Photo of translucent plastic tubes branching underneath a concrete slab ceiling
CategoriesSustainable News

BVN and UTS rethink air conditioning with 3D-printed “breathing” system

Australian architecture practice BVN and the University of Technology Sydney have created a low-carbon, 3D-printed system that “breathes” like frog skin.

Named Systems Reef 2, the invention was made of recycled plastic 3D printed into a computationally optimised design that BVN said has 90 per cent less embodied carbon than a standard air-conditioning system.

The system also uses less operational energy because the air flows more easily around the organically shaped, branching tubing, with no corners to get stuck in.

Photo of translucent plastic tubes branching underneath a concrete slab ceiling
Systems Reef 2 is a reimagined system of air conditioning with an optimised design

The invention was designed to tackle the many deficiencies the architecture studio identified with air conditioning, a technology that BVN co-CEO Ninotschka Titchkosky describes as not having changed much since its invention in the early 1900s and having been “largely designed for manufacturing processes as opposed to human comfort”.

Air conditioning systems are typically made from steel sheets, which the BVN and UTS team’s analysis showed results in high embodied carbon and the use of much more material than is necessary. The systems also waste energy because they are structurally inefficient and difficult to change after installation.

“At the moment, the systems that we have, they’re really inflexible, they’re not particularly great for human comfort, they’re really expensive to change and they really limit the way we want to occupy buildings now in the 21st century, which is much more adaptive and agile,” Titchkosky told Dezeen.

Photo of a 3D printer nozzle extruding clear plastic in a layers to form a tube
The system is made of recycled plastic that is 3D printed into tubes

A key difference with Systems Reef 2 is that it’s “designed for air”, removing one of the key sources of inefficiency in existing systems: right angles.

These systems’ orthogonal designs, while suiting sheet metal construction, lead to air becoming stuck in corners and needing more energy to force it out.

“The most shocking thing we realised is that existing air conditioning systems basically aren’t aerodynamic and don’t even go through a computational fluid dynamic modelling process most of the time,” said Titchkosky.

Photo of two people holding up a length of clear plastic tubing as if to install it on a ceiling
The tubing is meant as a replacement for steel air conditioning ducting

Systems Reef 2 instead has an irregular, branching form with no sharp corners, and with a tapering shape so that extra energy isn’t needed to push cool air out of the furthest reaches of the tubing.

With the friction removed from the system, it is also smaller and slimmer, using overall less material.

To increase the comfort level for people sitting under the contraption, the team drew inspiration from frogs, which breath through their skin. Instead of using ducts, they covered Systems Reef 2 in tiny pores that effectively mist cool air into the space below.

Close-up photo of translucent plastic tubing forming the Systems Reef 2 air conditioning system
The tubing is said to have a beautiful, crystalline appearance

For a low-carbon material solution that is suitable for 3D printing, they chose recycled plastic, on the basis that not only is plastic waste plentiful but it can be easily recycled again and again, making Systems Reef 2 a circular design.

BVN used waste plastic that was obtained from hospitals, crushed into pellets and fed into the 3D-printing robot.

The material gives Systems Reef 2 a translucent, crystalline appearance that BVN says is “very beautiful”. There is also the possibility to print it in colours or illuminate it to personalise an office environment.

Close-up photo of the Systems Reef 2 tubing showing the texture of fine coils of plastic filament
The 3D-printing process gives BVN and UTS the ability to precisely control the shape of the ducting

The team’s final goal for Systems Reef 2 was that it be adaptable, which they achieved with a click-and-connect system with standardised fixings and seals to facilitate easy changes.

Because it is so simple and light, BVN estimates that it cuts down on onsite labour by more than 50 per cent — a significant draw given worldwide labour shortages — while being friendlier to the health of the installers.

The team uses generative design to tailor Systems Reef 2 to specific spaces, with an algorithm generating hundreds of iterations based on a given floor plan and the final design being chosen and tweaked through manual review.

BVN installed a prototype Systems Reef 2 at its own studio in Sydney, replacing the existing tertiary ducting and diffusers. It is now exploring more demonstration projects while getting the design ready to launch as a commercial product.

Photo of BVN's Sydney studio with Systems Reef 2 air conditioning system installed
BVN has installed a prototype of Systems Reef 2 at its studio in Sydney

It particularly sees the product as having great potential for retrofitting ageing buildings and says it could theoretically be installed in any office with an open-plan layout.

BVN and UTS were awarded Best Green Building Material/Product at the Australian Sustainability Awards 2022 for the design.

