Green Archives

Turning sawdust into high-value green biochemicals

Spotted: Petroleum-based chemicals are an essential part of various industries, from cosmetics to medicine. However, the reliance on fossil fuels also contributes large amounts of CO2 to the atmosphere – almost 4.6 million metric tonnes from the UK petrochemical industry alone. To change this, startup Sonichem has developed biorefinery technology that can convert low-value woody biomass, such as sawdust, into high-value renewable biochemicals.

Sonichem uses ultrasound technology to break the chemical bonds in biomass feedstock to free up the cellulose, sugars, and lignin. These fractions are processed through recovery units and can then be used to produce high-quality biochemical products. The company claims that for every £1 of sawdust, its technology can create £8 worth of sustainable chemicals.

The use of ultrasonic energy allows Sonichem to fractionate the biomass at lower temperatures and pressures than comparable processes, meaning less energy is used. The company is also able to recover the organic solvents it uses for the process, reducing the amount of virgin chemicals needed each time.

Sonichem recently raised £1.2 million (around €1.4 million) in a pre-series A round of funding. The investment will be used to accelerate the development of the technology, continue research, undertake intellectual property generation, and finalise the design and location of the company’s commercial biorefinery plant, which will be located in the north of the UK.

Springwise has spotted other innovations that use biomass to sustainably create chemicals and materials, including a company using rice husks to produce silica for tyres and a process that converts air pollution into plant fertiliser.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

Interior Design

22RE invokes “stillness” inside green Miami golfing boutique

By Zarkon Group,10/03/2024

Los Angeles studio 22RE has used pale-green stucco informed by Miami’s colours and golf courses for the interiors of a golf clothing boutique in the city.

A few blocks from the ocean, the Malbon store in Coconut Grove serves a large customer base for the brand in South Florida – a popular golfing destination thanks to year-round warm weather.

Store interior with green stucco columns and radial grey floor tiles — The Malbon Miami store revolves around a central area, from which handmade tiles emanate in a radial pattern across the floor

The verdant neighbourhood and Miami’s distinct architecture provided 22RE with a starting point to build upon, aiming to create a tranquil space amongst such vibrancy.

“We intended to create an oasis within the city, one that invoked stillness – a feeling that Malbon customers are accustomed to while they’re out on the green,” 22RE founding principal Dean Levin told Dezeen.

Golf clothing boutique with green stucco walls — Pale green stucco covers the walls, columns and ceiling beams

The store’s most striking feature is the pale green stucco that covers the majority of vertical surfaces and ceiling beams that form square archways overhead.

“The shade of green used throughout the space was inspired by the studio’s first visit to the location, and inspired by the vibrant hues associated with Miami as a city,” said Levin.

Accessories displayed on stainless steel shelves, surrounded by green stucco — Merchandise is kept to the perimeter of the store, displayed on stainless steel rails and shelves

The placid hue is contrasted with stainless steel elements including the sales counter and a doorway to the stock room.

From the centre of the space, mid-grey handmade Mexican tiles are laid across the floor in a radial pattern, emanating from a circular plaque that displays the brand’s monogram.

Filleted stucco surfaces contrast an aluminium open-cell grid ceiling — Filleted stucco surfaces contrast the aluminium open-cell grid ceiling

A ring-shaped installation above, suspended from an aluminium open-cell grid ceiling, also bears the Malbon logo scribed repeatedly in white neon.

Four columns and a pair of stainless steel benches define this central area, which is intentionally devoid of merchandise to create a moment for pause and conversation between customers.

Clothing and accessories are kept to the perimeter, displayed in illuminated niches on stainless steel rails or shelves.

“In retail stores, there is a predominantly unchanging relationship between salesperson and customer,” Levin said. “We wanted to consider and account for the things we could – foot traffic, merchandising and general flow.”

