Eco Factor: Sustainable gateway harvests solar energy and comes complete with green roofs.
Ehrlich Architects have unveiled the designs of a new solar-powered gateway that will soon welcome visitors and residents to Abuja, Nigeria. Designed in the form of a traditional Nigerian bow harp, the new development will feature a giant solar canopy and green roofs. Dubbed the “Living Loom”, the sustainable gateway will be constructed from bricks made from the local laterite clay.
Eco Factor: Low-emission vehicle to be powered by a gas/electric hybrid engine.
Hyundai has announced that the company will unveil its first U.S. market hybrid based on the just released Sonata sedan. The company has also released the first teaser shot of the vehicle which adds a massive lower grille inspired by the Blue-Will Concept, which was unveiled at Detroit this year.
Eco Factor: Concept vehicle powered by electricity.
We’ve reported about some pretty weird vehicles in the past too, and here comes another one for you. This weird machine has been designed by Erik Lanuza, who thinks that the only way to get rid of the traffic problem is to design vehicles that are compact and clean. Dubbed the Taurus, the vehicle has been designed as a modern Segway that according to some makes you feel like riding a bull.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission concept vehicle powered by electricity.
Taking inspiration from Peugeot’s egg-car and some other unconventional concept vehicles, auto designer C.Rameshkanth has designed the Gentoo concept vehicle that simply looks like a colored egg on wheels. The vehicle takes its form inspiration from the Gentoo penguin and has been designed to look cute and able to driven easily through a congested highway.
Eco Factor: Sustainable house designed to maximize energy savings and generate solar energy.
ECO-BOX is a sustainable dwelling system envisioned by designer Jorge Andres Serpa that includes green systems to maximize energy conservation and reduce carbon emissions. The house has adaptable physical features that can be operated by the family to the most optimal living conditions desired.
Eco Factor: Environmentally friendly mowers powered by batteries.
If you’re one of those who doesn’t want to make your Sunday mornings noisy and messy with conventional gas-powered mowers, Black & Decker is trying to help you out. The company has been making electric mowers for over a decade and has now completed the first full redesign of its lineup.
Eco Factor: Low-emission drivetrain prototype.
Valentin Technologies is exploring a new kind of a hybrid drivetrain for a 5-passenger vehicle that promises outstanding performance. The drivetrain explores the possibilities of a different kind of a hybrid, where the gas engine is not used to generate electricity for the motors, but instead to pressurize a high-pressure tank.
Eco Factor: Artwork made using discarded printed circuit boards.
Working to save the millions of discarded printed circuit boards from reaching the landfills and staying there for a few thousand years, environmentally conscious designer and computer geek Steven Rodrig is designing artwork from old PCBs that can then grace your living room.
Eco Factor: Solar energy to power cellphone towers could reduce emissions by 5 million tons.
The ministry of New and Renewable Energy of the Indian government is expected to come up with a proposal that would require the telecom operators to convert their diesel-powered cellphone towers to renewable solar energy. The plan is expected to be a part of India’s National Solar Mission, which aims to generate up to 20GW of solar power by 2022.
Eco Factor: Sustainable building to harvest solar energy for hot water and electricity.
Olgga Architects have unveiled the designs of a new Athletic Center to be constructed in the Basroch neighborhood of Grande Synthe in France. Currently under construction, the facility will host rugby, soccer and cycling and archery clubs, and also responds to strict criteria of sustainability.
Eco Factor: Multitasking robots built semiconductors for solar cells.
Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado have installed six multitasking robots that can build semiconductors for solar cells on six-inch-square plates of glass, plastic or flexible metals in just over half an hour. These tireless mechanical workers will also allow private companies to come and test their newest technologies for creating better solar cells.
Eco Factor: Porous material to absorb CO2 and convert it into hydrogen or electricity.
A team of researchers from the Bath and Bristol Universities are working together to find new ways to capture carbon dioxide from the ambient air and convert it to car fuel. The project finds ways to develop porous materials that can be used to line factory chimneys to capture carbon dioxide from the air and reduce the effects of climate change.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission bus to be powered by hydrogen fuel cells.
BAE Systems is planning to develop a zero-emission bus for Southern California regional transit agency, SunLine Transit, under a project to demonstrate the commercial feasibility of fuel cell technology. The company will be serving as systems integrator to deliver the vehicle to SunLine transit in an effort funded by the Federal Transit Administration, CALSTART, California Air Resource Board and California South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Eco Factor: Sustainable building designed to harvest solar energy.
Designed by Kiss + Cathcart Architects, Arup Engineers and Wallace Robertson Todd Landscape Architects, the Solar 2 – Green Energy, Arts and Education Center will be New York City’s first carbon-neutral, net-zero energy building that will generate more energy than what it consumes.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission concept vehicle to be powered by rechargeable batteries.
The brainchild of industrial designer Tiago Alves, the Peugeot 1001 Nimble is a concept vehicle that has been designed with the ability to rotate 360 degrees on a dime. The project intends to create a small electric car that is easy to drive and simple to be produced.
Eco Factor: Livable structures crafted from trashed liquid containers.
Recycling shipping containers into prefabricated living units is not a new concept, and we have frequently reported about the latest designs. Designers over at Aristide Antonas have something more unique for us – The Keg Apartments. These unconventional livable spaces have been crafted entirely from trashed liquid containers.
Eco Factor: Battery designed to harvest noise and vibrations to power small electronic devices.
Harnessing solar and wind energy is not a new concept, and we’ve already seen plenty of gadget chargers that promise to reduce your carbon footprint using renewable energy. Researchers at the University of Michigan are trying to harvest something entirely different and unconventional – noise.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission concept car powered by electricity.
Hailed as General Motors’ most significant concept since the Chevrolet Volt, the company revealed the EN-V concept that has been developed with GM’s Chinese joint venture partner SAIC. Three variants of the car have been designed, dubbed the Xiao, Jiao and Miao. All three variants have been based on the same mechanical platform.
Eco Factor: Sustainable bus waiting booth harvests solar energy for power.
Shanghai-based Yang-Design has unveiled a solar-powered bus waiting booth for Ningbo South Business District, China. The sustainable booth is divided into three units, which allows the space to be reduced or increased according to the need.
Eco Factor: Concept plug reduces energy consumption.
The Sticord by industrial designer Dongyeon Kim is an innovative plug concept that allows the user to save energy without the hassle of finding a particular cord from a hectic bunch of cables. The user-friendly device features an intuitive indicator that lets the user know if the plug is connected to a device that no longer needs electricity.