Beauty brand IsFrom keeps your skin and mind at ease

Sometimes all we need is a little bit of skin refreshment to get through the day. The goal of IsFrom is to make products that boost your skin’s vitality as well as your mood. 

IsFrom’s line of skin oils and mists is intended to moisturize and create glowing skin. It primarily sells two types of products. 

Related: School of medicine beautifully blends health and nature

The first is a three-blend oil. It is available in four vibrant colors, each with its own scent. First, Bright Rosy is red with a rose scent. Then, Coooly is a cool blue color with a lavender scent. Next, Golden is a rich yellow with strong notes of neroli. And lastly, Greenery offers a bold green tone with a scent of bergamot.

These oils are applied following washing and toning of the skin. To use, place a few drops of oil on your palm. Then lightly rub your hands together and inhale the aroma before lightly tapping your hands to your face. Each product is available in a 1.01-ounce bottle, as well as a combo pack of mini bottles. 

The second primary product is the Trap Water mister. Any of the four three-blend oils can be combined with water, creating a fine, refreshing facial mist that can be used any time of day. 

All IsFrom products are also made without artificial colors or scents. The company is very transparent with a full listing of ingredients on each product. Some of the natural plant ingredients include extracts from turmeric, prickly pear, eggplant, cauliflower, and dog rose. Many oils are also on the list, with the primary base coming from Oryza Sativa (Rice) bran oil.

Further, IsFrom products are vegan and cruelty-free. As the company says, they are “against unethical animal testing” and rely on a “vegan formula in place of animal-related components. Keeping your skin and mind at ease.”

In addition to the goal of balancing the skin, IsFrom aims to stabilize the mind through calming aromas.

The company also prioritizes clean packaging, relying on recycled paper and shipping boxes.

+ IsFrom

Images via IsFrom 

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/rUA3igS
via Inhabitat

New 3D-printed upcycling hub shows future of manufacturing

A new upcycling facility in Singapore, the DB Schenker’s Upcycling Hub by Airlab SUTD, explores new production methods needed for a sustainable manufacturing future. “This project demonstrates how materials deemed useless and destined for landfills can be repurposed into functional and beautiful design objects,” the designers explain.

The project started in 2018 to raise awareness of circularity in the logistics and supply industry. The idea: develop an entire facility from waste materials and present ways to respond to the climate crisis. It started as a design brief for the DB Schenker employee lunchroom, but Airlab’s goal expanded.

Related: A home that incorporates recycled materials from the jobsite

The new space helps visitors conceptualize how waste can be used through all stages of a supply chain from design to production to consumption. Meanwhile, 3D printing technology is at the fore, using the tech to create novel shapes for furniture and light shades through the space.

New technologies in additive manufacturing and digital design were used to create design pieces out of waste that is not only functional but quite beautiful and thought-provoking to look at. The waste used for the upcycling hub included more than 30,000 plastic bottles, cardboard boxes, foam packaging and wood pallets. Additionally, computer numerical control cutting helped shape the pieces into furniture and design elements for the space.

Then, there is a red wall where designs are explained using axonometric drawings to show the complexity of the fabrication process. The white band on the window side of the room features open views and natural light that fall on a long table lit by 3D-printed biopolymer pendant lights. In the center of the room, social activities take place under a recycled PETG chandelier. Also, pallets make up the tables, cardboard for the coffee tables and foam was used to make chairs.

The hub is therefore the first interior design in Singapore to implement such technologies and materials together, the designers say. They also hope the space shows the way to a new method of creating ornamental design and furniture from waste.

The Gathering Chandelier is about 13 feet in diameter and shaped like a dome out of 16 robotically printed pieces. Further, its design can be produced with single continuous extrusion. The research team developed the fabrication process for creating this piece, assembling it with a large ABB robotic arm and an extruder fed 441 pounds of recycled PET pellets.

Four other Dining Chandeliers also tested a large-scale architecture fixture using conventional FDM 3D printers and recycled PET filament. Each domed chandelier has 450 pieces that are designed to be printable with a standard FDM printer, making design at scale accessible with standard technologies. Each tile was based on a minimal Schwarz D “Diamond” surface and designed to be printable without supports, which creates zero waste during fabrication. The project recovered 132 pounds of plastic.

