Green Solution House 2.0 is CLT-framed hotel designed by 3XN
CategoriesSustainable News

Green Solution House 2.0 is CLT-framed hotel designed by 3XN

Timber provides almost all the building fabric of Green Solution House 2.0, a hotel on the Danish island of Bornholm completed by architecture studio 3XN.

Located in the town of Rønne, the modular building consists of a structural frame of cross-laminated timber (CLT), an exterior of timber boards and a layer of wood fibre insulation.

Modular facade of Green Solution House 2.0 by 3XN
Green Solution House 2.0 has a modular CLT frame

The design was developed by 3XN with its sister studio GXN, which specialises in circular architecture, and is intended as a model for sustainable construction.

As well as specifying natural materials, the design team planned the hotel so that it could be built quickly and efficiently, with minimal waste.

Side view of timber-framed hotel by 3XN
Timber clads the exterior above a layer of wood fibre insulation

Its CLT frame was designed as a kit of parts and manufactured off-site. Material offcuts were carefully calculated and then used to create bespoke furniture elements within the building.

The building also incorporates granite surfaces made using waste material from local quarries.

Balcony of Green Solution House 2.0 by 3XN
The structure was designed as a kit of parts and built off-site

“The widespread use of timber is both good for the climate and gives a particularly warm atmosphere,” said Lasse Lind, partner at GXN and project lead for Green Solution House 2.0.

“The building itself is an expression of the hotel’s ambition to make green solutions an attractive element for guests.”

Staircase and atrium of 3XN-designed hotel in Denmark
Hotel rooms sit on either side of a central atrium and staircase

Green Solution House 2.0 is an extension of Hotel GSH, also designed by 3XN, which opened in 2015.

The three-storey building contains 22 single bedrooms, one double bedroom and two dedicated meeting rooms.

Its interior is organised around a linear atrium, sandwiched between two rows of rooms on the ground and first floors.

A generous staircase rises up through its centre, leading up to a terrace and spa on the uppermost floor.

Bedroom in Green Solution House 2.0 by 3XN
CLT offcuts were used to create bespoke furniture

A sheltered balcony or terrace fronts each room, helping to naturally shade floor-to-ceiling glazing while also providing guests with private outdoor space.

Inside the rooms, the CLT structure is left exposed to create a warm cabin-like feel.

View from balcony of Denmark hotel
Each room has its own balcony or terrace

Modularity was key to minimising waste in Green Solution House 2.0.

The building is formed of repeating box-like modules, arranged in a staggered formation to capture as much natural daylight as possible.

This standardised approach meant that offcuts were of the same size and dimensions, making it easier to utilise them for multiple furniture elements.

Top floor of Green Solution House 2.0 by 3XN
A spa is located on the uppermost level

Timber is a recurring material in 3XN projects, with recent examples including the Klimatorium climate centre, also in Denmark, and the planned extension to the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland.

The extensive use of the material for Green Solution House 2.0 has led to the project being named a 2022 winner of Årets Byggeri, a prestigious architectural award in Denmark. Hotel GSH received the same award in 2015.

Wooden facade of Denmark hotel by 3XN
The facade is staggered to maximise natural daylighting

“We are very proud to receive this award, which focuses on the impact that architecture can have on society,” said Lind.

“As an office, we seek to inspire through our projects, and we hope the Green Solution House 2.0 will inspire people to build with biogenic materials, use local and upcycled resources, and make holistic sustainability the main design driver.”

Facade of Green Solution House 2.0 by 3XN
Green Solution House 2.0 forms part of Hotel GSH in Rønne

The building also incorporates rooftop solar panels and water recycling to reduce its energy footprint.

The studio expects the building to have a very low carbon footprint across its lifespan.

The photography is by Adam Mørk.

Reference

A green process for recycling materials from spent lithium-ion batteries
CategoriesSustainable News

A green process for recycling materials from spent lithium-ion batteries

Spotted: Lithium-ion batteries form the basis of today’s electric vehicle (EV) technology, and their production is ramping up rapidly. According to one estimate, the global production of lithium-ion batteries is expected to increase five-fold between 2001 and 2030. But as more batteries are produced, the question of what we will do with the leftover waste becomes more pressing, as currently only a small percentage of used lithium-ion batteries are recycled (5 per cent is an often-quoted, but disputed, figure). 

