Going Up: Get Double-Decker Elevators: Extremely tall "superscrapers" are going up in cities all over the world. One in Changsha, China -- the Sky City, a 2,750-foot high-rise -- and another in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia -- the kilometer-high Kingdom Tower -- are expected to surpass Dubai’s record 2,717-foot Burj Khalifa. And in 2013, as many as 24 skyscrapers approaching 1,000 feet may be completed.
Credit: Otis
Pyramid Made from Oil Barrels: The acclaimed artists Christo and Jean-Claude, known for their larger than life installations are at it again. The duo who have strung a curtain between two mountains, wrapped an Australian coastline in silk and covered a Japanese countryside in umbrellas -- to name just of few of their projects -- is now going to build the world's largest pyramid and sculpture in the world.
Named the Mastaba, the flat-topped pyramid, will be built in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and be made from 410,000 multi-colored oil barrels. The structure will stand 492 feet high and measure 984 feet wide. The project will represent the couple's only permanent art installation. Christo and Jeanne-Claude conceived of this project back in 1977 and visited Abu Dhabi in 1979. They have returned many times and have longstanding relationship with the people of Abu Dhabi. via iO9
After any kind of disaster or devastating event there is always the "could we have done more?" moment. We go through our actions or lack of actions and try to figure out what we could have done differently. Case in point, the federal government and research universities are questioning whether huge experimental plugs could've prevented subway tunnels from flooding.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) created the 32-by-16-foot inflatable plug prototype to thwart terrorist attacks in the underground tunnels. It inflates like a ballon, and if it were used in a flooding event, it would keep up to 35,000 gallons of water from getting in and over-taking the pumps.
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It's important to note that these plugs are just prototypes and according to DHS project manager John Fortune, were no where near ready for implementation. He told CNN, "This is an experimental prototype. This is something that is probably two years away or so from real-world applications."
However in that same article, researchers from two different universities involved in the project, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and West Virginia University, felt differently. They said that if research had moved along at a faster pace, the plugs could've made a big difference.
Getting into the specifics of what could've been done against what was done isn't important right now. What's important is dealing with the situation at hand. At the same time, learning from past missteps does create an opportunity to do better when the next disaster occurs.
via CNN
Credit: E.M.Sosa, WVU/Department of Homeland Security
The London 2012 Olympic games were probably the most eco-friendly games yet. But Brazil, whose hosting 2016, could have the world's first net-zero energy stadium.
What's net-zero? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, it's one that consumes no energy and emits no carbon on an annual basis. Upgrades to the existing Estádio Nacional de Brasília will help it achieve that goal, but the modifications are in places few visitors will see: the roof.
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A ring of rooftop photovoltaic panels will collect energy to power the stadium. A photocatalytic membrane will collect air pollution and break down the chemicals to remove toxins from the air. These and other upgrades like rainwater collection for landscaping and plumbing will earn the stadium a LEED Platinum status.
The construction will cost over $400 million, but the returns from investing in this kind of renewable energy should even out in about 10 to 12 years. The stadium should be finished by the end of the year, two years ahead of its first major event, the 2014 World Cup.
via CoExist
Credit: Blue Ant
Tallest Ferris Wheel Coming to NYC: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled plans to build the world's tallest Ferris wheel in Staten Island. The 625-foot-tall attraction, dubbed New York Wheel, will give 1,440 riders a spectacular view of the Statue of Liberty and skyline of downtown Manhattan.
The ride is part of a new development on St. George waterfront that will include a 100-shop outlet mall and a 200-room hotel. City officials hope that the privately funded development draw tourists to New York's least-populated borough and then only one not accessible by subway. The New York Wheel is expected to be turning at the end of 2015. via Yahoo News
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Most days, you'll find this column touting the latest in Wi-Fi connection. But here's a tech that prevents it. Ben Brady, a graduate from Harvard's School of Design, has created Wi-Fi Cold Spot, a space that takes the connectivity out of the mobile world.
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The space is a small room covered with tiny lights and an electromagnetic-field-blocking paint. The paint prevents any signals from coming in or out of the structure. Basically, no wireless signals can get in or out. Cell phones won't work in here. Dots of light surround the interior of the wooden shelter and create a sci-fi atmosphere that's remarkably peaceful. Brady told Co.Exist that the idea of the structure is to draw people in with its simple but interesting exterior. As soon as you walk in, "It disorients you or maybe reorients you a bit," he says.
The Wi-Fi Cold Spot lives in one of Harvard's libraries, a perfect oasis away from connection for studying or just thinking inside the box.
via Co.Exist
Credit: Ben Brady
I grew up in a semi-rural town, where people had long gravel driveways spanning the massive acreage up to their homes. These driveways were almost never well lit, and sometimes if you weren't paying attention, you would trample the grass and possibly end up in a ditch. A batch of photo luminescent stones mixed in with the gravel would come in handy on those nights.
That's what Core Glow pebbles are. The pebbles are made of an aggregate of synthetic materials (basically a mashup of a bunch of different elements), resin and a hint of photo luminescent pigments. When exposed to sunlight, the pigments in the stone perk up and get excited. As day turns into night, the rocks emit an afterglow. They naturally illuminate a driveway to create a sparkling pathway that requires absolutely no electricity.
