thequietriot.com » architecture

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

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

Maize cob boards

admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:15:29 +0000

Maize Cob Boards

Organic materials are gaining more relevance in the production of bio-plastics. Rather than growing plants solely for the production of materials, more and more waste products generated in agricultural and food production processes are used for light weight components such as structural panels. One example is Maize Cob Board, which is currently being developed and tested. It is a wood based material with an interlayer of maize cobs .

The central part of a maize cob consists of a foam like structure with high insulating qualities and(!) until now the cobs have never been used in an industrial process. They have a low density (180 to 200kg/ m³ and resist high pressure in an axial direction. Maize cobs are considered a ‘waste’ product and they are available in large quantities and at a low price. Maize Cob Boards have a similar performance to chip boards and they can be used to build furniture, doors and interiors. They are, however, 50 per cent lighter than conventional wood based panels. The density of the Maize Cob Board is between 250 to 300gk/ m³.

First prototypes are currently being tested and their areas of mass application are being researched. If the performance tests lead to positive results the Maize Cob Boards will be launched as an alternative to traditional wood based products. The material not only has high insulation qualities, it is also expected that it will absorb sound very well.

It will be an exciting organic material innovation and resource for furniture and interior designers.

www.fabrikderzukunft.at/results.html/id5516

Good architecture for the fringes

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:08:37 +0000

Most of us now live in urban or semi urban areas. For decades the fringes of our cities have been sprawling out into industrial estates characterised by functional, often cheap and ‘one way’ architecture. The transportation of goods and the use of cars have been the key denominators in the development of these areas: accessibility and functionality define a transitory aesthetic. Brightly coloured and illuminated petrol stations are a key element.

In Europe oil consumption peaked in 2005. There is a strong push towards renewable energy and this will also affect petrol stations. They will have to develop into charging stations for vehicles powered by gas, electricity and fuel cells and become part of an energy supply system based on smart grids.

Since 1999 the Munich based practice Haack + Höpfner Architekten und Stadtplaner BDA have been working with Allguth, a regional company running petrol stations. The project started as a competition with the brief to find an innovative way of construction which allowed for business growth in the short as well as the long term. The design had to support the brand values and avoid the aesthetic of the ubiquitous industrial shed architecture on fringes of our cities.

The architects proposed a contruction system which is open for future developments and can be adapted to different building sites and local business demands. The system should be based on standards which allow for economic and material efficiencies as well as future growth. At the same time the design should have a positive effect on the visibility of the brand and the company.

Haack + Höpfner . Architekten und Stadtplaner BDA won the competition and their design integrates the use of natural light and natural ventilation, modular layouts, energy efficient building automation, standardised construction elements, change of use and re-use of the building as well as recycling and sorting of (so called waste) materials. Another key aspect was the integration of the buildings into the urban environment allowing for plants and green spaces.

The modularity of the system and the high standards of design allow for appreciation by the users, low maintenance costs, easy upgrading and longevity. The introduction of renewable energies will demand more flexible and adaptable quiet design solutions like this.

Solar Collectors

admin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:01:59 +0000

Every year the sun delivers 15,000 times more energy to the earth than is consumed by the human population. Short to midterm a lot of the solar energy is locked up in land surface, plant material and bodies of water. Solar collectors allow us to copy the principles of nature and to generate hot water for our homes.

Solar collectors transform solar radiation into heat and transfer the heat into water, solar fluid or air. The solar heat can be used for heating water for bathrooms, kitchens, swimming pools or heating the house.

At the heart of a solar collector is an absorber, which is normally made of several narrow metal strips painted black. The black paint absorbs the short wave solar radiation, the absorber heats up and transmits the accumulated solar energy in the form of longwave heat rays to a fluid inside the absorber.

Basic absorbers are often used in outdoor swimming pools. The water is pumped through the absorber and water temperatures up to 20⁰C higher than outside temperatures can be achieved.

Glazed collectors achieve higher temperatures. In flat plate collectors absorber plates are connected to a pipe work system and fitted into a well insulated housing with a glass cover. A heat transfer medium such as a water-glycol mixture, to protect against frost, is pumped through the pipe work. This medium then gives off the heat to the water you can use in your bathroom, kitchen or central heating. Flat plate collectors can achieve temperatures of about 50⁰C and efficiencies of up to 60%.

Vacuum tube collectors offer improved efficiency and higher temperatures. They are made from evacuated glass tubes containing absorber strips. The vacuum provides ideal thermal separation and keeps convection heat losses at a minimum. Vacuum tube collectors can achieve temperatures of up to 70⁰C above the outside temperature and they are suitable to support your heating.

When using renewable energy systems, make sure that you introduce energy efficiency measures such as insulation first. This will prevent you from over sizing your systems and save on investment as well as running costs.

Self powered automatic taps

admin — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:54:35 +0000

Over the last decade we have seen an increasing number of automatic water taps in offices, public places such as airports, and also private homes. They help to save water as their sensor technology stops the water flow as soon as the hands are removed. The water temperature can be regulated and the waste of hot water can be avoided. At the same time automatic taps are much more hygienic, because we need not touch the taps when opening them.

Automatic taps have one disadvantage however: the integrated sensors need electric power and very often this power is provided by batteries, which needs servicing and are difficult to recycle.

The Japanese bathroom brand Toto has solved this problem: Their Self Power product range incorporates two technologies for public facilities. They work together to ensure optimum power- and water-saving performance.

