The prefab Tiny Tetra House in Bali is made of recycled waste

Launched by Stilt Studios, the Tiny Tetra House in Bali is a small, prefabricated home that makes use of recycled waste materials, wood and glass for construction plus an elevated base for minimal site impact.

Tiny Tetra House has 688 square feet of space with a diagonally oriented floor plan. It is elevated 40 centimeters off the ground via point foundations in order to help blend the structure into the surroundings. There is a bedroom, en suite bathroom, open kitchen, living room and outdoor terraces. Apart from the sustainable advantages of the recycled elements used in construction, the materials also act as an artistic reflective agent.

Related: The FLEXSE tiny house module is built from 100% recyclable materials

“At Stilt Studios, we believe we have the responsibility for both creating unique designs and reducing the environmental impact of our buildings,” said Alexis Dornier, co-founder and chief designer at Stilt Studios. “How about if we could not only reduce total material used and the footprint, but be a part of the circular economy by the choice of material used.” Bali’s waste recycling problem is similar to many places around the world, as most of what gets thrown away doesn’t end up getting recycled. The studio hopes to use this project as an example of contributing positively to the local community and the circular economy.

The roof and walls of Tiny Tetra House are made of recycled Tetra Pak beverage cartons, with panels made of 25% plastic and aluminum provided by Eco Bali Recycle. This aluminum layer ensures 100% waterproofing and is proven to be more insulating and noise-reducing than common tin sheets. The contemporary sloping design of the roof helps channel rainwater to be stored for garden irrigation, and facade panels provide cross-ventilation for natural temperature regulation.

The first prototype is set to be built this August, with sales starting to open up by October. Those interested can check out the project’s Kickstarter page, which Stilt Studios is using to increase community feedback. Supporters of the project can purchase a voucher to stay at the Tiny Tetra House in Bali once it is built.

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Wayks modular luggage is the ultimate sustainable travel companion

The versatile One bag by Wayks is designed to adapt to changing environments and conditions, whether you’re commuting in the city or having an outdoor adventure. It offers users the opportunity to travel with as little luggage as needed without sacrificing flexibility. One bag can be transformed into three different variations of luggage within seconds: a travel backpack, a smaller day pack and a separate pouch for items like toiletries and cameras.

The upper part of the bag acts as the main space for storage, providing extra volume through a secure roll-top closure that can expand from 25 liters to 40 liters. There are two side pockets with enough space for a 1.5-liter bottle and a clamshell opening on the back that transforms the bag into a suitcase. The back section includes a padded compartment with a side zipper for a 16-inch laptop, a document sleeve and four additional pockets.

Related: This durable luggage is made with replaceable and recycled materials

There is a detachable back panel designed for longer travel with soft padding for maximum comfort while carrying larger loads and a pair of adjustable back straps. For those who don’t want a thicker strap, the included back straps can be replaced with a thinner version. The bottom compartment is designed to hold items that have become dirty, wet or fragile throughout your travels.

Wayks’ mission is to inspire consumers to go off the beaten path and use its fair and sustainably made outdoor gear to take a break from their busy lives. Bags are made out of PFC-free and recycled fabrics and materials, helping save the environment from excessive carbon dioxide emissions and water consumption compared to similar products. What’s more, Wayks ensures that its workers are paid fairly and have ethical working conditions, with sites approved by the Fair Wear Foundation. Long-term, the company hopes to develop products that are 100% recyclable.

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Photography by Aylaan Moodysson via Wayks

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Cocoanutty makes zero-waste living more attainable

The concept couldn’t be more basic — you can live a great life without endangering the planet. Cocoanutty is a company that puts this idea at the forefront of everything it does with the motto to, “Live Well. Live Sustainably.” As such, this online retailer offers home and personal care items for a zero-waste lifestyle.

Cocoanutty scours eco-minded businesses to find products that are environmentally friendly and then makes them all available in an easily accessible online store. The idea is to save consumers the time of tracking down each product themselves and having them shipped from multiple locations.

Related: “FORGO” plastic packaging with powder to liquid hand wash

The company’s mission is to “make eco-friendly products the go-to for every household. We’re doing this by making a sustainable lifestyle more approachable. Our curated selection of sustainable, environmentally friendly, and all-natural products aim to help you live well, while treating the Earth well.”

Cocoanutty doesn’t believe you have to choose between living well and honoring the limited resources of the planet. For example, the store offers a luxurious-smelling lavender shampoo bar that looks like soap but performs like shampoo sans the typical wasteful plastic bottle. Cocoanutty also carries a plastic-free toothbrush made with bamboo wood for the handle and bamboo charcoal fiber for the bristles.

