in-us-attacks-perrys-proposal-to-prop-up-coal
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Singapore is banning all new private vehicles from its roads

The government of Singapore, one of the densest countries in the world, has announced that the number of private cars on its roads will be frozen next year, even as the number of vehicles used for public transit are expected to increase. The rate of growth for all passenger cars and motorcycles will be decreased from the current .25% per year to effectively zero percent starting in February 2018. In going forward with this move, Singapore, one of the wealthiest countries in Asia and one of the most...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/singapore-is-banning-all-new-private-vehicles-from-its-roads
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What the tiniest creatures can teach us about adapting to life's challenges

  John Steinbeck wrote that “all things are one thing and that one thing is all things—plankton, a shimmering phosphorescence on the sea and the spinning planets and an expanding universe, all bound together by the elastic string of time.” He had a great big feeling about life, but spent a lot of time just poking around little tidepools to get it. Great minds––from Copernicus to Galileo, Newton, Darwin and Einstein––have always done this, observing life’s tiny details and...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/what-the-tiniest-creatures-can-teach-us-about-adapting-to-lifes-challenges
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How volcanic eruptions in Iceland and Alaska affected ancient Egyptians

Erupting volcanoes could have precipitated unrest in ancient Egypt, according to a new study. An international team of researchers led by Joseph Manning of Yale University discovered volcanic eruptions in northern latitudes could impact the flow of the Nile River. Ancient peoples depended on Nile River flooding to irrigate crops, and if that flood didn't happen, there could have been political or economic consequences. The researchers connected historical analysis with paleoclimatology - what Yale...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/how-volcanic-eruptions-in-iceland-and-alaska-affected-ancient-egyptians
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Denmark fires up its Copenhill power plant, with ski slopes set to open next year

Six years ago, Bjarke Ingels Group unveiled plans for a ski slope power plant that could provide the city of Copenhagen with electricity, hot water, and a steady stream of recycled materials. We never thought it'd see the light of day - but fast forward to 2017, and Copenhill is nearly complete. The waste-to-energy plant is currently operational, and by the end of next year it will be topped with 30 rooftop trees, the world's tallest artificial climbing wall, and a 600-meter ski slope. Inhabitat...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/denmark-fires-up-its-copenhill-power-plant-with-ski-slopes-set-to-open-next-year
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40% of China's factories shuttered in pollution crackdown

Is China at last cracking down on factory pollution that's clogged skies with smog and turned rivers abnormal hues?

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/40-of-chinas-factories-shuttered-in-pollution-crackdown
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Ultra-thin Macbook-shaped roof tops new Apple Store in Chicago

A new Apple Store has just opened in downtown Chicago—and it’s an architectural beauty. Designed by Foster + Partners, Apple Michigan Avenue follows the tech giant’s new (and controversial) “Town Square” store concept in which stores are meant to serve as community hubs rather than simply commercial spaces. Naming aside, the new Apple flagship is a stunner with wraparound glazing and an ultra-thin carbon fiber roof in the recognizable shape of a Macbook cover. Located along...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/ultra-thin-macbook-shaped-roof-tops-new-apple-store-in-chicago
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Green-roofed village shows a more sustainable way to build in post-disaster rural areas

When the 8.0-magnitude Sichuan Earthquake devastated China in 2008, nearly 5 million people were left homeless. Rural Urban Framework, a non-profit research and design collaborative, saw construction in the wake of disaster as an opportunity to improve the lives of rural villagers through new building typologies. Their recently completed project, Jintai Village, is a socially and environmentally sustainable prototype for earthquake reconstruction that combines rooftop farming, biogas technologies,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/green-roofed-village-shows-a-more-sustainable-way-to-build-in-post-disaster-rural-areas
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These beautiful ceramic heaters help Mexicos vulnerable communities stay warm

These wonderful ceramic nest heaters provide much needed warmth to vulnerable communities in the region of Chiapas, Mexico. The prototypes, designed by emerging Mexican studio Estudio äCo, utilize the properties of ceramics to dissipate and conserve heat. Both heaters, ECN02 (fire ceramic nest 02) and ECN03 (electric ceramic nest 03), retain temperature inside the ceramic decks as they are gradually heated. In turn, the decks are heated and raise the temperature of a confined space. Not...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/these-beautiful-ceramic-heaters-help-mexicos-vulnerable-communities-stay-warm
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Star Wars LED optical illusion lamps will take you to a galaxy far, far away

With the countdown to the next Star Wars film on, Star Wars-themed products have been floating around on the Internet, and some of the coolest ones are LED optical illusion lamps that light up with what appears to be a 3D image of Darth Vader or the Millennium Falcon, for example. They're said to have a lifespan of more than 50,000 hours. Related: Star Wars-inspired NASA observatory will offer galactic views in Cyprus

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/star-wars-led-optical-illusion-lamps-will-take-you-to-a-galaxy-far-far-away
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Rolls-Royce is developing mini nuclear power plants

