Eco Factor: Energy generating prefabricated classrooms made from sustainable materials.
Designers over at Anderson Anderson Architecture have come up with prefabricated classrooms that also provide an optimized educational environment for students and teachers while making them aware about the need to conserve the environment.
Eco Factor: Concept washing machine washes clothes using manual rotations.
In places where water isn’t easily accessible, doing laundry requires a lot of effort, which requires transporting water from distant sources. The “Swirl” by DesignAffairs Studio can ease the task without using any electricity. The “Swirl” is concept washing machine that features a swirled sphere shaped basked and a lid.
Eco Factor: Concept zero-emission vehicle powered by electricity.
There seems to be no dearth of concept vehicles that not only run clean on electricity, but make sure that the electricity they need comes in an eco-responsible way, which in most cases is an onboard system to harvest renewable energy. Indian industrial designer Arun Thomas thinks differently and has tried to design an all-electric three-wheeler and a concept recharging system that produces artificial thunderstorms for lightning, which is then converted into electricity.
Eco Factor: Modular PV system equipped with micro-inverters.
One of the greatest barriers to mainstream solar adoption has been its complexity, since solar installation requires several additional systems including grid-tie inverters, mounting hardware and wiring. GreenRay Inc. is trying to ease solar installation with a system they claim to be the world’s first solar appliance.
Eco Factor: Swimming pools heated using waste heat from sewage.
On an average the water in the city pipes of Paris has a temperature of 68°F, which means that the energy used to heat water to that temperature is simply wasted. The local greening efforts are trying to make good use of the waste heat in sewer pipes, by using it to heat the public’s pools without using any additional electricity.
Eco Factor: Sustainable tourist resort harvests solar energy.
With the need for sustainable developments on the rise, architects are envisioning developments that are as great for the environment as they are for people. Mi5 Architects have unveiled a unique project for Izola, the sunniest place in Slovenia, which will merge a tourist resort with a “solar orchard.”
Eco Factor: Circuit powered by solar energy.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have created the world’s first photovoltaic circuit that is being envisioned to be used in next-gen self-powered touchscreen devices or even model the human brain. At present, the circuit can only coax minuscule amounts of electricity, but these amounts can skyrocket with small changes.
Eco Factor: Portable gadget charger harnesses solar energy.
With an increase in the number of gadgets in our electronic gear, manufacturers around the world are coming up with devices that help our gear run in a clean manner. Scosche Industries has announced the availability of its solBAT II solar-powered charger and battery backup device that can work with almost any device that supports USB charging.
Eco Factor: Sustainable school powered by on-site photovoltaic panels.
Pop star Madonna is funding the Academy for Girls in Malawi, Africa to develop an eco-friendly school that relies solely on the energy of the sun. The school is expected to be completed in two years, after which it will become a campus for 450 pupils.
Eco Factor: Car rumored to be powered by a low-emission hybrid engine.
While car manufacturers aren’t wasting any time to bring their green rides on the streets, we regularly get to know about new vehicles that will bring the change. According to Auto Express, a new version of the Ford Focus RS is expected to hit the streets soon with a hybrid platform.
Eco Factor: Luxurious yacht made using sustainable materials.
We all love to spend our weekends as far from our busy city lives as possible. However, our peaceful holiday trips on the waves aren’t so good for the delicate eco-system if we’re burning fossil fuel for a peaceful vacation. Industrial designer Ben Mazur has taken up the challenging task of integrating luxury and sustainability in a concept yacht that is soft on the environment as well.
Eco Factor: Low-emission vehicle powered by a hybrid engine.
British luxury car manufacturer Jaguar is planning to develop a low-emission vehicle powered by a turbine engine. The company has already received $24million from the British government for the project. The car won’t use the turbine to rotate the shaft, which is either too dangerous to ridiculously expensive, but rather will make use of the turbine as an electricity generator.
Eco Factor: Energy-saving computer chips to be made using magnetic materials.
According to the Department of Energy, about 50 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, which is about 3 percent of the total U.S. consumption, is consumed by computer servers in the U.S. To reduce this staggering amount, Columbia University has received a federal grant of $2.8m to develop computer chips that are more energy efficient.
Eco Factor: Concept zero-emission vehicle powered by electricity.
Cherban has unveiled its concept three-wheeled EV that has a top speed of 150mph and can race to 60mph in just 3.5 seconds. Dubbed the Urban Jet, the zero-emission vehicle can carry two passengers and leans up to 45 degrees into corners.
Eco Factor: Concept tower speaker powered by fuel cell running on water.
While there is no dearth of trendy docks for your iPod, industrial designer Stefanie Koehler has come up with a concept product that caters to the liking of eco-conscious individuals. Stefanie’s product is a speaker system for the iPod that is powered by water.
Eco Factor: Concept airship powered by hydrogen fuel cells and solar energy.
The brainchild of designers at London-based Seymourpowell, the Aircruise is what the future of travel and hospitality might look like. Known as a giant and elegant “Clipper in the Clouds,” the airship harvests solar energy, while its primary source of power is a hydrogen fuel cell drive system.
Eco Factor: Sustainable development features energy-saving techniques.
Big Architects has proposed a new sports complex that will feature a multitude of green spaces and integrate several energy-saving techniques. Dubbed the World Village of Women Sports (WVWS), the 90,000-square-meter development is being planned to be constructed in Sweden.
Eco Factor: Sustainable building features on-site solar generation and water-saving systems.
The Kroon Hall is a new building at Yale that is committed to energy savings to promote a green environment. The hall, which is home of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, consumes 81 percent less water and 58 percent less energy than other comparable buildings.
Eco Factor: Shopping Boulevard cooled sustainably with seawater.
Zwarts & Jansma Architects have unveiled the plans of a nature-inspired shopping boulevard with a stunningly green Ecodome, planned for a location in the Middle East, which allows visitors to shop in a comfortable and natural setting. The structure combines the European idea of open squares and wide streets with the Arab concept of a closed building block with courts and alleys incised.
Eco Factor: Applied electric field to better hydrogen storage systems.
An international team of researchers from the Virginia Commonwealth University, Peking University in Beijing and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai have developed a process using an electric field that can significantly improve hydrogen storage and release.