It is the second Systems Reef project BVN has undertaken, with each dedicated to some aspect of building services.

Photo of 3D-printing robot extruding material in coils
The team is now aiming to bring their invention to the market

“The reason it’s called Systems Reef is because we were starting to think about all the layers that exist in the ceiling as sort of like a reef — this kind of multi-layered environment where everything plays a part,” said Titchkosky.

“We wanted to move away from the idea of a services infrastructure to a services system that was more holistically interwoven and a lot smarter.”

BVN is an Australian architecture practice with offices in Sydney, Brisbane, London and New York. Its current projects include the Sydney headquarters for technology company Atlassian, which will be one of the world’s tallest hybrid timber towers at 40 storeys in height.

Reference

Electrifying? You May Not Need an Electrical Panel Upgrade
CategoriesSustainable News Zero Energy Homes

Electrifying? You May Not Need an Electrical Panel Upgrade

The growing number of homeowners seeking to abandon gas and oil and electrify their older homes are bringing newfound attention to electrical panels. These oft-forgotten metal boxes in the wall of your garage, basement, or other out-of-the-way space form a choke point for electrification, nationwide. Will you need a full electrical panel upgrade to meet your home’s increased electric demand?

“Many people don’t even know where their electrical panel is, and now it’s become one of the most important players in the whole electrification conversation,” said Brian Stewart, Co-Founder of Electrify Now. “The electrical panel is the unsung hero of the electrification project.”

Electrification—switching from gas and oil to all-electric appliances and heaters—will cut CO2  and other emissions, but it will likely increase your home’s electrical energy consumption. Watch out, because your electrical panel has a hard cap on how much electricity it can deliver to your house; how many amps at once. If you live in a home less than 50 years old, there’s a good chance you have a 200 A electrical panel that’s more than capable of handling these bigger electrical loads. But what if you live in an older home with a 100 A panel?

Let’s look at a typical energy load for an all-electric house and break down the range of options available if your electrical panel needs some help to meet the increased energy demand.

The basics

An electrical panel, also called a breaker box or circuit panel, is responsible for safely delivering electricity from the utility’s power lines to your home and then distributing loads throughout. A single, large switch controls the main breaker, turning your entire home’s electricity on and off. The row or two of smaller breakers circuit to different appliances, lighting zones, and areas.

You can tell how many amps of service your panel receives by

  • Inspecting the utility’s meter box (outdoors) for a label with an amperage rating
  • Inspecting your electrical panel for a label with its amperage rating
  • Checking the size of the main breaker on the panel

Do you need electrical panel upgrades?

To electrify your home, you may or may not need more electricity. “Over half of homes in the US have electrical service less than or equal to 100 amps,” explains Cora Wyent, Research Associate for Rewiring America. Let’s consider how that compares to a typical power load in an all-electric home:

  • Lighting and plugs: 6 kW
  • Electric vehicle (EV) charger: 10 kW
  • Electric cooktop and oven: 10 kW
  • Electric dryer: 5 kW
  • Heat pump water heater: 5 kW
  • Dishwasher, microwave, and other appliances: 1.5 kW each

Wyent calculated that running electricity to everything on that list would require around 121 A. So, if you have a 100 A electrical panel, you likely need to undertake some sort of upgrade to electrify:

  1. A full electrical panel upgrade and/or upsize of utility service
  2. Panel optimization
  3. Deploy technology, like smart panels, to manage your electrical load

1. Service upsize and electrical panel upgrade

To increase your home’s energy cap, you’ll need to upgrade your electrical panel, rewire it to increase the service you get from your utility, or both. This process can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $30,000 and take up to 6 months. Yikes! The Inflation Reduction Act offers rebates and tax credits to help offset the cost, but it’ll still be an expensive, time-consuming process.

“Sometimes upgrading and upsizing are unavoidable, but most homes with a 100 A circuit breaker have faster, safer, and more affordable options for electrifying their homes,” said Hannah Bruegmann, Director of Programs at Build It Green. “They’re just not as common because not enough people are familiar with the available options.” Even in older homes, you may not need a full electrical panel upgrade.

2. Panel optimization

“Panel optimization can help people electrify existing homes as quickly, cost-effectively, and equitably as possible,” Bruegmann says. In homes with 100 A panels or greater, you can often avoid a full utility service and electrical panel upgrade by optimizing the panel, through appliance choice and whole-home electrification planning. To do this, you’ll need to combine power-efficient appliances with circuit-sharing devices to manage your home’s energy use.

