Beograd - nove tehnologije

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Madrid’s ‘Distrito C’ Self Shading Solar Office
by Alexandra Kain

Distrito C is an ambitious project designed to consolidate 40,000 employees in Madrid from Spain’s largest company, Telefonica. The complex includes four phases of three buildings each, for a total of twelve structures. The design and materials for the buildings are identical so as to streamline the construction process and keep time and material waste to a minimum. And by keeping construction and production as simple as possible, Telefonica maintains the clean, unified look the company is after.

Local architect Rafael de La-Hoz designed Distrito C with the hot Spanish sun in mind. A special type of glass, designed specifically for this project, has been installed throughout as a means of reflecting the sun’s heat. Protruding panels act as sun visors and give the buildings a unique aesthetic character. Connecting each of the four phases is a covered walkway that shades people below. On top of the walkway is the world’s largest rooftop photovoltaic installation–15,300 solar panels capable of collecting 4 million kW hours annually.

Landscaping around the complex includes native plants that require very little water; the water that is needed comes from rainwater harvesting systems on top of each building. Since opening its Distrito C headquarters in 2007, Telefonica has been able to streamline and simplify its operating techniques and reduce local travel expenses.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/21/madrids-distrito-c-self-shading-office/#more-21379

Verujem da imamo dovoljno sunčanih dana da bi ovakav projekat bio isplativ. Ja bih ovakav sistem stavio npr. na GTC Square, jer su obe zgrade ionako kockaste, sa fasadom koja nije baš za padanje u nesvest.

 

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Toronto’s Ambitious Tower Renewal Project
by Bridgette Steffen

Much like every big city, Toronto has an aging array of Post WW-II high rise apartment buildings. When they were built in the 1960’s they were considered the height of modernity and dense urban design, but now as they are close to reaching the end of their intended lifespan, they are hugely inefficient and lack the qualities that make a sustainable, viable, urban community. There are no markets or grocery stores, inadequate public transportation, and little retail or local jobs. Rather than tear the towers down to start anew, the Mayor and City of Toronto want to use this vast resource of buildings and revitalize the city to become a more sustainable, walkable, greener community.

Toronto's Aging Apartment Towers

With almost 1,000 aging apartment towers in Toronto, it makes little sense to tear down structurally solid buildings to build more efficient ones, not to mention the cost involved, which is estimated to be $50 to $60 million per building. To address the issue, the City of Toronto is starting the Tower Renewal Project, aimed at renovating the buildings and the surrounding communities. The idea for this project began initially with research by Graeme Stewart as a graduate student at the University of Toronto and then later as part of ERA Architects.

Toronto's Tower Renewal Upgrade

A long list of companies and organizations are already involved with the analysis and recommendations for how best to proceed with the renovations and upgrades. The first step in the process will be to update the aging towers to be more energy and water efficient, self-sufficient, sustainable buildings. The interiors will be retrofitted with more advanced HVAC systems, smart metering systems, and healthier interior finishes. Meanwhile the exterior will receive new duct work for solar hot water, PV panels and internet, enclosed balconies, new windows with operable panes, more insulation and new exterior cladding. Buildings could also have a combination of renewable energy and living roofs on top.

Each tower will also be remodeled inside to include community rooms, laundry, retail and even office space. Currently the towers are situated amid vast spaces of unused land that will be transformed into parks, open space, community gardens, market space, native landscaping and perhaps even more housing. The goal eventually is to have a thriving, walk-able community built into and around the current infrastructure. Residents will be able to walk to the market, restaurants, their job, or a locally owned store. In conjunction with the building retrofits, Toronto will also be working on their transit plan, which will build out light rail lines throughout the city.

The Mayor and the City have already chosen four pilot sites to test out their renewal ideas. Over the next two years they will upgrade the buildings and begin implementing the community projects. A report by Kesik, ERA and others estimates that the retrofit will cost $4 to $5 million per building and will repay for itself within 10-12 years. The largest hurdle they expect to face is getting the tower owners to buy into the project and invest money for the upgrades. We suspect though that once these pilot projects are completed and they see how vastly the area is transformed, they will quickly jump on the bandwagon. Good luck to Toronto with their ambitious and very exciting project.

Izvor: Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/19...ect/toronto-tower-renewal-bldg-modifications/

Mi imamo identičan problem i možemo da primenimo slična rešenja. Ovo je upgrade kakav se radi npr. u avioindustriji - F16 iz 1979 i F-16 iz 2009 spolja izgledaju gotovo identično ali su unutra nebo i zemlja.

Upgrade zgrade znači manju potrošnju struje, vode, manje račune za grejanje..itd.

 

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Philadelphia Rolls Out Solar-Powered Trash Compactors
by Jorge Chapa

People wandering the streets of Philadelphia may be surprised to see brand new solar-studded trash cans being installed on the sidewalks. These new landfill-crunching compacting bins are entirely powered by the sun and are able to accept close to eight times as much waste as a regular trash can. Pretty cool, we thought - especially once we found out that they are calling the new bins Big Bellys and that they stand to save the city close to 12 million dollars over 10 years!