Users of the space were asked what waste they wished to be used and what furniture they thought should be used in the space. Employees helped conceptualize the project, source waste and helped with assembly, which was intended to create a sense of ownership and make the process accessible.

“The project sets a platform to challenge our value systems and traditional understanding of waste material, redefining our relationship with waste by creating beautiful furniture with discarded plastic and wood through digital design and sustainable manufacturing methods,” Airlab says.

+ Airlab SUTD

Images via Fabian Ong

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/NtzbVu8
via Inhabitat

Ocean Sole cleans up flip-flop waste and turns it into art

Marine waste and unemployment are two significant concerns in Kenya. A non-profit organization called Ocean Sole is on a mission to address them both.

Flip-flops litter the beaches throughout the region, adding stress to marine animals and detracting from the beauty of the beach. After the founder of Ocean Sole, Julie Church, witnessed children making toys out of flip-flop material, she encouraged them to continue and to get parents involved. As villagers began to wash, sort, cut and create, they found a viable side income by turning flip-flop waste into art they then sold at the local market.

Related: Divers remove nearly 50 tons of debris from coral reefs

This year, the non-profit plans to recycle over one million flip-flops. Moreover, Ocean Sole’s plan is in alignment with its mission to lessen the rampant pollution on Kenya’s shores.

In addition to progressively helping the environment, the company is community focused, with a goal of decreasing the nearly 40% unemployment rate. Local residents are also paid for the flip-flop collection. Artisans and organizational workers are employed as well. In all, the company estimates it supports around 1,000 people.

The sculptures and other products made from the recycled materials facilitate the conversation about pollution and waste while benefiting the economy, planet, and community.

Further, Ocean Sole defines itself as a social enterprise, lifting up everyone involved in the process. It also sees environmental cleanup as a social cause. Inasmuch it not only aims to reuse one million flip-flops, but also forecasts recycling over one ton of plastic foam each month. By replacing wood with recycled waste materials, the company estimates it’s saving over five hundred trees per year.

Acting as a voice for the environment, Ocean Sole donates over 10% of revenue to educational programs, conservation efforts, and beach cleanups.

It also employs over 100 workers from low-income families, provides bonuses, and supports continuing education for employees and their families. “People are the heart of our organization. We support equality & are passionate about community impact. We provide meals, healthcare, fair wages, and career advancement & educational opportunities, for not only our employees but their families as well.”

+ Ocean Sole

Images via Ocean Sole

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/jNKE7dx
via Inhabitat

This Victorian home brings a modern twist of inside out

When you first find ZZ Top House, nestled between Victorian cottages in a warehouse district of Sydney, it’s hard to tell what you’re looking at. Is the kitchen and living room outdoors? Are there walls or windows on the ends? This modern home is full of unexpected surprises that bring the outdoors in — or turn the inside out. Designer CplusC Architectural Workshop created the home to make use of a unique site, while making what was originally a Victorian home sustainable and usable for a modern family.

The house was designed on a long and inwardly looking site with “zero view bounded by two warehouses,” according to the designers. How can you take a site like that and create a beautiful home, much less one that takes in the outdoors? ZZ Top House is a unique and refreshing take on domestic living and integrating with the natural world, especially considering how little of it the designers had to work with.

Related: Space Age home built in 1961 is now revived for the present

ZZ Top House actually started out as a dual frontage Victorian terrace house in McMahon’s Point Sydney. The design was inspired by two shapes, the geode and the zigzag. CplusC took the space, combined indoor and outdoor living areas, and thus created a ton of visual interest to keep the eye busy without the use of outdoor views. You always feel you are discovering this house, finding new details about how the space is used. Everything from the shape of the home, to the surroundings, to the materials used is unexpected and something you discover as you walk through the space.

Furthermore, Geodes inspired this house because they have no view from the outside. Instead, a geode is a crystal formation that is all on the inside of a space. You can’t help but be surprised and impressed by the 3.8-meter high soaring louvres and skylights that draw natural light into the space in an unusual way. The floors, the louvred windows and the half-marble, half-wood kitchen counter extend the zigzag theme through every surface of the living space.