Not only does panel optimization save money compared to service upgrades, it also keeps the additional pressure off your local utility’s grid. And those same rebates and tax credits available for electrical upgrades often apply to energy-efficient appliances too. Upgrading to efficient appliances that draw less power makes optimization more feasible, effective, and comfortable.

Panel optimization strategies

“Even at peak use, most homeowners only utilize approximately 30% of their available electricity,” Bruegmann explained. So optimizing your panel may be easier than you think. Some strategies to manage your electrical load include

  • Selecting power-efficient appliances—they’re often nearly identical to less efficient models in cost and performance.
  • Air sealing your home to reduce heat and cooling losses.
  • Avoiding oversized EV chargers.
  • Pausing EV charging when other power-intense appliances, such as the washer and dryer, are running. You can do this manually or with a prioritized circuit-sharing device.
  • Selecting appliances that combine two functions, like a cooking range and oven, reducing the need for separate high-power circuits.

 

Span’s smart electrical panel provides monitoring and controls for all circuits plus flexibility for battery backup during power outages.

3. Smart electrical panel upgrades

A growing number of devices can help with panel optimization, including load-sharing devices, meter collars, smart circuit breakers, smart panels, and sub-panels. These tools can manage your electricity demand and avoid exceeding the overall energy supply (100 A) and the draw on specific circuits.

“Electrification can stress a home’s infrastructure,” explained Chad Conway, Head of Products at SPAN, a smart-panel manufacturer. “Intelligent load management can address the infrequent instances of high demand, automatically managing energy use in real time and saving the homeowner thousands of dollars compared to the cost of a [utility] service upgrade.”

With smart panels, smart circuit splitters, and other high-tech panel add-ons, you can prioritize electrical loads for each circuit. When the circuit reaches a certain draw, the technology will avoid overloading by shutting down the load designated with lowest priority. “This technology really enables a more efficient use of both the infrastructure in your home and the infrastructure on the grid,” Conway says.

A popular example is a shared circuit between an EV charger and an electric clothes dryer. The EV charger automatically pauses when you turn the dryer on, and then resumes charging when the dryer finishes. Unless you’re running laundry all night, your car will still be charged for your commute by the morning. No expensive electrical panel upgrade necessary!

Smart tech that prioritizes loads is also advisable if you plan to use solar panels and a solar battery system to power your home during an outage. You might also be able to take advantage of your utility’s time-of-use rates, or a demand-management rate, on a regular basis. These controllers offer user-friendly dashboards or apps to control your power balancing during emergencies or other special circumstances.

Electrify everything

“To hit our climate goals and reduce human environmental harms, we need to transition from natural gas to electric power as quickly, equitably, and cost-effectively as possible,” emphasized Bruegmann. Sometimes, electrical panel and service upgrades are unavoidable. But, many homes with 100 A electrical panels can electrify quickly and affordably via panel optimization, energy-efficient appliances, and power-managing technology.

Note: This article springs from Electrify Now’s webinar on “Electrical Panel Upgrades.” For more strategies and technologies to electrify your home, visit their YouTube Channel.

By Catherine Poslusny

Reference

An exoskeleton helps to remove pain when working standing up
CategoriesSustainable News

An exoskeleton helps to remove pain when working standing up

Spotted: As anyone who has worked in a job that requires manual labour can tell you, spending all day on your feet is exhausting and hard on the body. In fact, one study found that occupational physical activity is associated with an 18 per cent increased risk of early mortality for men, likely due to the strain put on the cardiovascular system by repetitive movement. On top of this, repetitive manual labour can lead to fatigue and muscle, joint and bone pain, and injuries.

To help, startup Archelis has developed what it describes as an “exoskeleton assist suit” that enables leg-strain-free standing. The device is attached to the legs and allows the weight of the upper body to be dispersed and supported by the shins and thighs, reducing stress on the feet by as much as 50 per cent. In effect, it acts like a standing chair, but one that moves with the user.

In a demonstration experiment conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, the effect of using the Archelis exoskeleton was to reduce the muscle activity on the spine and calf muscles by up to 41 per cent and reduce the load on the lower back by 33 per cent. This year, the company has released an updated stick which is more flexible, lighter and faster to put on and take off.

The company started out with the intention of reducing the burden on doctors, who must stand on their feet for many hours at a time while conducting surgery. However, Archelis CEO Hideyuki Fujisawa has said that the company’s goal now is to “solve social issues by completely new ideas through technology and design.”