The first Big Belly was recently inaugurated by Mayor Nutter at 15th Street and JFK boulevard at JFK Plaza. Over 500 of the units will be installed by July, with 210 of those featuring an additional recycling bin component, a first for the city. Since the compacting bins only have to be emptied 5 times per week (verses regular bins which must be emptied 19 times), the city stands to save big on staff time, fuel costs, and greenhouse gas emissions

Philly is not the only city with a Big Belly - the machines are also popping up in Drexel University, University of Pennsylvania, Chicago’s Millenium Park and Boston’s Fenway Park.

Izvor: Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/28/philadelphias-solar-powered-trash-compactors/#more-27635

 

[Ambassador]

Da, da viđao sam takve kante negde, strašno ih se plašim... :scared:

 

[bigvlada]

Vozilo budućnosti neće raditi na struju ni benzin
Amerikanci spremaju automobil na vazduh
Autor: P. Đurović | 31.05.2009. - 00:01

Pomoću uređaja koji su nazvali „Air cycle machine”, inženjeri američke kompanije „Magnetic Air Cars” (MAC) iz Kalifornije napravili su automobil koji radi na hladan kompresovani vazduh, i ne emituje štetne gasove u atmosferu.

„Ovaj uređaj bio je deo koji je nedostajao da bi ideja o mehaničkom prenosu energije bez trenja bila realizovana. Napravili smo magnetni motor na vazdušni pogon, odnosno auto koji neće zagađivati prirodu, jer nema izduvnih gasova”, kaže Menuel Parks, izvršni direktor MAC-a.
„Air cycle” mašina sastoji se od turbokompresora sa vazdušnim ležištem i pojačivača vazdušnog mlaza postavljenih pod odgovarajućim uglom, i njen posao je da usmerava vazdušne mlazeve koji dolaze iz rezervoara sa kompresovanim vazduhom.
Veliki broj naučnika smatra da su turbokompresori sa vazdušnim ležištem najbolje rešenje za stvaranje mehaničke energije, koja će pokretati automobil. U Američkoj agenciji za istraživanje svemira (NASA) i u japanskom auto-gigantu „Tojoti” takođe misle da će turbokompresori koji koriste vazduh pokrenuti pravu revoluciju u proizvodnji automobila na magnetno-vazdušni pogon.
Prototip vozila na kome rade sličan je današnjim automobilima na električni pogon koje pokreću velike punjive baterije. Ali za razliku od njih, u MAC-u koriste rezervoare sa kompresovanim vazduhom, i tvrde da pomoću njih prelaze veće kilometraže od automobila na električni pogon.
„Dok je auto u pokretu, može da usisava i kompresuje vazduh, što produžava vožnju, a takođe ima i specijalni akumulator nalik običnom, ali sa tri puta većim kapacitetom i dužim vekom upotrebe. Takođe, akumulator ne sadrži nikakve kiseline, može da se reciklira i jeftiniji je od običnih”, tvrde inženjeri.
Trenutno se eksperimentiše sa raznovrsnim izvorima energije za napajanje kompresora, kako bi videli koji u kombinaciji sa „Air cycle” mašinom može da omogući automobilu dobar rad, velike brzine i što manju poluciju vazduha. Probe se izvode na novim, modernim automobilima, pa čak i kamionima, a trenutno su adaptirali nekoliko „hamera” za rad na magnetno-vazdušni pogon.
„Energija vazdušnih mlazeva je veoma čista, jeftina i jednostavna za upotrebu, ako imate odgovarajući uređaj za nju. Pogledajte samo snagu koju poseduju tornada i uragani. Naš uređaj radi na sličnom principu, pa strujanjem vazduha „podigne” i usisa određenu količinu vazduha”, objašnjava Parks.
Ipak, u zavisnosti od vrste goriva koje će se koristiti za rad kompresora za vazduh, auto može da emituje male količine izduvnih gasova ako koristi fosilna goriva. Međutim, u MAC-u insistiraju na radu isključivo sa alternativnim gorivima. Energijom ostvarenom pomoću superprovodnika, punjivih baterija, solarnih ploča, magnetnih motora i magnetnih generatora može se kompresovati usisan vazduh. Pomoću tih komponenti, od kojih su pojedini patenti MAC-a, automobil na vazduh biće sposoban za razvijanje većih brzina.
Kako ne koriste fosilna goriva za rad kompresora, planirano je da se za rad magnetno-vazdušnog motora upotrebi i sistem vodene filtracije vazduha, koji pročišćava vazduh upotrebljen u motoru. Taj patentirani sistem vazduh koji izlazi iz motora čini čistijim od onog koji u motor ulazi, pa je njegova prednost i u smanjenju emisije štetnih gasova i u poboljšanju kvaliteta vazduha u gradskim sredinama. Temperatura vazduha koji izlazi iz motora povećava se za pet stepeni tek posle 200.000 obrtaja, a mala količina hladnog vazduha iz rezervoara biće iskorišćena kao klima-uređaj za unutrašnjost vozila.
I u drugim zemljama se radi na razvoju slične tehnologije, a najviše se odmaklo s radom u Francuskoj, Indiji i Južnoj Koreji. U poređenju s njima, MAC-ov auto koristi turbokompresore sa vazdušnim ležištima za magnetni motor, dok oni koriste kompresovani vazduh umesto benzina samo za pokretanje klipova. Primera radi, francuski prototip može da pređe samo 160 kilometara dok ne potroši sav vazduh iz rezervoara, a punjenje rezervoara može da potraje do nekoliko sati.
Sigurno je i da će mikroprocesori i digitalne komponente biti sastavni deo automobila na vazdušni pogon, jer će omogućiti lakše upravljanje vozilom, a u planu je i ugrađivanje uređaja za bežičnu audio-video komunikaciju, kao i GPS uređaja.
„Naš krajnji cilj nije da napravimo sopstveni auto, već da našu tehnologiju ugradimo u postojeće moderne automobile, i tako od njih načinimo vozila koja neće zagađivati prirodu”, kaže direktor Parks.

