Man learns the best possible stuff in the lap of nature and it is there that he finds true peace with himself and the world around him. For centuries now nature has inspired man to achieve, to imagine, to explore and to fall in love with its effervescent splendor. Its million shades never seem to repeat themselves with each sunset bringing a new hue and its beautiful tunes inspire emotions that seem long lost in modern mayhem. Nature has a way of heeling, touching and inspiring which has been felt from men like Newton to romantics like Wordsworth. In simple terms, it has something for everyone and you only need to look with the right eye.

Built around 1100AD, the Devil’s Bridge is also known as the Ponte della Maddalena, named after a statue of Mary Magdalene that once stood at the foot of the bridge; the figurine is now housed in the local parish. (Mary Magdalene is another story altogether though). The bridge is located in a serene and tranquil location and its beauty is awe-inspiring indeed. Ne could just sit on it for hours and not know the time. But the tale behind the bridge is not very encouraging if you want to take a walk in the night on it.

A Tuscan legend has it that during the construction of the Ponte del Diavolo, near Borgo a Mozzano, the sole stonemason building it was having a terrible time. The builder made a deal with the Devil (apparently) that he would give the soul of the first person who crossed the bridge if he helped him in completing it. But the wise builder sent a pig across the bridge first to make sure no one lost their soul to the devil. The cheated devil apparently lies beneath this bridge till today!

Apart from being a great story for a movie and having a wonderful twist of how the Devil was cheated for a change, the bridge is an absolute beauty with surely many stories around it and we have not even got to Mary Magdalene yet! That is for a different day though…

Via EnvironmentalGraffiti

It is ironic that 90% of the ‘natural’ disasters that we see today are actually a culmination of man’s callous exploitation of the planet. Yet, every time there is a disaster that strikes the civilized world, our heart goes out in support of the needy. It is not easy to face the fury of the elements and as kind as the planet can be, it can also unleash moments of madness that can and often do leave millions homeless. Matthew Malone’s innovative new green disaster shelter is a wonderful option which provides shelter to the homeless.

Designed for disaster relief, the Recover Shelter can house a family of four for a month. It can be set up by one person in minutes, collapsed into either of two configurations for transportation and is made of 100% polypropylene. The polypropylene makes the Recover Shelter 100% recyclable, the ridges can collect drinking water, and the structure can be covered in local materials for better insulation. The shelter has unique green features and is cheap to both produce and use.

Since there is no harmful gas produced during both the making and using of this green recovery Shelter, it makes it a lot better than the many that are in use today. The fact that it can be shipped with ease and convenience and can be set up by a single person in minutes only saves precious time in situations of emergency. Matthew Malone’s technology could probably be improved and developed further to provide permanent shelter for the millions who are homeless world wide.

Via Yankodesign

We have been covering products and practices depicting ways to capture the solar energy, thereby utilizing it in the best way possible. And honoring the latest pro-active nature of the drive aimed at powering the city with solar freeways is another eco-friendly solution coming from the house of “Going Solar.” I would invite your argument on possibilities to power cities, which currently is facing the problem of massive terra firma necessary to access the traditional inventions. They say photovoltaic panels are horizontal and extensive, posing a serious loss of wide space. Now Australian renewable energy vendor “Going Solar” has envisaged a clever policy that instills built-up shipment systems with energy producing potential, erecting solar panels on highway as sound blockades!

Positioned in Australia, Calder Interchange is witnessed as the first solar sound-barrier highway installation by Going Solar. The solar sound fence consists of 500 meters of photovoltaic panels that features project’s power output after being attached to a public display. Respecting its location near suburban region, each colossal solar panel offers much desired soundproofing to the residence nearby. The unique feature of the project can be counted as the fact that energy doesn’t have to travel far-off to reach its target as it is already engulfed with domiciles.

Anticipated to produce 18.7 megawatts per year, the intelligent minds behind it are hopeful to generate the cost-spent within 15 years. If you still have doubts regarding the functionality or efficiency of the project then here I have a confirmation that is suffice to erase all: The project has enabled Going Solar gab the ATRAA’s award for best grid-connected system.

Via ResourceSmart

Prefab is in these days, especially for those who do not have much time on their hands to get involved in an elaborate house construction plan. Moreover, the prefab available now-a-days are low-cost and most of them employ eco-friendly designs and infrastructure.

One such prefab is being offered by the company ‘BSB design’ for South Africans. The name is Abōd™ and it bears a simple design. This relatively cheap and high-quality prefab can be shipped in one box. It’s assembly takes one day, four people, a screwdriver, a ladder and an awl! 

The design is that of the natural Catenary Arch (curve); materials used in this prefab make it lightweight. The assembled prefab houses in a row look like they have been imported from some children’s fable! The whole look and colorful panels give an aura of happiness to these.

The flexibility provided by Abod is such that not only can you erect it up in a day, you can easily dismantle it with the help of a security tool (provided in the shipment) and move your dwelling place part-by-part.

Upgraded add-ons are also available like bathrooms, kitchens, cooking areas, unique door designs, overhangs, flooring choices, closet units, loft expansions, end walls, window-walls and small business walls. Also, design to increase natural diffused light inside, Plexiglas panels can be fitted anywhere in the design.

And last but not the least an Abod can be purchased at US $1,500. Abod truly represents the housing-concept of green-sustainable living!