Believe it or not, ZZ Top House has four bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths. The first floor is taken up by kitchen and dining room. The upper level features the same balcony seen outside, and also has views of the brick wall of the living room. It creates an internal upstairs space and an external shell for the house’s guaranteed privacy. On the lower level, a living room extends out into a covered terrace and garden. A firepit and benches incorporate, rather than block out the industrial surroundings by taking in a mural projected onto the nearby warehouse at night.

Additionally, an extension of glass continues to protect and shade the outdoor terrace. Meanwhile, filtering natural light helps create the impression of the outdoor living spaces being indoors. Plants flow naturally from the steps down into the garden outside. Internal arched doorways were kept from the original design, adding historical details and interests.

Added to all this beauty is a 10 kilowatt-hour solar system supported by Tesla battery storage, cross ventilation, passive solar, insulation and thermal mass optimization to minimize energy use in the home. Electricity bills for this house are near zero year long. The house’s redesign also made use of recycled floor boards, dry-pressed bricks and restoring, rather than demolishing. A lot of the original features of the original Victorian home create a new home that is completely unique, but retains the best of the past without leaving any extra carbon footprint.

+ Clinton Cole from CplusC Architectural Workshop

Images via CplusC

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/NPnReic
via Inhabitat

What you need to know about building an Earthship

There’s no need to leave our orbit to experience the essence of a spaceship. Keep your feet on the ground and live in an Earthship instead.

What is an Earthship?

Earthships are a building design focused on the efficient use of natural resources. There are some trademark characteristics that classify Earthships, including the ability to effectively heat and cool passively, collect and recycle water, and use renewable energy for power. Another shared trait is the use of recycled and natural materials in the building process. This results in a very low-energy, eco-friendly and off-grid living option.

Related: Phoenix Earthship features a food garden and jungle in off-grid fashion

However, the design isn’t for everyone. Firstly, these are some strange-looking structures. Secondly, as a minimalist form of architecture, it just might not suit your needs. However, if sustainable building and the thought of off-grid living is your vibe, an Earthship might be just what you’re looking for. 

How to build an Earthship

Traditionally people built adobe homes, many of which still stand today. Over the years, people have also constructed earthbag homes. Earthships are kind of an expansion of both those ideas married with sustainable building practices. 

Although there are Earthships in every state and around the world, the overwhelming majority of them are in or around Taos, New Mexico. The Earthship design is most effective in arid, desert environments. Plus, the local regulations are accommodating for the less-than-mainstream structures.

Most Earthships are built without any sort of traditional foundation. Walls are constructed from tires packed with soil and dirt, stacked, and then covered in adobe mud. They sometimes also incorporate concrete and wall framing for support. Alternatively, the walls may be insulated using straw bales.

Although some Earthships definitely have an other-worldly vibe, there is nothing extraterrestrial about the design concept. In fact, the entire goal of Earthships is to be grounded. Inasmuch, they are built using recycled materials as much as possible. It’s a great use for tires that are otherwise difficult to recycle or properly dispose of. Similarly, most Earthships incorporate large quantities of post-consumer glass. 

Interior walls are built using filled aluminum cans, glass bottles or plastic bottles. Shower walls, fireplaces and counter supports are typically built in the same way. 

Passive design elements of Earthships

Despite no standardization for Earthships, there is a leading design program offered through builders Earthship Biotecture that teaches people the basics of constructing their own Earthship. With this groundwork, many DIY types are using similar processes to achieve maximum passive design benefits. 

It begins with the proper orientation for the effective use of natural light for heating and cooling. Passive heating and cooling is achieved with airflow, heat-retaining building materials, window placement and similar design elements. 

Since these homes are off-grid, it means zero reliance on fossil fuels for heating, cooling, cooking and other electric needs. Some structures include fireplaces or stoves to counterbalance the cold drafts.

Homegrown garden

In addition to helping heat the home, strategically-placed glass windows create a greenhouse effect perfect for growing an indoor garden. Since sustainability is a major goal of the Earthship community, being able to grow food fresh from greenhouse to table, merely steps from each other, is a welcome element of the home, and it’s commonly employed. 

