storm from the east

Key concepts in sustainable design

What exactly is sustainable design and why should you pursue it?

Moreover, what positive impact can it have on your business?

 

Here are some key concepts:

Low-impact materials

Sustainable design utilises non-toxic, sustainably produced or recycled materials as much as possible. As these tend to use less energy to process, you'll be saving more than the planet.

Energy efficiency

Linked to the above, you should be looking into manufacturing processes and products that require less energy. Even better, look at processes that allow you to use waste to power your production, or at least part of it.

See if you can put the waste products to use elsewhere.

Quality and durability

You should be looking to do this anyway: a decent product wins you loyal, repeat customers. It stands to reason that longer-lasting, better-functioning products have to be replaced less frequently.

Design for reuse and recycling

This is a key concept in my Total Design concept (which I won't bore you with again here). Don't just design something to fill its immediate purpose, design from the point of view of its entire life-cycle.

Such commitment will not go unnoticed.

Biomimicry

Do you think you can design a better system than Mother Nature has come up with. No? Then draw inspiration from the finest design you're likely to see.

Think local

Sourcing local, renewable materials not only cuts down on transportation, but also stimulates your local economy and can lead to new, beneficial partnerships.

In short, thinking about sustainability is not just a cuddly thing to add to your marketing campaign; it can greatly improve the long-term prospects of your business and the world around us.

Japan's nuclear crisis: time to get serious about alternative energy

Prime Minister Naoto Kan recently made a pledge in Hiroshima that Japan would reduce its dependence on nuclear power, which is an encouraging sign, albeit tempered by the fact that people are trying to remove him from office as soon as possible.

One thing is for sure, recent events have shown us that nuclear power and one of the most seismically active regions in the world are not a terribly good mix. It's time to invest some genuine time and money into alternative energy sources.

Nuclear power may be a 'green', highly efficient source of energy, but it's also a fill-your-pants scary one when things go wrong.

 

What are some of the options?

 

1) Geothermal energy

Why not put all that earth-shifting energy to good use? Iceland does: over 25% of Iceland's of the nation's energy comes from geothermal power plants, with geothermal heating supplying heating and hot water to 87% of buildings. It's time for Japan to tap into the raw power beneath its feet and put it to more uses than onsen.

It would also greatly help Japanese companies, as Fuji Electric, Toshiba and Mitsubishi produce roughly 70% of steam turbines and power equipment for geothermal plants around the world.

On top of that, unlike some other sources of energy, the weather doesn't affect it. Granted, it's a bloody expensive system to tap into, but once you do, it's pretty much free. And you won't have to go to war for it, which is a nice little added bonus.

2) Solar power

The technology already exists to embed solar panels in windows, and if there's one things urban centres like Tokyo aren't short of, it's windows. More research and development will result in cheaper, more viable solar panels. The government could (probably should) pass a law requiring companies to install a minimum amount of solar panels or restrict their energy consumption for non-emergency use.

3) Hydroelectric power

Looking at Iceland once again, they get the lion's share of their energy from hydroelectric plants (apparently, less than 1% of Iceland's energy comes from the use of fossil fuels).

The major downside to hydroelecric power is the destruction of ecosystems, but even small, micro or pico hydro systems could help wean regions, communities or consumers off fossil fuels and nuclear power stations.

4) Wind farms

I personally like the look of wind farms and can't really understand why people are so against them. I'd have no problem with one being built near me.

They do already exist in Japan, but there aren't that many of them. To be honest, I can kind of understand why: Japan is a relatively small country with a large population, so any use of land must be well worth the effort. A wind farm isn't a great deal of use when it's not windy, but that's not to say they shouldn't be used.

 

Whatever happens, Kan's speech is a timely reminder of the dangers of nuclear power. Do the dangers outweigh the benefits? Many people believe so, and the number is growing. Hopefully this consensus can lead to some real breakthroughs in the development of safer, cleaner, less controversial energy sources.

Energy consumption down, cooler weather the result?

Electricity consumption in eastern Japan fell by an impressive 20% in July in the wake of energy shortages and a government-enforced restriction on electricity use in companies. A lot of that energy has been saved by switching off lights that are not in use and people not reflexively flicking on the air-conditioning every time a bead of sweat troubles their brows.

This got me thinking: with the air-conditioning off, there will be less warm air being pumped out of buildings into the already warm air outside, which could contribute to lower temperatures. Possibly. I think a lot of people living in Japan would admit that - so far - temperatures have been noticeably lower this year (a spike is expected in August and September, but it's surprisingly mild at the moment).

I'll admit that I didn't pay much attention to how air-conditioners worked until recently, but I was reminded by a friend telling me about falling asleep next to a vending machine (while drunk, naturally) and being awoken by a vomit-inducing blast of warm air straight into his face as the cooling system kicked in - a system similar to those employed by air-conditioners. I'm also not the world's leading scientific mind, but having less warm air pumped into the atmosphere seems, in my head at least, to point towards lower temperatures. I'm less convinced that it's due to more men sporting sandals this year.

Of course other things could be contributing to the lower temperatures, including the increased incidence of urban greenery. Loads of people, include me, are growing a 'green curtain' to keep our abodes a bit cooler and a dash of greenery is known to cool things down, hence the prevalence of roof gardens.

Naturally it could be none of the above and simply down to the weather, but regardless I hope the quest for energy reduction continues.

Paul Nicklen: Tales of ice-bound wonderlands

The Arctic and Antarctic regions have always held a fascination for me, in fact I originally planned to write my master's thesis on the Arctic, so I wanted to share this. Not only are the images beautiful, but the themes tie in with a lot of the things featured on SFTE, i.e. a sustainable approach to design and architecture. Whether or not we choose to recognise it, what we do and the impact it has is all connected. Diving under the Antarctic ice to get close to the much-feared leopard seal, photographer Paul Nicklen found an extraordinary new friend. Share his hilarious, passionate stories of the polar wonderlands, illustrated by glorious images of the animals who live on and under the ice.

Angela Belcher: Using nature to grow batteries

This is fascinating, and hope this technology can be used on a large scale. Inspired by an abalone shell, Angela Belcher programs viruses to make elegant nanoscale structures that humans can use. Selecting for high-performing genes through directed evolution, she's produced viruses that can construct powerful new batteries, clean hydrogen fuels and record-breaking solar cells. At TEDxCaltech, she shows us how it's done.