Detail of a stainless steel bench made from perpendicular planes — A pair of stainless steel benches offer a place for pause and conversation in the middle of the boutique

Behind the street-facing windows, white stones cover the floors and plants so that the store “feels like a natural extension of the vegetation and foliage” in the surrounding area, said Levin.

“Through juxtaposing a variety of different materials both organic and industrial, the Malbon Miami storefront is an accurate reflection of the values we celebrate and preserve as an architecture and design firm,” he added.

Storefront with greenery behind large windows — The storefront contains greenery to create a natural extension of the verdant surroundings of Coconut Grove

Miami has grown significantly as a retail destination over the past decade, with a large concentration of new luxury stores in the city’s Design District.

Brands including Louis Vuitton, Off-White and Christian Louboutin all have distinctly designed outposts in the neighbourhood.

The photography is by Erik Stackpole.

Reference

Sustainable News

Helping local, green products reach shop shelves

By Zarkon Group,29/01/2024

Spotted: This year will see several changes designed to bring the EU closer to its climate-neutral goal for 2050. The first report of the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is due at the end of January 2024, and the region’s Deforestation Regulation comes into effect in December 2024. Back in December 2023, the European Council and Parliament also reached an agreement on ecodesign requirements for sustainable products.

For companies with sustainable products to sell, these changes are creating opportunities to expand into new markets or make new designs commercially available. However, inflation in the prices smaller businesses pay their increasingly globalised suppliers is making it difficult for them to build their inventory – even if they have developed a great product and built an effective production process.

Belgian company Shiperise helps with this challenge by buying companies’ inventory in large volumes at factory prices. By receiving a price for its goods from Shiperise, a business can optimise production runs and negotiate better procurement prices with its suppliers. And by investing in the company’s inventory, Shiperise is taking on some of the risk associated with new products that conventional banks are unwilling to bear.

The funds from Shiperise are transferred to a company as soon as its goods arrive from its suppliers. The company then has 18 months to resell the products at wholesale prices before ‘repurchasing’ the inventory Shiperise has acquired at its own pace. Businesses sell the Shiperise-funded portion of its inventory first and it only pays for the goods that are sold in each period. Shiperise is compensated for its service through a minimum margin on its inventory purchases and an admin fee.

At the start of the process, Shiperise offers a free product score, working with most types of items except food. The maximum score on a product review is 50, with questions covering topics such as item sustainability and the sales history of the company. For those scoring below the maximum, Shiperise offers advice on score improvement. The product scores determine how much funding Shiperise is likely to offer for the product.

On the other side of the equation, shops and resellers can register on the platform as ‘professional buyers’ to acquire sustainable goods from the Shiperise ecosystem and benefit from discounts.

Reducing e-waste with upgradeable parts and using artificial intelligence (AI) to assess products’ sustainability credentials are two examples from Springwise’s library of innovations that are helping consumers cut through the greenwashing and find products that really make a difference.

Written By: Keely Khoury and Matthew Hempstead

Reference

Sustainable News

Green goals: recycled and bio-based sports balls

By Zarkon Group,25/01/2024

Spotted: Sports are a cultural staple for countries around the world, whether you enjoy watching matches on TV, attending games, or playing yourself. And, according to FIFA, there are five billion football fans across the globe, making it the world’s most popular sport. To meet this popular demand, over 40 million footballs are made every year, relying on tonnes of crude-oil-based synthetic, animal leather, and rubber for their production.

This is where the Rebond Project comes in. The French organisation is rethinking traditional manufacturing to create balls that contribute to a circular economy and are made from clean and sustainably sourced materials

The initial problem the Rebond team had to solve was finding an adequate recyclable substitute for the internal or inflatable part of a football (the balloon). Rebond settled on recycled plastic bottles and a natural latex inner tube to make, what the company claims is, the first bio-sourced and recycled balloon that met competition standards. To make the ball completely ‘clean’, Rebond chose to create the external part of the football entirely out of natural vegetable-based biomaterials.

