Tag Archives: energy efficient

This compact water recycling system reduces carbon footprint, lowers bills & mitigates the global water crisis

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Hydraloop not only designed an award-winning water recycling product but also made an eye-opening documentary that shows you how easy it is for everyone to recycle water – stream the Brave Blue World on Netflix for an unfiltered story on water and climate change! This water recycling system looks like a slim closet and can be used in any building or home, anytime. Hydraloop was presented at both CES 2020 and CES 2021 where it received notable attention for being one of the most innovative designs in the sustainability, eco-design, and smart energy categories.

Only 0.014% of the total amount of water on earth is fresh and available. It is one of the most misused natural resources and with the increasing global population, we have to use it in the most efficient way possible and make sure we don’t dry out our planet. Four billion people are already facing severe water scarcity and by 2035 40% of the world’s population could experience serious water stress. By 2050 the water demand is projected to grow by 55%, including a 400% rise in manufacturing water demand – to be able to meet the needs of almost 10 billion people in the next two decades, we need to take important steps right now that can save up to 95% of your shower and bath water alone and enables you to reuse up to 85% of the total in-house water. So even on an individual level, you can add your drop to the ocean and make a positive impact.

Hydraloop’s goal is to create compact recycling systems that can be used at offices, hotels, apartment buildings, homes, and anywhere else with running water – they want to make it easy for everyone to recycle water without having to go through complicated machinery or expensive infrastructure upgrades. It collects water from washing machines, bathtubs, showers, and air conditioning systems. This water is then cleaned and disinfected using their technology to make it reusable keeping in mind that treated gray water should not be directly used to drink to cook. It can be re-used for toilet flushing, washing machines, garden irrigation, and topping up swimming pools which can save up to 45% on tap water and 45% on sewage emission with recycled water. The system is easy to install, completely automatic, self-cleaning, and doesn’t use any filters or chemicals.

Hydraloop’s systems are powered by electricity and uses an extensive six-step process – sedimentation, flotation, dissolved air flotation, enforced skimming aerobic bioreactor, and a UV light disinfection. The latest Hydraloop (H600) can recycle about 260 gallons of water per day for homes and small businesses. “The easiest way to recycle water is to clean it right where you use it – decentralized. By recycling at the source we can make an impact on the global water crisis,” says the team which is why they designed the appliance to be used in any space. If you have a larger company or setting, the Cascade offers commercial-grade, water-recycling capabilities for your needs. Hydraloop future proofs buildings by increasing their value, lowering the running expenses for water as well as energy, and reduces carbon footprint by 6%. It makes any home or business less dependant on the grid while making it easier to live sustainably. Hydraloop is also contributing towards four of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – clean water and sanitization, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, as well as climate action.

Designer: Hydraloop Systems BV

This electric, self-driving, smart ferry is the Tesla of public transport boats!

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Traffic is only increasing every day in cities and if they are located in a coastal area then using waterways is one of the most efficient ways to cut down on road congestion. Along with managing the flow of vehicles on land, the climate crisis has accelerated the need for smart, climate-friendly mobility solutions worldwide. Zeabuz, a Norwegian company, has stepped up to the need of the hour and will be launching a self-driving ferry next year!

The ferry will carry 12 passengers and will operate like an elevator where all you have to do is press a button to summon it. Zeabuz’s zero-emission ferry was first developed by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in 2018 and the 2021 launch shows Norway’s commitment to developing climate-conscious transport systems. This ferry will be autonomous, “Autonomy fits like a glove with electric vehicles. This enables better control, optimal operation, safety, and maintenance. Our autonomy solution is world-leading and can enable self-driving ferries that safely manoeuver among other boats, dock to the quay by themselves and handle passengers safely,” says Asgeir J. Sørensen, director of NTNU’s research center on autonomous maritime operations, NTNU AMOS. Apart from wirelessly charging at docks, it is safe to assume that solar panels will be the way to go with a backup battery for winter months when the sunshine is not enough in Norway. Many major cities can replicate this solution to fit their water channels and maybe even boost tourism while reducing the vehicle count on the roads during rush hours.

As we try to build a sustainable future, boats needed a technological upgrade to give the people a greener alternative to road transport. The Zeabuz ferry reduces operation costs which also makes it economical – and on that note, riding this ferry will be free in Trondheim which will encourage more people to adopt emission-free commutes. The electric ferry will operate along the canal that connects the port and the city center of Trondheim and will charge itself when docked. This cuts the travel time from 15 mins to 1 minute as passengers won’t need to walk between the two locations. Keeping the urban audience in mind, the ferry also has the capacity to transport passenger bicycles. Water transport was popular before the invention of cars, and while it largely only benefits coastal communities, they are also the most densely populated which puts them first in line for emission-free transport solutions. Electric self-driving boats like these can truly reduce the traffic in big cities and improve air quality as well as reduce noise pollution levels.