Now, researchers at Rice University have found a way to recycle one of the key components of a lithium-ion battery: the graphite anode. Today, used anodes are either burned for energy or sent to landfill. 

Rice researchers developed a process called ‘Flash Joule heating’ back in 2020 to produce graphene, a ‘wonder material’ that can enhance plastics, paint, metals, asphalt, and cement. Now, a team of chemists, led by James Tour and Weiyin Chen, has re-configured the process for use in battery recycling. In the latest iteration of Flash Joule heating, a sudden and powerful jolt of energy, lasting just a few seconds, decomposes inorganic salts, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese, found in spent anodes. These can then be recovered using dilute hydrochloric acid and re-used in anodes for new batteries.  

The team estimates that it would cost roughly $118 (around €110) to recycle one tonne of untreated anode waste using the new process. And, the researchers estimate that the ‘flashed’ anodes retain 77 per cent of their capacity after 400 recharge cycles. 

Springwise has been tracking the development of Flash Joule heating for several years and has previously spotted it being used for recovering metals from electronic waste, and turning plastic from old cars into graphene.  

Written By: Matthew Hempstead

Reference

New materials to accelerate the green hydrogen transition
CategoriesSustainable News

New materials to accelerate the green hydrogen transition

Spotted: Hydrogen is one oft-touted ‘green’ alternative to fossil fuels. Yet in order to produce green hydrogen, solid oxide and alkaline electrolysers are needed to increase the efficiency of water hydrolysis (splitting H2O into oxygen and hydrogen). While solid electrolysers use common materials such as Nickel or Zirconia, the more eco-friendly proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers use Iridium and Platinum. These are not only expensive, but also relatively scarce.

Naco Technologies, however, has now developed a way to reduce the materials needed to produce PEM electrolysers. The company has created a magnetron that can ‘sputter’ precious metals onto a surface using ‘targets’ as small as one inch in diameter and 0.5 mm thick. The process enables the creation of composite nano-coatings for use as PEM catalysts at a lower cost than previously possible.

Naco’s technology can also be used to decrease erosion, therefore increasing the efficiency of the coated material. According to the company, its solution uses 10 times fewer raw materials to create an electrolyser, decreasing costs by 30 to 50 per cent. Equipment based on the Naco designed magnetron system is also more compact and productive when compared to similar competitive solutions.

Naco recently received €1.5 million in a seed round of funding led by Untitled Ventures, with participation from Buildit Accelerator and others. Oskar Stachowiak, managing partner at Untitled Ventures explains that, “As the world looks to move towards a low-carbon future, hydrogen is now seeing increasing interest from companies and governments alike. Naco is an incredible example of a startup company that has a unique deeptech solution for a growing industry.”

Springwise has spotted an increasing number of innovations to aid in the production of green hydrogen, including hi-tech yachts that serve as mobile hydrogen plants and oil-eating microbes which produce ‘gold’ hydrogen.

Written By Lisa Magloff

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Vermilion Zhou Design Group Transforms ‘green massage’ into an Alice in Wonderland-Inspired Fantasy Forest
CategoriesArchitecture

Vermilion Zhou Design Group Transforms ‘green massage’ into an Alice in Wonderland-Inspired Fantasy Forest

 

‘green massage’ Shanghai Madang Road store – Entering ‘green massage’ Madang Road, is like entering the “Rabbit Hole” in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Inspired by the Mad Hatter’s quote “There is a place. Like no place on Earth. A land full of wonder, mystery…”, your reality shrinks and shifts as you enter this fantasy forest. The process gradually disconnects your tired body from reality.

Architizer chatted with Creative Director Kuang Ming(Ray) Chou and Lighting Design Director Vera Chu at Vermilion Zhou Design Group to learn more about this project.

Architizer: This project won in the 10th Annual A+Awards! What do you believe are the standout components that made your project win?

