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Zero-E Adds Eco-Bling to Architectural Modeling
BY Cliff KuangThu -via: Fast Company
Woods Bagot and Buro Happold have invented a design program that helps architects and engineers create zero-emissions buildings. These days, progressive architects and engineers wax philosophical about bio-mass digesters, photovoltaics, and water recycling systems. But what is their effect, really? Will they truly make a difference? Woods Bagot, an Australia-based architecture mega-firm, and Buro Happold, a British giant in architectural engineering, have teamed up to produce Zero-E, a system for modeling building performance that might help architects understand the precise effects of all the eco-bling that they add to their buildings. While systems like this already exist for building systems such as LEED, Woods Bagot claims that this is the first time anyone has developed something that integrates such advanced technologies–and tests them against the supremely rigorous standard of zero emissions.
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(241 views)
A group of students from the University of Stuttgart have developed a method of using steel tubes and the growth of White Willow Trees to design a free standing 9 meter tall structure. The students were studying the elasticity of the trees along with its ability to be integrated into a synthetic framework to give directions and secondary support. This could be the beginnings of the idea growth of architecture..ie..the likes of John Johansen.
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Designed by the company Géobois, Géomoss is a system of signs for vegetated facade. Composed of ceramic briquettes used for supporting a foam plant, this product allows the creation of green wall outside without maintenance.
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The iridescence of butterfly wings have been the source of inspiration for more energy efficient yet vivid displays, but their shine is proving useful for brightening up not just our gadgets, but the money we buy them with as well. Researchers are looking in to how biomimicry can foil the efforts of would-be forgers, using the radiant colors created by light rather than pigment. The Indonesian Peacock or Swallowtail butterfly is the subject of interest to scientists at the University of Cambridge, who are using nanofabrication processes to replicate the reflective structures onto money, making them much more difficult to counterfeit.
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Popularity: 2% [?]
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Not sure as to how to comment or start a discussion involving green-wash related to architecture. What can I say, we (architects) have become very good at using excessive green roofscapes to develop architecture ideas, in the process, missing the bigger idea that is important…how much of the green is really necessary? I think we need to look no further than to our local golf courses and understand the costs associated with the maintenance and maybe we can start to understand the scale issue problem we are creating.
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Popularity: 2% [?]
