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Month: July 2023

SAY Carbon is creating the coolest sustainable boat brand

Posted on by dishanth
SAY Carbon is creating the coolest sustainable boat brand

BizClik Media and Sustainability Magazine CEO Glen White had first-hand experience aboard a luxurious, environmentally-friendly yacht made by SAY Carbon Yachts.

The business, founded in Germany, produces cutting-edge, technologically advanced yachts, which are built using carbon fibre. Featuring three luxurious yachts – the SAY 29 (E), SAY 42 and SAY 52 – the business prioritises comfort, luxury and sustainability. While enjoying a trip to Ibiza, Spain, White got up close and personal with the SAY 42.

SAY 42: Ultra-low-emission engines combined with maximum comfort

Boasting low emissions and high performance, the SAY 42 demonstrates that stylish, luxurious and sustainable boating is possible – even for those who want to enjoy the seas with their family and friends

The SAY 42 is equipped with two certified ultra-low-emission V8 engines (860 hp) that consume up to 50% less fuel compared to conventional motor yachts, all while maintaining the same renowned performance.

The SAY 42 is ideal for those who appreciate extravagance. Each yacht is characterised by a modern design, featuring striking and unique lines and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including a digital cockpit, Seakeeper 2 stabilisers, pop-up showers, a retractable table and an owner’s cabin with a fully-equipped bathroom.

To ensure the yachts meet the highest possible sustainability standards while continuing to ooze luxury, CEO Karl Wagner, maintains control over every aspect of the manufacturing process. Every SAY Carbon Yacht is meticulously crafted to bring the customer’s vision to life, designed to be user-friendly while promoting maximum comfort.

 

SAY Yachts leading carbon fibre adoption

While working with his previous business, Carbo Tech, Wagner became a leading producer of carbon-fibre-reinforced components for the automotive industry. Its customer base included prominent names from Formula 1, including Aston Martin, McLaren and Porsche.

The numerous advantages of carbon fibre have led to its widespread popularity in various industries, including aviation, construction and motorsports. As pioneers in the pursuit of lightweight design, Wagner and his team demonstrate their expertise in manufacturing innovative motor yachts by utilising the properties of carbon fibre.

“Our expertise in lightweight constructions enables us to achieve a unique combination of acceleration, design and agility while lowering fuel consumption and extending range,” Wagner comments.

Consequently, SAY Yachts has emerged as an international, established manufacturer of luxury motor boats, offering only the highest quality available.

 

 

 

 

Source  Sustainability

What is Eco Brutalism? Exploring the Intersection of Sustainability and Brutalist Architecture

Posted on by dishanth
What is Eco Brutalism? Exploring the Intersection of Sustainability and Brutalist Architecture

What is Eco Brutalism? The Intersection of Sustainability and Brutalist Architecture

What is Eco Brutalism? It is an architectural style that combines the raw aesthetics of Brutalism with a deep commitment to environmental sustainability. It embraces the use of natural and eco-friendly materials, as well as energy-efficient design principles that are specially gathered to benefit the environment in many ways. Eco Brutalism is a term that has been used to describe a range of architectural design styles that seek to highlight the industrial and natural elements of a structure.

The term Eco Brutalism refers to the mix of Brutalist style and the green we recognize with sustainability. The difference between harsh concrete and greenery hanging on buildings allows for a unique range of concepts and ideas. These concepts include the vibrant resilience of nature and grim human design. Eco Brutalist buildings are designed to be environmentally friendly and energy-efficient, with features such as green roofs, solar panels, and rainwater harvesting systems.

What is Eco Brutalism’s History?

The term “eco brutalism” is derived from “brutalism,” a style that was originally used to describe architecture that was popularized in Europe during the 1970s and 1980s. Brutalist architecture is characterized by its use of unfinished concrete walls, exposed steel beams, and large windows. These features were meant to create a feeling of spaciousness and openness.

Today, eco brutalism has evolved to include a wide range of design elements that are characterized by the brutalist architectural style but also focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility. These elements include the use of natural and eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient design principles, and the incorporation of green spaces and natural light.

Brutalism is all about austerity, while eco-brutalism focuses on bringing life to buildings in both a metaphorical and literal sense. Plants, trees, and other green elements are added to brutalist structures, turning them into eco brutalist buildings. These elements make use of natural light and brighten spaces.

In essence, eco brutalism is a mix of brutalist style and greenery. It is a design approach that seeks to create buildings that are both functional and beautiful while also being environmentally responsible. The result is a style of architecture that is both visually striking and environmentally sustainable.