Kuang Ming(Ray) Chou & Vera Chu: Massage services are very common in China, but the experience space always looks similar. We tried to jump from the typical oriental design and based on the brand thinking, with a new way to give the consumer a different atmosphere to experience massage service in every “green massage” space. In the end, to relax and treat every tired body and soul.

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

What was the greatest design challenge you faced during the project, and how did you navigate it?

“green massage” is a chain brand based in Shanghai that has many experience spaces, some being very close to each other. The client’s demand was to keep the same brand DNA and exploring new customers.

“green massage” Madang Road is located in “THE ROOF”, the architecture was designed by Jean Nouvel, and the architecture attracts many people who visit. But “green massage” is on the second underground floor, we have to stand out to attract consumers. That’s why we create the “rabbit hole” entrance. “Curiosity”, and “exploratory” to the new consumers, also a freshness to members.

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

What drove the selection of materials used in the project?

“green massage” is on the second underground floor so the humidity is a problem, and also fire prevention is what we are concerned about. And we still want guests to feel relaxed in the whole environment, so the material must be the sense of soft, even visual.

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

What is your favorite detail in the project and why?

The rippling shape of the ceiling in the reception area, which seems the story’s preface, leads people to enter the story.

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

In what ways did you collaborate with others, and were there any team members or skills that were essential in bringing this Award winning project to life?

We intend to create a fantasy space based on our concept, so we choose “Nan Paper Art” as our collaborator. The paper material gives a soft sense that can fit our design and also can be malleable to make a huge size floral garden.

And this is the first time that their creations added lighting design, for them that’s a new inspiration, and for us is a great experience to enrich the whole design.

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

Were any parts of the project dramatically altered from conception to construction, and if so, why?

Even though not everything is so satisfactory from conception to construction, embracing change and figuring out the solution is the designer’s mission. Finally, we are so lucky to have good results.

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

How have your clients responded to the finished project?

In the beginning, the client has their concern, but eventually, they trust our profession. The result shows the consumers, the actual space users had very good feedback and increased the business.

What key lesson did you learn in the process of conceiving the project?

We have to believe what we do, dig into who is the actual user in every space then provide their actual need.

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

How do you believe this project represents you or your firm as a whole?

The design concept is the matter, every design is a new breakthrough, to observe, find out the key problem then solve them. The lighting design in this project was involved in the very early design phase, and it become the key design tone.

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

© Vermilion Zhou Design Group

Team Members

Creative Director|Kuang Ming(Ray) Chou, Interior Design|Garvin Hung, Yue Hu, Reykia Feng, Chang Song Li, Yu Xuan Li, Ming Rui Gao, Lighting Design|Vera Chu, Chia Huang Liao, FF&E Design|Wan Lu Yang, Video|Ming Shi, Ting Ho, Photographer|Yunpu Cai,

Consultants

Nan Paper Art

For more on ‘green massage’ Shanghai Madang Road store, please visit the in-depth project page on Architizer.

‘green massage’ Shanghai Madang Road store Gallery

Reference

A pilot plant for green ammonia production
CategoriesSustainable News

A pilot plant for green ammonia production

Spotted: A century ago, a growing population pushed farmers to grow crops faster than nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil could keep up, and supplies of natural nitrates began to run out. In response, Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch developed a process to react hydrogen and atmospheric nitrogen under pressure to make ammonia for use as fertiliser. But in solving one problem, they caused another one – making ammonia in this way takes a lot of energy. Now, a new process for making green ammonia may once again come to the rescue.

Dutch company Proton Ventures, the Institute Research Energy Solar et Energy Nouvelles (IRESEN), and Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) have signed an agreement to build a demonstration-sized green ammonia facility at the OCP Group chemical complex in Jorf Lasfar, Morocco. The plant will be capable of producing 4 tonnes of ammonia per day, powered using an electrical load emulator that simulates the profiles of wind and solar generation at different geographical sites.