Renewable energy

Even though heating and cooling require no energy, other modern energy needs are provided for by solar energy systems with photovoltaic panels, batteries, charge controllers and inverters.

Water conservation

Water conservation is also at the forefront of the Earthship design, beginning with rain and snowmelt collection from the roof. The water is stored and pumped into the house for use in bathrooms, laundry rooms and kitchens. Gray water flows to internal greenhouses to water plants and receives natural filtration. Outside, the water is used to irrigate landscaping. All in all, water in the Earthship design is typically used four times for maximum resource conservation and little to no water bill. In addition to water conservation, water harvesting is common. 

Hire or DIY?

Some companies specialize in building Earthships, and the initial cost is about the same as traditional construction. Similar to standard stick-built homes, you can save money by building your own Earthship. However, it’s a time and energy-consuming process. Many Earthships sit half built as costs add up and owners throw in the towel.

It is important to remember that even though an Earthship can cost as much, or more, to build than a traditional home, overall water and energy savings run about one-quarter the number of mainstream designs so you’ll be recouping those upfront expenses.

Potential challenges

Note that some local building ordinances do not allow Earthship structures. It’s fair to say they are not in alignment with most regional building codes. Getting insurance on your structure is also a challenge due to its non-standard nature. Financing your Earthship is probably not a viable plan either since lenders aren’t too hip on the idea of owning such a structure.

As with any large decision, take your time and consider every pro and con. For Earthships, longtime benefits outweigh short-term expenses if you’re in the DIY mood for a house that’s entirely yours.

Via Freethink, Inverse

Images via Adobe Stock 

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/7H4Q6GU
via Inhabitat

Microplastics and the fast fashion of interior design

Fast fashion isn’t a term limited to clothing, it’s also a huge issue in the building and design world. Such quick designs contribute to massive amounts of exposure to toxins in our home environment. Meanwhile, the process of plastic degradation leaves us with tiny particles small enough to be airborne, traveling through the earth’s environment where some of them enter our lungs. We know it ends up in our oceans, but did you know they’re in the water we drink, our clothing and even the dust we see in our homes?

With these plastics being so pervasive, the harms of these little particles have an extensive reach and our homes are no exception. So what can we do to minimize our exposure to them in our living environments and help keep us from toxin overload?

Related: Microplastics contaminate human blood, says new study

Design process

When we’re designing a home, we often consider how some of the building materials will off-gas and potentially harm its future inhabitants. Some of these considerations are mandated by the city or state we live in, but the design world is starting to play a role in finding ways to introduce safer products to mitigate these effects.

Microplastics are present in the textile fabrics we use in design, including, but not limited to, our upholstery on sofas and chairs, curtains, pillowcases and rugs. Small children and pets crawl around and play closer to these surfaces than adults, leaving them at greater risk for harm with their smaller developing systems.

Recycling process

We often think of the recycling process as far away from our day-to-day lives and sometimes limited to the separate bin in our cabinet. But recycling and recycled products can play a big role in the construction and design process. 

When we introduce vintage or upcycled furnishings into the design execution, it is a more mindful design. We can also choose behind-the-scenes products like recycled jeans as our insulation.

The recycling process is expensive. These costs get passed on to the final product they are used in, which starts to add up in our design budget. While paper can be recycled up to seven times, plastics are limited to two or three cycles, making a safer paper product more expensive.

Indestructible super fabrics

“I need the sofa fabric to hold up to our kids and pets and not stain!” I’ve heard this sentence hundreds of times in my career, and for many years, complied without knowing the hidden dangers of fulfilling this request. 

Fabrics that have higher resilience to staining and wear and tear are often made with plastic polymers, then sprayed with a plastic coating to ensure their longevity. We use a term called double-rubs that indicates the fabric’s durability; that means the higher the number, the better it will respond to bouncing children, dog naps and wine stains.

But the higher that number goes the more toxic the off-gassing of the fabric. Looking for untreated fabrics might mean compromising on longevity for your upholstery but ultimately increasing your own.