A consortium led by Rolls Royce Motor Cars, famous for its high-end vehicles that could not look out of place in a Bond film, has crafted design plans for small-scale nuclear power plants. In an anticipated report to be released this week, the Rolls Royce-led group is expected to receive approval to further develop its designs, which may eventually be implemented and constructed in the United Kingdom. The aforementioned report comes from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/rolls-royce-is-developing-mini-nuclear-power-plants
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Tesla opens massive Supercharger station in Shanghai

Tesla aims to have more than 10,000 Superchargers available for electric vehicle charging this year, and the opening of the new world's biggest Supercharger station brought them closer to that goal. The large station boasts 50 Superchargers, reports Teslarati and Electrek, and is located at the Lilacs International Commercial Center in Shanghai. Related: Germany unveils plans for the world's largest EV charging station Via Electrek and Teslarati Images via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/tesla-opens-massive-supercharger-station-in-shanghai
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The isolated Pacific graveyard where spaceships go to die

In one of the most remote corners of the Earth, below the Pacific Ocean, there lies the remains of spaceships. This extremely isolated location, about 2,250 km (about 1,400 miles) from land, goes several names, including Point Nemo (Latin for "no one) and the Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility. Still, it's hard to beat "Spaceship Graveyard," for the location has served as the final resting place at which NASA has landed many ships over the years. “It’s a great place you can put things down without...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-isolated-pacific-graveyard-where-spaceships-go-to-die
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This Airbnb alternative lets you stay in modern homes by top architects around the world

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-airbnb-alternative-lets-you-stay-in-modern-homes-by-top-architects-around-the-world
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Black butterfly wings provide inspiration for superior solar cells

Researchers 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 help keep the insect warm from the sun's heat. The scientists mimicked the design of the butterfly's wings to create a solar cell that The Verge reports can gather light twice as efficiently. Related: Bio-inspired wind turbines with flexible blades are 35% more efficient Via The Verge and Phys.org Images via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/black-butterfly-wings-provide-inspiration-for-superior-solar-cells
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Herzog & de Meuron are upcycling a historic gasometer into a stunning residential tower

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/herzog-de-meuron-are-upcycling-a-historic-gasometer-into-a-stunning-residential-tower
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Study finds pollution is more deadly than war, natural disasters, and disease

Environmental pollution isn’t just inconvenient, it’s also deadly. Every year, more people die from pollutants — from toxic air to contaminated water — than by all war and violence. That’s more than the death count of AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria —combined! This disturbing revelation was revealed in a new study, published in the Lancet medical journal. Scientists determined that one out of every six premature deaths (about 9 million in 2015) results from pollution; this results in...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/study-finds-pollution-is-more-deadly-than-war-natural-disasters-and-disease
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Snhetta designs Europes first underwater restaurant

Europe’s first underwater restaurant offshore of Norway will put a new spin on the meaning of “dining with a view.” Snøhetta just unveiled designs for “Under,” a submerged restaurant that will offer spectacular views of the seabed and double as a research center for marine life. Advanced heating pump technology that taps into the seabed’s thermal mass will maintain the restaurant’s comfortable interior temperatures year-round. Under—which translates to “wonder”...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/snohetta-designs-europes-first-underwater-restaurant
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Rainwater-harvesting pavilions mimic a lush rainforest at the Indianapolis Zoo

Artful rainwater design has taken root at the Indianapolis Zoo. RATIO Architects recently completed the Bicentennial Pavilion, an open-air events space modeled after a lush rainforest with 11 steel-framed “tree canopies.” Built primarily from natural materials, the pavilion is a beautiful example of multifunctional and sustainable design that provides 40,000 square feet of weather-protected events space while collecting and filtering 100% of its stormwater runoff. The Indianapolis...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/rainwater-harvesting-pavilions-mimic-a-lush-rainforest-at-the-indianapolis-zoo
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Greenbuild: The world's biggest green building expo is coming to Boston

The world's biggest conference dedicated to green building is coming to Boston this November, and you won't want to miss it. The Greenbuild International Conference and Expo will bring together experts, professionals and leaders in sustainable building for mind-blowing exhibits, learning activities, a Net Zero zone, and pavilions with the latest in green building technology.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/greenbuild-the-worlds-biggest-green-building-expo-is-coming-to-boston
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Failed Palm Springs golf course is being repurposed into a sustainable community filled with olive groves

Related: Wind and solar-powered Thunder Valley Regenerative Community rises in South Dakota “Miralon is dramatically large in scope and vision,” said Freehold California Division President Brad Shuckhart. “It is like no other place in Palms Springs and yet it emerges naturally from the Desert. This is a community that looks boldly forward with environmental advances while embracing the region’s great architectural history.” “Evolving the existing golf course into habitat-sensitive,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/failed-palm-springs-golf-course-is-being-repurposed-into-a-sustainable-community-filled-with-olive-groves
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Hinckley unveils the world's first fully electric luxury yacht