Springwise has also spotted a number of innovations aimed at helping those with mobility issues, including a brain-controlled exoskeleton and a fabric that stiffens and softens to provide both protection and support.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

A stack of Gent Waste Bricks designed for the Design Museum Gent
CategoriesSustainable News

Municipal waste used to form brick for Design Museum Gent extension

Architecture studios Carmody Groarke and TRANS Architectuur Stedenbouw have collaborated with material researchers to develop a brick made from local construction waste, which will be used to build the new wing of the Design Museum Gent.

The Gent Waste Brick was designed together with circular economy specialist Local Works Studio and materials manufacturer BC Materials to be low-carbon, reportedly carrying just one-third of the embodied carbon of a typical Belgian clay brick.

A stack of Gent Waste Bricks designed for the Design Museum Gent
The Gent Waste Brick is made from recycled concrete and glass

The brick is made from 63 per cent recycled municipal waste sourced from Ghent, which was collected from a local recycling centre for demolition concrete and glass.

These recycled materials are mixed with lommelzand sand from the Belgian municipality of Lommel and bound together with hydraulic lime and ground calcium carbonate.

Gent Waste Brick designed for the Design Museum Gent
The pale grey tone of the brick was informed by the colour of local buildings

The bricks are cured in a humid environment for two weeks and then left to air-dry rather than being fired, reducing the amount of energy needed to manufacture them.

Instead, the material gets its strength through a process known as mineral carbonation, which involves the calcium carbonate in the brick reacting with carbon dioxide in the surrounding air.

“The carbonation will continue forever on the facade, making the blocks stronger and stronger over the years,” TRANS Architectuur Stedenbouw told Dezeen.

“This fabrication process, coupled with the use of recycled composites, results in a brick with 0.17 kilograms of CO2e per kilogram – just one-third the embodied carbon of a Belgian clay-fired brick.”

Production process of the Gent Waste Brick
The bricks are cured in a humid setting and left to dry naturally

Designed for the external facade of Design Museum Gent’s new wing, the Gent Waste Brick has a pale grey colour that references the colour of other civic buildings local to the city and was certified for building use in September 2022.

“The team have worked closely alongside the Design Museum Gent to produce a highly crafted, bespoke material object that embodies the culture and ethos of the institution, challenging the material qualities and aesthetic properties of a traditional brick and adding to the lineage of design objects displayed and cared for by the museum,” said Carmody Groarke.

Render of the Design Museum Gent extension
The bricks will be used for the Design Museum Gent extension. Image by Carmody Groarke, TRANS Architectuur Stedenbouw and RE-ST

Design Museum Gent is organising workshops for local residents to take part in making some of the bricks that will be used in the extension’s construction.

“The bricks will be manufactured on a brownfield site in Ghent using a clean simple production process, which could easily be replicated in other urban settings,” said Carmody Groarke. “There are no resultant emissions, by-products or waste.”

Other brick alternatives featured on Dezeen include Kenoteq’s unfired K-Briq, which is made of 90 per cent construction waste, and masonry blocks made from algae-based cement by Prometheus Materials.

The photography by Cinzia Romanin and Thomas Noceto unless stated.

Reference

An eco-friendly helmet made from waste scallop shells
CategoriesSustainable News

An eco-friendly helmet made from waste scallop shells

Spotted: Each year, Soya district in northern Japan produces 40,000 tonnes of shells. This marine waste is an inevitable result of the fishing industry in Sarufutsu Village, which regularly wins the prize for Japan’s largest scallop catch. Until 2021, scallop shells were exported out of the country for re-use, but this trade has now ceased. And, while the shells are picked up and disposed of by companies for a fee, there have been issues with the shells being stacked in large piles before disposal. 

Now, Sarufutsu village, along with creative agency TBWA\Hakuhodo, design startup Quantum, and plastics manufacturer Koushi Chemical Industry, has come up with a solution: an environmentally friendly helmet made from the discarded shells. In addition to cutting down on plastics, the ‘SHELLMET’ protects fishermen working in an industry that is notoriously dangerous, especially in a part of the world prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, heavy rain, and snow.  

Moreover, the SHELLMET contributes to a 36 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions compared to a helmet made from 100 per cent new plastic, as well as a 20 per cent reduction compared to limestone-derived eco-plastics. As a result, the eco-friendly helmet not only solves a particular problem facing the local community – it also demonstrates how waste materials can reduce environmental impact by replacing fossil-derived plastic. 

The design of the SHELLMET is inspired by biomimicry – the application of the mechanisms of the natural world to technological development. After all, shells protect scallops and oysters in the wild, and the helmet’s design incorporates a special rib structure that mimics the shape of the scallop shells. The partnership claims this improves the helmet’s durability by around 30 per cent.  