According to the company, 85 per cent of current ball production occurs in the Punjab region in India. Wanting to boost local production of “Made in France” balls, Rebond set up a French production line in Loire-Atlantique in 2019. Rebond highlights, though, that the goal isn’t to replace Punjabi workshops, but instead to use the France production line to complement them.

According to Rebond Founder and CEO Simon Mutschler, the company is now aiming to get the FIFA-accredited logo on its balls so they can be sold to official football clubs.

Springwise has spotted other innovations seeking to make sports more sustainable, including inclusive tennis programmes that recycle used balls and eco-friendly wetsuits for women.

Written By: Archie Cox

Reference

Sustainable News

A green clean: bio-based technology for oil spills

By Zarkon Group,23/01/2024

Spotted: While large oil spills like the Exxon Valdez disaster make the news, smaller spills occur more frequently than the media headlines would suggest. According to the non-profit International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited (ITOPF), 2023 saw one large spill (greater than 700 tonnes) and nine medium spills (7-700 tonnes). On top of this, there are thousands of much smaller spills each year that still have a big impact on marine ecosystems.

To make this clean-up greener, Green Boom has developed a line of biodegradable oil absorbents, which can rapidly soak up four times their weight in oil without producing additional waste. This is important because, according to the company, oil spill clean-up creates around 9,000 tonnes of oil-absorbent waste each year, and most solutions involve single-use plastics that end up in landfills.

Green Boom’s products, including booms and mats, feature cotton-based, tear-resistant fabrics filled with natural fibre biomass that repels water and rapidly absorbs oil from spills. All the products are made from 100 per cent sustainably sourced, renewable raw materials.

Video source Green Boom

The company was launched in 2019 and has earned the USDA Certified Biobased Product Certification for its absorbents. Last year, Green Boom partnered up with Netherlands-based Greaner BV to help accelerate the adoption of its more eco-friendly clean-up solutions.

Springwise has spotted several innovations aimed at oil and pollution clean-up. These include the use of oil-eating microbes and hair from salons stuffed into recycled hosiery.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

Architecture

MVRDV plans new green district in düsseldorf with colorful residential complex

By Zarkon Group,13/01/2024

MVRDV and LOLA plan new green district in Düsseldorf

MVRDV has collaborated with landscape architects LOLA to conceptualize the Grüne Mitte project in Düsseldorf, prioritizing open communication, negotiation, and compromise in urban development. Initiated by Cube Real Estate, the project aims to introduce nearly 500 new apartments, with 50 percent allocated to social or affordable housing. Additionally, the development incorporates community spaces to enhance the overall well-being of the neighborhood. The proposed site in Flingern-Süd currently hosts an underutilized shopping center, supermarket, and car park complex built just 11 years ago. The neighboring Kiefernstraße, known for squatting since the 1980s and vibrant street art, adds a unique aspect to the community dynamics. To ensure community involvement and support, the team engaged in a participation process, collaborating to align development objectives with the diverse needs of the community. This approach has facilitated the integration of social and affordable housing and the creation of community spaces that contribute positively to the neighborhood.

Grüne Mitte in Düsseldorf, all images © MVRDV

A Sustainable and Community-Informed Design

MVRDV (see more here) and LOLA (see more here) conducted a series of workshops to involve residents in the development process. Interviews were held, and brainstorming sessions took place to gather ideas. Through this collaborative process, key requirements emerged, including the importance of retaining the supermarket as a social meeting spot, improving connectivity to neighboring city districts, and incorporating public spaces for an inclusive social environment. Designers presented three outline proposals for residents to discuss, with the Grüne Mitte design, featuring blocks around a central green space, being the most popular choice. The central park-like space within the block reduces paved or built surfaces from 98 percent to 62 percent, serving as a community hub accessible through various passages. This green area features amenities like kiosks, sports facilities, and playgrounds, contributing to increased biodiversity and a pleasant microclimate.

