The use of alternative energy is vital within our generation. As the prices of fossil fuels skyrocket and we are beginning to exhaust our natural resources it’s becoming inherently clear that we need to begin to think outside the box and utilize the energy around us that is so often overlooked. The city of Lincoln [...]
Ultimately, the real strength of The BLDGBLOG Book is Geoff Manaugh’s skills as a compelling storyteller. As Manaugh delves into the world of Landscape Futures in the fifth and final chapter of his book, the reader is simultaneously immersed in the floating canal city of London A.D. 2109 and in the Cloud City that hovers [...]
The main slogan for this past August 29, 2012 event was “Towards the Buenos Aires of 2030;” and for now Megaciudades is the most important conference regarding Urban Planning and Sustainability taking place in the city on an annual basis. In its third year, the event was organized by the German-Argentine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, [...]
In 2012 Pennsylvania passed Act 13, an act which mandated that local governments must allow drilling in all zoning districts and cannot ban or restrict gas development. Act 13 limits local government control and allows only individuals who own land and mineral rights in counties to participate in drilling decisions that will affect their communities. [...]
Passive House, or, Passivhaus in its native German, is a global standard for energy efficiency in the domain of building construction and maintenance. The austere regulations associated with the design philosophy are similar to that of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), yet surpasses it in stringency. The ideal product of a Passive House [...]
The BLDGBLOG Book by Geoff Manaugh introduces us to speculation about future architecture and how the present built environment will eventually change. From the first page of the book, the reader gets an idea of what he is about to read as he is presented an illustration of London in A.D. 2109. London seems like [...]
In Spokane, WA, the hot button topic of the moment is something that affects everywhere from rural Wyoming and Montana, to the US/Canadian border city of Bellingham, WA,, to China: coal shipment. Essentially, the region is at least 3-5 years away from having a final environmental impact statement, let alone the approval for the port [...]
Globally, energy and water use are in a highly interdependent power play. When we grapple for solutions for one issue, it can often offset benefits for the other. There are several opportunities that, internationally, we are not sufficiently exploiting in order to reduce our consumption, while producing sustainable energy and water sources. 1. Access or [...]
In the conventional city fabric, the two attributes walkability and biotechnology are seemingly contradictory. This, of course, is not without good reason; the large research complexes fundamental to technological innovation are unsupportive of the intimate, walkable communities so presently desired. The Milken Institute, a leading policy think tank, designated Raleigh, North Carolina as the No. [...]
Is it possible for people to connect with nature while living in urban environments? Especially in big cities with poor access green spaces? Here are a few examples of percentages of green space per resident, in a sample of cities around the world: Cape Town: 290 m2/resident And according to a summary of research findings [...]
In September, two coal-burning power plants on the Southwest side of Chicago closed down operations, leaving the nearby communities with the pressing question of how best to re-use the combined 132 acres. The Fisk and Crawford coal plants have been decommissioned by their owner Midwest Generation in response to increasing pressure from community groups and [...]
In Thessaloniki, Northern Greece, on May 24 2012, the Hellenic Institute of Transport (HIT), the Greek Center for Research and Technology along with the municipality of Thessaloniki, and the Hellenic Institute of Transportation Engineers, presented the project “You are a click away.” This project will suggest intelligent, environmentally-friendly, and sustainable transportation solutions to citizens of [...]
A typical three-story walkup building in Chicago Urban planners the world over recognize that affordable housing is crucial for neighborhood stability, as well as workforce diversity and the economic sustainability of a given region. But in the summer of 2012, the tight rental market in major cities like Chicago meant that landlords could get record [...]
Given the disappointing situation of nuclear energy stations and their hazardous accidents, nations like Denmark have strictly excluded nuclear use as part of their strategy for producing electricity. This has increased aspiring concepts like alternative energy farms: socially and environmentally-harmless frameworks. Autonomous giant structures that coordinate their moves with nature’s rhythm, the wind power plants [...]
Energy policies are important in Turkey because it imports 60% of its energy use, according to research conducted by TUIK. In recent years, the government has increased its investment in sustainable energy sources. Despite this encouraging news, Turkey currently produces 20% of electrical energy from renewable energy sources (18% hydroelectic power plant %2 wind turbines); [...]
Tacoma, Washington is no stranger to LEED Platinum government buildings, but how about going a step further and creating one that actually has the capacity to react to its environmental conditions and alter itself in order to minimize its energy use? Tacoma’s Center for Urban Waters; a 51,000 square-foot office and laboratory building, was completed [...]
Climate change responsibility needs to be shared worldwide, as carbon dioxide reduction is required in order to recalibrate the environmental imbalance. Since the building sector is one of the main energy consumers, adequate strategies, like energy retrofitting, must be implemented. Yet the considerable financial investments in building analysis and systematic implementation of low-carbon developments have vaguely [...]
What does it take to become the world’s greenest city? Officials in Canada’s west coast city of Vancouver, British Columbia think they have the answer and plan to achieve this status by 2020. Using a variety of transportation measures, building codes, and urban design techniques, Vancouver is set to lead the world in sustainable living. [...]
“The water in itself adds quality to this city”, Kim Herforth Nielsen, 3XN The United Nations committee reaches worldwide, currently covering 193 member states. Its foundations were set following the end of the Second World War, when 51 countries committed to invest their power in the welfare organization. The declaration formulated in the Millenium Summit [...]
Apparently there are endangered species in our urban environments, although it may be difficult to realize. How often, when we are getting around a city, with its pollution, noise, and traffic congestion, do we see something that reminds us of nature? It is often the case that biodiversity declines with urban expansion. Extensive roads, transportation [...]
