Eco Factor: Low-emission concept car powered by a hybrid engine.
Kia Motors America unveiled the Ray plug-in hybrid concept car during a press conference at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show. The design team has put in a lot of effort to better the vehicle’s aerodynamics by giving it a longer tail. Moreover, the vehicle’s four-inch lower roof also increases its efficiency.
Eco Factor: Concept electric lawnmower powered by solar energy.
It’s usually on a bright sunny morning that we love to cut the overgrowth in our lawns. While most of us use the conventional polluting and noisy means for the job, designers over at Studio Volpi have won a Red Dot Design Award for a completely silent and green lawnmower they call the “Solar Electric Lawnmower.”
Eco Factor: Lightweight crystalline solar panels for military solar applications.
SBM Solar has announced the development of the world’s first UL Certified non-glass, rigid, C-Si solar panels that are designed to expand the opportunities for solar installations, especially in marine and military solar applications. The lightweight solar panels can save energy in production and transportation as compared to conventional panels.
Eco Factor: Power plant to generate a whopping 13GW of renewable electric power.
After China’s ambitious plan to develop a 20GW wind farm, India has also announced a green energy power plant that will generate up to 13GW of renewable electric power, which is expected to outpace China’s wind energy development. The power plant will be developed by a consortium between Airvoice Group and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam, which is a joint venture between the government of India and the state of Himachal Pradesh.
Eco Factor: Concept alarm clock powered by solar energy.
The recent advancements in renewable energy technology have made it possible for industrial designers to think of devices that can be powered sustainably by harvesting clean energy from the atmosphere. This is the reason we see unique gadgets that consume solar or wind energy to power them in an eco-responsible manner. Working on the same theme, industrial designer Kubík Petr has come up with a concept alarm clock that mimics the earth in more than one way.
Eco Factor: Sustainable guest house uses passive solar techniques for energy efficiency.
Designed by Miray Oktem, the Sustainability House is a proposal for a short-term guest house for visiting scholars in Eskisehir, Turkey. The building is to be designed on the site of an old wine factory and consists of nine residential units of different sizes and features a storage facility, a courtyard and a bar/lounge.
Eco Factor: Sustainable building powered by renewable energy.
The University of British Columbia will soon be having the greenest building in North America that will serve as the Center for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS). The $37 million building will be greenhouse gas-positive and a net energy producer, meaning that it will help UBC reduce the energy it uses and carbon it emits.
Eco Factor: Water-recycling wash station.
The Plus Wash Station is the brainchild of designers at P-Arch and aims to conserve fresh water by simply recycling it. The station features a sink and a closet, both of which respect the environment and the eco-system. Water used in the sink is stored in a reservoir located under the sink. This water is then semi-treated and is utilized as drain water in the closet.
Eco Factor: Vertical green wall made using discarded plastic cups.
Designers over at Designnobis are trying to find ways to bring those millions of plastic coffee, tea and cola cups that are discarded everyday into use, thereby preventing them from reaching the landfills or polluting the scarce natural resources. The design team has come up with a concept vertical wall that can decorate your house in a green way.
Eco Factor: Eco-friendly bags with built-in solar panels.
Neon Green has unveiled a range of backpacks that according to the company will transform you from a mere mortal to a superhero with soular powers. These new “Soular” bags come in various shapes, colors and designs to cater to the needs of most individuals.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission scooter powered by electricity.
The rise in the number of cars on the streets has made industrial designers think about alternatives ways to travel that are compact, green and silent. Designer Stuart Emmerson is trying to ease your commutes on busy streets with a folding scooter dubbed the Skoota.
Eco Factor: Energy-efficient complex to generate renewable energy.
Yesterday we reported about Geotectura’s proposal for an eco-friendly gasoline station and today we have similar news from the house of Zaha Hadid Architects. Designers here are aiming for LEED Platinum for a new King Abudullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) to be built in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission concept car designed to be powered by electricity.
The Bentley Aero Ace Speed VI is the brainchild of auto designer Gabriel Tam and has been inspired by the original Speed 6 driven to victory by the Bentley Boys of the ’20s at Le Mans. The next-generation Speed VI is an overtly sporting vehicle with the raw aggression of a pure blood racer, while retaining the refined elegance of past Bentleys.
Eco Factor: Concept gasoline station harvests solar energy to recharge EVs.
With the rise in the number of electric and plug-in hybrid cars on the streets, it will be important for gasoline stations to adopt the new trend and equip their stations with EV charging stations. However, since most of the electricity generated in different parts of the world still comes from coal-fired power plants, greening the world will take much more than green cars.
Eco Factor: University building designed to harvest renewable energy.
Woods Bagot has unveiled plans for the Australian Catholic University’s new Center for Health and Wellbeing, which is being touted to be an exercise in healthy architecture. The sustainable building will adopt active mass cooling concrete slabs, solar hot water heating panels, wind turbines and a rooftop garden terrace.
Eco Factor: Fuel-efficient river boat uses solar energy for hot water.
The Zambezi Queen is a new 15-foot-long river boat that has been designed to provide all modern amenities to the passengers with minimum impact on the environment. The boat offers a luxurious new way to explore the Chobe River in Botswana, which runs through the Chobe National Park.
Eco Factor: Millimeter-scale sensor harvests solar energy for nearly perpetual operation.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed the world’s smallest self-powered sensor that can operate nearly perpetually running solely on solar energy. The system’s solar cells, processor and battery are all located in a tiny frame measuring just 9-cubic-millimeter.
Eco Factor: Portable electronic device charger harvests solar energy.
Statistics point out that over 6 billion portable electronic devices were purchased last year, most of which are dependent on grid electricity for a recharge. In an effort to conserve energy, industrial designers have often come up with concept devices that harvest renewable sources of energy for a sustainable recharge.
Eco Factor: Sustainable building carries gardens at all levels.
Green roofs and plantations not only improve the air quality but also better the aesthetic appeal of any facility. This is the reason we see buildings with green roofs and vertical gardens. Japanese architects Kengo Kuma have designed a commercial building in Tokyo that carries gardens on the roofs and borders.
Eco Factor: Electric vehicle charging station sources energy from renewable energy plants.
After receiving the nation’s first solar-powered EV charging station, Chicago is trying to make EV charging as sustainable as possible by now receiving the first wind-powered EV charging station. The charging equipment has been supplied by Coulomb Technologies through Carbon Day Automotive.