the green open space contributes to increasing the biodiversity in the neighborhood

To economically support this large green space, a spatial compromise led to the inclusion of an office high-rise on the southwestern corner. Despite not aligning with the city’s high-rise plan, community support prompted special approval. The design team, considering community preferences, presented three proposals for the high-rise. The final 17-story design incorporates stacked blocks, with the lower one aligning with the Grüne Mitte, and the upper block twisted to complement the neighborhood’s features. Sustainability measures include green roofs, photovoltaic panels, cross-laminated timber floors, and an urban mining approach. The building’s façades celebrate diversity, with different treatments for each block, and some walls proposed for street art collaborations with Kiefernstraße residents.

the lower block of the 17-story building aligns with Grüne Mitte, while the upper block is twisted to complement the features of the neighborhood

different façade treatments for each block celebrate diversity and make the building more inviting

green roofs, photovoltaic panels, and cross-laminated timber floors contribute to the project’s sustainability

project info:

name: Grüne Mitte

architects: MVRDV | @mvrdv and LOLA | @lolalandscapearchitects

location: Düsseldorf, Germany

christina petridou I designboom

jan 13, 2024

Reference

Interior Design

Monolithic green marble carves apartment interior in Milan by AIM Studio

By Zarkon Group,05/01/2024

Italian studio AIM has designed a compact, multi-level apartment interior in Milan organised around a floor-to-ceiling Verde Alpi marble partition.

Created in collaboration with local marble artisans Bianco67, AIM Studio used the wall to divide the various functions of Green Nest, aiming to create an elegant backdrop for a dynamic domestic experience.

View of marble partition in Green Nest Apartment by AIM Studio in Milan — Monolithic green marble carves apartment interior by AIM Studio in Milan

“The design challenge [for] Green Nest was to combine the compact size of the dwelling with the desire to create inviting, functional and representative spaces pleasant to live in at all times of the day,” AIM Studio told Dezeen.

“We were looking for a single gesture to characterise the apartment [and were] inspired by the idea of a majestic wall [running] through the heart of the house,” the studio continued. “This massive element, both because of its solid presence and its intrinsic beauty, is the focal point on which the entire design revolves.”

Full height glass divider in Green Nest Apartment by AIM Studio in Milan — The fluid living spaces can be divided by an operable ribbed glass door

The marble partition was constructed as a permeable threshold between the apartment’s lower level living spaces and a staircase leading to the habitable roof terrace above.

Designed as a single, fluid area, the main living room and bedroom can be separated by full-height ribbed glass doors.

Green Nest Apartment by AIM Studio in Milan — The studio used the marble wall system to host functional storage and compartment spaces

AIM Studio sought to meet the practical requirements of small-footprint living by using the Alpi marble to conceal a series of deep storage compartments.

“More than a monolith, the volume is an inhabited wall whose thickness is continuously perforated, crossed and interrupted to host the different functions of living,” AIM Studio said.

“[It] was designed as a precious shell but [leaves] nothing to chance in terms of containment and management of the space. Every compartment, every opening, has been designed [for utility].”

Behind the marble partition, the staircase to the rooftop terrace was completed with a central lightwell to draw natural light into the space below.

The studio also integrated large windows into the main living area to encourage an interplay of light on the reflective marble surface and to evoke a chiaroscuro-like effect.

Suspended kitchen system inside Green Nest Apartment by AIM Studio in Milan — The compact kitchen was formed by suspended travertine joinery

Tucked into a corner of the living room, the kitchen was demarcated by suspended travertine joinery and an embossed mirror feature wall.

Neutral-toned fixtures and restrained furniture pieces were selected to balance the apartment’s modern aesthetic and emphasise the drama of the green marble.

“We conceived this project as a search for authenticity; a minimal but at the same time welcoming and functional design created through natural, precious [and] timeless materials.”

“We hope that this search for authenticity will be perceived by those who will inhabit these spaces and that it will translate into family atmospheres and elegant, but convivial, environments.”

