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Copenhagen Parts for your bicycle

admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:25:06 +0000

About half of all car journeys in urban areas are shorter than 5km and for such short distances a bicycle is, in most cases, the fastest means of transport. Bicycles need far less space than cars, they are quiet and – taking manufacturing into account – their CO2 emissions are very low. Copenhagen is one of the most bicycle friendly cities and Copenhagen Parts recently launched the Bike Porter, which makes it easy to get your stuff around town.

To achieve a reduction of 40% of CO2 emissions by 2020 a country such as Germany will have to reduce its emissions from transport by 15 million tonnes per annum. Technical innovations and higher energy efficiency will help to achieve these goals. If, however, 5% of all car journeys were done by public transport and 30% of all car journeys shorter than 5km were done by bicycle, 3 to 4 million tonnes of CO2 could be saved each year.

Well, yes – I would use the bicycle, but how do I get what I need for work to the office and my shopping home?

Copenhagen Parts offers a solution: the Bike Porter – an integrated handlebar and basket.

Old-school basket weave is fine if that’s your thing, but what real choice is there if you care about how your bike looks, and your style is more urban than country cottage? What if you ride a stylish single-speed but you also want to carry bags and groceries?

The Bike Porter combines cool aesthetics with functionality without corrupting the clean, simple lines of your bicycle.

By integrating the basket into the handlebar, the Bike Porter offers a stylish transport option which works as part of your bike as well as introducing an evolution in style.

The Bike Porter is easy to fit and secure. It stands out through its quality, simplicity and style. The product is made from heat-treated alloy tubing and rod, making it lightweight and robust. It is designed to attach to the stem easily, installed just like any normal handlebar and it can be attached to any bicycle using a two part stem.

For more details see the website – http://copenhagenparts.com

The product was designed by Good Morning Technology, Copenhagen – www.gmtn.dk

In London the Bike Porter is available at www.tokyofixedgear.com

The (light) Monument

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 21:10:12 +0000

The Monument is one of the great sites of London. It was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and completed in 1677 as a memorial to the Great Fire in 1666. The building is 202ft high, stands 202ft from the spot in Pudding Lane where it is believed the fire started and is the tallest free standing stone column in the world. It was recently completely refurbished and equipped with a highly energy efficient lighting system.

Although incandescent lights are being phased out across the EU and energy efficient lighting solutions will be introduced, the lighting industry has been relatively slow to promote innovative and well designed low energy lighting solutions. The Monument presented a unique challenge as the structure predates electric lighting. The old scheme was typically unsympathetic, utilising large and unsightly bulkhead fittings.

The designers set out to create a new solution with minimal visual intrusion. Special linear LED sources were designed to the same dimension and profile as the iron stair balustrade spindles. Finished in the same colour and fixed by metal straps, the new lighting is barely noticeable to visitors.

The original finish of the walls – a limed wash – was reinstated. The limed wash gives excellent reflectance and supports the indirect lighting solutions which were installed. The lighting designers had to strike a balance between providing the right mood inside this historic structure and safety requirements and decided to keep the illumination levels at approximately 50 lux average. The emergency lighting is a central battery system which feeds 25% of the standard LED balustrade sources.

The big advantages of the new lighting solution are its low energy use (1.3kWh), longevity and minimum maintenance.

Over 100.000 visitors climb the 311 spiral steps every year to the Monument’s observation gallery to enjoy the unique and exhilarating views across London. On the way up and down they can now also admire a forward thinking energy efficient lighting solution.

The lighting solution was developed by Light Bureau. For more details on the project and the project partners, please visit their website www.lightbureau.com .

Shanghai in Depth

admin — Fri, 14 May 2010 14:52:19 +0000

A programme on sustainable innovation in China

CITIES

More that 50% of the world’s population now live in urban areas and the pressures on infrastructure and well being are immense. The growing population and the urbanisation on our planet offer huge opportunities for design, innovation and sustainable development.

CLIMATE

The growing population as well as our growing wealth put pressure on our resources and at the same time have a negative impact on our climate. The challenges climate change and the decline of resources pose, need to be resolved.

KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge and service based industries have become the key factor for growth and success. Web based technologies and the free flow of information accelerate this process. The development of knowledge economies is the future.

