While not totally prefabricated, the Manifesto House by Infiniski utilizes pre-made materials like shipping containers and wooden pallets to create a totally rad modern house. Infiniski’s mission is to build homes cheaply and quickly using sustainable materials while incorporating renewable energy systems. They have many designs already available, which can be interchanged and easily modified.

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Post tags: Chile, Infiniski, James&Mau, Manifesto House, Prefab, Prefab friday, prefab house, Recycled Materials, shipping container, shipping container architecture

LivingHomes had the honor of building the first LEED Platinum certified home in the US, and now they’re on schedule to deliver the first LEED Platinum certified home in Orange County. The new KieranTimberlake LivingHome 1.5 (KTLH1.5) was erected earlier this month in a single day. Located in the city of Newport Beach, we carry no doubts that the home will be LEED Platinum certified given LivingHomes‘ track record.

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Post tags: "sustainable architecture", Green Building, green design, kieran timberlake prefab, KieranTimberlake, KieranTimberlake Associates, LEED Home, LEED platinum, living homes, livinghomes

All U.S. Presidents get a center named after them upon completion of their term in the White House, and George W. is no exception. Plans for his presidential center were just revealed, and considering how energy efficient his ranch in Crawford is, it really should come as no surprise that the new center is chock full of green design elements. To be located on the edge of the Southern Methodist University campus in Dallas, Texas, the George W. Bush Presidential Center will serve as a commemoration of all of his accomplishments [insert joke here].

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Post tags: "leed", A.M. Stern, Bush, Bush Presidential Center, Dallas, George W. Bush, green roof, GW Bush, LEED platinum, Robert A.M. Stern, SMU, Solar Power, texas

The recently unveiled Langley Academy in the Berkshires, UK, is yet another exemplary model of sustainable education facilities. Designed by Inhabitat favorite Foster + Partners, the gorgeous wood clad academy focuses its curriculum around sciences and the environment. With dedicated science laboratories, a unique floorplan, and a design focused on green building, these 1,100 students have an amazing and inspirational place to learn. Now if only all of our buildings had this much thought put into them.

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Post tags: academy, eco school, foster, Foster + Partners, Langley Academy, solar hot water, sustainable school, UK, water conservation

Imagine: a hurricane is barreling towards your house, but instead of hiding in the basement, you can stay safely and comfortably in your living room, all thanks to your X-Flex Blast Protection System wallpaper. It’s not a fantasy; the wallpaper, invented by Berry Plastics in a partnership with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, actually exists — and a single sheet is strong enough to stop a wrecking ball.

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Post tags: bomb, building material, green design, natural disasters, New Materials, sustainable design, wallpaper, wrecking ball, xflex

Just last week Treehugger joined thousands of designers, builders and architects in Arizona to check out all the latest advances in sustainable building at Greenbuild 2009. By the time we got to Phoenix, we were 28,000 strong, all standing up and cheering for Al Gore’s speech, a new and different one directed at the Greenbuild audience. A conference like this shouldn’t be necessary; every building should be green. But there were stirring speeches, great educational sessions and hundreds of new green products to see.

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Post tags: Arizona, building materials, Green BUilding conference, greenbuild 2009, phoenix, sustainable design, treehugger

Sanjay Puri Architect’s new Chrome Hotel features a fresh façade punctuated with holes that allow natural light to stream in while keeping air-conditioning costs to a minimum. The opaque windows were purposefully set throughout the swiss cheese façade to allow ambient natural light to enter, and they also create an incredibly cool effect at night when backlit by LED lights.

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Post tags: Chrome Hotel, Green Building, green design, green hotel, LED lighting, Sanjay Puri Architects, sustainable design, Sustainable Hotel

We’ve seen some pretty energy efficient homes here at Inhabitat, but houses that actually give back to the grid seemed to be a thing of the future — until now. Swedish designers are currently constructing Villa Akarp, a residence that aims to combine energy conservation, energy recovery and energy generation technologies. If all goes as planned, the home will actually produce more energy than it uses and provide the excess to the grid.

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Post tags: E.ON, Green Building, Karin Adalberth, Lund Institute of Technology, Malmo, positive net energy home, sustainable design, Villa Akarp

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

Recently the Elleray Preparatory School in the UK unveiled an incredible set of tree-top classrooms. Situated in the Lake District National Park, the three green-built class pods stand on stilts connected by a center platform made from recycled materials. Built to have a low impact on the environment while accommodating the school’s expanding student body, the Treehouse School is sure to inspire all the children the walk through its doors.

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Post tags: classrooms, eco school, eco-classroom, green classroom, kita design company, pod, robert gaukroger, school, solar panels, UK

We first announced Pugh + Scarpa’s Cherokee Lofts in Los Angeles two years ago, and we’re excited to say that the renovated recording studio debuted last month with a Rock N’Platinum grand opening. Anticipating its LEED Platinum certification, the opening literally rocked thanks to the music of Ben Lee and BlueSkyReality, plus three showcase lofts were stylized to pay tribute to Alice Cooper, 30 Seconds to Mars, and David Bowie. A fitting gala granted the number of gold and platinum records recorded at the location, which housed Cherry Studios prior to its conversion into sleek residential units.

In case you missed the opening, fear not – you can check it out this weekend on Saturday and Sunday from noon-5pm!

+ Cherokee Lofts

+ Pugh + Scarpa

Photos © Tara Wujcik

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Post tags: "sustainable architecture", Cherokee Lofts, Cherry Studios, Green Building, green design, LEED platinum, Mutli-Family Residential Units, ReThink Development, Sustainable Building

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

This week the International Living Building Institute released its new green building standard to the public at Greenbuild 2009. Version 2.0 expands on its already impressive focus to now cover social issues – any Certified Living Building must be net-zero energy, net-zero water, non-toxic, provide for habitat restoration on sister sites, and urban agriculture is mandated. The 20 imperatives, all of which must be addressed, go well beyond the simple efficiency standards that our industry seems content to comply with before calling a project ’sustainable’. Seriously, read this thing!

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Post tags: "leed", Architecture, Certification, International Living Building Institute, Jason McLennan, Living Building Challenge, Social Justice, Sustainable buildings

Imagine a building designed with the latest green technologies that also showcases innovative technologies of the future. Kind of blows your mind, right? Well that’s exactly what Spain’s green roofed and solar powered BTEK Technology Interpretation Center accomplishes. Designed by architecture firm ACXT, the new building is part of Spain’s Vizcaya Technology Park, where it will serve as an interpretation center that introduces student visitors to all kinds of forward-looking technologies.

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Post tags: ACXT, BTEK, energy efficient buildings, Gonzalo Carro, Javier Perez Uribarri, Technology Interpretation Center, Vizcaya Technology Park

This incredible Sun Valley is one of a six giant funnel-shaped canopies that are currently springing up in Shanghai in preparation for the 2010 World Expo. When they are all completed they won’t just be a pretty sight – the towering LED-studded structures will also collect rain water and act as massive sun collectors that filter daylight to the causeway and levels below.

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Post tags: daylight, eco pavilions, rainwater collection, shanghai, shanghai world expo, sun valleys, world expo 2010