Singapore's latest development will finally blossom later this month, with an imposing canopy of artificial trees up to 50 meters high towering over a vast urban oasis.
The colossal solar-powered supertrees are found in the Bay South garden, which opens to the public on June 29. It is part of a 250-acre landscaping project --Gardens by the Bay -- that is an initiative from Singapore's National Parks Board that will see the cultivation of flora and fauna from foreign lands.
The man-made mechanical forest consists of 18 supertrees that act as vertical gardens, generating solar power, acting as air venting ducts for nearby conservatories, and collecting rainwater. To generate electricity, 11 of the supertrees are fitted with solar photovoltaic systems that convert sunlight into energy, which provides lighting and aids water technology within the conservatories below.
Smog-eating Tiles
Based near Los Angeles, the most ozone-polluted city in the U.S., according to 2012 rankings by the American Lung Association, the company says its "Smog-Eating Tiles" improve air quality by neutralizing smog-forming nitrogen oxides released by most vehicles (read more about smog in our fact box).
The tiles are coated with titanium dioxide, a photocalyst that can oxidize harmful air pollutants emitted in the burning of fossil fuels. When exposed to natural light, the titanium dioxide breaks down nitrogen oxides in the air and turns them into harmless calcium nitrate.
"Calcium nitrate ... washes off your roof with normal precipitation and is a regular garden fertilizer," said Renowden. He notes that the tiles typically add between $600-$1000 to the price of tiling an average roof.
He adds that over a one-year period, the tiles on a 2,000 sq/ft house can oxidize nitrogen oxides "equivalent to driving 10,000 miles a year in your car."
Smog Eating Tiles Gobble up Air Pollution
Wind Powered Playgrounds
These candy-coated pavilions could be straight out of a Teletubby wonderland, but are actually an art installation in a waterfront park in Shanghai. Before the 2010 World Expo last year, the city created a new park along the Huangpu river to contribute to the expo's theme of “better city, better life”. Although the expo is over and done and most of the amazing pavilions are torn down, the park remains and is a fixture in the lives of the people who live nearby and use it daily. These wind-powered pavilions in Bailanjing Park designed by Taranta Creations are part of a series of art installations along the waterfront. Their nighttime lights are powered by the wind and each pavilion serves a different fun purpose, like singing karaoke, playing chess, dancing, or sitting and relaxing with friends.
Wind-Powered Pavillions in Shanghai are Fun Candy-Coated Play Houses
Could Helium-3, Mined from the Moon Save Our Energy Problems?
Could a rare gas collected from the moon provide the answer to Earth’s energy problems? Many scientists believe helium-3 could provide us with all the power we need for 10,000 years. Even now, NASA and start-ups like Planetary Resources (a venture of James Cameron and Google billionaires Larry Page and Eric Schmidt) are looking into tapping this extraterrestrial resource.
Helium-3 is a light, non-radioactive isotope of helium with two protons and one neutron. Although it’s relatively rare on Earth, it’s abundant on the moon’s surface, where it is deposited by solar winds. It’s also a potent energy source. Researchers estimate that 25 tons of helium-3 could power the United States for an entire year. Because of the massive benefits, China has been heavily researching the possibility of lunar mining, and Russia’s S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation has set a goal of creating a lunar base to extract helium-3 by 2030.
Full Article: InHabitat
Wind Powered Playgrounds
These candy-coated pavilions could be straight out of a Teletubby wonderland, but are actually an art installation in a waterfront park in Shanghai. Before the 2010 World Expo last year, the city created a new park along the Huangpu river to contribute to the expo's theme of “better city, better life”. Although the expo is over and done and most of the amazing pavilions are torn down, the park remains and is a fixture in the lives of the people who live nearby and use it daily. These wind-powered pavilions in Bailanjing Park designed by Taranta Creations are part of a series of art installations along the waterfront. Their nighttime lights are powered by the wind and each pavilion serves a different fun purpose, like singing karaoke, playing chess, dancing, or sitting and relaxing with friends.
Wind-Powered Pavillions in Shanghai are Fun Candy-Coated Play Houses
Could Helium-3, Mined from the Moon Save Our Energy Problems?
Could a rare gas collected from the moon provide the answer to Earth’s energy problems? Many scientists believe helium-3 could provide us with all the power we need for 10,000 years. Even now, NASA and start-ups like Planetary Resources (a venture of James Cameron and Google billionaires Larry Page and Eric Schmidt) are looking into tapping this extraterrestrial resource.
Helium-3 is a light, non-radioactive isotope of helium with two protons and one neutron. Although it’s relatively rare on Earth, it’s abundant on the moon’s surface, where it is deposited by solar winds. It’s also a potent energy source. Researchers estimate that 25 tons of helium-3 could power the United States for an entire year. Because of the massive benefits, China has been heavily researching the possibility of lunar mining, and Russia’s S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation has set a goal of creating a lunar base to extract helium-3 by 2030.
Full Article: InHabitat
No comments:
Post a Comment