Other innovations spotted by Springwise that put marine waste to use include tiles made from fish scales, batteries made from crab shells, and shrimp shells used to strengthen concrete. 

Written By: Matthew Hempstead

Reference

Call for entries to BE OPEN’s Better Energy by Design competition
CategoriesSustainable News

Call for entries to BE OPEN’s Better Energy by Design competition

Promotion: creative think-tank Be Open has launched an international competition inviting students and graduates to come up with innovative ways of advancing sustainable energy systems.

The Better Energy by Design competition is open to students, recent graduates and young professionals from across the globe who specialise in the fields of art, design, architecture and media.

In launching the competition, Be Open hopes to raise awareness of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – namely the seventh goal (SDG7), which aims to ensure that everyone has access to affordable and clean energy.

Participants are tasked with devising new technologies and designs that will advance SDG7 by speeding up the move towards low-carbon energy infrastructures.

Call for entries to BE OPEN’s Better Energy by Design competition
The competition aims to spotlight the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals

“It is agreed by the world’s leaders that SDG7, calling for affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030, lies at the heart of all of the SDGs, and without progress on SDG7, it will be impossible to achieve the 2030 Agenda,” said Be Open.

“We strongly believe that creativity is integral to the shift to a sustainable existence,” the foundation continued. “To attain the UN’s SDGs, we need to think outside of the box.”

Call for entries to BE OPEN’s Better Energy by Design competition
Entrants are tasked with designing low-carbon energy systems

Submissions are free of charge, and must be based on one of three themes: Powered by Renewables, Save More Energy or Reducing the Energy Gap.

Entrants have the choice of entering individually or as part of a team. If entering as part of a team, each individual within the team may also submit their own project, in addition to the team project.

Those who wish to take part must submit their entry online via the competition website by 31 January 2023.

Call for entries to BE OPEN’s Better Energy by Design competition
Cash prizes ranging from €2,000 to €5,000 are available for winners

An international jury will make 50 honourable mentions out of all submissions before selecting first, second and third prize winners, who will be awarded €5,000, €3,000 and €2,000, respectively.

There will also be a Be Open’s Choice prize worth €3,000 – the winner will be chosen by the foundation’s community members out of 50 honourable mentions.

A further Public Vote prize worth €2,000 will be awarded, based on a majority vote from votes cast online.

Call for entries to BE OPEN’s Better Energy by Design competition
The competition is open to students and recent graduates who specialise in creative fields

Better Energy By Design is just one of a series of competitions that Be Open has run over the past four years, with each competition focusing on a specific SDG in a bid to further the UN goals.

To submit an entry, or to find out more about the competition, visit the Better Energy By Design website.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Be Open as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

Reference

Turning food waste into packaging
CategoriesSustainable News

Turning food waste into packaging

Spotted: The takeaway food delivery market is expected to continue its steady growth following the explosion of interest during the pandemic. The growth in recycling facilities, however, is not keeping pace, which is bad news for the environment. Countries across the globe are producing millions of metric tonnes of single-use plastic waste each every year. 

Even the cardboard and paper containers that are becoming more common are not truly sustainable. Most contain a plastic coating to prevent leaks, something that Singapore-based startup Alterpacks wanted to change. After analysing the most common types of agricultural and food waste around the world, the company chose spent grain for its new line of compostable food containers.     

Malt and barley grain waste created by the beer brewing process provide the majority of Alterpacks’ raw material. And rather than relying on a coating, the creators of Alterpacks chose to make the whole container leakproof, microwaveable, washable, and home-compostable.  

Currently, the packaging is available as stackable containers with a cover, a bento box, and a set of cutlery. Having recently raised $1 million (around €922,000) in pre-seed funding, the company plans to begin commercial production and distribution of the packaging throughout Asia, Australia, and Europe.  

Reusable food and drink container options have proliferated in recent years, providing consumers with feel-good ways to enjoy the ease of takeaway and on-the-go coffees without the environmental footprint. Two recent examples Springwise has spotted are reusable takeaway containers for restaurants, and a vegetable oil-based reusable coffee cup.  

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Solar Metal Smelter by Jelle Seegers
CategoriesSustainable News

Dezeen’s top 10 designs from 2022 that rethought how we use energy

As the global energy crisis shone a light on fossil-fuel dependence this year, we continue our review of 2022 by looking at 10 of the most innovative projects demonstrating more renewable, efficient and affordable ways to power our lives.

After Russia’s war in Ukraine sent energy costs spiralling to record heights, designers and architects argued that now is the time to double down on the renewable energy transition.