Designers: Zeabuz and NTNU

Modern architectural design goes green with this grass roof villa!

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In the hills of Harriman State Park (New York), plans were made to build a beautiful, contemporary-style hobbit hole known as the Black Villa. The house is stunning inside and out, especially its most eye-catching feature: the luscious grass-covered roof.

Green roofs have been growing slowly in popularity over the past decade, due to their economic and environmental advantages. They can reduce energy usage by 0.7% by providing natural insulation against heat and maintaining temperatures that are 30-40°F lower than conventional rooftops. (The Black Villa also decreases the need for electricity by using skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows.) Green roofs also reduce and slow down stormwater runoff, which helps immensely in areas with poor drainage systems (usually in urban areas).

I appreciated the Black Villa’s environmentally-conscious design, but I wish it had been made for a city, not a national park. To build the house, you would have to disrupt the park’s existing landscape, which seems counter-productive as a sustainability project. Perhaps the Black Villa could generate more interest in green roof architecture in the future, but ultimately I think its energy-efficient features are simply part of the pretty facade.

Designer: Reza Mohtashami

 

A luxury electric RV that was designed by an aircraft engineer for a zero-emissions trip!

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The pandemic has made many of us skeptical about air travel and has made road trips a more popular choice! People are more open to taking campers and exploring less crowded spots for a change of place after being cooped up in their homes for weeks. Those with an itch to travel have found quarantine difficult but the Bowlus Road Chief (Performance Edition) is here to give them the luxury trip of their dreams – yes, it probably costs as much as an international trip with first-class tickets with a price tag of $225,000. But current times, you are better off buying a luxury camper than a private jet, especially one that reduces your carbon footprint!

The Bowlus Road Chief is truly the chief of luxury campers with its high-end features that enable a zero-emissions trip. The 26 feet long camper can house four people with sleepings and dining zones. It is no less than a hotel room with huge skylights in the main cabin crafted by the company’s best artisans to bring the outdoors inside and are optimized for stargazing. The skylights are made in the iconic the Bowlus Road Chief shape which allows for full tensile strength to transmit along the Road Chief exterior armor-like shell. The expensive RV is complete with an outdoor kitchen equipped with a 110V outlet and propane outlet. The set up lets each owner customize the fittings to their needs like induction cooktops, propane BBQ’s, or even a margarita blender are ready to plug and play. “The Bowlus Road Chief is as exquisite as it is distinctive. Like any fine work of art, the Road Chief is the result of spectacular design and meticulous craft. There is nothing in the world like a Bowlus Road Chief adventure,” says Geneva Long, CEO.

Originally conceived by aircraft builder, designer, and engineer Hawley Bowlus in 1934, the RV still shows its history in its aerodynamic, almost space shuttle-like shape which makes it stand apart from the usual breadbox-shaped trailers. The electrical power system is designed to make sustainable travel effortless and hassle-free. The yacht quality pure sine inverter has been upgraded from the previous models to 3,000W for the Performance Edition. The lithium iron phosphate system’s capacity is doubled to 600 Ah/7680Wh for up to two weeks of off-grid battery use which makes long road trips possible without comprising the comfort of luxury facilities. A super impressive feature is that the system charges just in 3-4 hours for an RV that size and the entire power management system is connected via Bluetooth + the internet so that all critical data is easily accessible on your smartphone. Luxurious but also smart, energy-efficient, and safe in a pandemic for you to travel while being socially distant!

Designer: Bowlus Road Chief

This tiny mobile home uses aerodynamics to reduce energy consumption by 15%

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At the time of writing this, half of 2020 was over and there were mixed feelings of relief and anticipation. Relief because we made it so far (including the Mayan doomsday prediction!) and anticipation because is it going to now turn into ‘Jumanji The Next Level’ or can we start figuring out our travel plans? Either way, we can all agree we need a break and a change of scene from our homes, and the only safe way to get both those things is through a tiny mobile home like the Alto 2124!