There are millions of textiles to choose from when you don’t take their toxicity into account, but selections become highly limited when you add the untreated filter to your search. We have some great textile companies dedicated to a more sustainable product, and we need to support them at any cost.

Educating the end user

One question I ask my clients is: “How serious are you about reducing plastic use in your home?” Their response helps us to determine a budget that will reflect their dedication to a healthier home design and sets the stage for lifestyle considerations.

These considerations may mean having less stuff but a better quality of life. 

Box store vs. artisans

Commissioning an artisan, such as a woodworker, to build a table with locally grown lumber not only supports the shop local movement but also reduces the risk of bringing in a toxic product — never mind the quality of the overall piece.

You can discuss low-to-no VOC finishing options, such as oiling the wood for a seal in lieu of polyurethane. These lovingly crafted pieces can be passed down and will certainly add interest to your dinner party conversation. 

Stop it before it starts

As we think about the lifespan of all the textiles we put in a home, we have to consider their effects when they someday reach a landfill. That sofa with a stain guard will now be leaching into our ground waters and contributing to the deadly cycle of toxins in our bodies.

In addition, there is a demand that’s been fueled by our conscientious clientele to clean up the design practice. With that, many trades in the residential building world are now adding healthy home design to their calling cards.

The invitation is being extended to change the focus on how we define luxury in our homes. It’s time for the interior design practice to take a hard look at how we’re impacting the lives of those we serve as well as our planet. There will be costs associated with our decisions, and we need to decide what we want those costs to be.

Images via Pexels

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/5xmL0n6
via Inhabitat

Earth House elevates rammed earth construction to an art

Rammed earth construction has long been considered a super efficient and sustainable building method, but it isn’t usually this gorgeous. Meet the Earth House, a thoroughly modern take on this traditional building method that attempts to inspire people to readopt sustainable living and building practices from the past.

The Earth House by Art and Architecture Associates is located near farmlands in the tropical climate of Gujarat, India. The house, while eye-catching and modern, does attempt to blend into its environment. The house is 3,000 square feet surrounded by a building skin made of earthen walls. The rammed earth walls reduce solar heat gain and maintain a temperature of 7-10 degrees cooler than the outdoors.

Related: A home that incorporates recycled materials from the job site

“We have taken a conscientious decision to weave in nature through its effort to construct a net positive home comprised of Rammed Earth along with other natural materials excavated from the site,” the designers say of their project. The design shows us the way to the future through traditional architecture forms of the past.

Three bedrooms and a living area are separated on opposite sides of an outdoor pool and gazebo, which gives the interior of the home peaceful views as well as passive ventilation off of the water. An inclined roof catches solar energy to produce electricity for the home. Meanwhile, the building leaves a minimal footprint.

Sun orientation and natural ventilation were considered in the build to reduce energy requirements, as was landscaping. Native species were planted to reduce irrigation needs. Additionally, the home achieves net zero energy consumption by surrounding itself with the Miyawaki forest, an organic farm and a mango orchard that shade the home and by producing food. The house also harvests its own rainwater.

“To up the ante on sustainability, we made sure to purchase all materials for furniture and finishes from companies that use environmentally responsible manufacturing techniques and recycled materials,” the designers say.

That is no small feet. Rocks in the gabion walls are local common types of rocks used to provide privacy while serving as a sculptural element of the home that creates varied texture in the exterior walls.

Sustainability and a way forward through climate change were the crux of this design for Art and Architecture Associates. We honestly couldn’t improve on a thing. The Earth House is all at once sustainable, inspiring, peaceful and beautiful to look at.

+ Art and Architecture Associates

Images via Art and Architecture Associates

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/pXYk1dR
via Inhabitat

Modern, recycled shipping containers to help housing demand

The real housing crisis didn’t happen in the early 2000s. It’s happening right now, as both Canada and the U.S. find that the need for affordable housing is growing more and more desperate every day. Moreover, there are many countries around the world in dire need of affordable housing solutions. People are in need and they are suffering, but there is hope. S.I. Container Builds has cracked the formula for providing exactly these solutions through sustainable, affordable practices.