Imagine silently slicing through the Long Island Sound on a yacht, wind tousling your hair. That's possible with Hinckley's new Dasher yacht, which they say is the world's first fully electric luxury yacht. There's little noise from boat motors thanks to the twin 80 horsepower electric motors and waterproof BMW lithium-ion batteries that move the boat quietly through the waves. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/hinckley-unveils-the-worlds-first-fully-electric-luxury-yacht
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Solar record-breaking China aims for 50GW installed in 2017

China, a consistent leader in solar power production and installation, is having another banner year, with 25 gigawatts of solar energy being installed in June and July alone by the People's Republic. It is estimated that China is quite capable of installing over 50GW of solar energy by the end of 2017. As of October 1st, approximately 42GW of solar energy had been installed, though the pace of installations is expected to slow in October. Although China's solar boom yields economic benefits, an...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/solar-record-breaking-china-aims-for-50gw-installed-in-2017
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New concrete roof includes thin-film PV cells to generate power

Digital design and fabrication techniques allowed researchers in Switzerland to create a curvy, super thin concrete roof that will one day help a residential unit to produce more power than it consumes. Using the innovative methods, the researchers assembled the roof with much less materials than would otherwise be needed. The concrete roof is also equipped with thin-film photovoltaic cells to generate energy. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/new-concrete-roof-includes-thin-film-pv-cells-to-generate-power
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Tesla earns contract for world's first solar, wind and storage project

Tesla has won its first contract with Vestas, the world's largest wind turbine maker, to supply its Powerpack batteries for a project that combines solar power, wind power, and Tesla's storage technology in which is being described as the first such project in the world.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/tesla-earns-contract-for-worlds-first-solar-wind-and-storage-project
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13 innovative, thought-provoking designs that broke new ground at the London Design Festival

student work new materials crazy ideas controversial new techniques Trashpresso by Pentatonic Trashpresso is a solar-powered mobile recycling factory. Furniture and home accessories company Pentatonic are at London's Somerset House demonstrating to the public how plastic bottles can be transformed to tiles. It's a potential model for recycling discarded materials in more remote areas of the world. 📷 @thecreativeedit_ #londondesignfestival @wearepentatonic @l_d_f_official...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/13-innovative-thought-provoking-designs-that-broke-new-ground-at-the-london-design-festival
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VW is building an electric race car to set a new speed record

Buckle your seat belt! Volkswagen is on a mission to become a top producer of electric vehicles and is proving itself by developing an electric race car which will be entered in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2018. If the company is successful, the race will mark the first time in 31 years VW has competed in the hill climb. The race will take place in Colorado Spring, Colorado, and will be held on June 24th. According to The Verge, the hill climb has been held annually...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/vw-is-building-an-electric-race-car-to-set-a-new-speed-record
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LAVA unveils greenery-infused Garden Island to revamp Sydney Harbour

Related: + LAVA Via LAVA, green garden island, sydney harbour architecture, sydney harbour projects, australian architecture, sydney urban design,

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/lava-unveils-greenery-infused-garden-island-to-revamp-sydney-harbour
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This company wants to turn food waste into building materials heres how

What do peanuts, rice, bananas, potatoes, and mushrooms have in common? In addition to being delicious, they have the potential to make excellent additions to a new building material proposed by the Arup group. In a report entitled “The Urban Bio-Loop,” the firm proposes using food waste (something developed nations have an abundance of) to build structures that are low-cost and eco-friendly. According to the authors, the report aims to demonstrate ‘that a different paradigm...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-company-wants-to-turn-food-waste-into-building-materials-heres-how
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Futuristic solar home hidden inside 18th-century stone ruins

The stone ruins of an 18th-century Scottish farmhouse have been brought back to life as the envelope for a surprisingly modern solar-powered home. Nathanael Dorent Architecture and Lily Jencks Studio crafted Ruin Studio with layers like a palimpsest, from the 200-year-old farmhouse frame to futuristic and tubular interior shell. In addition to the use of photovoltaics, the dwelling was built to near passivhaus standards and boasts a super-insulated envelope. This unusual home located...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/futuristic-solar-home-hidden-inside-18th-century-stone-ruins
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Trees grow on every balcony of this Hanoi university building

This university building in Hanoi weaves Vietnam’s tropical landscape into its checkerboard facade, with trees growing on every balcony. Designed by Vo Trong Nghia Architects, the recently completed FPT University administrative building is the first phase in a greater masterplan to convert the campus into a “globally competition environmentally conscious university.” The university is part of Vietnam’s largest technology park, the Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, on the outskirts of Hanoi. Completed...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/trees-grow-on-every-balcony-of-this-hanoi-university-building
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Solar-powered Noe Hill Smarthome is an eco-friendly dream in San Francisco