The partners say the facility will act as a ‘world reference unit’ and the trial results will be used to develop large-scale industrial projects that use renewable energy to generate ammonia. The partner organisations hope that the project will allow them to develop expertise, conduct training, and acquire data covering a range of scenarios and operation and maintenance configurations. The hope is that this will enable future green molecule production plants.

Mohammed Bousseta, Director of Innovate for Industry at UM6P explains that the plant will “constitute a living laboratory available to UM6P Researchers, Doctoral Students and Professors for research and education in the fields of hydrogen and green ammonia [as well as] a pilot for training and feasibility studies for a large industrial unit of Green Ammonia.”

The promise of ammonia as a future green fuel can be seen in the variety of recent innovations covered by Springwise. These include a generator that runs on both hydrogen and ammonia fuel and a zero-emission ammonia fuel used to power heavy machinery.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

Elemental Green and the Zero Energy Project Join Forces to Accelerate Zero Carbon Homes.
CategoriesSustainable News Zero Energy Homes

Elemental Green and the Zero Energy Project Join Forces to Accelerate Zero Carbon Homes.

We have exciting news to share!

The Zero Energy Project has found a new home within Elemental Green, a leading green building media company dedicated to accelerating adoption of more sustainable residential building products and techniques.

By joining forces, the Zero Energy Project will reach a wider audience and have a greater opportunity to build consumer demand for zero energy and zero carbon homes, while encouraging building professionals to increase supply. Elemental Green and the Zero Energy Project, in partnership, aim to further our reach and impact – improving the discovery process for new products and professional services,  and increasing understanding of how we can build homes that are energy efficient, sustainable, and healthy.

Thank you for being part of the Zero Energy Project story and for continuing that journey jointly with Elemental Green as we all work toward creating a zero-carbon future.

Joe Emerson
Founder, The Zero Energy Project
Advisory Board, Elemental Green

Sheridan Foster
CEO, Elemental Green

Blog.

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Healing Green: Architects Are Breaking Down a Long Tradition of Sterile Healthcare Design
CategoriesArchitecture

Healing Green: Architects Are Breaking Down a Long Tradition of Sterile Healthcare Design

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter. 

That nature can help cure people both physically and mentally is not a new concept. Architects are using greenery to help combat the sterility of modern healthcare facilities, yet it is not usually not easy to achieve the ideal result. Explore different approaches to ‘green healthcare’ with the following six projects of different sites and sizes.


Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen

By Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects and MIKKELSEN Architects, Herlev, Denmark

Popular Choice, 10th Annual A+Awards, Hospitals & Healthcare Centers

SDCC_aerial viewSDCC_interiorSteno Diabetes Center Copenhagen is a hospital for preventing and treating diabetes. The hospital occupies a rectangular site with two entrances open on two opposite sides. There are four inner gardens on the first floor and two of them greet the visitors immediately upon their entry. Common areas such as circulation spaces and reception sit in the middle of the floor plan, while most individual rooms are lined on the outer ring.

The same layout continues to the second floor, replacing covered common areas with a continuous roof garden. Both vegetation and warm-color, wooden interior aim to build up a calming atmosphere for all visitors. Outside the rooms, a thin layer of vegetation shelters the rather private rooms from public view.


Maggie’s Leeds

By Heatherwick Studio, Leeds, United Kingdom

Jury Winner and Popular Choice, 9th Annual A+Awards, Hospitals & Healthcare Centers

maggies leeds_exteriormaggies leeds_interiorMaggie’s centers provide free cancer support and information to patients and their friends and families. The centers are located across the UK, each in a unique style while all of them embrace nature as a way of healing. Maggie’s Leeds stands on the last patch of greenery at St James’s University Hospital. The sloping site is bounded by roads and a multi-story car park. Instead of flattening the landscape, the spaces descend along the landscape, creating views that vary from open to secluded.

Three tree-like structures articulate the common areas under their crowns and include the counseling rooms within the trunk. Plants are visible everywhere – on top of the roofs, around the buildings and inside the buildings. The building demonstrates the idea of shelter in a natural form.