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Because there are no wires and no bulbs needed for this source of light, these rocks, that seem better suited for an aquarium than a driveway, are completely carbon emission-free. The glow lasts for 10 to 20 hours and slowly fades as the charge wanes. The photo luminescent pigments on the rocks have been engineered to be waterproof, so even if a nighttime shower pops up, driveways will still be easy to find.
Completely necessary? No. Cool and extremely helpful in an area otherwise hard to light? Yes. Also, great conversation starter for out-of-town visitors.
Credit: COREglow
The next time you sit down to watch a NY Jets home game, take a minute during those overhead shots to look at the MetLife Stadium's ring of colorful lights. Those are solar panels, part of a renewable energy push from the NFL to make stadiums more energy efficient.
The 1,350 panels change colors from green to blue, depending on who is playing. The panels aren't just for looks, though. They generate 350,000 kilowatt hours of power, about 10 percent of what the stadium needs on a typical game day, and 25 times the electricity needed to power the LED lights that illuminate the stadium.
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According to National Geographic, the power sector-focused company NRG Energy is responsible for this effort and many other renewable energy projects in sports. This includes a solar canopy still under construction at the New England Patriots' sports complex called Patriot Place and the 8,000-panel project in the parking area of the Redskins' FedEx Field in Maryland.
David Crane, CEO of NRG Energy, told National Geographic that projects like these are a good way to bring attention to sustainable efforts and building fan's team pride. He said that he understood fans weren't going to football games to look at rooves, but that when they do see the panels “fans will look at them and say, ‘my team is doing the right thing.’ It’s really about raising awareness with the fan base.”
via National Geographic
Credit: NRG
We’re seeing a lot of gold at this year’s Olympics, but behind the scenes, it’s all green. From environmentally responsible energy to recyclable venues, the London 2012 Olympics could be one of the most eco-friendly games yet. Two areas stand out when talking about sustainability and the Olympics, transportation and architecture, and here’s a few ways London is keeping them green:
Transportation
BMW is providing two-hundred zero-emission electric cars comprised of 160 ActiveE First Drive and 40 Mini Cooper Mini Es (right). GE has placed 120 of their DuraStation EV chargers throughout the Olympic Village to keep the cars juiced and ready to go.
An even cuter “mini-er” Mini Cooper (right) is being used to transport athletic gear. According to Edmunds Inside Line, the radio-controlled electric vehicles are small enough to carry equipment like a single discus or two javelins, which can be accessed through a sunroof. Charging up in about 80 minutes, the cars can carry up to 18 pounds and have a range of around 109 yards.
All of the structures built for the London 2012 Olympics were done so with environmental sustainability and energy consumption in mind. Both the Velodrome (above), home of indoor cycling, and the Copperbox, venue for handball and badminton, collect rainwater from their sloped roofs for indoor plumbing usage, which cuts water consumption by 40 percent annually. Using a natural ventilation system, outdoor air is used to keep the more than 6,000 visitors to the Velodrome cool -- no A/C needed.
Two buildings in Olympic Park won’t last long after the closing ceremonies -- and that’s ok. The Water Polo Arena (right) and the Basketball arena will be torn down immediately after the Olympics are over. Both structures were built with PVC fabric that’s highly recyclable and will be reused for other construction projects. The wings of the exterior of the Aquatic Center will also be removed and the main structure will be used for other London community events.
So, whether you’re watching at home or from the stands, remember that not only are these games making athletic history, they are also making environmental history.
Credits: Edmund Sumner/View/Corbis (top); BMW North America (middle); London 2012 (bottom)
Doesn't it seem like the moment you get a new phone or laptop, it's obsolete? About the only folks more competitive than tech companies dueling it out for supremacy are the architects and construction companies vying for the crown of The World's Tallest building.
Well, ding, ding, ding, ladies and gentlemen, we have a new contender stepping into the ring. Broad Group, a Chinese construction company, has announced plans to build the world's tallest skyscraper. Not only that, they plan to knock it out in only 90 days.
Touted as the triumphant "Sky City One," the 2,750-foot tower will dethrone Dubai's Burj Khalifa, currently the world's reigning champ in the tallest building division. If completed on time, Sky City One will have only taken one-twentieth of the time it took to build the Burj Khalifa.
So what's the rush? How about bragging rights? Fine, but how is such rapid construction even possible? The secret is prefabrication. Approximately 95 percent of the building will have already been put together by the time workers break ground on the construction site.
The architectural firm has already demonstrated their Broad Sustainable Building concept by building the 15-story New Ark Hotel, located in Changsha, China, in one week. They also built a six-story demo pavilion in only one day. But a dinky hotel isn't the same as super skyscraper, right? Well, Broad is confident their concept can be applied to Sky City One. They've already built a 30-story prototype capable of withstanding an earthquake with a magnitude of nine on the Richter scale.
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Sky City One will boast 10,800,000 square feet on 220 floors, all connected by 104 elevators. Citing sustainable design methods, Broad CEO Zhang Yue claims the building will only use a fifth of the energy a conventional skyscraper of its size.
While the projected cost of Sky City One pales in comparison of the $1.5 billion Burj Khalifia took to build, its $628 million price tag still packs a mean punch. If final approval is granted from Chinese authorities, work will begin in November of this year and be finished in January 2013.
