Since Slovenia joined the European Union in 2004, its capital city Ljubjana has lead the way in economic and social development. Unlike other nations who have just begun to find wealth and the new construction that comes with it, the Slovenes remain conscious of the urban and social impact of what they are breaking ground for. Designed by Sadar Vuga Architects, the new Sports Park Stozice integrates a football stadium, a multi-purpose sports hall and a big shopping center, all beautifully tucked away into an expansive green landscape.

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Post tags: green architecture, green design, parks, public space, sadar vuga architects sports park stozice slovenia, sustainable design

The recent evolution of solar technology has been nothing short of amazing, and we are continuously impressed by all the products hitting the market that make it easier to integrate clean tech into our daily lives. One innovative company at the forefront of the solar energy bustle is Sulfurcell, the producer of a new kind of modular solar panel that add energy-generating capabilities to any building. The super-thin panels are entirely self contained, so they don’t require any substructure, and they can be applied to new buildings as well as retrofitted old buildings to provide a sleek look and plenty of power.

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Post tags: "sustainable energy", clean tech, green design, modular solar panels, renewable energy, Solar Power, sulfurcell, sustainable design

War and conflict often bring about the destruction of architecture, however these forces can also result in new constructions that define a cultural identity and place. Stressed by China’s growing population, the Hakka people have been confronted with armed warfare for local resources since the 17th century. To remedy their situation the Hakka began building massive structures that could not only stave off intruders, but would also form amazing self-sustaining micro-communities complete with food storage, space for livestock, living quarters, temples, armories and more.

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Post tags: china, green design, hakka houses, rammed earth walls, self-sufficient communities, sustainable design, tulou communities, world heritage site

Industrial design lab GR recently launched a clever new product called the ‘Aqua Jar’ that transforms any plastic bottle into an easy-pour pitcher. Formed from biodegradable and recyclable plastic, the attachment perfectly fits the universal coil of any plastic bottle, creating an attractive and sturdy mount allowing for water to be served anywhere with ease. Available in orange, graphite and frost, the Aqua Jar for Balvi was launched as part of the ZOCO exhibit at last month’s Valencia Design Week. Now if only they could come up with something for the orange juice carton!

+ GR Lab

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Post tags: aqua jar for balvi, gr, green design, Recycled Materials, Recycled Water bottles, sustainable design, valencia design week, water bottle pitcher

What if you could design your own lighting fixture in the time that it takes to unscrew a light bulb? That’s the premise behind Daniel Becker’s Spark system, a series of energy-efficient LED bulbs that can be linked together to form beautiful light sculptures.

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Post tags: daniel becker, energy efficient lighting, green design, green Interiors, LED lights, Products, sparks, sustainable design

A lot of us can recall spending hours upon hours of stacking colorful Legos into shapes and sizes that tickled our imagination as children. While some of us outgrew that phase, thankfully some of us didn’t forget the charm of the little Lego man’s smile or the amazingness contained within every little block. As Parisian designers Simon Pillard and Philippe Rosetti have proved with their chromatic Munchausen Lego Kitchen: you’re never to old to play with Legos!

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Post tags: diy design, green design, green Interiors, Green Kitchen, Green renovation, lego kitchen, Munchausen Lego Kitchen Simon Pillard and Philippe Rosetti, Recycled Materials, sustainable design

Any one point on a busy street can receive up to 50,000 steps a day, so imagine if you could take all that foot traffic and turn it into something useful – like energy! A new product designed by Laurence Kemball-Cook, the director of Pavegen Systems Ltd., can do just that. With a minuscule flex of 5mm, the energy generating pavement is able to absorb the kinetic energy produced by every footstep, creating 2.1 watts of electricity per hour.

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Post tags: crowdsourced energy, energy generating pavement, green design, kinetic energy, pavegen, renewable energy, sustainable design, Urban design

Stretching along Denmark’s southwestern border is the truly unique coastline of the Wadden Sea. While too shallow for boats, and too deep for a high tide trek, many of the treasures of the Waden Sea remain sight unseen when the seabed floods. Leave it to a designer to figure out how to not only bring the tide to the people, but create an intimate experience between the environment and the observer. The winner of the Design It: Shelter Competition, David Eltang’s SeaShelter offers a new kind of seafaring experience, hatch included.