The LEED Platinum-certified Noe Hill Smart Ecohome marries state-of-the-art green technology and the indoor-outdoor lifestyle increasingly popular among urban dwellers. The house, designed by EAG Studio, offers beautiful views of the ever-changing skyline of San Francisco and creates a healthy living environment. The house occupies a coveted site near the crest of the Collingwood hill in San Francisco. It spans three levels and comprises 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths (with 3 bedrooms ensuite on the upper...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/solar-powered-noe-hill-smarthome-is-an-eco-friendly-dream-in-san-francisco
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Hundreds of mysterious stone structures discovered near ancient volcanoes in Saudi Arabia

Like all things, technology is a double-edged sword. Without it, however, Professor David Kennedy of the University of Oxford would never have discovered hundreds of mysterious structures located near ancient lava domes in Saudi Arabia. Using the resource Google Earth, Kennedy found there are approximately 400 stone walls on ancient lava domes that are believed to be more than 9,000 years old. Because the structures appear similar to others found in the Middle East, they have been dubbed “gates” The...

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Newly-discovered hermit crab species uses living coral as shells

For the first time ever, a hermit crab has been documented to have found its “forever” home. Off the coast of Japan, a new species of the crab has partnered with a living coral. The coral grows as the crab ages, which means it has no need to continue searching for a bigger shell to live in. Unlike its counterparts, this new species has a perfectly symmetrical body to fit the coral that grows with it. The discovery of the Diogenes heteropsammicola is described in the journal PLOS...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/newly-discovered-hermit-crab-species-uses-living-coral-as-shells
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11-year old inventor becomes "America's Top Young Scientist" for lead-detecting sensor

Gitanjali Rao, an 11-year old resident of Lone Tree, Colorado, earned the title of "America's Top Young Scientist" when she won the this year’s Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge for her inspired invention of a sensor that can more efficiently detect lead in water than traditional methods. Rao was first inspired to create such a tool after learning about the Flint water crisis. "I feel every individual has the right to know if their drinking water is safe," said Rao in her National...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/11-year-old-inventor-becomes-americas-top-young-scientist-for-lead-detecting-sensor
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3,000 new solar-powered homes in Arizona to be equipped with Sonnen batteries

Prescott, Arizona has around 277 days of sunshine every year. Arizona-based house builder Mandalay Homes plans to take advantage of all that sunshine in 3,000 new homes to be built in the city, all equipped with rooftop solar panels and batteries from German company Sonnen GmbH. The companies said the community would be the first one like it in America. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/3000-new-solar-powered-homes-in-arizona-to-be-equipped-with-sonnen-batteries
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Plummeting insect population signals potential "ecological Armageddon"

Over the past three decades, the insect population has collapsed by 75% in nature reserves studied by scientists in Germany. Although the data gathered for this study was from a specific region of the world, it carries implications for a global ecology struggling to adapt to rapidly changing climate and environmental conditions. While many entomophobes may cheer the decrease in numbers of insects, it may have grave consequences for the broader ecosystem. “We appear to be making vast tracts of land...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/plummeting-insect-population-signals-potential-ecological-armageddon
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Antony Gibbon's Lucent House is a serene minimalist retreat made of glass and stone

"The Lucent house comprises of a series of geometric forms which twist and turn creating a series of angled rooms supported by 4 stone walls that form the main structure of the building. Minimal glass windows throughout the structure create a very exposed open space opening out onto the terrace which runs all around the outside with the shelter from the over hanging roof. The Lucent house can be built in any environment not just on the edge of water. It can be scaled, resized and extended...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/antony-gibbons-lucent-house-is-a-serene-minimalist-retreat-made-of-glass-and-stone
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LEGO launches Women of NASA set

Trailblazing women who have been instrumental in NASA's space program are being honored in a very fun way: as LEGO toys. The company just displayed the final design, with an official launch date for the 231-piece set which includes four women: Mae Jemison, Sally Ride, Margaret Hamilton, and Nancy Grace Roman. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/lego-launches-women-of-nasa-set
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This gorgeous shipping container ski resort is tucked into a Georgian mountainside

The architect Sandro Ramishvili and Irakli Eristavi are the minds behind this extraordinary creation. ‘Built in a minimalist style, the hotel seems to repeat the local terrain, cascading down the mountainside. The philosophy behind the project was to safeguard the environment from the harmful effects of work and leisure. Related: Green-roofed shipping containers give Montreal’s floating Bota Bota spa an eco boost + Quadrum Ski and Yoga Resort Images via Quadrum Ski and Yoga Resort ...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-gorgeous-shipping-container-ski-resort-is-tucked-into-a-georgian-mountainside
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Light-manipulating algae could boost solar power technology