S.I. Container Builds, based in Chicago, turns recycled shipping containers into work and living spaces that are comfortable and fully functional. Their method of flipping these containers has proven so successful, and the housing need is so great, that S.I. Container Builds has recently opened up a new production facility to provide even more of this much-needed housing solution.

Related: These shipping container tiny homes provide for the unhoused

At the new facility, the company can build multiple units at a time. The facility also has an in-house paint booth and an in-house welding station. There are rolling carts to provide key elements of the design, such as plumbing and electricity.

“We understand the critical housing shortage the U.S. and Canada are facing, and we believe that we have figured out the formula for creating many dwellings quickly, without compromising on quality or aesthetic appeal. We are ready to tackle this problem with our sustainable, affordable solution,” said Rory Rubin, CEO and co-founder of S.I. Container Builds.

S.I. Container Builds strives to keep its carbon footprint small while creating affordable housing from recycled shipping containers. That’s a lot of sustainability and forward-thinking all rolled into one company. Affordable housing solutions are highly in demand right now. Meanwhile, this company is providing the answer to that problem, something that bodes very well for the future. There are solutions to problems and companies like this one prove that with a little hard work, those solutions are totally achievable.

+ S.I. Container Builds

Images via S.I. Container Builds

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/pVa8UEJ
via Inhabitat

What will sustainable urban centers of the future look like?

City centers have been fraught with issues since the beginning of urban development. Even small towns and villages had to deal with concerns such as waste management and shared resources. Imagine the reality of garbage and rats in London during the plague in the mid-1600s for historical reference. Modern-day urban issues still focus on waste management and health, but now we have the added burden of water shortages, floods, natural disasters, global warming, raging temperatures and finding ways to mitigate those issues in balance with the needs of society. Looking ahead, what does the future of urban sustainability look like?

Planning for urban growth requires a multi-faceted approach. With people migrating more than ever, cities are expected to see unprecedented growth in the years to come. However, those very cities are already the source of high resource consumption as well as carbon emissions. Therefore, building climate resistance means addressing how we source and use resources from water and energy to building materials and transportation options.

Related: A project in Niger hopes to create affordable urban housing

Water management

Some communities are already acutely aware of water shortages, especially those throughout the southwest portion of the United States. Restrictions are already in place in areas of Nevada and California where residents have outlined frequencies for watering their yards. Eventually, it’s expected to be commonplace for local governments to phase out lawns in favor of native plants to create landscapes that require less water.

In addition to how we use water, it’s critical we pay attention to how we source water. We’ll see a greater investment in rainwater collection from roofs or directly from the sky. Stormwater runoff is another valuable source of water we can expect to hear about. Recycled water is yet another way to make the most of the resources we already have.

We have the technology and understanding to implement all of these techniques. Now, it comes down to economics and prioritization. As the saying from Plato goes, “Necessity is the mother of all invention.” As the water crisis spreads, more money and human resources will be put into place to manage these techniques and further develop desalination as an affordable option. 

Green spaces

Trees and plants are critical to the success of any ecosystem, and a city is an ecosystem. Urban designers must continue to prioritize public and private green spaces as a way to clean the air and reduce global warming trends. From parks to balcony gardens, the benefits of plants are too numerous to count, but carbon sequestration is near the top of the list. Rooftop gardens offer passive temperature control and can easily be equipped with recycled water systems for irrigation without waste. Properly placed native landscaping is another way to use plants in passive design techniques that shade homes.

Public transportation

In addition to absorbing carbon into the soil and water where it can be stored, we need to minimize the carbon emissions we produce in the first place. In the case of the urban environment, cars are a primary culprit. Public transportation is key to reducing the number of cars on the road. Bonus points for cities that strategize ways to power public transport with electric vehicles and renewable energy.

Construction

As cities continue to grow, housing is in increasing demand. The impact of operational and embodied carbon in construction already accounts for around 40% of carbon emissions on the planet. Urban development accounts for about 70% of that. It’s not only in the materials used to build homes, businesses and public spaces but also in the resources used for heating, cooling, lighting and powering the spaces once they’re complete. 