Izvor: Blic
http://www.blic.rs/blic_auto.php?id=94998

 

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Urban Sprawl Repair Kit Offers Simple Plans to Fix Suburbia
by Mike Chino

The suburban landscape consists largely of endless expanses of paved parking lots pocked with strip malls, gas stations, chain restaurants, and McMansions. Rather than razing these structures with the aim of greening the suburbs, Galina Tahchieva proposes that we retrofit them to create “a more diverse, cohesive urban fabric within a walkable and identifiable public realm.” The winner of the People’s Choice Award in our Reburbia competition with over 2,300 votes, the Urban Sprawl Repair Kit offers a go-to set of solutions for transforming 5 structures spawned from suburban sprawl into mixed-use models of urban efficiency.

In contrast to some of the more outlandish approaches that we’ve seen to green the suburbs, Galina Tahchieva’s Urban Sprawl Repair Kit offers a simple set of infill techniques that are every bit as practical as they are effective at eliminating suburban sprawl. Using renewable technologies and energy-efficient practices, strip centers and big-box stores can be converted into solar-powered recycling centers, restaurant parking lots become mixed-use commercial centers, and McMansions are transformed into multi-resident senior housing.

The greenest buildings are those that are never built, which is why we’re big fans of Tahchieva’s toolkit. Her set of plans make the most of suburbia’s sprawl, renovating existing structures to create denser, healthier, and more cohesive communities.

The Urban Sprawl Repair Kit swept the ReBurbia online voting competition with 2,348 votes, netting it a People’s Choice Award! For more great designs to save our suburbs be sure to check out the top three winners selected by our judges in addition to the top 20 finalists and our favorite notable mentions.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/19/urban-sprawl-repair-kit-offers-simple-plans-to-fix-suburbia/

 

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TRANSPORTATION TUESDAY: The Electric ATNMBL Drives Itself!
by Jorge Chapa

Do you enjoy cars, but feel it’s a bit tedious to actually hold the wheel, step on the gas and shift the gears? No sweat - industrial design studio, Mike and Maaike, has just thing thing - the ATNMBL, a car that drives itself! Did we mention that it comes with a bar?

The ATNMBL has been designed to be usable and efficient. Most of the space is used to sit comfortably within it (it actually looks and feels like someone stole a living room from a capsule hotel and popped some wheels on it). The vehicle has four electric wheel drives, one on each wheel, with the batteries sitting underneath the seating. To provide additional power, the vehicle comes equipped with solar panels on the roof.

By far the most interesting feature of this concept design has been the thinking process behind it. Rather than thinking of how to make the car better looking, more powerful, or even greener, the duo looked at why we drive. We do it to get from point A to point B, and everything else is essentially a waste of time. So why not use that time for something useful? Drinking. Just kidding.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/28/transportation-tuesday-the-electric-atnmbl-drives-itself/

 

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Solar Forest Charging System for Parking Lots
by Mike Chino

Although electric vehicle use is on the rise, we’re certainly not out of the woods yet in terms of providing them with a steady supply of clean energy - that’s why designer Neville Mars has conceived of an incredible EV charging station that takes the form of an evergreen glade of solar trees. His photovoltaic grove serves a dual function, acting as a go-to source for clean renewable energy while providing a shady spot for cars to park as they charge.

Each of the trees in Neville Mars’s solar forest is composed of a set of photovoltaic leaves mounted on an elegantly branching poll. The base of each trunk features an power outlet that can be used to juice up your eco ride as you run errands.