You probably learned about diatoms, a prolific type of algae, back in grade school. But you may not have learned these single-celled organisms can manipulate light - and scientists are putting them in organic solar cells to enhance efficiency. Diatoms are inexpensive and can be found in different types of water and even tree bark. Study lead author and Yale University Ph.D. student Lyndsey McMillon-Brown said, "They help trap and scatter light for the algae to photosynthesize, so we're...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/light-manipulating-algae-could-boost-solar-power-technology
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Solar-powered skyscraper with worlds tallest ceramic facade unveiled for Dubai

UNStudio and Werner Sobek have unveiled plans for a new Dubai skyscraper guaranteed to turn heads with its twisted form and a ceramic-tile façade said to be the world’s tallest. Sculptural and functional, the beautiful Wasl Tower will cut down on energy costs with its use of solar panels and optimization of natural light. Hotel group Mandarin Oriental will operate the mixed-use skyscraper that will comprise a 250-room five-star hotel along with offices, residences, and public spaces. Located...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/solar-powered-skyscraper-with-worlds-tallest-ceramic-facade-unveiled-for-dubai
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Portable fog-harvesting AQUAIR harvests clean drinking water from thin air

Water scarcity doesn’t just affect those in arid climates—areas in humid tropics also lack access to freshwater sources. National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) students in Taiwan tackle these water issues with AQUAIR, a portable fog-harvesting device that pulls potable water out of the air. Designed for use in remote mountainous areas in tropical latitudes, AQUAIR can be easily assembled with the addition of locally sourced materials with future aims of open source production. Though...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/portable-fog-harvesting-aquair-harvests-clean-drinking-water-from-thin-air
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You can stay in this tiny treehouse made out of locally-sourced materials in Hawaii

Related: 8 inspiring tiny Airbnb homes for a taste of living small + Airbnb Hawaii Tiny Home, tiny home living, tiny houses, tiny home hawaii, tiny home hawaii airbnb, Hawaii tree cottage , volcano hawaii tiny home, off grid retreat hawaii,

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/you-can-stay-in-this-tiny-treehouse-made-out-of-locally-sourced-materials-in-hawaii
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World's first 3D-printed bridge opens in the Netherlands

History has been made in The Netherlands, where the world’s first 3D-printed bridge is finally in commission. On Tuesday, Dutch officials celebrated the opening of the innovative bridge, which is 8 meters (26 ft) long and located near the town of Gemert. By using reinforced, pre-stressed concrete and 3D-printing techniques, the bridge (which is primarily intended for cyclists) can safely bear the weight of 40 trucks. In total, the structure took just three months to build.   Said Theo...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/worlds-first-3d-printed-bridge-opens-in-the-netherlands
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Toyota and Mazda establish a new company for electric cars

Toyota, Mazda and Denso have signed a new partnership that will see the three companies establish a new company for the development of electric cars. Toyota and Mazda both don't offer any fully electric vehicles in their lineup yet, so the new partnership will give both automakers the basic structural components for EVs. For automakers to survive the changing automotive industry, they need to be able to produce several types of powertrains, including electric and fuel cell vehicles. Toyota,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/toyota-and-mazda-establish-a-new-company-for-electric-cars
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Greening the Earth could fight climate change as efficiently as cutting fossil fuels

Planting trees, revitalizing soil, and other natural environmental actions could prove as effective in fighting climate change as ceasing all oil use across the planet, according to new study published by an international team of scientists in the US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/greening-the-earth-could-fight-climate-change-as-efficiently-as-cutting-fossil-fuels
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Toronto's waterfront to undergo major futuristic redesign thanks to Google's Sidewalk Labs

In collaboration with Sidewalk Labs, a start-up created by Google to "accelerate innovation in cities around the world," the city of Toronto will embark on a futuristic redesign of its waterfront that will incorporate cutting edge technology and sleek modern design to build an urban gathering place for businesses, locals and visitors. Innovations on the Toronto waterfront may include free public Wi-Fi, automated trash systems, robust renewable energy sources, and self driving cars. "This project...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/torontos-waterfront-to-undergo-major-futuristic-redesign-thanks-to-googles-sidewalk-labs
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First floating wind farm in the world begins generating power

Five massive wind turbines floating in the ocean near Scotland have started sending energy to the grid. Statoil, a Norwegian power company, has been working on the 30 megawatt Hywind Scotland project for several years, and it's now up and running. The wind farm can power around 20,000 homes. Related: The world's largest floating wind farm is planned for the California coast Via the BBC and Statoil Images via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/first-floating-wind-farm-in-the-world-begins-generating-power
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Spectacular origami pavilion made of recycled plastic pops up in Columbus, Indiana

Origami-inspired Synergia pavilion in Columbus is a complex, LED-lit public structure made from recycled plastic. Students of the IU School of Art, Architecture + Design in Bloomington, led by Professor Jiangmei Wu, designed the pavilion as an experiment in building complex structures that grow similarly to biological forms, soap bubbles, and crystal patterns. The temporary pavilion sits on the site of Eero Saarinen’s North Christian Church in Columbus, and references the famous architect’s...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/spectacular-origami-pavilion-made-of-recycled-plastic-pops-up-in-columbus-indiana
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Bloomberg gives $64 million to anti-coal campaign