Via: trendhunter

With the shrinking of arable land in every country on our planet, the possibility of vertical farming is taking shape in the minds of futuristic-planners, scientists and agriculturists. The horizons are being stretched by modern designers to bring out concepts that involve growing your veggies, fruits & flowers on skyscrapers! One such being Dr. Dickson Despommier’s vertical farm concept which he fondly calls his zucchini-in-the-sky vision. He created the model of this vertical farm back in 1990’s with his batch of medical ecology students.

The design displays tall sky-kissing green buildings- where people grow edible plants, fruits vegetables even legumes as per their requirements. Dr. Despommier, whose name in French means “of the apple trees,” is a professor of public health at Columbia University. Since 1999, has been spreading the seeds of his radical idea in lectures and through his Web site. Unachievable as his sky-high dreams seems to be, Scott M. Stringer, the Manhattan borough president and another big city dreamer has laid his eyes upon radical farming concepts and have quite liked Despommier’s model.

Stringer’s office is now actively busy in “sketching out what it would take to pilot a vertical farm,” and he plans to undertake a feasibility study within next few months, according to the man himself. Well, the future does seem to be bright enough for all such daring designers and ‘green’ achievers for careful planning and lot of hardwork is what it takes to achieve the impossible looking feats!

Via NYT

A lot of electricity gets diverted towards the street lights. Ever wondered of sun or wind powering them? It’s possible now! Thanks to Mojtaba Navvab, of the University of Michigan Architectural Laboratory very soon our roads will be lighted by these hybrid solar-wind-powered streetlight. As of now the light has been erected near the Packard Road, entrance to Buhr Park.
Talk about the functioning and what meets the eye is a wind turbine and two solar panels, apart from a battery that stores the energy. This 70-watt, 24-volt light can store upto 100 amp hours at 24 volts in its two batteries. During the day it remains in off state while lights up during the day with light good enough like an electricity powered street light.
To begin with the cost of one light pole is coming out to be $1,800, which seems quite an amount to draw a city map lighted with such eco-friendly lights. But no doubts the concept will bring out good green returns towards the end.
Via: Mlive

If Jettsons consider themselves as more of terrestrial beings then here is what they should look forward to. Called “Reboot,” this concept-based house by Victor Vetterlein would surely be in demand once it becomes functional. Designed and developed to be absolutely self-sufficient together with energy collecting solar paint, wind turbines and a rainwater collection system; it can be witnessed as an effective hydroelectric boost. Calculating gamut of renewable energy options, it offers a possibility of erecting a featured-packed and contemporary design both conceptually and in performance.

Other technology-driven features of this conceptual house include its voice activated house controls and terminals that provides connectivity between your computer and phone line.

Jump over for more views of Victor Vetterlein’s Reboot design:

We keep ourselves engaged with hunting green products that can be installed inside our living space, thereby cutting down electricity bills. But today, I have come across an energy saving product concept designed for public spaces. Spread over 7.3 square meters of the main panel, the solar cells along with Movement sensors energy saving system (MoSES) provide lighting all through all night.

All components required in this concept are well interlinked by a secretive connection to an electric grid that facilitates distribution of surplus energy as and when required. This energy can be utilized for not only illumination but also cater to numerous digital devices viz. computers, LCDs, information panels, wireless devices, Internet connectivity, public telephones.

Idea is to extract energy (of course solar) from every possible means that has it but doesn’t need. In layman’s language, bus stops can be seen as a perfect medium to install huge protective panels that can capture good amount of solar energy and can deliver it to those users who consumer more electricity.

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Via NikolaDesign

With rising developers, there is dearth of greenery around us as all the empty land is being eaten by real estate developers and converted in big structures, helping them mint money. But the story of killing nature doesn’t end there. In fact it starts from there. The dwellers cannot compromise at their lifestyle and thus consumes lot of electric power, the scarcity of which is seen as a basic problem.

But you would be surprised to know that at the same time there is a growing consciousness about saving environment and less use of energy. Developers have plans to utilize wind and solar power for erecting high-rise buildings. The Clean Technology Tower concept created by Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill recommends the positioning of wind turbines at the corners of the structure to bind the high-velocity winds that hasten about the top of the tower.

A vaulted dual roof crater located at the summit of the tower will guide the wind towards a lot of wind turbines mounted at lower levels. Idea is to use the negative force shaped by the turbines to aerate internal spaces inside the structure while the field itself will be sheltered by solar cells that will focus on imprisoning the southern sun. It includes 1.8 million square feet of office space along with a 300,000 sq ft hotel, spa and street-level retail rounding off the complex.

Via MetaEffecient

Don’t mistake by counting it as any ordinary architectural magnum opus as it is more than that. Spread over 1.5 billion sq ft, this ecological masterpiece dubbed as waterfront city designed by Rem Koolhaas is a self-contained city positioned over a simulated island that blends stimulations from 19-century mosques to Koolhaas’s own ideas about the THX 1138-esque basic city.

The striking views of this ecological marvel are quite futuristic. It is no less than a self-sustained city. It is being said that the island will be separated into 25 indistinguishable wedges that will be occupied by a blend of tall and squat towers interspersed by incredible structures viz. an escalating 82-story tower, 44-story sphere that will serve as mini-city within a mini-city equipped with an extensive arrangement of escalator pipes.

To give an earthy feel to the edifice, it will be populated with customary parks and its very evolvement assures that Dubai is all set to leave the world behind within no time. Till date, Dubai has continually startled the world with the marvelous buildings that it has dished out over a period of time. In terms of green architecture, the nation is heading faster than any other city globally. Dive into the project and enjoy the feel of being green.

Via Cubeme