“This is a pivotal moment in which we need to shift our societies onto a safer path,” architect Michael Pawlyn told Dezeen earlier this year.

From a sand battery to a portable wind turbine and a low-cost solar-heated blanket, here are 10 projects covered on Dezeen in 2022 that demonstrate how it can be done:


Solar Metal Smelter by Jelle Seegers
Photo by Iris Rijskamp

Solar Metal Smelter by Jelle Seegers

An oversized magnifying glass focuses the sun’s heat to melt metal in this smelting machine, developed by design graduate Jelle Seegers to reduce the emissions and soaring energy costs associated with powering industrial furnaces.

“By making this thing manual, it really changes the casting craft from one where you just have endless energy coming into your workshop to one where you personally cooperate with the sun in order to melt the metal,” he told Dezeen.

Find out more about Solar Metal Smelter ›


University of Massachusetts Amherst
Photo courtesy of University of Massachusetts Amherst

Sweat-powered biofilm by the University of Massachusetts Amherst

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a biofilm that is worn like a plaster and can generate electricity to power users’ wearable electronics using their sweat.

The film is made by bacteria that can convert energy from the sweat’s evaporation into electricity, meaning that compared to traditional batteries it does not need to be changed or charged while cutting down the need for mined metals.

In the future, researchers believe the technology could be used to power devices at a larger scale as around 50 per cent of all solar energy that reaches Earth is spent on evaporation, making it a “huge, untapped source of energy”.

Find out more about the biofilm ›


Solar Blanket by Mireille Steinhage
Photo courtesy of Mireille Steinhage

Solar Blanket by Mireille Steinhage

Conductive yarn runs through this heated blanket, which can be charged using a mini solar panel to provide an accessible and affordable way to stay warm over the winter in the face of the energy crisis.

Designer Mireille Steinhage estimates the Solar Blanket could retail for less than £10 and, unlike a gas-powered boiler, would not cost anything to run.

“The emphasis on personal responsibility when it comes to sustainability is big,” said Steinhage. “However, it’s not so simple for the reported 14.5 million people living in relative poverty in the UK.”

“These people might not be able to make sustainability a personal priority, even if they wanted to,” she continued. “If we want to realise a more sustainable future, being sustainable should be accessible to everyone.”

Find out more about Solar Blanket ›


Polar Night Energy sand battery
Photo courtesy of Polar Night Energy

Sand battery, Finland, by Polar Night Energy

This year saw Finnish company Polar Night Energy install the world’s first operational “sand battery” at a power plant in the town of Kankaanpää, which promises to overcome one of the key obstacles to the renewable energy transition.

It works by transforming green energy into hot air using a resistive heating element and then feeding it into the sand, heating it to around 500 to 600 degrees Celsius.

The sand is able to retain that heat for weeks or even months, offering a long-term, low-cost solution for storing excess renewable energy for those times when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing – particularly for winter when demand is at its peak in many places.

Find out more about the sand battery ›


Front image of the prototype
Photo by Adrià Goula

Solar Greenhouse by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia

This prototype Solar Greenhouse co-locates renewable energy generation and food production on the same plot of land, in a bid to demonstrate how the world could feed its growing population while racing to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

The two-storey structure is made from locally sourced timber, wrapped in glass louvres for light and ventilation, and designed to be scalable and adaptable to a variety of settings including inner-city rooftops.

Find out more about Solar Greenhouse ›


Shine Turbine by Aurea Technologies
Photo courtesy of Aurea Technologies

Shine Turbine by Aurea Technologies

This portable wind turbine folds down to the size of a water bottle so it can fit in a backpack for camping trips or emergency situations.

It can generate up to three phone charges worth of power in an hour, with a power-to-weight ratio of 29.5 watts per kilogram that makes it more efficient than any comparable solar panels, thermoelectric stoves or water turbines, according to Aurea Technologies.

Find out more about Shine Turbine ›


Solar Protocol by Tega Brain, Alex Nathanson and Benedetta Piantella
Image courtesy of Tega Brain, Alex Nathanson and Benedetta Piantella

Solar Protocol by Tega Brain, Alex Nathanson and Benedetta Piantella

Websites on the Solar Protocol network are serviced by solar-powered servers placed in different time zones around the world to make use of the most naturally available energy at any given time.

The project hopes to provoke discussions about whether the internet can function within planetary limits.

“In the field of computer science, there’s always been this idea of computing being unlimited and infinite,” co-creator Tega Brain told Dezeen. “There’s not a culture of considering the material impacts and the fact that these systems are reliant on giant energy-sucking, water-sucking data centres that are all around the world.”