The Donald Trump administration had made a lot of noise about bringing back coal. But with renewable energy soaring, and coal plants retiring, their efforts may go in vain - and a new $64 million donation from Bloomberg Philanthropies could facilitate progress towards cleaner sources of power. Michael Bloomberg, former New York City mayor and philanthropist, said, "The Trump administration has yet to realize that the war on coal was never led by Washington - and Washington cannot end it." The...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/bloomberg-gives-64-million-to-anti-coal-campaign
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Fantastical off-grid home is the perfect pad for Fred Flintstone and Bilbo Baggins

Related: This Oregon dome home could be yours – if aliens don’t come for it first + Zillow Via The Register Guard Nolan Scheid, Nolie Scheid, dome homes, concrete lord of the rings home, odd architecture, dome architecture, stone homes

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/fantastical-off-grid-home-is-the-perfect-pad-for-fred-flintstone-and-bilbo-baggins
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Stanford sodium-based battery could be more cost-effective than lithium

The quest for the best battery is of vital importance as the world transitions to renewable energy. A Stanford University-led team turned to salt to design a sodium-based battery that can hold the same amount of power as a lithium-ion one for a cheaper price. While it's not the world's first sodium ion battery, the Stanford design costs under 80 percent of a lithium-ion battery that can store the same amount of energy. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/stanford-sodium-based-battery-could-be-more-cost-effective-than-lithium
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MVRDV wins bid for green-roofed Zhangjiang Future Park in Shanghai

MVRDV just unveiled competition-winning designs for Zhangjiang Future Park, a 100,000-square-meter park and cultural center—the latest in a rapidly growing list of large-scale developments in Shanghai. Designed for the city’s Pudong district, the Future Park expands on the existing Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, a bustling business and industrial district for national and international companies established in 1992. The Future Park will serve the over 100,000 workers that live in the area and add 10,000...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/mvrdv-wins-bid-for-green-roofed-zhangjiang-future-park-in-shanghai
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Undulating green-roofed resort gets green light for coastal Turkey town

A new health and wellness resort planned for a Turkish coastal town appears to lift out of the ground into a series of rolling hills. Designed by architecture firm ENOTA, the sprawling green-roofed Tetusa Oasis Thermal Resort just received the green light for construction in Cesme, Turkey. Designed to mimic the surrounding hilly terrain, this lush resort taps into the landscape’s thermal waters to offer a spa, waterpark, hotel, medical prevention center, elderly care facility, and other health...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/undulating-green-roofed-resort-gets-green-light-for-coastal-turkey-town
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Angular cedar-clad home in New Zealand is set to go completely off-grid

Related:See how the “Kiss-Kiss House” snaps in half like a branch to embrace the landscape + Herriot Melhuish Oneill Via <a href="http://www.archdaily.com/879477/peka-peka-house-i-herriot-melhuish-oneill-architects?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ArchDaily+%28ArchDaily%29"Archdaily Herriot Melhuish Oneill architects, Peka Peka House

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This startup is training crows to throw away cigarette butt litter

Did you know? The average cigarettes take twelve years to decompose. This is a problem, as they are the most littered item on Earth. Every year, approximately 4.5 trillion cigarettes are discarded with little regard for the environment. Fortunately, the new startup Crowded Cities has a plan to rid streets of this type of pollution, and it involves training crows to exchange them for food. It is now a well-established fact that crows are one of the smartest animals in the world. Not...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-startup-is-training-crows-to-throw-away-cigarette-butt-litter
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California becomes first state to require pet stores to sell rescue animals

In a move which is being applauded by animal rights activists, California is officially the first state to ban puppy mills. The revised measure AB485 requires pet stores to sell dogs, cats, and rabbits from animal shelters, rescue groups or adoption centers. The goal to ensure better treatment of animals and to secure homes for some of the 1.5 million animals which are euthanized across the United States each year. Governor Jerry Brown signed the legislation last Friday, which will...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/california-becomes-first-state-to-require-pet-stores-to-sell-rescue-animals
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As the permafrost thaws, entire villages may be forced to move

Vulnerable permafrost thawing thanks to climate change could alter the landscape of northern parts of the United States, like Alaska. Roads, homes, and infrastructure built atop permafrost can crack or collapse as it melts. And whole villages may have to relocate - in fact, Vladimir Romanovsky, University of Alaska in Fairbanks geophysics professor, told the BBC "by now there are 70 villages who really have to move because of thawing permafrost." Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/as-the-permafrost-thaws-entire-villages-may-be-forced-to-move
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Google maps the solar system for armchair space travelers

