Nendo Installs A Carbon-Capturing Wall In A Contemporary Japanese Home

Most of our modern infrastructure and architecture is bad on concrete, and the production of cement used in concrete is one of the biggest causes of worldwide carbon dioxide emissions. This constitutes a serious issue that must be addressed, especially with the current state of our Planet Earth. In this effort, Nendo displays a specimen of a greener and cleaner way to construct and build with its Block-Wall House. The Block-Wall House is partially built using a new concrete that captures carbon dioxide instead of emitting it!

Designer: Nendo & Kajima Corporation

Tucked away in Japan’s Nagano Prefecture, the Block-Wall House is located next to a rural road. The house features a lot of glazing, to offer privacy against pedestrians and passing vehicles. The home is equipped with an angled screen which lets residents look out but makes it quite difficult for a passerby to glance inside. This screen is made using 2000 blocks which have been arranged in parallel rows to form five walls, with a length of 360 feet. This screen is made from the aforementioned sustainable and novel concrete!

This newly developed concrete is made by the Kajima Corporation in collaboration with the Chugoku Electric Power Co, Denka, and Landes Co. The concrete is named CO2-SUICOM, and for its production, a special cement mixture is placed in a curing chamber, and carbon dioxide is pumped into the chamber for absorption. This absorbed CO2 gets stuck inside the concrete and is not released. It is as strong as regular concrete!

“Generally, concrete hardens through a chemical reaction between cement and water,” explains Kajima Corporation. “But with CO2-SUICOM, over half the cement is replaced with a material we call γ-C2S. Instead of reacting with water, γ-C2S reacts with the CO2 in the air to harden. After mixing the materials needed to create CO2-SUICOM, the concrete can be placed in a location with high CO2 levels so it can capture the CO2 and harden, trapping the gas inside. For example, a thermal power plant or other facility that produces carbon-heavy exhaust gases can redirect the gases into a carbon sequestration chamber, where concrete products made with CO2-SUICOM can be placed to capture the CO2 in the gases.”

Currently, the price of producing CO2-SIUCOM concrete is about three times higher than usual concrete in Japan. Hence, work is being done to bring down the price, and Kajima Corporation believes that the concrete will become more economical in the future.

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Wall cladding made from corn cob waste brings sustainable construction materials

Construction is something that we probably cannot do without as we continue to build houses, buildings, and other structures. The quest for coming up with sustainable construction is ongoing as we look for materials that are eco-friendly and the process in creating them to be as sustainable as possible. There are a lot of waste in our world that can actually be used for other purposes instead of just becoming biomass as they are mostly used now. A breakthrough in terms of interior wall cladding is now available and it comes from the most unlikeliest of sources: corn cobs.

Designer: StoneCycling and Studio Nina van Bart

CornWall is an alternative to interior wall cladding that uses organic corn cobs, subjecting them to up to 150 degrees Celsius so as to activate and create “strong bonds”. Aside from using sustainable materials, the heating process is also eco-friendly as it uses sustainable energy. The electric heating process uses the solar panels on their factory’s roof. So from the materials to the process itself, we are seeing something that will lessen or leave no carbon footprints at all.

Mostly corn cobs are left on the fields or fermented or burned as biomass. But with this process, they are able to turn them into wall cladding. It is better than the usual ceramic wall cladding that is used or even composite materials like high pressure laminate (HPL). Another advantage to this is that it is able to store more carbon dioxide because of the absorbed CO2 already in it. It is also 100% reusable as it can be removed from interiors through the demountable anchoring system.

Based on the product photos, it doesn’t look much different from the usual wall cladding. It actually looks like those cork coasters that we’re seeing now. It comes in different colors loke DarkBlue, MustardYellow, TerracottaPink, etc. Hopefully we see even more construction materials that use sustainable materials and processes so we can have an industry that is more eco-friendly.

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The Frame wall pad elevates smart home design with Korean elegance and utmost IoT convenience

Step into the future of home technology with The Frame, a pinnacle creation for Kocom, the renowned Korean smart home appliance company. Crafted with precision and elegance, this wall pad is designed to redefine the smart home experience with absolute convenience and comfort.

Measuring an impressive 13.3 inches, The Frame boasts a full-screen touch system, setting it apart as a sophisticated and user-friendly centerpiece on the wall of any living space. What distinguishes The Frame isn’t just its functionality but the impeccable design as well. Wrapped in a quiet yet charismatic color palette and adorned with the soft fabric of Kvadrat, the Frame strikes the perfect balance between technology and aesthetics.

Designer: Dive Design, Kyumin Hwang and Minki Kim

Imagine controlling your entire home’s IoT equipment and front door with a simple touch on this smart wall pad. Installed in apartments, The Frame seamlessly integrates into the most sophisticated living spaces, offering a new level of control and convenience making it more than just a device; a statement piece in your lifestyle!

The magic mirror display of The Frame not only offers a glimpse into the future but also seamlessly merges with high-end furniture, creating an illusion of it being a natural part of the interior. It is thus designed to break away from the mundane, The Frame’s unique presence defies the ordinary trend of ubiquitous white-boxed devices, so its minimalistic but luxurious colors and attention to detail set it apart as a design masterwork.

In a world flooded with smart home gadgets, The Frame stands out as an embodiment of elegance, and technological advancement. It’s a seamless integration of technology and artistry, elevating the very essence of what a smart home device can be. With its fusion of Korean sophistication, the Frame is little about what it does, but how it becomes an integral part of your modern living space!

The post The Frame wall pad elevates smart home design with Korean elegance and utmost IoT convenience first appeared on Yanko Design.