The Alto series by Canadian motorhome company, Safari Condo, is a range of high-functioning trailers that can double up as a mobile home or as a camper. They also happen to be environmentally friendly while being ultralight and aerodynamic. The frame of the trailer uses composite materials and Alufiber aluminum which has a honeycomb structure that makes it as strong as fiberglass. The wedge-shaped trailer comes fully equipped for you to actually live there full time if you wanted to with all essential appliances and provisions for a stove, water systems and power. “The newest Safari Condo seems perfect for anyone who wants to bring the comfort of home to the outside world while spewing fewer greenhouse gases into the atmosphere in the process. The wedge-shaped trailer uses 15% less energy while being towed than the company’s earlier models, in spite of being roughly 900 pounds heavier than the latter trailer,” says the team.

At 2,568 lbs, the A2124 is light enough to be towed by a regular Subaru Outback. Another similar model, 2414, stands at 2,947 lbs as it provides more space due to its traditional rectangular shape. Both the trailers fit within the 5000 lbs towing capacity of a Tesla Model X which was used to test the mobile campers on the streets. The build is aerodynamically-optimized to save energy as well as reduce cost and pollution related to fuel while still making the most of its compact space – suited for four people to live in complete with a dining area, kitchen, shower, toilet, a swivel wardrobe, plenty of storage and separate sleeping zones! If we are moving towards a flexible remote lifestyle, then I would like to turn it into a long road trip with this environmentally friendly tiny home-camper!

Designer: Safari Condo

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Airbitat’s Compact Cooler promises ‘deeply cooled’ energy-efficient AC

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You might not think of your air conditioner (AC) as contributing to climate change, but typical AC units use quite a bit of power, which leads to higher greenhouse gas emissions. In a vicious global warming cycle, as the planet gets hotter, more peop...

Researchers designed a shape-shifting airplane wing

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If you've had a window seat next to the wing of an airplane, you've probably watched as flaps on the wing engage and disengage as a plane takes off and lands. That's because in each phase of flight -- take off, landing, cruising and maneuvering -- th...

Shuttle OMNINAS KD20 Energy Efficient NAS Server

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Shuttle OMNINAS KD20 Energy Efficient NAS Server

The Shuttle OMNINAS KD20 is the company’s first NAS server. It features a pair of hot-swappable drive bays that can hold 3.5-inch HDDs (hard disk drives) with capacities of up to 4 TB each. The Shuttle OMNINAS KD20 supports RAID-1 mode (mirroring, for high data security), RAID-0 (striping and JBOD modes. The OMNINAS KD20 NAS server also features an 80mm fan for cooling, an I/O panel with one USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, an SD card reader and Gigabit Ethernet. [Akihabara]

Facebook to backup its servers with low-power storage devices at ‘Sub-Zero’ data center

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Facebook to backup its servers with low-power storage devices at 'Sub-Zero' data center

Data backups come in all shapes and sizes. For some, they take the form of external hard drives or a slice of the amorphous cloud. As for Facebook, its upcoming solution is low-power deep-storage hardware contained within a 62,000 square-foot building in Prineville, Oregon near its existing Beaver State data center. Unofficially referred to as "Sub-Zero," the facility will store a copy of the social network's data in case its primary servers need to be restored in an emergency. Rather than continuously power HDDs that are only occasionally used, the new setup can conserve energy by lighting-up drives just when they're needed. One of the company's existing server racks eats up around 4.5 kilowatts, while those at Sub-Zero are each expected to consume approximately 1.5 kilowatts once they're up and running. Tom Furlong, Facebook's vice president of site operations, told Wired that there are hopes to create a similar structure alongside the firm's North Carolina data center. Since the Prineville project is still being planned, Zuckerberg & Co. have roughly six to nine months to suss out all the details before your photos are backed up at the new digs.

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Facebook to backup its servers with low-power storage devices at 'Sub-Zero' data center originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 20:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Facebook releases its 2011 energy usage report, details your carbon footprint

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Facebook releases its 2011 energy usage report, details your carbon footprint

More Facebook news, but this time we're back to the numbers instead of reporting on a new feature, improvement or integration. As part of its mission to swap the familiar blue for something of a greener tinge, Facebook released today its carbon footprint and overall energy usage figures for 2011. Turning bio-babble into easy visualizations, the company points out that for the whole year, an active user occupied roughly the same carbon footprint as one medium latte. Or, if you're a fan of the tipple, a couple of glasses of wine. Impressively, 23 percent of the social giant's energy usage came from clean and renewable sources, which puts it well on the way to its 2015 target of 25 percent or more. If you'd like more info and a complete breakdown of the stats, the full report is available at the source link below.

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Facebook releases its 2011 energy usage report, details your carbon footprint originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Aug 2012 20:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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