CHINA

China will be the economic power house of the 21^st century. China is changing from a ‘work bench’ economy to a smart economy with a very strong consumer base.

SHANGHAI IN DEPTH is a series of events hosted by the Shanghai Association for Science and Technology (SAST) and organised by thequietriot.com during World Expo 2010. We will bring together business and innovation leaders from Europe and Shanghai.

The development of our cities, the climate and our knowledge economies offer huge business opportunities and potentials for joint ventures and co-operations in China which we will explore.

SHANGHAI IN DEPTH will during the course of the next months explore six themes from an innovation and business perspective

THEME 1 Inclusive and balanced city: share, live and integrate together

THEME 2 Natural and friendly city: low carbon, ecological and energy-efficient

THEME 3 Healthy and peaceful city: providing well being and a healthy and safe environment

THEME 4 Intelligent and intellectual city: digitalisation and smart network

THEME 5 Habitable and integrated city: urban spaces, architecture, design, traffic and infrastructure

THEME 6 Colourful and diverse city: science and technology, humanities, society and changes in culture.

During World Expo 2010 we will run a number of four day events exploring these themes in more detail, giving an insight into the width and breadth of business opportunities in the Greater Shanghai Area. Our workshops will also allow you to meet innovation leaders in energy management and efficiency, innovation, design and sustainable development.

It will be a platform for people from Europe and China who have understood how to turn green developments and technologies into business success, and for those with similar aspirations.

A drop of water

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 08:41:07 +0000

The gardening season has just started and we are all hoping for a long and warm summer, which means we will have to water our gardens. Water however is a scarce resource, even in many parts of Europe including the UK. Harvested rain water is free and it takes a little pressure from the main water supplies.

A lot of people want to make a difference and have set up water butts in their gardens to collect rain water. Most of these water butts are not items of beauty, but rather utilitarian in appearance.

Recognising this, the Dutch designer Bas van der Veer took up this challenge and designed A Drop of Water. This butt has an integrated watering can which is automatically filled every time it rains, because it is located directly underneath the drainage tube. When the watering can is filled with rainwater, the surplus will automatically run into the reservoir of the water butt. After the first round of watering you can refill the watering can from the reservoir, and replace it for replenishment the next time it rains!

A Drop of Water is very easy to use and an attractive addition to your garden. The design is user friendly and it enables the gardeners to minimise the use of fresh drinking water for irrigation purposes.

You can find A Drop of Water and more of Bas van der Veer’s designs on www.basvanderveer.nl.

Growing materials

admin — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 20:54:29 +0000

The debate and the research around ecological materials mainly focuses on re-cycled materials or natural fibres which can reinforce or work in combination with other materials. Some researchers, however, are already working on production processes which will allow materials to be grown in an organic way rather than manufacturing them. The process is based on the use of fungal mycelium which turns waste material from plants into a solid composite.

Organic waste such as pulses of wheat and rice contain cellulose and lignin which is a binding matrix material. The innovative process developed by ecovative design to produce hard foam is based on the growing principles of filamentous fungal mycelium. You can find fungal mycelium in nature on decaying wood – it looks like white hairy fibres. The foam material EcoCradle™ by ecovative design is grown in the dark, with no watering and no petrochemical input. The organism grows quickly and in just seven days it produces miles of tiny white fibres which envelope and digest the seed husks, binding them into a strong and structurally beautiful final product. The last stage in the process is to dehydrate and dry the materials in an oven which kills the fungus. The entire process uses about 10 times less energy per unit of material than the manufacturing of synthetic foams.

EcoCradle™ offers the same protection as expanded polystyrene and it is a great solution for packaging heavy items as well as food and other perishables. After use in packaging and transport the material can be composted, turned into garden mulch, or just thrown away as it will break down naturally.

The material is currently used for packaging only. Its consistency and surface structure, however, makes it an interesting material for applications in interior design and art objects.

Information submitted by Dr Sascha Peters, www.saschapeters.com. Please also see www.ecovativedesign.com .

MHAUS 2009

Micro Combined Heat and Power for the home

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:02:35 +0000

Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units produce heat and power at the same time. The units normally burn gas, bio-gas or bio fuels and traditionally they are used in industrial set-ups for small scale district heating. The UK based manufacturer Baxi has recently launched a CHP appliance for the home.