Not merely content with dominating this planet, Google, with its sights set on the solar system, has recently added twelve additional celestial bodies to its Google Maps application. Although Google Maps has for several years enabled explorers to virtually cruise around the Moon and Mars, the list of planets and moons to discover now includes Mercury, Venus, the dwarf planets of Ceres and Pluto, six of Saturn's moons, and three moons of Jupiter, including Io and Europa, the latter of which may contain...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/google-maps-the-solar-system-for-armchair-space-travelers
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The fearless dog who refused to leave his goats during the Santa Rosa wildfire

It would seem that dogs, in addition to being man's, are also best friends with goats and deer. Odin, a loyal, headstrong Great Pyrenees who guards his owner's goat herd, refused to leave their side even when fierce wildfires bore down around his home in Sonoma County, California. “Even under the best of circumstances it is nearly impossible to separate Odin from the goats after nightfall when he takes over the close watch from his sister Tessa," wrote Roland Tembo Hendel, Odin's owner. "I made...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/the-fearless-dog-who-refused-to-leave-his-goats-during-the-santa-rosa-wildfire
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Ai Weiwei installs huge fences in New York City to challenge Trumps border control measures

Ai Weiwei continues to address the refugee crisis through his latest multi-site, multi-media exhibition in New York City. The famous Chinese artist and human-rights activist designed three temporary metal structures that resemble security fences, in a campaign against Donald Trump’s border-control measures. The project, titled Good Fences Make Good Neighbors, includes a huge golden circle placed in Central Park, and a fence-like enclosure embedded in the Washington Square Arch. In 2016, Weiwei...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/ai-weiwei-installs-huge-fences-in-new-york-city-to-challenge-trumps-border-control-measures
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More than 50% of New York Citys public schools now have gardens

There’s a food revolution brewing in over half of New York City’s public schools, and it’s just getting started. Thanks to the local nonprofit GrowNYC, The Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC, and Grow to Learn, five boroughs have been established to set up sustainable gardens in public schools. There are now at least 700 gardens across the city, and teachers are witnessing a myriad of changes in the kids who are spending more time outdoors and less time in a “traditional” classroom setting. From...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/more-than-50-of-new-york-citys-public-schools-now-have-gardens
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A luscious open-air 'urban forest' tops this formerly abandoned penthouse

lush green and sustainable intervention with a very low carbon footprint. Estimate completion is for the end of 2018. Related: Explore Andrew Franz’s Greenery-Covered West Village Penthouse Addition and Townhouse Renovation + Matteo Cainer Architects La Foret Urbaine, Matteo Cainer Architects Ltd

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-luscious-open-air-urban-forest-tops-this-formerly-abandoned-penthouse
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Villagers in Peru stumble across what may be an ancient Inca city

Locals in the southern rainforest of Peru may have stumbled across an Inca city while grazing cattle. The Provincial Municipality of La Convención shared images of the site, close to the National Sanctuary of Megantoni. In a space around two hectares big, residents found houses, walls, passageways, platforms, and streets, that could date back to the Inca civilization. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/villagers-in-peru-may-have-found-an-inca-site
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Skinny micro-apartment can pop up in any city in just one day

The thought of living in an apartment with the footprint of a parking space may seem improbable and uncomfortable, but the chic Tikku micro-apartment shows us that it can be done. In response to pressures of the housing crises, Finnish architect Marco Casagrande of Casagrande Laboratory designed and built a prefabricated mobile micro-apartment that can pop up in as little as a day. The three-story-tall micro-apartment is designed to be mobile so it can go almost anywhere a car can—with enough overhead...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/skinny-micro-apartment-can-pop-up-in-any-city-in-just-one-day
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Stefano Boeri Architects envisions a Vertical Forest City on Mars

What will Shanghai look like 100 years from now? Some with grim outlooks say the Chinese metropolis will be submerged under water and engulfed by rising sea levels. In response, Stefano Boeri Architects—the designers behind the vertical forests and China’s planned forest cities—teamed up with the Chinese Space Agency and Tongji University’s Future City Lab to conceptualize a Shanghai colony on the planet Mars. Envisioned as a Vertical Forest City, this “New Shanghai” would use “eco-systemic...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/stefano-boeri-architects-envisions-a-vertical-forest-city-on-mars
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Greenbuild: The world's biggest green building expo is coming to Boston

The world's biggest conference dedicated to green building is coming to Boston this November, and you won't want to miss it. The Greenbuild International Conference and Expo will bring together experts, professionals and leaders in sustainable building for mind-blowing exhibits, learning activities, a Net Zero zone, and pavilions with the latest in green building technology.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/greenbuild-the-worlds-biggest-green-building-expo-is-coming-to-boston
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10 Trumpkins that are making Halloween great again

[Trump 1] The first Trumpkin on our list, and possibly the most terrifying entry, is painted on the face of the pumpkin rather than carved. A tuft of real hair finishes off the eerie image. It was posted on Instagram by user @ktmod with the tasteful caption, "Grab 'em by the pumpkin."   [Trump 2] This next Trumpkin by Instagram user @petermartindk takes a more classic approach, transforming the presidential candidate into a glowing jack-o-lantern. We dig the minimalist approach here.   [Trump...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/people-are-making-halloween-great-again-with-these-terrifying-trumpkins
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Edgy black slats conceal a surprisingly light-filled interior in this Brisbane home

