We've heard about ecocities in far away lands, but now there's one planned for the Unities States. Located near Fort Meyers, Florida, Babcock Ranch will be powered entirely by solar power. It's a bold and progressive plan, and if Kitson & Partners can secure all the necessary regulatory approvals, construction will begin this year. The city includes a 75-megawatt, on-site, photovoltaic facility constructed by Florida Power & Light for nearly $350 million.
It’s no secret that Good produces the best graphics to illustrate the most current and important points. They tend to go viral and get passed around. I like their popular graphic on vampire energy and guide to prefab construction. Good has a knack for distilling complex information, and I think their new guide to livable streets is worth reading. In it, they explain ten ways to redesign and transform streets to become livable:
With all the recent discussion about crumbling infrastructure and stimulus spending, it seems appropriate to talk about a design proposal that is actively addressing many issues that are showing progress across the country. Project Green, slated for downtown Austin, Texas, represents a comprehensive approach to sustainability in the context of an urban, mixed-use development. In addition to incorporating the usual features like solar panels and wind turbines, this proposal takes a serious approach to handling the most precious resource on earth. Water.
This conceptual proposal for Chicago's Monroe Harbor was designed in honor of the great American architect Daniel Burnham, but perhaps more importantly, to secure Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympic games. The proposal is a modern interpretation of Burnam's 1909 master plan for Chicago. In a land locked city, the Chicago Eco-Bridge offers an extension of the landscape that would dramatically change the face of the city, and perhaps the United States.
Following in the footsteps of Dongtan and Masdar, the Danish firm of Bjarke Ingels Group has just released details of their masterplan for a zero energy resort and entertainment city on Zira Island, which is located within the bay of Baku, Azerbaijan. The plan calls for roughly 10.8 million square feet of architectural landscape based on the natural landscape of Azerbaijan. Indeed, Zira Island will feature seven residential developments, each in the shape of one of seven peaks of Azerbaijan, and 300 private villas with views over the Caspian Sea.
This is Hidden Creek Eco-Village. It's a little bit different kind of suburban development that attempts to reconcile the demands of single-family home buyers with the problems of sprawling housing developments. First, Hidden Creek is full of communal features, such as neighborhood trails, car parks, front porches, central mailboxes, and shared streetscapes. Plus the homes are densely sited to maintain open, natural spaces. Second, Hidden Creek is surrounded by the natural environment: there's a nature preserve on the north, a creek on the south, and natural grasses and trees everywhere else. To maintain the integrity of the site, homes were placed around existing trees and landscaping. Third, all the homes have been custom-designed for each site to allow views of the surrounding landscape and nature.
Looks like Chicago city planners have big ideas for a 1140 acre swathe of land in South Chicago. The spot is former U.S. Steel land, and planners have been mulling development options for the spot since about 2000. Now, they'd like to submit a proposal for a green development with sustainable neighborhoods, green buildings, street cars, and bicycle paths, etc. Officially referred to as the "South Chicago LEED Neighborhood Development Initiative," the plan would be rated by the USGBC's LEED-ND pilot program and would unravel over roughly 20-30 years.
Although Tonbo Meadow is situated on just 3 acres in Wilmington, North Carolina, this community has some big ideas. With only 10 house lots, Tonbo has a lot to offer, including a one-acre preserved meadow, community recycling, composting, community gardens, drought tolerant landscaping, rainwater reclamation, rain gardens, a stormwater wetland, and tree protection / relocation plans.
When we first published news that Dallas was planning the nation's first sustainable city block, the exact location hadn't been named. In anticipation of the location, I guessed south downtown, and it turns out, hit the proverbial nail smack dab on the head. The sustainable city block is right by the convention center and Dallas City Hall (designed by I.M. Pei and featured shortly in Terminator I believe). It's also in the general vicinity of another green project we featured previously called Buzz Lofts. So the location is spot on and prime for some serious green innovation.
Dean Kamen is a well-known entrepreneur and inventor of various technologies, including the Segway, Project Slingshot, and a hybrid electrical car with a Stirling engine. He's also trying to establish an independent, net-zero energy island off the coast of Connecticut. The three-acre private island is called North Dumpling, and if granted his wishes, it would have its own constitution, flag, and national anthem. Kamen's attempts at secession haven't been successful yet, but that's no surprise given the South wasn't able to do it either. He has found success installing LEDs and saving energy, though.
home about us contact us good links green books green jobs
rss feed
daily emails
twitter
facebook
technorati
delicious