For the household, reusable produce bags replace plastic at the grocery store, and the Travel Cutlery & Straw Set is a portable swap for single-use utensils. You can also ditch the kitchen plastic wrap in favor of the Vegan Wax Food Wraps.

In addition to carefully selecting products that use eco- and human-friendly ingredients, the company is dedicated to reaching a zero carbon footprint when it comes to shipping. “We’re combating waste by ensuring that our products are packaged and shipped with zero plastic or recycled materials,” Cocoanutty explained. “Beyond our eco-friendly collection, consumers can feel good about making an order with our carbon-neutral shipping.”

The company ensures every shipment made through Cocoanutty is neutralized through certified carbon offsets via Pachama, funds that go toward forest protection initiatives.

Both product and shipping packaging is sustainable, too. The company chooses environmental protection over flashy marketing or pretty appeal when it comes to packaging. In order to be as sustainable and waste-free as possible, packaging options are 100% biodegradable, all-natural and reusable. Cocoanutty even recycles boxes from other brands and packs products with compostable corn peanuts and all-natural wooden boxes. The business admitted, “While it might not always be the prettiest, we feel good knowing that we’re minimizing waste.” Isn’t that more important after all?

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SUNY New Paltz Engineering Innovation Hub achieves LEED Gold

In New York’s Hudson Valley region, the public liberal arts college SUNY New Paltz has earned a LEED Gold certification award for its newly completed Engineering Innovation Hub building. Designed by NYC-based firm Urbahn Architects, the $13.5 billion project champions energy-efficient and resource-saving design, from its diversion of nearly 90% of the project’s construction waste from landfills to the installation of double-glazed, low-E windows throughout. The two-story, 19,500-square-foot building houses a bachelor’s degree program in mechanical engineering, teaching and research lab spaces and the Hudson Valley Additive Manufacturing Center (HVAMC).

Centrally located within the SUNY New Paltz campus near the existing Resnick Engineering Hall, the Engineering Innovation Hub features a handsome, gray-toned facade. The building has an energy-efficient rainscreen system created for minimizing heat loss along with high-performance and highly durable concrete panels by Taktl. The Hub sits on a 31,200-square-foot landscaped site specially engineered for responsible stormwater management practices. In addition to maximizing green space with native, low-maintenance vegetation, the site includes landscaped bioswales that direct rainwater into a 45-foot long retention pond.

Related: “Story book of timber” designed for University of Arkansas

Water-saving strategies have also been implemented inside the building, where water-efficient plumbing fixtures have resulted in a 31% reduction in the consumption of potable water. Energy efficiency is further enhanced by the maximization of daylighting through double-glazed, low-E windows, high-efficiency LED fixtures automated for energy conservation and a high-performance HVAC system. All building materials have low-VOC emissions and were locally sourced or made with recycled content wherever possible. 

“The important lesson learned from this project is that an efficient, sustainable building can be designed within the confines of a limited budget,” said Nandini Sengupta, senior associate for Urbahn Architects. “Bring in seasoned design consultants early in the conceptual phase, and perform continuous energy modeling starting in the conceptual design phase. The final building envelope and mechanical systems designs have resulted in an energy cost savings of 28%.”

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Photography by Ola Wilk/Wilk Marketing Communications via Urbahn Architects

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PriestmanGoode designs sustainable, plastic-free takeout containers

London-based design studio PriestmanGoode, as part of the Wallpaper* Re-Made project, has imagined a new, sustainable option for restaurant takeaway containers that is reusable and plastic foam-free.

As the desire for convenience and takeout food options increases in the world, so does the single-use plastic and other waste. Now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants that didn’t originally offer takeout are turning to the option in order to keep their businesses afloat, making environmentally friendly to-go options more important than ever.

Related: Designers aim to reduce the waste and impact of airlines

Jo Rowan, Associate Director of Strategy at PriestmanGoode explained, “We wanted to re-think food delivery and takeaway in a bid to minimize the environmental impact of convenience culture.”

Called ZERO, the takeaway packaging checks many boxes when it comes to eco-friendliness. For one, it reintroduces the idea of reusable containers. Not that long ago, reusable was the norm, but at some point we became a disposable society, endangering the planet with material production and disposal. ZERO also provides an alternative to the standard plastic foam containers that typically can’t be recycled.