Founded in 2012 by Claudio Tognacca in Milan, AIM Studio has projects spanning across architecture, interior design and product development both in Italy and internationally.

Other recently completed projects in Italy include Antonino Cardillo’s design for “a miniature palazzo” residence near Lake Garda and Humbert & Poyet’s interior conversion of a 16th-century Milanese chapel into a Beefbar restaurant.

The photography is by Simone Bossi

Reference

Sustainable News

Fuelling the hydrogen revolution with green ammonia

By Zarkon Group,26/10/2023

Hydrogen is the most abundant element on Earth and has been identified as an important clean fuel for the energy transition, emitting only water when burned instead of carbon dioxide. However, producing hydrogen can be carbon intensive, and storing and transporting it is a challenge due to the extremely low temperatures and high pressure needed to keep it stable.

For it to be a feasible alternative to fossil fuels, new methods for storage and transportation are required. Enter Nium, a spinout company from Cambridge University in the UK, which is pioneering a ground-breaking process for getting hydrogen from A to B using ‘green’ ammonia.

Turning hydrogen into ammonia – which is made up of hydrogen and nitrogen from the air – makes it much easier to move around. Nium uses nano catalysis, powered by renewable energy, which achieves this conversion at significantly reduced temperatures and pressures compared to the Haber-Bosch process – the way that ammonia has been produced for nearly 100 years. When the ammonia reaches its destination, the decentralised nature of Nium’s system means it is easy to turn it back into hydrogen using the same green process.

Green hydrogen provides a way to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors such as transportation by truck or train, or heavy industry. Green ammonia, meanwhile, replaces ammonia produced through the traditional polluting process, which emits around 500mt of CO2 annually. And, in addition to being a means of transporting hydrogen, ammonia itself can be used in new applications such as shipping fuel, and it remains a key ingredient in fertilizers, which around 50 per cent of the world’s food production relies upon.

Nium’s new process is turning ammonia into a tool for the future, while cleaning up its use in the present.

Video and article credit: RE:TV

Reference

Interior Design

Productora and Esrawe Studio outfit Mexico hotel with planes of green tile

By Zarkon Group,03/10/2023

Local architecture studios Productora and Esrawe Studio have outfitted a Mexico hotel with planes of green tile suspended from the lobby ceiling.

Located on a hilly site in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, the Albor Hotel is part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection.

A hotel with a long stone facade — Productora and Esrawe Studio have wrapped a hotel in Mexico with local red stone

Completed in 2022, the 6,038 square metre project contains a lobby, restaurant, bar, gym, multipurpose room, and a pool area with a grill.

Productora and Esrawe Studio pulled from the mountainous surroundings for the design.

Green tiles with a leaf-like pattern of pink and white — The stone is carried into the building’s lobby and lower levels

“The hotel emerges naturally from the terrain, framing a beautiful view of the valley,” said the team.

“The hotel’s stone base is inspired by the mountain’s interior, featuring a textured and colourful appearance.”

A hotel lobby with wooden chairs and a canopy tiled in green — Planes of green tile are suspended from the ceiling

A natural red, textured stone was wrapped around the building’s first two levels, which steps up the hill on the site.

The top three levels contain the hotel’s private rooms and have an exterior clad in a simple white material, which contrasts the base.

A stone outdoor patio with brick facade — The tile features a graphic pattern by artist Omar Barquet

The lower levels, which contain the lobby, restaurant, bar and garden, run perpendicular to the site’s cobble-stone street, while the upper-floor volume runs parallel.

Guests enter into the hotel’s spacious lobby, where the same red stone was carried onto the floors, walls and bar elements.

Red door frames open to the outdoors — The hotel contains a multi-leveled terrace and restaurant

The lobby’s double-height space is divided by planes of sea-foam green ceramic tile, which feature a leaf-like pattern by Mexican artist Omar Barquet.