Find out more about Solar Protocol ›


Systems Reef 2 by BVN and UTS
Photo courtesy of BVN

Systems Reef 2 by BVN and the University of Technology Sydney

Australian architecture practice BVN collaborated with the University of Technology Sydney to create a 3D-printed air-conditioning (AC) system dotted with tiny pores that effectively mist cool air into the space below, mimicking frog skin.

Combined with swapping the traditional angular sheet metal construction of ACs for a more aerodynamic network of branching tubes, this means the system uses less energy in operation and reduces embodied carbon by 90 per cent.

Find out more about Systems Reef 2 ›


Lightyear 0 on a desert road
Photo courtesy of Lightyear

Lightyear 0 by Lightyear

This year saw Dutch startup Lightyear launch the “world’s first production-ready” solar car,  which has photovoltaic panels integrated into its roof, bonnet and boot that automatically top up its battery.

The hope is that this will help electric cars rival their fossil-fuel counterparts by making them less reliant on charging points and potentially free to run.

“I think most electric vehicles will have a solar roof in the future,” Lightyear’s lead solar engineer told Dezeen in an exclusive interview. “It’s a topic that all big car manufacturers are working on.”

Find out more about Lightyear 0 ›


Cosmic ADU
Photo by Martos Martinovic

Cosmic Studio by Cosmic

In a bid to make zero-emissions, off-grid living more accessible, US startup Cosmic developed a modular accessory dwelling unit that can be slotted onto any property and generates all of its own energy with no need for fossil fuels.

The tiny home is constructed using an efficient “hybrid prefab” construction system and powered via an integrated rooftop solar array plus an air-source heat pump that takes care of heating and cooling.

Find out more about Cosmic Studio ›

Reference

Biosolvents for greener manufacturing of solar panels 
CategoriesSustainable News

Biosolvents for greener manufacturing of solar panels 

Spotted: Although organic solar cells – those that use carbon-based materials and organic molecules – are one of the greenest solar cell technologies, manufacturing them still relies on carcinogenic petrochemical processes. With the health of workers and the planet in mind, researchers at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia have replaced the toxic solvents with plant-derived alternatives. 

By applying a framework called the Hansen solubility formulation, the KAUST team searched for a new solvent that was similar on a molecular level to the toxic solvent presently used for organic solar cells. With this, they found that plant-based solvents called terpenes could suitably replace them without impacting the cells’ light-capturing performance. 

Daniel Corzo, a PhD student in Derya Baran’s lab, who led the work, said: “We obtained solar cells with efficiencies above 16 per cent using terpene-based inks — essentially the same as from chlorinated solvents — but with an 85 per cent lower carbon footprint and with the potential to become carbon negative in the future.” 

In a bid for their discovery to make an impact, the KAUST researchers have made their findings freely available in an interactive library for green solvent selection. 

Springwise has previously spotted other innovations aimed at improving solar energy, from replacing silver with copper in solar panel production, to a startup that hopes to divert solar projects to more impactful sites.

Written By: Georgia King

Reference

Pendler e-bike concept by Layer design studio
CategoriesSustainable News

Dezeen’s top 10 sustainable transport designs of 2022

After a year that saw designers come up with numerous ideas for how to decarbonise transport, we round up 10 of the most interesting as part of our review of 2022.

Transport accounts for around a fifth of global carbon dioxide emissions and has the highest reliance on fossil fuels of any sector, according to the International Energy Agency.

Ranging from concepts to products set for mass manufacture, the designs featured in this list seek to reduce emissions from cars, planes, boats or motorbikes and to boost cycling.

Read on for Dezeen’s top 10 sustainable transport designs of 2022:


Pendler e-bike concept by Layer design studio
Image courtesy of Layer

Pendler by Layer

This concept electric bike from design studio Layer, which aims to tackle the pain points of urban commuting, has a distinctive U-shaped frame, a concealed motor and detachable timber accessories.

Designed with a “crafted” aesthetic, the Pendler is intended to provide built-in solutions to the challenges associated with city cycling, such as storage, fitting the bike on public transport and navigating traffic.

Find out more about Pendler ›


A Multi-Utility Farming Vehicle in a wheat field with a drone flying above
Image by Madhav Dua

Arrival Multi-Utility Farming Vehicle by Madhav Dua

Indian designer Madhav Dua came up with an idea for a multifunctional, customisable electric tractor that would make modern tools more affordable to Indian farmers, making agriculture more efficient.

