Earlier this year, Inhabitat covered GreenPIX , Simone Giostra’s groundbreaking Zero Energy Media Wall in Beijing. Recently ScribeMedia Arts & Culture released an excellent interview where the architect explains how he pitched the proposal to the client and developed the concept and installation. Giostra describes the GreenPIX wall as a form of “dynamic architecture” made of “hardware, software and content”.

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Recently a trio of entrepreneurs announced an incredible solution for the world’s resource problems: turn the Sahara desert into a source for food, water, and energy. The Sahara Forest Project (.PDF) is a solution that combines seemingly disparate technologies - Concentrated solar power and Seawater Greenhouses - and turns them into a mean, green super-massive biomachine. The elegant system could potentially produce enough energy for all of Africa and Europe while turning one of the world’s most inhospitable regions into a flourishing oasis.

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Tags: sahara, forest, initiative, solar, power, world, green, solutions, africa, desalination, plant, technology, seawater, greenhouse, concentrating, energy, alternative

Ahh, the art of camouflage. As technology becomes ever more ubiquitous in our lives we have begun to try and hide it, and blend it in with our surroundings (perhaps you have seen those cell towers that pose as trees). Well now the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Mitsubishi Corp and Tokki Corp have developed an organic thin film solar cell that takes the shape of a common leaf.

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Tags: solar, thin, film, AIST, Mitsubishi, Tokki, leaves, plant, camouflage, energy, renewable

Photovoltaic gadgets often get trapped in the monotonous façade of plain panels, which often leave something to be desired in the aesthetics department. Not so with Vivien Muller’s sleek PhotoSynthese charger. Resembling a potted bonsai tree, the silvery solar charger rests atop an elegant tray.

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There are few experiences closer to foodie heaven than the stunning table set by this year’s Slow Food Nation. Hosted in collaboration with the 2008 Architecture and the City Festival, the event saw San Francisco erupt in a momentous celebration of good, local, and sustainable food. From the beautiful Civic Center Victory Garden to an excellent assortment of films, lectures, and music, the event united over 60,000 people in honest appreciation for the food that sustains us all. One of our highlights by far were the architecturally inspired Tasting Pavilions, offering a culinary tour-de-force of the finest and freshest in 15 food groups. Each innovative pavilion was designed a top bay-area architect and many structured their stands around sustainable building practices. Read on for our favorites!

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Mike McDonald and his wife Dr. Jill Martenson decided to build their home on a steep lot ravaged by a fire in the Oakland hills back in 1991. The 4600 sq ft Margarido House is by no means a small home, but with the addition of a plethora of green building features it will become the first LEED-H Platinum certified home in Northern California. It will also be GreenPoint rated, which is a separate third party rating system administered by Build It Green. The Margarido House will feature almost every green strategy you can imagine and will be 55% more efficient than California’s Title 24 energy standards.

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Tags: LEED, Platinum, Oakland, Home, GreenPoint, magrido, house, sustainable, architecture, green, building

Swedish company Home Energy recently revealed an innovative wind turbine that spins in a spherical formation. Eschewing traditional rotors for a sleek orb structure, this beautiful rethinking of conventional wind turbine design utilizes the Venturi principle, which funnels wind within the turbine’s blades. The resulting spherical wind turbine features increased efficiency and lower noise levels - making it ideal for small scale energy needs such as personal home use. Best of all it’s called the Energy Ball: the fun name is an added bonus.

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With two million residents recently forced to evacuate the Gulf Coast, the need for emergency housing has never been more evident. There’s nothing flimsy about the intricate folds of the reCover Shelter, which can sustain a family of four following a disaster for up to a month. As you may suspect, the oversized origami structure can be entirely collapsed into not one, but two different shapes (either horse-shoe or flat) depending on which is easier to transport. Plus, it’s composed of polypropylene, meaning no harmful gases go into the production of the shelter and it is 100% recyclable after use. Set-up takes minutes and only requires one person on deck.

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Project H Design, the product design nonprofit founded by Inhabitat’s own Emily Pilloton, is currently in the running to win $10,000 for their newly launched project: designing educational math toys for the developing world and US retail markets. They’ve assembled a team of designers, social entrepreneurs, and manufactures to develop a math toy that will be locally-manufacturable in the developing world (based on the Kutamba School for AIDS orphans case study and Architecture for Humanity project in Uganda) in addition to a sister US retail product based on the same concept/system. Ideablob hosts a monthly contest that awards $10,000 to one great idea, aka the one that receives the most votes. Please help Project H by voting for them on Ideablob!

HELP PROJECT H WIN $10,000 BY VOTING ON IDEABLOB HERE>>>

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If ‘cycle chic’ is something that you have been trying to master - that is, looking totally fabulous on a bike while dressing functionally and with panache, look no further than those clever, design-savvy Londoners. We love the idea of melding sustainable style with green transportation, and Cycle Chic is a great online guide featuring ways to cycle safely while sporting some rather fashion-forward ideas. Any opportunity to wear tartan plaid with a biking helmet always gets me rolling, and I am happy to see that girls everywhere are being totally adventurous while sending the message that style needn’t be sacrificed when one opts to pedal to their next destination.

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