Related: Elegant timber extension uses angular volumes to maximize natural light + Bureau Proberts Via Dwell Bureau Proberts, sloping homes, homes built on slopes, angular homes, architecture, australian architecture,

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/edgy-black-slats-conceal-a-surprisingly-light-filled-interior-in-this-brisbane-home
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Scientists witnessed a neutron star mashup for the first time - and it transformed our understanding of the universe

A new era of astronomy, known as “multi-messenger astronomy,” has begun, now that scientists have detected gravitational waves stemming from the crash of two ultra-dense neutron stars. It is believed that cataclysmic events such as these generated at least half of the gold in the Universe. Though astronomers have witnessed ripples in the fabric of space in time before (created by objects moving in the Universe), this is the first time in history the event was detectable by regular light telescopes....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/scientists-witnessed-a-neutron-star-mashup-for-the-first-time-and-it-transformed-our-understanding-of-the-universe
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Nike calls "Flyleather" its most sustainable leather material yet

When Nike introduced the Flyknit Racer in 2012, the sportswear giant literally broke the mold of sneaker construction. Featuring a lightweight, pliable and nearly seamless upper, the shoe had the flexibility of a sock yet the support of a trainer.

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/nike-calls-flyleather-its-most-sustainable-leather-material-yet
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Dubai police unveil Star Wars-esque electric hoverbikes

Law enforcement in Dubai could zip through the city on electric hoverbikes in the future. At the GITEX technology week, the Dubai Police announced a police hoverbike, the Hoversurf Scorpion 3 manufactured by Russian company Hoversurf, that can speed around at 43 miles per hour, 16 feet up in the air. The Dubai police force are considering deploying the hoverbikes to respond to emergencies. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/dubai-police-unveil-star-wars-esque-electric-hoverbikes
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This Arctic Apple has been genetically engineered to never brown

The Arctic Apple, a variety of fruit that has been genetically engineered to never brown, even when cut into pieces, may be coming to a grocery store near you this November. The endearing little fruit was first envisioned as a means to increase apple consumption among picky consumers while decreasing food waste. “There’s an awful lot of apples that go to waste,” Carter “We’ve seen apple consumption decline on a per capita basis over the last few decades, because they’re not seen as convenient....

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-arctic-apple-has-been-genetically-engineered-to-never-brown
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Oil rig explodes in the middle of Lake Pontchartrain, injuring several near New Orleans

An oil rig on Lake Pontchartrain exploded on Sunday night in Kenner, Louisiana, home of the Louis Armstrong International Airport and only a few miles from New Orleans. Authorities began receiving calls about the explosion around 7:18 PM on Sunday; although no official explanation has been offered, authorities on scene believed that the explosion was caused by flammable cleaning chemicals on the oil rig's surface. At least seven people were injured in the blast and, according to initial reporting,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/oil-rig-explodes-in-the-middle-of-lake-pontchartrain-injuring-several-near-new-orleans
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"This is unprecedented": Irish Minister of State for Flood Relief on tropical storm Ophelia

When you hear the word 'hurricane,' you probably don't think about the United Kingdom...but an ex-hurricane is about to hit Ireland. Tropical Storm Ophelia is on a path towards the country, with warnings of high seas, power outages, and hazardous conditions. Minister for flood relief Kevin Moran said at a Dublin press conference, "This is unprecedented." Related: Via The Guardian Images via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-is-unprecedented-irish-minister-of-state-for-flood-relief-on-tropical-storm-ophelia
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A puzzle-like aluminum faade wraps around Bergens National Academy of the Arts

A faceted prefab façade made of raw aluminum elements wraps around Snøhetta’s recently completed National Academy of the Arts in Bergen. The new eco-friendly facility is built to withstand the rainy climate of the Norwegian west coast and offer a durable, robust space where KMD’s 350 art and design students can learn and collaborate under one roof. The building replaces the former Bergen Academy of Art & Design (KHiB) and assembles assembling the previously scattered faculty...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/a-puzzle-like-aluminum-facade-wraps-around-bergens-national-academy-of-the-arts
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Huge battery in the UK holds the energy equivalent of 500K smartphone batteries

A large new battery storage project could help the United Kingdom's national grid handle power from more renewable sources. The 10 megawatt battery, on the grounds of a biomass plant at Blackburn Meadows, is contained inside four 40 foot shipping containers. It can hold the same amount of energy as around 500,000 smartphone batteries. Related: While the battery plant is currently one of the largest in Britain, The Guardian pointed out it won't be long before others even bigger are built. Via...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/huge-battery-in-the-uk-holds-the-energy-equivalent-of-500k-smartphone-batteries
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