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We missed a rather significant bit of architectural news in our green building posts last week. The “largest solar-powered office building in the world“ was recently completed in Dezhou, China. The design of the Sun-Moon Mansion is based on the sun dial and “underlines the urgency of seeking renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels.” Aside from the obvious sustainable nature of the solar panel-clad exterior, other green features include advanced roof and wall insulation practices resulting in an energy savings of 30% more than the national standard.
The Roundhouse is “an eco-home of wood frame, cobwood and recycled window walls, straw-insulated turf roof; with solar power and wind turbine for electricity, compost toilet and reed beds for grey water. “ For over 10 years, it has faced demolition after the Pembrokeshire (UK) Coast National Park Authority claimed it threatened biodiversity. Huge public support, however, helped lead to a 2008 decision to permit several low impact roundhouses and the project continues to survive.
The Voltaic solar bags are solar chargers designed to charge virtually all handheld electronics. Embedded in the outside of these solar chargers are lightweight, tough, waterproof solar panels. The new Generator produces up to 15 watts, powerful enough to fully charge a typical laptop from a day of direct sunlight. The smaller bags produce 4 watts of power so 1 hour in direct sun will power over 3 hours of iPod play time or 1.5 hours of cell phone talk time. Visit voltaicsystems.com for more information.
Europe’s first commercially operating power station generates 11 Megawatts (MW) of electricity without emitting a single puff of greenhouse gas. Ultimately, the entire plant should generate as much power as is used by the 600,000 people of Seville, Spain.
More information here.
daring old man in his flying capris.., originally uploaded by torontofotobug
Odysseus, a solar airplane entered in a competition to build an atmospheric satellite that can stay aloft for five years at a time with little or no maintenance, is a 492-foot-wide folding aircraft that can cruise at 140 mph at 70,000 feet for five years straight, powered by the solar panels that cover the top of the plane.
For more details, click here.