Examples

Eco Brutalism has gained popularity in recent years. The style combines the use of raw concrete and other harsh materials with the addition of greenery and sustainable design elements. Here are a few examples of Eco Brutalist buildings from around the world:

  • Casa Meztitla, Mexico: This villa beautifully integrates local volcanic stone with exposed concrete. The roof collects rainwater, which is then stored in a cistern beneath the villa. Almost all of the rooms are open to the outside, providing a seamless connection to nature.
  • The Tiing Boutique Resort, Indonesia: This resort is built using locally sourced materials, including bamboo and recycled wood. The design incorporates natural ventilation and lighting, and the roof is covered with solar panels. The resort also has a rainwater harvesting system.
  • Jungle House, Brazil: This house is built on a steep slope in the Brazilian rainforest. The design incorporates raw concrete and glass, and the house is surrounded by lush vegetation. The house is completely off-grid, with solar panels providing electricity and rainwater harvesting providing water.
  • Mamnun Residence, Bangladesh: This house is a single family residence located in the center of Dhaka, incorporating raw concrete and wood. The lot is south facing with large opening windows to take the summer wind for ventilation. The large overhangs provide summertime shade yet allow for light during the low sun angles in winter.

These examples demonstrate the range of concepts and ideas that can be incorporated into Eco Brutalist architecture. The use of raw materials and sustainable design elements, combined with the addition of greenery and natural elements, creates a unique aesthetic that is both functional and visually striking.

Criticism

Despite its growing popularity, Eco Brutalism has faced its fair share of criticism. Some critics argue that the style is too harsh and uninviting, with its exposed concrete walls and sharp angles. Others argue that the addition of greenery to the buildings is merely a superficial attempt to mask the harshness of the style.

Furthermore, some critics argue that Eco Brutalism is not truly sustainable, as the materials typically used to construct these buildings are often not environmentally friendly. While the addition of greenery can help to reduce the carbon footprint of these buildings, they cannot easily offset the use of concrete and steel.

Another criticism of Eco Brutalism is that it is not accessible to all. The style is often associated with high-end, luxury buildings, like expensive hotels and residences, which are not affordable or accessible to everyone. This has led some to argue that Eco Brutalism is simply a way for the wealthy to signal their commitment to sustainability rather than a truly accessible and sustainable architectural style.

Despite these criticisms, Eco Brutalism continues to gain popularity, particularly among those who are looking for a unique and environmentally friendlier approach to architecture. Whether or not it will continue to grow in popularity remains to be seen, but it is clear that this style is here to stay for the time being.

 

 

 

 

Source  Happy Eco News

New Plastic Recycling Rules in Australia

Posted on by dishanth
New Plastic Recycling Rules in Australia

The Background to the Decision

Since industrialization, humans have had a remarkable capacity to alter and change our environment on a large scale.

To facilitate the growth of industry, we have allowed companies and other organizations to pollute the environment indiscriminately with no regard for the people, creatures, and nature that have been impacted.

In most regards, we think of pollution as the toxic air spewed from industrial plants into our atmosphere. While that is a problem, make no mistake about it, there are other problems that rapid industrialization has had on our world.

One of those is plastic pollution, the byproduct of cheap disposable products wrapped in material that the environment cannot break down easily.

While some moves by industry have seen eco-friendly plastics being used in mass production, these examples are few and far between, to the dismay of eco-friendly citizens worldwide.

In some countries, though, that appears to be shifting. Recently a coalition of governments has pushed through legislation for new plastic recycling rules in Australia, forcing companies to take serious measures to curb their output of non-biodegradable plastic products.

How do the new Plastic Recycling Rules in Australia work?

The decision to impose new plastic recycling rules in Australia was made at the first meeting of federal and state environmental ministers in Sydney on Friday, June 9th. Tanya Plibersek, the federal environment minister, said that the “historic agreement” meant packaging would be “subject to strict new government rules.”

The new rules include the following:

  • A ban on single-use plastic bags.
  • A ban on selling disposable coffee cups made from expanded polystyrene (EPS).
  • A requirement for all plastic packaging to be recyclable or compostable by 2025.
  • A requirement for all plastic packaging to be labelled with clear information about its recyclability.

According to a communique released after the agreement, the new plastic recycling rules in Australia would shift the country towards a more circular economy, with the rules addressing three specific areas: packaging design, outlawing harmful chemicals and plastics, and harmonizing curbside plastic recycling.