Neville told Inhabitat that the tree and leaf design wasn’t a goal but came naturally as they tried to maximize the shaded surface that the structures provide. Although the efficiency of overlapping photovoltaic panels initially raised some concerns, Neville went on to explain that the leaves rotate with the sun to ensure maximum efficiency. The solar forest is certainly an aesthetic step up from your standard sun-baked concrete parking lot, and serves as great inspiration for integrating solar technology with natural forms.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/27/solar-forest-charging-system-for-parking-lots/

 

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Sleek Solar and Wind Powered Hybrid Street Lamps
by Bridgette Meinhold

As designers strive to create a more sustainable future, we’re thrilled to see designs that integrate a variety of renewable energy technologies into objects we encounter in everyday life. This innovative hybrid wind and solar powered street lamp is just such a solution - not only does it use renewable energy to provide light, it’s a stylish update to an everyday object that is capable of operating completely off-grid. The hybrid streetlamps consist of a solar array topped with a wind turbine, and they are capable of generating up to 380 W of power.

Designed and manufactured by Urban Green Energy, these solar/wind powered street lamps are mounted to a standard galvanized steel pole that can be made locally and easily swapped with older street lamps. The turbine on top can be either a 300 W 2nd Generation vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) or a horizontal axis wind turbine. Mounted on the side of the pole are 2 solar panels made by F3 Solar that are capable of generating up to 80 W of power.

The street lamp is capable of producing up to 380 W of power if the sun was shining and the wind were blowing, and the street lamps save excess energy generated in a battery that powers their high efficiency LEDs through the night. Since every location and project is different, Urban Green Energy is taking a component-focused approach to the street lamps’ design - the LED lights, solar panels, wind turbine, tower height, and battery storage are all easily scaled to best fit a particular project.

Decorations on the pole compliment the sweeping lines of the wind turbine and can be customized to whatever color the buyer wants. The hybrid LED lamps seem more like an commissioned art piece rather than a standard industrial looking street lamp.

Urban Green Energy’s Hybrid Wind/Solar Lamps are already gaining attention around the world - they just signed an agreement with an undisclosed city in China to outfit their streets with these street lamps. The company also offers wind turbines ranging from 300 W up to 10 kW, and we recently got a sneak peak at their new 2nd generation 4kW VAWT. We think this new company is on the right track, and we can’t wait to see their hybrid turbines hit the streets.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/13/hybrid-wind-solar-street-lamps/

 

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Schweeb: Human-Powered Monorail Flies Through the Skies
by Jorge Chapa

What could be more fun than gliding along on an eco-chic bicycle? How about shooting through the skies in a pedal-powered monorail capsule! A bunch of entrepreneuring New Zealanders has created just such a human-powered monorail system, known as the Shweeb. Their creation does double duty, acting not just as an innovative transportation system, but also an amusement ride. Are our cities the next step?

The technology behind the Shweeb is remarkably simple - the only infrastructure required is a network of interconnected single rails. A number of pods are hung from this these lines, which are powered by the people sitting inside them. In principle, these pods are no different than recumbent bicycles - they can achieve close to 25 mph, are comfortable to use, and can be used by nearly anyone.

Although we don’t expect to see cities connected by pedal-powered monorail systems anytime soon, there are a number of applications where they could be useful. Think of guided tours through natural parks, scenic routes, adventure camps, and developments that require large pieces of land and a reasonable amount of population.

For now the system is in use on Schweeb’s grounds in New Zealand. If you are feeling adventurous, feel free to visit them at Ngongotha, New Zealand.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/21/schweeb-the-human-powered-flying-monorail/

Ovo bi moglo na adi.

 

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PuRE Turns Swimming Pools into Water Treatment Plants
by Yuka Yoneda

Once a status symbol of wealth and affluence, the iconic topaz swimming pool has, in more recent times, been tainted as a wasteful pit of water and energy. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Designed by Craig England, the ingenious puRE water filtration system (not to be mistaken for that other system with no “E”) rehabilitates resource-greedy pools into productive designs for society by giving them new jobs as mini wastewater treatment plants! The forward-thinking design is one of 20 finalists in our ReBurbia competition to redesign our suburbs.

Using the same principles employed in constructed wetlands, puRE treats wastewater through six stages. Wastewater first flows into closed treatment tanks during the first two stages before reaching four separate purification cells in stages 3-6. These purification cells contain several species of aquatic plants and animals which remove pollutants naturally and even allow for small-scale food production as a by-product. The solids from the wastewater stream are filtered and directed to a communal methane digester, generating another bounty for its users - power.

PuRE stands for peri-urban Revitalization Element, and the system lives up to its name because it performs so many functions that bring new life the areas around them while allowing neighborhoods to drastically reduce their dependence on bottled water and store-bought food. Although each system only needs one pool to hook up to, each unit can service up to five homes, meaning that not everyone has to have a pool to enjoy the energy, food and clean drinking water that this clever system facilitates.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/11...ools-into-seafood-growing-wastewater-filters/

 

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Novacem Develops Carbon Eating Green Cement
by Diane Pham

We use it to build bridges, roads, sidewalks, and just about every structure relies on concrete for its base – wouldn’t it be wonderful if cement actually negated CO2 emissions instead of creating more? Well, now it can! Novacem, a fresh new startup company has actually concocted a cement that eats up carbon as it hardens! And with an annual production of more than 2.5 billion tons, can you imagine what kind of impact it would have if all the cement we used could do what Novacem’s green cement does?