Waldkliniken Eisenberg

By Matteo Thun & Partners, Germany

Popular Choice, 9th Annual A+Awards, Architecture + Health

This new hospital wing of the orthopedic center Waldkliniken Eisenberg enjoys an immersive view of the Thuringian Forest. The six-story building has 128 patient rooms, all located on the outer ring of the circular floor plans. Floor-to-ceiling windows invite unblocked views of the natural landscape into the rooms while providing natural light and fresh air to the rooms.

Common areas such as the lobby and the cafeteria for patients are in the middle of the floor plans, framed by the wards. Inner gardens are carefully cultivated so that the common areas are also visually connected to pleasing greenery. The interior is finished largely in warm-color timber and lighted up by colorful fabrics. Rich textures and colors create a cozy and cheerful atmosphere for the patients.


Expansion of Santa Fe de Bogotá Foundation

By EL EQUIPO MAZZANTI, Bogota, Colombia

Popular Choice, 8th Annual A+Awards, Health Care & Wellness

Expansion of Santa Fe de Bogotá Foundation_exteriorExpansion of Santa Fe de Bogotá Foundation_solariumThe expansion of Santa Fe de Bogotá Foundation is sited in the compact urban context of the city of Bogotá. It comprises an eleven-story block and a single-story base. The roof of the base becomes a plaza opening to the roads, with staircases inviting people onto it. Red bricks cover the expansion as a response to the existing buildings around. Strips of pavement on the plaza are replaced by plants. Different types of plants vary in height, breaking the flatness and solidity of the brick plaza.

Bricks are held by metal cables and form an airy net over the tall block. Light penetrates the breeze-wall façade during the day, nurturing the plants in the solarium on the ninth floor. Patients can feel connected to the outside world in the solarium while remaining sheltered and protected.


Maggie’s Gartnavel

By OMA, Glasgow, United Kingdom

maggies glasgow_aerialmaggies_2011_Charlie KoolhaasMaggie’s Gartnavel sits humbly on the land of the Gartnavel hospital in Glasgow, close to the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. The single-level volume comprises a series of interlocking rooms, with an inner garden in the middle of the ring of rooms. With a flat roof and floor levels that respond to the natural topography, the rooms vary in height. Common areas including the dining room, kitchen, library and a large activity room are on the side with taller ceilings and the counseling rooms are more intimate.

Although the rooms are of different levels of privacy, there are hardly continuous walls that enclose a room. Most spaces have at least one side open or transparent. As a result, the spaces are separated by functions yet visually continuous. Meanwhile, views of the gardens enter the spaces freely through the transparent façades.


SDC

By Takeru Shoji Architects.Co.,Ltd., Niigata, Japan

SDC_exteriorSDC_interiorNeighboring a nursery, elementary school and junior high school, this dental clinic is designed as an enjoyable place for both children and parents. This two-story timber building accommodates not only a clinic but also a bookstore and daycare center. By combining programs, the design team wishes to encourage people to come not just for their appointment.

A long garden surrounds the building. The view of the garden passes through the sheltered corridors and enters the interior spaces. The garden is a buffer between the clinic and the roads as well as a showcase for changing weather and seasons.

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter. 

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This Danish Firm Took Rainwater-Damaged Walls and Made Interactive Green Spaces
CategoriesArchitecture

This Danish Firm Took Rainwater-Damaged Walls and Made Interactive Green Spaces

How can architecture be a force for good in our ever-changing world? During Future Fest, we’ll pose this question to some of the world’s best architects. Launching in September, our three-week-long virtual event will be 100% free to attend. Register here!

This is the story of an apartment building in Frederiksberg, Denmark, which was often called one of the ugliest buildings in the neighborhood over the past few decades. Its continuous concrete balconies and a stark grey façade might have been associated with efficient rental architecture when it was designed by Ole Hagen Arkitekter in the 1960s, but in the 2000s, it came across as cold and isolated. Over the years, residents became plagued with rainwater-damaged walls and constant nuisance from the heavy traffic on the street beyond.

Now, the old concrete edifice has been transformed into a spectacular award-winning building that has earned praises from both the locals and the government and stands as a source of inspiration for those with new visions to transform old buildings. In an interview with Renover Denmark, residents said that they now felt proud to call this building a home. So how did this dramatic transformation come to pass?