Crafted by tile manufacturer Latitude, they cover dividing walls, ceiling planes and panels that are suspended from the ceiling.

The space is outfitted with wide, blocky wooden tables and chairs by Roberto González. Wood was also used for a large bookshelf that spans the length of the interior lobby.

A mixture of gray, green and red cushions were used to cover the seating, with the same red tone used to frame a series of sliding glass doors that lead onto the hotel’s sprawling patio.

A bedroom outfitted with beige textiles and walls with accents of earthen tones — A natural red tone was carried throughout the hotel’s lower and upper levels

Rectangular volumes cantilever over the back patio, reflecting the same rectangular panels used to divide the lobby.

The patio sprawls across several levels, with large square planting beds installed with cacti and other local plants by PLANTA Botanical Design.

The hotel’s private rooms were kept minimalist, with the same wooden furniture echoed in seating areas, cabinetry and a bed frame.

“The rooms feature a natural colour palette and materials such as mineral clay, local crafts, wooden furniture and natural fabrics, providing a cosy and inviting atmosphere for guests,” said the team.

An earthen red tone was also carried into the private bathrooms.

Productora recently completed a bright blue co-housing complex in Denver, Colorado, while Esrawe Studio renovated an apartment in Mexico City with an oak “skin”.

The photography is by César Béjar.

Reference

Sustainable News

Smart, green advertising in the sky

By Zarkon Group,23/09/2023

Spotted: Though targeted online ads can be highly effective, 54 per cent of people also find them intrusive. In addition, the sheer volume of online advertising makes it hard for companies to stand out, with internet users often scrolling straight past any ad out of habit. Helping brands to stand out in the sea of online ads is Miami-based Sustainable Skylines, an aerial advertising company that is bringing the traditional practice of sky marketing into the 21^st century – using drones.

Sustainable Skylines guides brands from start to finish – assisting with the creative design of a banner, planning the flight path, and analysing the campaign’s success once completed. Benefitting from its exclusive partnership with aviation company Velary and its Vertical Take-Off and Landing technology (VTOL), the company is able to fly slower and closer to the ground than the planes that are traditionally used.

And crucially, the process is also greener, only using three gallons of unleaded fuel for a four-hour flight of its hybrid-electric drones, compared with the 30 gallons of leaded aviation fuel needed by a single-engine plane for the same journey. Because of this, the company believes its method cuts 90 per cent of aerial advertising’s carbon footprint.

Instead of a campaign’s success being measured anecdotally, Sustainable Skylines provides an intelligent web-based analytics platform so that brands can monitor the impact of a banner. With the help of AI and computer vision, the company processes live footage of a journey to understand the reach of an ad and how many people were likely to have seen it. Using third-party cellular and geospatial datasets, the company can see exactly how many people on the ground below visited a website following a drone’s flight. With the first- and third-party data combined, Sustainable Skylines gets an accurate picture of a campaign’s success, allowing it to be further optimised in future.

As well as partnering with Velary, Sustainable Skylines has also joined forces with Mitsubishi Electric, Auvsi, and the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA).

In the archive, Springwise has spotted other innovations working to make advertising greener, including resources to help marketers decarbonise and a tool to calculate and offset advertising emissions.

Written By: Matilda Cox

Reference

Green

Turning sawdust into high-value green biochemicals

22RE invokes “stillness” inside green Miami golfing boutique

Helping local, green products reach shop shelves

Green goals: recycled and bio-based sports balls

A green clean: bio-based technology for oil spills

MVRDV plans new green district in düsseldorf with colorful residential complex

MVRDV and LOLA plan new green district in Düsseldorf

A Sustainable and Community-Informed Design

Monolithic green marble carves apartment interior in Milan by AIM Studio

Fuelling the hydrogen revolution with green ammonia

Productora and Esrawe Studio outfit Mexico hotel with planes of green tile

Smart, green advertising in the sky

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