Novacem, the brain child of Imperial College London, has changed the age old recipe of Portland cement. Their green cement system is based on magnesium oxide and special mineral additives, removing the typical heavy CO2 producing bases such as limestone and calcium carbonate from the mix. This new generation of green cement systems aims to combat global warming by locking atmospheric CO2 into construction materials.

Compared to Portland cement, the manufacturing of this new brew causes minimal CO2 emissions as it requires lower temperature processing. Even in application, the cement hardens by absorbing greenhouse gas, and continues to do so as it ages. Given that cement is such an integral part of construction, this new technology offers the potential to develop a range of ‘carbon negative’ construction products. The company estimates that for every ton of Portland cement replaced by their product, around three-quarters of a ton of CO2 will be saved.

Novacem recently received a sizeable cash investment to the tune of 1.7 million dollars from Imperial Innovations, the Royal Society Enterprise Fund and the London Technology Fund. The money is expected to help fund a pilot plant anticipated to be up and running in northern England in 2011.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/10/novacem-develops-carbon-eating-green-cement/

 

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McMansion Wetlands: Transforming Foreclosures Into Natural Water Filters
by Rebecca Paul

As the housing crisis wreaks havoc and suburbia suffers a critical blow from the credit crunch, what will become of all those foreclosed McMansions? Designer Calvin Chiu has proposed one solution that seeks to reinvent these monuments to excess as micro-wetland ecosystems that filter and provide fresh water to urban centers. One the more interesting top 20 finalists in our Reburbia Competition to redesign the suburbs, Frog’s Dream takes an inspired approach towards preserving the wetlands, solving the water crisis, and ensuring the sustainability of our cities in one fell swoop.

Many believe that a shift of suburban population to higher density dwellings is inevitable. A Frog’s Dream bridges the existing gap between city and suburb by not only re-purposing existing infrastructure and domestic real estate but also efficiently utilizing their potential for enabling sustainability. The project outlines a new approach to waste management by transforming vacant McMansions at the periphery of cities into eco-water treatment machines.

These micro-ecosystem of plants, algae, bacteria, fish and clams are put in place to purify the water, while the formation of micro-wetland ecosystems sustain larger plants and animals. These living machines will be connected by highways that will serve as a multi-functional infrastructure to transports cars, trains, bikes, and water between the city and its surrounding suburban wetlands.

We may not know what the future will bring, but the Frog’s Dream sheds light on an existence where people value natural resources, and strive to regenerate what has already been lost.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/13/transforming-mcmansions-into-natural-waste-management-systems/

 

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Lawnge Chairs: Grassy Green Park Lounges in the Netherlands
by Rebecca Paul

While most of us are delighted by the idea of bringing the outdoors in, we are equally excited by the concept of bringing the indoors outside! These “lawnge chairs” get the job done. Designed by artist Lisette Spee in collaboration with architect Tim Van Den Burg, the playful seats are part of a series of lounge chairs created for public spaces in Valkenberg Park in Breda, Netherlands.

Even though we think these chairs, which are made from metal and covered in artificial grass are fun to look at and sit in, we wish they incorporated more natural elements. After all there are several comfy designs for literal lawn chairs out there that incorporate natural, living materials. That said, we love that Lisette and Tim’s chairs appear to be seamless extensions of the green grass beneath. The great outdoors is a great place hang in the summer heat, and this interactive art installation brings a bit of culture to a lazy afternoon.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/16...een-park-lounges-in-the-netherlands/lawnge_2/

 

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KAIST Hybrid Vehicles Run on Electric Roads
by Ariel Schwartz

Hybrid-electric vehicles are expected to explode in popularity over the next decade thanks to their gasoline-saving abilities. But Korea’s Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) thinks that battery-powered cars aren’t the answer to our energy crisis. Instead, KAIST has developed a new kind of electric vehicle that forgoes batteries entirely and instead relies on power from cables buried beneath the road.

The On Line Electric Vehicle (OLEV) project, unveiled last Thursday, consists of a set of electric buses that pass over power coil-containing tracks. Once the buses cross the tracks, they’re given a boost of electricity that allows them to keep moving without having to stop and recharge.

If the OLEV project catches on, it could revolutionize the electric vehicle industry. Battery-powered vehicles have to constantly stop for recharging–a problem that will ultimately require an infrastructure of electric charging stations. The vehicles also contain lithium, which will inevitably become more expensive as electric cars gain in popularity.