It also features solar panels that provide energy to a mobile electricity reserve that could be used to power farmers’ homes.

The concept won first place in Dezeen’s Future Mobility Competition, a global design contest powered by electric vehicle brand Arrival.

 Find out more about Arrival Multi-Utility Farming Vehicle ›


X Shore 1 electric boat
Photo courtesy of X Shore

X Shore 1 by X Shore

In a bid to bring electric boats to a wider audience, Swedish company X Shore launched this model that it says is priced competitively with fossil-fuel vessels.

To reduce costs, the 6.5-metre-long boat was made light and efficient enough that it only needs a single battery to run, also reducing its carbon footprint.

Find out more about X Shore 1 ›


Lightyear 0 on a desert road
Photo courtesy of Lightyear

Lightyear 0 by Lightyear

Dubbed the “world’s first production-ready” solar-powered car when launched this year, the Lightyear 0 is an electric car that has photovoltaic panels covering its roof, bonnet and boot to charge its battery while driving.

In an interview with Dezeen, the chief executive of the Dutch startup Lightyear Emanuele Cornagliotti predicted that solar cars will be “normal within 20 years”.

Find out more about Lightyear ›


The Domus trimaran, the "world's first zero-emission superyacht", features in today's Dezeen Agenda newsletter
Image courtesy of Van Geest Design and Rob Doyle Design

Domus by Van Geest Design and Rob Doyle Design

While X Shore was exploring how to make electric boats more affordable, yacht design studios Van Geest Design and Rob Doyle Design were working on a concept for a luxury trimaran that is “truly zero-emission”.

The 40-metre Domus would be powered by a combination of hydrogen fuel cells, hydro generation and solar energy.

UK architecture studio Zaha Hadid was also looking at electric yachts this year, presenting its concept for the photovoltaic-covered Oneiric at Milan design week.

Find out more about Domus ›


Man cycling in front of a tram in Milan, illustrating a news story about the planned Cambio cycling network in Milan
Photo by Mikita Yo

Cambio by the city of Milan

A key aspect of decarbonising transport is encouraging people to take more of their journeys by bike, with many cities coming up with plans to become more cycling-friendly after the coronavirus pandemic.

Among them is Milan, which in early 2022 committed to constructing the Cambio network of 24 cycle highways by 2035 based on data about the daily movements of its residents. These will be accompanied by dedicated bicycle parking stations, physical and digital wayfinding displays and low-impact lighting.

Find out more about Cambio ›


Volkswagen ID Buzz next to a vintage VW van in a parking lot
Photo courtesy of Volkswagen

ID Buzz by Volkswagen

Electric vehicle launches came thick and fast in 2022, and among the most interesting was the ID Buzz by Volkswagen.

The van is an electrified update of the German carmaker’s famous T1 Transporter camper van, which became associated with the hippie movement of the 1960s and 70s, and has the same flat front and a similar V-shaped face as the original.

Find out more about the ID Buzz ›


Industrial origami motorcycle
Photo courtesy of Stilride

SUS1 by Stilride

Swedish startup Stilride this year unveiled the Sport Utility Scooter One (SUS1), an electric scooter built using an unusual origami-like process that reduces the amount of material used, limiting the environmental impact of manufacture.

While conventional scooters consist of a tubular frame and a plastic body, the SUS1’s chassis is constructed by taking a single sheet of stainless steel and cutting and folding it.

Find out more about SUS1 ›


Cake anti-poaching bikes
Photo courtesy of Cake

Anti-Poaching bikes by Cake

Another interesting example of an electric motorcycle seeking to cut carbon emissions is the anti-poaching series from Swedish brand Cake.

The solar-charged bikes were created specifically for use by rangers in the South African bush, allowing them to quietly approach illegal animal poachers thanks to the lack of engine noise while also negating the need for polluting petrol deliveries by truck or helicopter.

Find out more about Cake Anti-Poaching bikes ›


Rolls-Royce EasyJet hydrogen test engine
Photo courtesy of Rolls-Royce and EasyJet

Hydrogen jet engine by Rolls-Royce and EasyJet

Aviation is a major contributor to global transport emissions, and while there are still doubts over whether it will ever be practical to fuel planes with hydrogen, 2022 saw the world’s first test of a commercial jet engine powered by the non-carbon-emitting element.

British airline EasyJet and engineering company Rolls-Royce used renewably-made hydrogen to power a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100 aircraft engine.

The technology is still in its infancy, but Rolls-Royce chief technology officer Grazia Vittadini called the test “an exciting milestone”.

Find out more about this hydrogen jet engine ›

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