Instead of just addressing the water damage, Tegnestuen LOKAL came in with a vision to turn the existing façade of Ørsted Gardens into an interactive green space. “The main idea with the Ørsteds Haver project is to create a holistic environmental, social and architectural counterpoint to the pragmatic renovations that are carried out all over the country, and which often have a one-sided focus on energy,” they explain. This approach is one of the reasons that the building swept the Architecture +Renovation category in the 10th Annual A+Awards.

The idea was to create an environment that catalyzed random interactions, in turn generating new friendships between neighbors — which may sound idealistic, but has proven successful according to local residents. In addition to addressing the needs of future inhabitants, the design also takes into account the passersby and their experience of the building as they walk by it. The studio achieved this feat by creating triangular semi-private spaces to replace the older balconies. The system uses a mechanism similar to shelves where these boxes are fitted into the existing concrete structure. The bays on the bottom support the ones on the stop. Tension bands have been placed around to building to ensure that the additions don’t fall outwards.

These triangles are angled with glass on one side and a slatted screen on the other. The modules are staggered to break up a monotonous surface and also create space for planters within the gaps. Furthermore, the fifty small gardens also bleed into the interiors with small soil patches inside where residents have the option to plant their own saplings within these nooks. This helps them customize the space the way they would want it and introduces subtle differentiation between the modules. These bays also have openable glass panels to ensure that the space can be used through the different seasons. Another advantage is that this system acts as a buffer and dampens some of the noise from the busy street below.

The small gardens set between these balconies are made of welded steel boxes that come from the manufacturer and are placed directly into these gaps. They have an automatic irrigation system as well as spouts to ensure that the excess water from the garden falls directly into the garden below, indirectly enabling them to water themselves.

Introducing a social dimension to the building was more important to the studio than simply focusing on an energy-efficient model. “Energy renovations are effective from an economic and environmental point of view, but in their basic substance they do not take a critical view of the architecture being renovated,” they said. “Often, the architecture is simply repeated, without regard to the quality of the original project, and this unfortunately results in buildings with both poor social and environmental attributes being renovated solely with a better operating economy as the primary success criterion.”

Sustainability stands at the core of design decisions today. However, new additions might not solve the problems of current structures that consume too much power, have bad ventilation systems, don’t work with natural light and more. Additionally, the older buildings might not meet the changing needs of their residents. Think about the past two years; being locked at home during the pandemic has reminded people across the world of the importance of human contact, face-to-face conversations and the need to connect with nature for mental and physical wellbeing.

Finding innovative ways to radically transform current buildings is something many architects will have to look into in addition to planning new net zero energy homes and offices. In instances where building-level renovations might be impossible, there are still many opportunities to retrofit water collection, solar generation, green systems or spaces that boost connectivity into the outer envelope of the building that can dramatically change how the building functions and also contribute to the wellbeing of those using it. One single project might not change the world but it sure can make a difference one community at a time.

“If we want to achieve a sustainable future, we cannot rely on only building sustainable buildings going forward. We need to have a visionary method of transforming and adapting existing buildings to meet our changing needs,” said the firm.

How can architecture be a force for good in our ever-changing world? During Future Fest, we’ll pose this question to some of the world’s best architects. Launching in September, our three-week-long virtual event will be 100% free to attend. Register here!

Reference

Future Fest: Watch Michael Green Speak About the Timber Architecture Revolution
CategoriesArchitecture

Future Fest: Watch Michael Green Speak About the Timber Architecture Revolution

If you are interested in learning about the future of sustainable timber construction, we have some exciting news: Michael Green, Founder and Principal of MGA | Michael Green Architecture, will speak at Architizer Future Fest this September! Celebrating his firm’s latest A+Award for Best Architecture Firm in North America, Michael will take to the Future Fest stage to present his ideas on “Buildings for a Changing World”. The virtual live talk is scheduled to take place on Monday, September 19th, and is 100% free for attendees. Register to attend Michael’s presentation during our biggest ever celebration of architectural innovation:

Register for Future Fest

Michael Green is an award-winning architect, speaker, and author known for using design to create meaningful, sustainable built environments that benefit both people and planet. A leader in wood construction and innovation, Michael is a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and the recipient of an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Northern British Columbia, lecturing internationally on the subject of mass timber and new building technology, including his TED talk, “Why We Should Build Wooden Skyscrapers.”