With OLEV, strain on the power grid is reduced and lithium is preserved. KAIST believes that if half of all automobiles in Korea are converted to the OLEV system, the country can cut crude oil imports by $3 billion each year. Now if only KAIST can do the same for countries like the U.S.!

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/18/kaist-hybrid-bus-runs-on-electric-roads/

 

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Inter Estates: Freeways Turned Cash Making Farm Neighborhoods
by Yuka Yoneda

What if we could take our huge chunks of boring, bland freeway shoulder and turn them into energy, food and big bucks? That’s what this finalist in our Reburbia Competition to redesign the suburbs proposes in his ambitious and financially-focused vision of the future: Inter Estates. These super-modern homes are vertically perched way atop highway-lining vertical neighborhoods that could be the wave of the future.

As much as we would like to implement all of the beautiful new infrastructure that we see in architects’ renderings, we can’t ignore the fact that construction costs money. Unlike the majority of the other finalists, Inter Estates has an answer to a critical question when it comes to green projects - How are we going to pay for this?!!! The answer lies in a series of versatile structural pylons that will facilitate temporary billboards. “Operating like a lamb in wolves’ clothing, revenue generated from the sale of advertising space is in turn invested in future improvements to the site, including retrofitting of the structural pylons to accommodate vertical axis wind turbines,” writes designer Daniel Phillips in his proposal.

As the advertising campaign is retired, the structural frames of the billboards are left intact as the armatures for future residential uses. By that time, a plan to rezone freeway embankments for agricultural use will also promote community edible gardening and biofuel production. Wind turbines which fit on the pylons top the whole project off.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/12/inter-estates-freeways-turned-cash-making-farm-neighborhoods/

 

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Hybrid Squared: Ingenious Energy-Generating Bike Rental System
by Ariel Schwartz

Designer Chiyu Chen has conceived of an ingenious transit system that encourages the use of sustainable transportation by crediting people for renting and riding bicycles. His Hybrid2 system consists of a fleet of rentable bicycles that are capable of generating and storing kinetic energy, which is then used to power the city’s hybrid electric buses. Simply rent a bike, charge it up with kinetic energy from pedal power, and then return it to a kiosk - the station feeds energy into the city’s smart grid, and you receive a credit towards your next bus pass!

The core of Hybrid2 is Chen’s regenerative braking system for bikes, dubbed “Hybrake”, which allows riders to generate and store energy from braking and normal biking in an ultracapacitor. In Chen’s vision, the more energy a bicyclist generates, the more monetary credit they are given to use on public transportation.

The designer also proposes a solar-powered bike stand outfitted with an RFID card reader to lock and unlock bikes. Personal ID cards will be used to store credit gained from biking for future bus rides, and the whole thing is tied together with a hookup to transfer energy from bikes to the smart grid. Sounds like an ingenious plan for any city trying to reduce traffic congestion!

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/15...rgy-generating-bike-rental-system/#more-40013

 

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Human-Powered Hovercraft Cruises Over the Thames
by Sarah Parsons

Ever since the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang came out, fans across the country have awaited a flying vehicle that doesn’t produce CO2 emissions. While a flying car powered by magic really isn’t feasible (unfortunately), members of the Human-Powered Flight Club of the University College London’s Student Union (HPFC UCLU) are in the process of developing the next best thing: a hovercraft powered by pedaling. Dubbed the Steam Boat Willy, the craft recently completed a test run across the Thames River, and was even displayed at the UK Hovershow this July.

The Steam Boat Willy resembles a paddle boat crossed with an inflatable raft, and does not use steam (as it’s name would have you believe), but pressurized air. Drivers sit down and place their feet upon the pedals. Once pedalling begins, the raft will inflate, the propeller at the back of the craft will rotate and a lift fan in the front starts to spin. Once the raft fully inflates, air is ejected from the bottom of the craft, allowing it to glide along like a traditional hovercraft.

The Steam Boat Willy is a work in progress, and the HPFC UCLU has been making modifications since they began working on the craft a few years ago. The hovercraft joins a constantly growing number of human-powered devices, like the Schweeb monorail or knee brace that creates electricity from human movement.

But while Steam Boat Willy’s developers may have high hopes for the craft, as of right now, its practicality seems limited. As seen in this YouTube video, steering the device seems quite difficult, while pedaling requires a fair amount of effort from the driver. Using a bike on land and a kayak or paddleboat in water seems to be a more effective and just as eco-friendly method of travel. Still, we applaud any effort to create vehicles that don’t derive their power from fossil fuels.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/18/pedal-powered-hovercraft-cruises-over-the-thames/

 

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Hemcrete®: Carbon Negative Hemp Walls
by Daniel Flahiff

Buildings account for thirty-eight percent of the CO2 emissions in the U.S., according to the U.S. Green Building Council, and demand for carbon neutral and/or zero footprint buildings is at an all-time high. Now there is a new building material that is not just carbon neutral, but is actually carbon negative. Developed by U.K.-based Lhoist Group, Tradical® Hemcrete® is a bio-composite, thermal walling material made from hemp, lime and water. What makes it carbon negative? There is more CO2 locked-up in the process of growing and harvesting of the hemp than is released in the production of the lime binder. Of course the equation is more complicated than that, but Hemcrete® is still an amazing new technology that could change the building industry.