The appliance’s Free Piston Stirling Engine (FPSE) generates up to 1kWh of electricity whilst providing abundant supplies of space heating and hot water for the home. The unit responds to an initial heat demand up to 6kW by igniting the engine gas burner. The heat causes the gas inside the FPSE to expand, moving a piston up and down between a copper coil. As a result, electricity is generated in a similar way to an alternator in a car.

If the heat demand moves above 6kW, Baxi Ecogen’s supplementary burner fires up to offer an additional 18kW of heat. As the heat demand in the home falls, the appliance’s controls can modulate operation down to 3kW, while still generating electricity to provide maximum energy efficiency.

Extensive field trials in over 400 UK homes have shown that Baxi Ecogen units can reliably satisfy up to two thirds of a typical household’s electrical requirements. For all electricity generated, the householder will receive 10pkWh, using the recently announced Government Feed-In Tariffs (FIT) scheme, effective from April 2010. Any unused electricity can be exported back to the grid for which the householder will receive a further 3pkWh.

Baxi Group has designed the appliance to be a similar size to a conventional wall-hung domestic boiler. The unit is suitable for use on open vented and sealed systems making it ideal for straightforward specification and installation within a wide variety of new-build and replacement projects.

Dedicated intelligent Baxi controls can be incorporated into the system to enhance comfort, increase energy efficiency even further and ensure the unit is suitable for a broad range of property types and sizes. These controls are removable and feature a programmable room thermostat. Cylinder and outdoor temperature sensor kits are also available as optional accessories to enable close monitoring of room, hot water and outdoor temperatures.

For more information please visit www.baxiecogen.com

Solar powered bus stop for the Chinese market

admin — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 07:04:25 +0000

In 2007 China invested 12 billion US dollars in renewable energies (Germany invested $14 billion and the USA $10 billion) and in the same year 6.4% of the country’s total energy use came from wind power. China’s target for 2020 is to produce 15% of all its energy from renewable sources. With a market share of 23% China is the market leader in the production of solar photovoltaic cells.¹

The Shanghai-based design agency Yang-Design responded to these development and designed a bus shelter for Ningbo South Business District integrating the latest solar technology.

The system is divided into three modular units which can be reduced or added to according to the size requirements of each shelter. The modular and robust design lowers maintenance requirements, which also saves costs and energy over time. Two fold-down benches provide some space for seating whilst leaving enough standing space for many others. Between the benches is a ‘city information center’, space for an advertisement billboard and a bus schedule screen. Solar voltaic panels are installed on top of the shelter and they provide the energy for lighting and the information system.

All the components speak the same simple design language. The user-friendly details are designed with soft and fluid curves. Its silver and dark grey color combination responds to the branding requirements of the business district.

The bus shelter is the winner of the prestigious 2010 Red Dot Design Award.

¹Matrix of Change, Matrix des Wandels, report by Zunkunftsinstitut GmbH, June 2009, pp 14

www.yang-design.com

http://en.red-dot.org/design.html

Sustainable Housing

admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:12:08 +0000

More than 50 % of the world’s population now lives in cities. Cities cover less than 1% of the Earth’s surface, but generate 80% of the world’s CO2 emissions. Housing alone is responsible for nearly one third of the UK’s CO2 emissions and it poses a huge challenge in reducing CO2 emissions. The Larch Garden is a residential complex in Lystrup, Denmark that saves more than 100 tons of CO2 emissions compared with buildings built in accordance with standard construction regulations.

The Larch Garden comprises 122 homes and it is the largest sustainable and climate friendly residential complex in Denmark. For the project Large Garden 1 was developed which is a completely new energy and environment saving system. It includes the widespread use of LED lighting and Phase Change Materials (PCM) in the form of ceiling panels that absorb heat during the day and release it in the evening and at night.

New heating systems were introduced including wall heating converters, which heat the entire wall surface and cavity heating using un-insulated pipes in the intermediate floor. The buildings are constructed as draught free as possible with high levels of insulation and super low energy windows.

A solar cell facility was erected adjacent to the development’s communal building which delivers electricity to the communal building as well as outdoor lighting.