Michael serves as a government policy advisor on mass timber design and is the co-author of the first and second editions of ‘The Case for Tall Wood Buildings’ and ‘Tall Wood Buildings: Design, Construction and Performance.’

Top right: Wood Innovation and Design Centre, Prince George, Canada; bottom left: North Vancouver Passive House Plus, North Vancouver, Canada; photos by Ema Peter Photography

MGA | Michael Green Architecture is one of the most internationally recognized architecture firms in Canada. Beyond winning multiple A+Awards over the past few years, the firm has also received four Governor General’s Medals for Architecture and two Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Awards for Architectural Innovation. MGA is particularly well-known for its innovation in sustainable architecture and developing carbon-neutral buildings with advanced wood construction.

During his presentation entitled ‘Buildings for a Changing World’, Michael will explore some of the most pressing issues facing the architecture industry today. The world is evolving at a rapid pace, and architecture and construction must evolve with it in order to create a sustainable future for communities around the globe. What should the architecture of tomorrow look like? What should it be made of? And how should it be built? Michael and other Future Fest presenters will explore answers to these questions and more through the lens of some of the best, A+Award-winning architectural projects from recent seasons.

For a running list of speakers and more information on upcoming events, check out the Future Fest website, and register to receive invitations to each live talk in September:

Register for Future Fest

Top image: T3 Minneapolis by MGA | Michael Green Architecture, Minneapolis, MN, A+Award Finalist in the Commercial Mixed Use category; photo by Ema Peter Photography

Reference

Turning wind, water, and air into green fuel
CategoriesSustainable News

Turning wind, water, and air into green fuel

Spotted: At the very bottom of Chile, not far from Antarctica, is the wild and rugged region of Magallanes. Known for the constancy and strength of its wind, the area has traditionally supported a variety of farms along with a sizeable tourism industry. But now, Chile’s largest and southernmost region has been chosen as the setting for an innovative, $55 million (€50.6 million) facility that is exploring the commercialisation of synthetic fuel.

The project—called ‘Haru Oni’—is an initiative of startup Highly Innovative Fuels (HIF). The first-of-its-kind facility is designed to convert three ingredients, wind, water, and air, into a green fuel that could play an important role in the energy revolution.

The project combines the products of two separate processes: electrolysis and carbon capture. In the first, an on-site wind turbine produces an electric current that separates hydrogen from water. In the second, carbon dioxide is captured from atmospheric air and industrial sources. The CO2 and hydrogen are then combined to create a fuel that can be used in a range of everyday applications.

The process is billed by the company as ‘carbon neutral’, and two features in particular earn it this label. First, the hydrogen produced at the site is ‘green hydrogen’, as the electricity used to power the process comes from renewable wind energy that does not emit any carbon. Second, because the CO2 used to create the fuel is ‘recycled’ from the atmosphere, when the fuel is ultimately burned the CO2 released is not ‘new’. Instead, burning the fuel merely returns CO2 captured at the start of the process back into the atmosphere. This contrasts with the burning of fossil fuels which releases carbon that had previously been stored in the earth for millions of years.

The facility remains under construction and is due to begin production later in the year. Once up and running, the company says the site is capable of manufacturing 130,000 litres of fuel per year. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) will monitor the volumes of carbon captured and produced in order to verify the project’s carbon neutrality. 

Synthetic fuels are an important area of innovation, and Springwise has spotted several similar processes, such as an integrated process that turns hydrogen and CO2 into aviation fuel, a Canadian facility that creates fuel from thin air, and an eKerosene plant in Germany that will produce up to eight barrels per day in 2022.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Email: contacto@hif.cl

Website: hif.cl/en

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