Good looking, environmentally friendly and 100% recyclable, Hemcrete® is as versatile as it is sustainable. It can be used in a mind-boggling array of applications from roof insulation to wall construction to flooring. Hemcrete® is waterproof, fireproof, insulates well, does not rot [when used above ground] and is completely recyclable. In fact, the manufacturers say that demolished Hemcrete® walls can actually be used as fertilizer!

Available for years in the U.K., Hemcrete® is only now finding its way into North America. The species of hemp used to manufacture Hemcrete® is illegal to grow in the U.S., making Hemcrete® an expensive option for U.S. builders for now. As pressure for more sustainable building materials grows, lawmakers are certain to revisit this and other similarly restrictive statutes, particularly if there is money to be made. And judging from the success of Hemcrete® in Europe and elsewhere, there is plenty to be made; it is so profitable overseas that Hemp Technologies, one of the biggest manufacturers of hemp products in the UK, is actively recruiting as many new growers as it can.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/24/hemcrete-carbon-negative-hemp-walls-7x-stronger-than-concrete/

 

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Floating Urban Beach Barge Sets Sail on the Danube River
by Danielle Rago

Hungary-based design team Urban Landscape Group recently completed an extraordinary summer project that allows visitors to float down the Danube in a portable pool! Dubbed Barge Beach Budapest, the sandy sailing island acts as a contemporary Turkish bath and open air pool situated in the waterways between the river’s edges. The pop up beach is constructed from three recycled barges and provides residents with a brand new public space to bask in the sun.

Barge Beach Budapest is composed of a wooden deck that sits atop three recycled barges that at one time carried shipments of coal and stone up and down the river. The 2,100 square-meter platform comes complete with a 16-meter pool surrounded by lounge chairs, outdoor showers, a café and bar, as well as sand pits and a paddling pool for kids.

The migrating recreational pier was designed by Barbara Szöllőssy and Zsolt Pyka of Urban Landscape Group to be a place where citizen’s could enjoy public pool facilities while connecting with their surrounding environment. According to the designers, “Mayor Gabor Demszky has praised the project as “a solution to the ‘decades old’ problem of Budapest citizens being cut off from the Danube by the two busy highways that run along its embankments.”

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/23/floating-urban-beach-barge-sets-sail-on-the-danube/#more-44320

 

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Brick Habitats: Mini-Gardens for Habitat Restoration
by Olivia Chen

Imagine having flora and fauna living inside the bricks of your building! A snow-white style fantasy? Not according to the designers of ‘Brick Habitats’ - bricks that have a little pocket for plants to grow and birds to hang out in. While most of the other entries into our massive Reburbia competition to find bold, new solutions to fix up suburbia propose large-scale solutions for the re-organization of housing or land use, Brick Habitats by Chooi-leng Tan envisions a much subtler change to the suburban landscape. These built-in brick coves are like mini-condos that attract native wildlife back to the suburbs!

Tan imagined an easily-customizable system that would allow suburban residents to arrange their vertical garden so that it becomes functional and useful to every user. Top, middle, and bottom pieces are available to create containers of various sizes. Bowl-shaped bottoms allow rainwater to run-off to create bird baths, while pieces with a small cavities carved out allow for birds to build nests. A bottom with a cavity is fitted with a middle “filler” piece to create a container for ornamental plants or for herbs — a perfect way for anyone to start their own herb garden, right outside their window!

A system that is easy to understand and put together, Brick Habitats is an encouraging proposal that allows residents to take environmental change in their own hands by participating in suburban habitat restoration.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/14/brick-habitats-provide-mini-gardens-and-mini-homes/#more-52263

 

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Solar Roadways to Prototype First Ever Solar Road Panel
by Ariel Schwartz

Ever drive on the highway and think about how much solar energy is wasted on the asphalt below? Apparently, so has Solar Roadways. The startup was awarded a $100,000 U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grant this week to prototype its Solar Road Panel–an energy-generating panel made from solar cells and glass that is meant to replace petroleum-based asphalt on roads and in parking lots.

The panels, designed by Solar Roadways founder Scott Brusaw, contain embedded LED lights that might eventually act as a “smart” system, providing travel lines as well as timely warnings to drivers about roadblocks and wildlife up ahead. At the same time, embedded heating elements in the panels could prevent snow and ice from building up on the road.

Once a prototype is complete, Solar Roadways still has a long ways to go before its technology is commercialized. But if and when it is, Brusaw estimates that covering the entire U.S. interstate highway system with his 12′ by 12′ panels could fulfill the country’s energy needs (based on each panel producing 7.6 kilowatt hours of power each day).