Cities of the future need to make use of existing buildings through sustainably-minded renovations rather than wasteful teardowns and rebuilds. New buildings need to be held to a high standard of energy efficiency. Plus, we need to tap into renewable resources regionally. This means relying on solar panels across the south and in tropical regions. It means using the wind to create energy. It means tapping into geothermal energy in appropriate regions. No single form of renewable energy is right for all spaces, but there is a localized solution for nearly every place on the planet. However, this requires a mindset that steps back from a reliance on fossil fuels and the short-term cost savings of the cheapest alternatives.

The good news is that as more sustainable materials and practices are put into place, the demand drives the prices of these ‘new technologies’ down, making them more affordable for everyone.

Recognize it’s all connected

Urban planners for the future are tasked with finding ways to provide access, protection, security, health, convenience, efficiency and equitability to the growing population. With all these topics of concern to address, adding in the demands of mitigating climate change often takes a back seat. But the missing piece of the puzzle in creating resilient cities is to recognize that climate, social and economic objectives are all connected. We must have a stable economy to provide services and maintain infrastructure.

It’s just as important we care for all levels of that society, including marginalized communities. Otherwise, the economic impact of repairing damages will throw its budget off kilter. Similarly, if we don’t support biodiversity in the natural world, even in the city, the food system will fail, our efforts to reduce global warming will fail and humanity will fail. 

Urban centers of the future hold a massive responsibility — not just to the inhabitants of cities but to the environment. We have work to do.

Via Forbes, ArchDaily

Images via Pexels 

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/g2VihX4
via Inhabitat

3 eco-friendly wall coverings for your next project

Each product we bring into our home is worthy of consideration. From gifts to groceries, we’re surrounded by plastics and toxic materials. So when it’s something as long-standing as the wall coverings in our space, it’s worth really putting a microscope on finding sustainable, and appealing, materials to surround ourselves with. Here are a few companies to consider. 

Kirei

Kirei offers a broad selection of acoustic products for walls, ceilings and partitions. Products come in dozens of colors and a variety of geometric shapes. The options include flat wall panels, baffled ceiling units, suspended circles, diamonds, wavy patterns and ridged designs. 

Related: Eso Studio creates modern wallpaper using all-natural dyes

“We chose the Japanese character ‘Kirei’ as our name because of its multiple meanings of ‘beauty,’ ‘clean,’ ‘purity,’ and ‘truth’ that reflect our dedication to beautiful, elegant, and respectful products for our environment,” the company writes on their website.

Made from a material known as EchoPanel, a registered trademark of Woven Image, the product line can suit any space from floor to ceiling, adding acoustic excellence for schools, restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities and offices. The products can be used in homes, too, with myriad aesthetics to match any type of interior design theme. 

EchoPanel is made from over 60% recycled plastic with each panel diverting the equivalent of 235 single-use bottles from the landfill and waterways. The brand has upcycled over 5,125 tons of PET since 2004, which equates to over 250 million water bottles.

Each innovative design contains low Volatile Organic Compounds and is certified free of Red List materials. For transparency, the company lists ingredients through Declare, a database for healthy products. EchoPanel is also third-party certified by Global GreenTag. 

This isn’t the first foray into sustainable materials for the company as they have been focusing on innovation, function and eco-friendly products since 2002. 

Carnegie Fabrics

It’s fabric for your walls, without all the nasty stuff that plagues the textile industry. Carnegie is a company of firsts. It is the creator of a material known as Biobased Xorel, which was the first plant-based textile product to earn the Living Product Challenge Certification. In fact, it’s the first bio-based high-performance textile ever on the market. In addition, it was the first company in the industry to declare itself proudly 100% PVC free. 

The company offers acoustical panels in a wide array of sizes, shapes and three-dimensional options. It also has textiles for upholstered walls and wrapped panel applications. Additionally, it offers vinyl alternatives and woven wall coverings. 

According to the company, “The Equilibrium collection by Carnegie Fabrics is inspired by the balance and harmony that both humankind and nature work to achieve.”

The type II wallcoverings celebrate nature in a variety of textures with low VOCs and no toxic finishes. The wallcoverings are cleanable and include recycled materials in the composition. 