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Berlin is a burgeoning modern city with a compelling history, a diverse culture, abundant art, and distinctive architecture that rivals the likes of Paris, London and New York. But if there is one thing that can set the city apart from its pricey peers, it’s the unbelievably inexpensive property. Not unlike many of the uber-creative expatriates that have taken up residence there, two enterprising artists, Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset, decided it was time to purchase and renovate a place of their own. So what can $700,000 get you in a city like Berlin? An apartment? A loft? Maybe a small house? How about a massive water pumping station!

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Post tags: adaptive reuse, Green Building, green design, Green renovation, ingar dragset, michael elmgreen, renovated pumping plant, sustainable design, wenk und wiese

Things really heated up this past few days as we inched closer to finding out who the winner of this year’s Solar Decathlon would be, and in the end Team Germany’s surPLUShouse stole the show. We were sad to see that Cornell University’s Silo House did not place in the top 3, but we still love this totally unconventional and clever home which held steadfastly in the ranks as part of the top 10 throughout the week. As a compact modular structure, the Silo House proves that impressive green, energy-efficient things do come in small spaces!

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Post tags: cornell, cornell house, cornell university, Department of Energy, hvac, photovoltaic, Solar Decathlon, Solar Power

In 1896 the Viennese authorities decided to invest in large-scale gas and electric utilities, so they constructed what became Europe’s largest gas plant. After nearly a century long run the plant was decommissioned, and left behind were four massive gasometers. These incredible structures were cast off, but a recent revitalization project led by Jean Nouvel, Coop Himmelb(l)au, Manfred Wehdorn, and Wilhelm Holzbauer have transformed these four tanks into spectacular and thriving communities.

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Post tags: adaptive reuse, Coop Himmelb(l)au, gazometers, green architecture, green design, Green renovation, jean nouvel, manfred wehdorn, sustainable design, vienna gasometers, wilhelm holzbauer

Fall is here, and If you aren’t part of the lucky few to still be basking in the sun (ah, Italia!), don’t fret – we have some great news that will surely brighten your day and warm your house. Recently Boulder-based company Cool Energy, Inc. unveiled SolarHeart, a specialized engine that can convert low temperature solar power and waste energy into enough electricity to provide 80% of a home’s heat, all of its hot water, and 60% of its electricity!

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Post tags: cool solar, green design, Renewable Energy, renewable energy, sustainable design

The Pacific Ocean could soon be lighting up the beautiful city of San Francisco as a tidal-energy project planned for the waters near the Golden Gate Bride is now in the final stages of acquiring the necessary permits for implementation. The project, which has been in the works for over four years, will produce 10 to 30 megawatts of energy with the potential of up to 100 megawatts, and is anticipated to be the largest energy generator off the California Coast.

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Post tags: green design, renewable energy, San Francisco, sustainable design, tidal energy, wave power

Last year we reported on Okhta Tower, a new super eco-skyscraper located in St. Petersburg Russia. After months of push and shove, and mixed reception, the plan for this 77-storey tower designed by RMJM has finally gotten the green light to commence construction. The twisting tower will primarily serve as the headquarters to Gazprom’s oil unit OAO Gazprom Neft, with additional spaces dedicated to a concert hall, museum, hotel and a business center. Once constructed, it will become the tallest building in Europe, and one of the most environmentally sustainable buildings in the word.

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Post tags: eco building, gazprom tower, Green Building, green design, Okhta Tower, russia, tallest building in europe

Whether you’re religious or not, this old Dominican church will certainly bring you the enlightenment you’ve been seeking. After months of renovation this magnificent structure originally constructed in 1294 has opened its doors to the public as a “brand new” bookstore in the heart of Maastricht. A superb example of adaptive re-use, the Selexyz Dominicanen infuses rich and historic architecture with plentiful shelves ripe with information.

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Post tags: adaptive reuse, cathedral, Green Building, green design, Green renovation, Selexyz Domincan Church Maastricht, sustainable design