These decisions were made in the backdrop of the goals Australia has set in regard to plastic recycling. The Australian government has said that the new rules will cost the economy $1.1 billion over the next ten years, but the benefits of reducing plastic waste outweigh the costs.

As per the voluntary model that Australia has right now, only 18% of plastic is recycled in the country, far short of the 70% goal by 2025 that it has set.

Many have come out supporting this move; the Boomerang Alliance, a coalition of 55 environment groups, stated that this was the first “substantial and meaningful step” to address plastic waste in over 20 years.

It’s not just environmentalists that are lauding this decision, as major companies such as Nestlé, Coca-Cola, and Unilever have all come out in support.

 

For the People, by the People.

Serious change needs to be made in order to address the problem of plastic waste pollution worldwide. While it would be nice to believe that companies would willingly make the decision to cut back and recycle on their own, the reality is that it isn’t in their best interest to do so.

These programs cost money, and the incentive for shareholders is to increase profits no matter what. Government regulations will force these companies to accept the new way of doing things as simply a cost of doing business, thus ensuring that the people’s best interest is upheld as a primary objective.

Ultimately, this is what governments are for, and hopefully, with the example of these new plastic recycling rules in Australia, this action will spur other governments in other countries to make similar decisions.

 

 

 

 

Source  Happy Eco News

Space-Based Solar Power Works!

Posted on by dishanth
Space-Based Solar Power Works!

The concept of space-based solar power (SBSP) has been around for over five decades, but it’s only now that scientists have achieved a major milestone in its development. In June 2023, scientists at the California Institute of Technology successfully transmitted solar power to Earth from space using a prototype spacecraft called Maple. This breakthrough could pave the way for energy to be sent to remote regions and areas affected by war or natural disasters where access to electricity is limited.

The idea of space-based solar power involves capturing the energy produced by the sun in space and transmitting it wirelessly to Earth using microwaves. The technology required to achieve this is complex, but the potential benefits are enormous. Since the sun shines 24 hours a day in space, space-based solar power would provide a constant source of renewable energy that’s not affected by weather conditions or time of day. It could also be used to power space missions and settlements.

The first engineering design for a solar power satellite was produced by Czech-born NASA engineer Peter Glaser in 1968 and published that year in the journal Science. Since then, there have been several attempts to develop the technology required for SBSP, but progress has been slow due to the high costs involved and technical challenges. However, recent advances in space technology and wireless power transmission have renewed interest in space-based solar power as a viable source of clean energy.

The Maple spacecraft launched into orbit in January 2023 was designed to test the technology required for SBSP. It consisted of two parts: a solar panel that captured sunlight and converted it into electricity, and a microwave transmitter that beamed the energy to a receiving station on Earth. The power was transmitted wirelessly over a distance of 1.2 miles, which may not seem like much, but it’s a significant achievement given the technical challenges involved.

One of the main challenges of space-based solar power is the need to transmit energy wirelessly over long distances without losing too much power. This is achieved using microwaves, which are similar to the waves used in microwave ovens but at a much higher frequency. Microwaves can travel through the atmosphere and are not affected by weather conditions, making them ideal for transmitting energy from space. However, they can also be dangerous if not properly contained, so safety measures need to be put in place.

Another challenge of Space-Based Solar Power is the cost involved in launching the necessary equipment into space. Solar panels and microwave transmitters are bulky and heavy, which makes launching them into space expensive. However, recent advances in space technology have made it possible to launch smaller and more efficient satellites at a lower cost. This could make SBSP more economically viable in the future.

The potential benefits of SBSP are numerous. Since it provides a constant source of renewable energy, it could help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It could also be used to power remote regions and areas affected by war or natural disasters where access to electricity is limited. In addition, it could be used to power space missions and settlements, making long-term space exploration more feasible.

However, there are also concerns about the potential drawbacks of SBSP. One concern is the environmental impact of launching large numbers of satellites into space. Space debris is already a major problem, and adding more satellites could exacerbate the problem. Another concern is the potential health risks of wireless energy transmission. Although microwaves are generally safe, there’s still some uncertainty about their long-term effects on human health.

Despite these concerns, the successful transmission of solar power from space to Earth using Maple is a major achievement that could pave the way for more research into SBSP and its development into a viable large-scale energy source. The next step is to scale up the technology and test it over longer distances.

While there are still challenges to overcome, the potential benefits of SBSP are enormous and could play a critical role in our transition to a low-carbon future.

 

 

 

 

Source  Happy Eco News