Eco Factor: Net zero energy school gets powered by on-site solar panels.
Mikou Design Studio has unveiled plans for the Docks School in Saint Ouen, France, which will be a sustainable development powered by onboard solar panels. The development will be visible because of its roof, which provides a stepped tier structure offering space for various departments.
Eco Factor: Sustainable housing development powered by solar energy.
David Baker + Partners have designed a new affordable housing development in Oakland, California, which will feature 99 sustainable one, two and three bedroom apartments when completed later this year. The development, dubbed Ironhorse, is built on abandoned industrial land and apartments will be priced for families with incomes between $18,000 and $50,000.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission single-seater car powered by electricity.
Tajima Motor Corp has unveiled an all-electric single-seater vehicle at the 1st EV & HEV Drive System Technology Expo in Tokyo. The vehicle looks much like a Formula car and features a lightweight and aerodynamic body.
Eco Factor: iPods powered by solar energy.
Apple’s employees have applied for a patent that relates to devices that are powered by onboard transparent solar cells. Dubbed the Power Management Circuitry and Solar Cells, the patent hints at new PMPs that are powered entirely by renewable energy.
Eco Factor: Concept lights convert waste noise into electricity.
Airports are one of the noisiest places in any city and they do consume a lot of energy as well. Industrial designer Hung-Uei Jou has come up with a concept product that can make good use of all that expended energy and reduce an airport’s energy requirements.
Eco Factor: Creating farm pods on vacant land in Detroit.
With a median family income under $30,000 and unemployment rate at a whopping 27 percent, Detroit is in need of help. While most residents are not so worried about the condition of the city, one of the few remaining millionaires is trying to transform Detroit from Motor City to an Urban Farm.
Eco Factor: Offshore city to generate renewable energy.
On Office has come up with a striking project to take advantage of Norway’s windy coastline and combine energy generation with tourism. Dubbed the Turbine City, the project will make use of 49 wind turbines, each rated at 8MW, to generate up to 392MW of renewable energy, which is enough to power 120,000 homes.
Eco Factor: Sustainable greenhouses to preserve the ecosystem.
Samoo Architecture has unveiled plans for the Ecorium Project to be developed in South Korea as a part of the upcoming National Ecological Institute (NEI). The eco domes, which are actually wedge-shaped greenhouses, will provide optimum conditions for a large ecosystem across the 33,090 sq m floor area.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission airplane powered by electricity.
Yuneec has announced that its two-seat all-electric aircraft, the e430, will be available for purchase in 2011. The airplane has been flying for the past six months and is ready to be shipped. The electrically powered aircraft costs just two dollars per hour to fly.
Eco Factor: Platform to allow users to design their own zero-emission EV.
Trexa is aiming to make electric car designing as easy as simply picking up parts and plugging them in your dream machine. The company has unveiled the world’s first fully electric vehicle development platform that lets users design the vehicle on their own.
Eco Factor: Flexible batteries made from fabric.
Researchers at Stanford University are exploring the possibilities of wearable batteries that are made using different types of fabrics including cotton and polyester. This unique current storage system will be made using carbon nanotubes.
Eco Factor: Multipurpose prefabricated pod made from sustainable materials.
York-based Archipod has unveiled a spherical pod that is made from insulated, prefabricated curved plywood that can serve as an office or an entertainment room outside your house. With a diameter of 3m, the Garden Pod is specifically targeted at the garden office market.
Eco Factor: Concept low-emission vehicle powered by a hybrid drivetrain.
A couple of months after the rumors started, Motor Trend has managed to get some details of the vehicle, which according to MT will be powered by a low-emission hybrid engine and will feature an all-electric mode for shorter drives.
Eco Factor: Concept toilet recycles gray water.
The Home Core all-in-one toilet concept by industrial designer Dang Jingwei integrates the toilet bowl with a sink, a mirror and a vanity table. The concept is designed to be an ecofriendly alternative to conventional designs where each flush consumes tens of liters of freshwater.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission all-electric vehicle burns ethanol for heat.
Volvo recently showcased its all-electric ride, the C30, which was stated to burn ethanol or something. The company has now disclosed the details and has stated that the zero-emission vehicle uses an onboard liquid-fuel heater to heat the batteries and the cabin.
Eco Factor: Sustainable visitor center designed to reduce energy consumption.
Gansam Architects G.Lab have come up with a sustainable visitor center plan for the Suncheo wetland of Korea. The minimally invasive project has been designed to go with the flow of river tides. Spanning over 3500 hectares, the wetland is home to over 25 types of threatened species.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission car powered by electricity.
BMW recently showcased its all-electric concept car, the Active-E. According to reports, the concept car will see limited production later this year and will begin extended field tests early next year. The program seems similar to the limited, BMW-owned Mini-E electric car trials, where around 450 customers leased the vehicle for $850 per month.
Eco Factor: Concept car powered by solar and wind energy.
The brainchild of industrial designer Cristian Polanco, AERO is a three-wheeled, mid-engine rear wheel drive electric vehicle for two people. The concept is based on the shapes of nature and in order to suit an ecological solution, the vehicle’s organic shape is inspired by air and water.
Eco Factor: Container city built entirely from recycled shipping containers.
We’ve seen houses and even hotels built entirely from recycled shipping containers, however, some Mexican designers have taken container recycling to a grand scale by creating a “Container City” out of them.
Eco Factor: Ecofriendly cellphone charger harnesses kinetic energy for a green recharge.
Students at the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) in East Java capital Surabaya have come up with a prototype charger that can juice your cellphone every time you move. The kinetic energy charger can be clipped onto a belt and convert motion energy into electricity.