The first is an automatic micro-sensor – one of the world’s smallest – positioned at the tip of the spout. Accurate hand detection means only the minimum necessary amount of water is used. Located inside the unit is the second technology, a generator that harnesses the energy from water flowing through the tap to make the micro-sensor energy-self-sufficient. External power supply is therefore cut out.

The high design quality of the Toto product speaks for itself.

www.eu.toto.com

Ready for a low energy take off?

admin — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:11:51 +0000

The holiday season is upon us and many of us will travel to see family and friends or simply go on a holiday. The transport sector is the fastest growing contributor to Europe’s energy demand and CO2 emissions. This trend is expected to continue in coming decades and air travel, which is damaging the atmosphere, is expected to double its share of overall transport between 2000 and 2030. Innovative materials can contribute to lower emissions.

Textile structures have enormous potential in lightweight construction because of their low weight. Whilst the commercial aviation industry has recently started to use fibre-reinforced plastics, coated fabrics and laminates are finding more and more smart applications in paragliders, kites and hot air balloons.

The Berlin based company aeroix focuses on the development of innovative products in the field of applied aeronautical sciences and technical textiles. The inter-disciplinary team recently developed and successfully introduced an insulation system for hot air balloons called Aerofabrix. The material is a lightweight multilayer fabric and it has the lowest density currently available on the global market.

An air gap within the fabric is required to achieve the insulation properties. Flocked filaments create this air gap whilst being super light. Through this integrated flocked insulation material fuel consumption for ballooning can be reduced by more than 50% or alternatively, larger passengers groups can be transported.

The aeroíx team is currently experimenting with applications in architecture. Other applications could be in the field of protective clothing or outdoor equipment for extreme conditions. The material could also be used in light building structures. aeroix is also working with another Berlin based company called Zendome on lightweight, well insulated and mobile structures,building on Buckminster Fuller’s early groundbreaking structures..

Take your time and explore the two websites – www.aeroix.de and www.zendome.com .

Cultural revolution in materials

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:08:17 +0000

Global sourcing is the standard in the construction industry: bricks might come from the Netherlands or Poland, cement from Spain, steel and marble from India, aluminium from Brazil and wood from Canada or the tropical forests in the Far East. Due to the rising cost oftransport and the growing importance of managing energy and other resources in a sustainable manner, more and more specifiers demand the return to the use of locally produced building materials.

Until recently this change of attitude would have been regarded as some romantic fancy. However at the DesignBoost conference in Sweden in October this year, Roy Antik, the Development Manager for Sustainability at Skanska announced that the company will reduce its energy and resource consumption by 50%. A key part of this strategy will be local recycling and the use of local materials. Skanska is one of the major players in the construction industry.

Mass production, global sourcing and the availability of cheap labour has had a huge impact on the quality of our built environment, but also the traditional skills and methodologies in the construction industry.

In a separate initiative,Atelier Rang – an architectural practice based in Frankfurt – recently finished the Tower of Bhaktapur in Nepal. In this project they not only resourced the building materials directly on site, but also combined the traditional hessian building traditions with the local skills of the Newars. The team exported the forms of the Frankfurter Ziegel (brick), but used the local clay dug up on site in Nepal. The scaffolding was made from bamboo grown in a grove next to the site. The bricks were laid in a structure which reflects the Himalayan Mountains.

The architects describe the building as a brick sculpture and the project could be a prototype for local sourcing of materials. The history of architecture is full of such examples. Older brick building in London, Amsterdam or Hamburg are a reflection of the local clay and building traditions. The Tower of Bhaktapur can offer many lessons for the future.

Less energy and resources high up the mountain

admin — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:26:12 +0000

After the Mediterranean the Alps are the second most favoured holiday destination in Europe with 60 million visitors per year, mainly because of the skiing facilities. The impact of tourism is projected to increase as a result of greater affluence and the change in lifestyle and demographics. Tourism is still one of the fastest growing industries in Europe and tourist behaviour remains a crucial factor for sustainability.

Sustainable, slow, low impact or Eco tourism is still marginal, but over the last years some new trends and destinations have been emerging. The Vigilius Mountain Resort in Lana, South Tyrol is one of them.

The resort is located at 1,500 metres and can only be reached by cable car or on foot. The property has the shape of a fallen tree and the philosophy of the enterprise is based on a genuine and deep-felt respect for the environment and the surrounding nature.

This philosophy is realized in all areas – from the nature-based construction methods to the sustainable use of local resources. The resort builds on old local traditions, but also integrates the latest technologies. Everything revolves around the local landscape and nature.

The principle of organic architecture not only manifests itself in the shape of the buildings, but also in the use of green grass covered roofs and the use of locally grown larch wood throughout. A large part of the property is timber structure. The shell of the building is highly insulated to avoid heat loss especially in the cold winter months.

Wood is also key for the biomass heating system, which is not only clean burning but also gives local farmers a second income and ensures that the forests are managed and cultivated. Water comes from a local spring and is carefully managed in the bathrooms and spa areas.

Architect Matteo Thun created this luxury mountain hideaway where awareness co-exists with aesthetics, and everything revolves around nature and landscape. The hotel was opened in 2003 and has received a large number of design as well as environmental awards.

However, remember, the biggest environmental impact of tourism is transport. Tourism is one of the main drivers of increased demand for transport, particularly the most environmentally damaging modes: private cars and, more critically, air transport. In Europe, in 2005, about 59 % of the tourists reached their destination by road and 34 % by air. Air traffic is expected to double over the next 20 years.

Next time you book a hotel, ask what their CO2 emissions per m² are – 50kg/m² or less would be a good benchmark. Energy efficient hotels are the new design hotels!