The houses are all constructed from wood. Wood is an excellent material for use in low energy construction and also makes for an excellent indoor climate. In addition, the building itself is a form of CO2 storage. Fifty of the houses feature floor to ceiling windows which absorb the sun’s heat and provide high levels of natural light. All buildings meet Low Energy Class Standard 1 or 2.

The development is part of the Sustainable Housing in Europe Project (SHE) – http://www.she.coop. The project architects are Herzog + Partner, Munich – www.herzog-und-partner.de

M.HAUS 2010

Biodynamic wine

admin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:56:33 +0000

The United Nations is marking 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity. The variety of life on Earth is essential to sustaining the living networks and systems that provide us all with health, wealth, food, fuel and the vital services on which our lives depend. Back in 1924 Rudolf Steiner gave a lecture on biodynamic agriculture. He then already realised that shrinking biodiversity poses a risknot only to human beings, but to the planet as a whole.

In recent years we have seen a growing trend in biodynamic wines. ‘The highest possible quality in tune with nature’ – this is the philosophy behind biodynamic wines and there is a growing numbers of vintners demonstrating that biodynamic viniculture is the precondition for first class authentic wines with character. The goal is individuality rather than mass products.

Biodynamic viniculture is very demanding and the vine is seen as part of the natural environment rather than a production unit. The wine is therefore a result of the soil (terroir) and the local micro climate and not a technical or chemical ‘lab’.

The diversity of plants and animals is the main guarantee for the natural and healthy growth of the vine and as a consequence, grapes and wines of the best quality. Weeds are kept low but not eradicated. They keep the soil nutritious and loose. Artificial irrigation and fertilizer is not needed. Insects and birds keep damaging vermin in check. The soil is treated as gently as possible. Indeed,some vintners still work with horses rather than machines. Harvesting machinery is banned and only ripe and healthy grapes are harvested and processed. This cuts out many of the ‘aids’ conventional vintners are using and a healthy product is the result.

Biodynamic viniculture is much more demanding than conventional methods and requires a deep understanding of the locality, the seasonal growth and biodiversity. Although the labour input is much higher, the yields are 50 to 70 per cent lower. The results are unique wines which reflect the terroir they come from as well as the skills of the vintner.

Château Lassolle from the Côtes du Marmandais in the South West of France is an estate run according to biodynamic principles. Stéphanie Roussel, originally from Normandy, purchased these old vines before her neighbour Elian da Ros, one of the best winemaker and Terroiriste in France, had a chance to have a look at it. The results are impressive. Driven bio-dynamically, the vines give intense, deep wines with incredible texture. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Merlot and 30% Syrah, Fer Servadou, Malbec & Arbouriou .

Château Lassolle can be purchased through www.aubertandmascoli.com .
M.HAUS 2010

Surfaces from recycled glass

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:54:54 +0000

In 2002 each person in the UK generated 167kg of packaging waste per year – a lot of it is glass. In 2001 2.5 million tons of this material was taken to landfill. Currently 752,000 tons of glass are being recycled annually in the UK. Every ton of glass recycled into new items saves 315 additional kilograms of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere during the creation of new glass. Glass is a material which is virtually infinitely recyclable and it can be turned into new packaging or find new applications such as surfaces and worktops.

Back in 2000 the innovative material Resilica was launched by Eight Inch and the company has been quietly establishing a growing market for recycled glass surfaces during which time the wider demand for sustainable products has changed beyond recognition.

Resilica is made using up to 100% recycled glass. Millions of tiny fragments are mixed with specially formulated solvent-free resins, cured, then diamond polished to reveal a high-gloss surface that has incredible depth and lustre. Each piece of Resilica is made to order. This allows them to create a bespoke colour recipe for individual clients.

Resilica remains at the forefront of the market gaining a reputation for quality, consistency and performance and the company is pleased to have undertaken projects for some of the UK’s best known organisations including The Department of Health, The National Trust, Costa Coffee and London Zoo. Companies who are now appreciating the value in using sustainable materials in their built environments.

Originally known as ‘Ttura’ Eight Inch have recently renamed and rebranded their product and as part of the rebrand their new website is now live and features a comprehensive colour archive and images of surfaces they have created for the domestic and commercial market.

For more information, please visit www.resilica.com.

M.HAUS 2010