It’s an expensive plan–each panel costs approximately $6,900–but a single four-lane, one-mile road plastered with Solar Road Panels could provide enough power to take 500 homes off-grid. And potentially, the panels could even create an “intelligent highway that will double as a secure, intelligent, decentralized, self-healing power grid which will enable a gradual weaning from fossil fuels.” A lofty goal, to be sure, but one that is worth keeping in mind–especially now that the government has given Solar Roadways the go-ahead.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/27...otype-first-ever-solar-road-panel/#more-57887

 

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Kompjuteri će voziti taksi
Autor: P. Đ. | 16.08.2009. - 05:00

Uskoro ćemo se voziti taksijem koji nema vozača, tvrde britanski naučnici, a taj izum već mogu da koriste putnici na aerodromu Hitrou u Londonu.

Oni do parkinga van aerodromske zone stižu za pet minuta vožnje, jednostavnim pritiskom na dugme u unutrašnjosti taksija.
Naime, Muzej nauke iz Londona je nedavno javnosti predstavio
ovo specijalno vozilo, a njegov idejni tvorac, profesor Martin Lorens koji je radio i na raketi „Saturn V“ smatra da će ono izmeniti izgled gradova u budućnosti.
– Neće biti saobraćajnih gužvi, izduvnih gasova niti gužvi u gradskom prevozu, jer će svi moći da se prevezu taksijem bez vozača – kaže Lorens.
Auto je sfernog oblika, a pokreće ga struja iz moćnog akumulatora. Putnici sa tač-skrina samo treba da odaberu željenu destinaciju, zatim ta poruka stiže do računarskog sistema vozila koji određuje rutu po kome će se kretati. Takođe, pritiskanjem drugog dugmeta, putnik može da razgovara sa kompjuterom.
Maksimalna brzina koju vozilo razvija je 25 milja na sat, a kreće se duž uskog puta. Lorens je rad na vozilu počeo još 1995. godine, a nada se da će se ono uskoro naći na ulicama Londona i drugih gradova širom sveta.

Izvor:Blic
http://www.blic.rs/blic_it.php?id=106371

 

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Speed Bumps Harvest Electricity from Moving Cars
by Sarah Parsons

Fast food lovers may finally feel a little less guilty about getting greasy burgers. One New Jersey Burger King recently equipped its drive-thru with a speed bump that harvests electricity from cars that pass by. The speed bump is part of a pilot project from New Energy Technologies, and if all goes well, drivers could see energy-harvesting speed bumps at drive-thrus, toll plazas and even shopping centers.

The speed bumps, or “MotionPower Energy Harvesters,” look much different from your typical concrete humps. The “bump” is actually flat, with long, skinny pedals running across the top. As cars drive over the speed bump, it pushes the pedals down and turns the gears inside. The spinning creates about 2,000 watts of electricity from a car moving at five miles per hour.

Energy created by the cars is instantaneous (like solar and wind power), meaning that speed bump developers must also figure out a way to store power for later use. To that end, developers at New Energy Technologies are currently experimenting with mini-flywheels (a device that stores energy by spinning), and also plan to look into supercapacitors and other energy-storing mechanisms. Eventually, once storage is perfected, the speed bumps could be used to power street lamps or even feed power directly to the grid.

While the pilot project has seen encouraging results, don’t expect to see energy-harvesting speed bumps at your local Mickey D’s anytime soon: The devices won’t be commercially available til sometime next year. Still, it’s intriguing to think that those midnight french fry cravings may help create clean, renewable power.

Izvor: Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/09/08/speed-bumps-harvest-electricity-from-moving-cars/

Ovo bi moglo da menja ležeće policajce.

 

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Solar Filling Stations: On-Demand Fuel for Electric Cars and Bikes
by Ariel Schwartz, 09/17/09

The problem with grid-powered electric cars, bikes, and scooters is that you never know what’s supplying their energy. Is it coal, solar, nuclear, or some combination of the three? Enter the E-Move Charging Station, a solar-powered filling station in Bozen, Denmark that can charge up to eight vehicles at the same time. With the E-Move station, you’ll always know where your vehicles power is coming from – the sun!

The prototype station, designed by Valentin Runggaldier, consists of eight mono-crystalline solar panels. The panels produce a total of 1.76 kWp of solar energy, and Runggaldier predicts that the station can generate up to 2,000 kWh over the course of a year. No word on how long the filling stations require to charge different devices, but unless people have the capacity to wait all day while a plug-in car is charged, the stations might be best suited for smaller devices.

Runggaldier’s Bozen station is just the first in what is likely to be a series of solar-powered charging docks located throughout Europe. If all goes well with the test model, Runggaldier plans to sell his station to local governments, private companies, and car rental agencies. The owners of the filling stations will dole out solar power only when consumers pay by cell phone or credit card.

Izvor:Inhabitat
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/09/17...-fuel-for-electric-cars-and-bikes/#more-62138