To achieve zero waste, the idea is to charge the customer an upfront fee for the containers that is then reimbursed when the containers are returned for the next order. In addition to its usefulness as a takeaway alternative, the packaging offers a universal design that is transferable between restaurants. Plus, the containers offer temperature control during transport and delivery. These containers are also versatile and great to use at home, take on a picnic or carry lunch to the office.

The bioplastic for the containers, made from a byproduct of the cacao industry, is created by designer Paula Nerlich. Another notable material used for the insulation, designed by Ty Syml, is mycelium. For the food container and bag handles, Lexcell by Yulex provides a 100% plant-based, neoprene-free specialty natural rubber material. In addition, the outer bag comes from Nuatan by Crafting Plastics and is made from 100% raw, renewable resources, is biodegradable and can withstand high temperatures. Finally, Piñatex is used for the bag lid; Piñatex is a natural leather alternative made from cellulose fibers extracted from pineapple leaves.

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Via Dezeen

Images via PriestmanGoode and Carolyn Brown

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Testbeds repurposes architectural mockups into community assets in NYC

New York-based New Affiliates has teamed up with architect and historian Samuel Stewart-Halevy to launch Testbeds, an innovative, adaptive reuse initiative to transform architectural mockups from large-scale development projects into community structures such as classrooms, sheds and shade structures. The Testbeds’ pilot project will be located at the Edgemere Coalition Community Garden in Queens where, in collaboration with NYC Parks GreenThumb division, the designers hope to construct a multipurpose adaptive reuse structure in fall 2020.

Architectural mockups from large-scale development projects are typically constructed from high-end, resilient materials and commissioned by developers and institutions to simulate various parts of a planned building. Yet after review, those architectural mockups are typically discarded as waste into landfills. New Affiliates, which has a special interest in turning construction waste streams into architectural resources, collaborated with Stewart-Halevy to try and redirect these mockups from New York’s luxury real estate market to historically disinvested communities in the outer boroughs. 

Related: PAU unveils carbon-neutral Sunnyside Yard masterplan in NYC

In their conceptual proposals, the designers have reimagined mockups into elements for new greenhouses, casitas, tool sheds, cold frames, classrooms and other garden structures. “The process of repurposing mockups requires coordination between a wide range of stakeholders including community garden boards, city agencies including Parks and Sanitation and real estate developers,” the designers explained. 

The pilot project, for instance, required coordination with GreenThumb, which provides programming and material support to over 550 gardens in New York City. A mockup from the Tribeca condominium 30 Warren has been donated for the pilot project and consists of four custom concrete panels and an 8-by-5-foot glass window. The existing window will be used to frame a new room for meetings and classrooms placed beneath a large shade structure and next to a greenhouse and tool shed in the Edgemere Coalition Community Garden. The Testbeds team is currently fundraising for its pilot project and looking for partners and collaborators for this and future projects.

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This tiny house is insulated with cork and powered by solar

Eco-friendly company The Tiny Housing Co. has added The Natura tiny home to its portfolio of unique designs. The tiny house is powered by 1000W solar panels and built out of natural materials such as cork and wood, making it sustainable from the inside out.

Starting at just over $65,000, the design of The Natura is aimed at being as sustainable as possible. The company already includes solar paneling with all of its homes, but it also offers an additional “eco” package with 2000W solar panels and a wood-burning stove. The improved panels mean that occupants can generate enough power to run appliances solely from solar, and the wood-burning stove is connected to underfloor heating to reduce heating costs when coupled with the already-installed efficient insulation.

Related: Solar-powered cork house pursues healthy, sustainable living

Wood paneling makes up the exterior, while the facade features a thick corkboard layer to create a breathable, fire-retardant area near the loft-style, king-sized bedroom. The organic aesthetic of the exterior is complemented by the inside, which is complete with luxurious modern fixtures, soft tones and natural light. Clean water is filtered from an under-sink system, and energy-efficient appliances help keep utility costs down. As is essential in a minimalist home, there are plenty of space-saving features as well, such as hidden storage under the stairs, between the walls and under the bed.

Tight insulation is achieved in the walls, floor and roof using rockwool, lightweight XPS boards and cork. Rockwool is a rock-based mineral fiber usually composed of volcanic basalt rock and recycled steel or copper byproduct, and XPS boards (or polystyrene) does not result in harmful waste with its manufacture. According to the company, these materials can also help reduce harmful VOCs and other chemicals that can come with more common home insulation.

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Images via The Tiny Housing Co.

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