The company is mindful of its transparency, providing Health Product Declarations on every product. This statement outlines information about the ingredients and their associated health impacts. All fabrics are also put through third-party certifications. The result is at least 10 certifications to date, including Cradle to Cradle, Facts, LEED, SCS Indoor Advantage Gold and Declare.

Carnegie Fabrics also earned B Corp certification in 2014, maintaining that status ever since due to its dedication to the worker, customer and health of the environment. It also made the Best For The World lists, which honor businesses scoring in the top 10% of certified B Corporations, in both 2018 and 2019. The company reports, “Carnegie is the only textile company honored among a total of 228 Best For Environment companies, spanning 72 industries and 25 countries.”

Artaic

Are you looking for wall tiles? Need a mosaic? Artaic is a leading mosaic tile manufacturer that sustainably produces customized mosaics for a range of applications. 

One type of tile, called Sintered Glass, is made out of recycled windshield glass. It is both durable and long-lasting. Plus, Artaic tiles are void of VOCs and any other harmful substance. They can be paired with GREENGUARD-certified adhesives and grouts that are also low, or void, of VOCs.

Like some other tiles, Artaic mosaic pieces are antimicrobial and hypoallergenic. Since Sintered Glass tiles repel water, they’re a great option for wallcoverings in any setting. They can also be used for flooring, counters, in pools or as a decking material. Sintered Glass is a great alternative for those seeking LEED or similar certifications since it’s made from recycled materials without harsh chemicals. Throughout their lifespan, Sintered Glass tiles can be maintained by cleaning with water, further reducing the need for chemicals. 

Tiles are also a great choice for passive house designs. With the ability to store thermal energy, tiles can absorb heat through a window during the day, hold onto that warmth and release it at night when temperatures drop. This innate ability to stabilize temperatures creates a comfortable indoor environment in a range of climates. 

For projects, Artaic is able to print tiles on demand. This innovative technology results in customized mosaic designs with the exact amount of tile needed and little residual waste.  

+ Kirei, Carnegie Fabrics, Artaic

Images via Kirei, Carnegie Fabrics, Artaic

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/u6SaMpx
via Inhabitat

An animal reserve in Belgium replaces old, unused buildings

Set in the Kempen Nord of Antwerp, Belgium, Prinsenpark is an estate originally intended for royalty. Never previously developed, the grounds are now the focus of a master plan to provide access for visitors and a reserve for animals. Studio Jan Vermeulen in collaboration with Tom Thys Architects designed the new park buildings to replace old buildings on the site. 

In 2021, the park won an international Green Flag Award for its “sustainable vision, fine facilities and its broad range of educational activities.” Furthermore, the park offers meandering paths and trails within a forested area. This provides visitors a connection with nature, including a landscape of plants and attention to animal habitat. 

Related: Middelkerke Casino blends into the surrounding Belgian sand dunes

On the other hand, the visitor’s center, administrative offices and forestry support building are covered in pitched roofs with deep overhangs for passive temperature control and the provision of gathering spaces. The inside space is multi-functional to serve the needs of workers and the community. White concrete walls throughout speak to the blank slate of the streamlined interior design.

Additionally, woven between the natural and the built spaces is a rainwater harvesting system. This is used for irrigation and an attention to natural movement between spaces.

“The timber-clad buildings have a rural expression, but precise detailing around windows, gutters and gates transcend the utilitarian. Large, pitched roofs overhang to create an entrance, a covered outdoor space or a protected work area,” according to the designers.

The architects put an emphasis on sustainable design with materials intended to be disassembled, reused or recycled as the need arises in the future. Several other features in the visitor center combined to qualify for the passive house qualification. Surrounding the buildings, rainwater collection naturally feeds a diverse landscape of plants through a wadi system. 

Beyond the green design, the site also caters to native animal species with the incorporation of several bat houses. According to the designers, “The building contributes to the values and vision of Prinsenpark as an area where nature, culture and recreation are interwoven into a special and balanced ecosystem.”

+ Studio Jan Vermeulen, Tom Thys architecten

Photography by Jeroen Verrecht

from INHABITAT https://ift.tt/6baHAYC
via Inhabitat