Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Solar Junction have set a new record for high-efficiency solar cells with an unprecedented 44% efficiency rate.
Via Kalani Kirk Hausman
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Rescooped by Digital Sustainability from Sustainable Technologies onto Digital Sustainability |
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Via Kalani Kirk Hausman
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One man’s trash is said to be another man’s treasure, and now old cargo shipping containers are rapidly becoming sought-after treasure in the architecture industry. The term cargotecture, coined in 2005 by HyBrid Architecture, is used to describe any building partially or entirely built from recycled ISO shipping containers. It may seem strange that such a simple, aesthetically-unappealing box could be so loved by modern architects, but the increased use of reclaimed materials in architecture is starting to show no bounds. In a world dominated by mass production, architects are being forced to find alternative ways of designing buildings that will make the smallest impact on the earth. Extending the life of discarded materials and saving salvageable items from landfill is a completely viable approach. Shipping containers are resistant to fire, termites, hurricanes and earthquakes, proving themselves to be extremely resilient.
Somewhat like stacking blocks of Lego, steel or aluminum shipping containers are a perfectly strong building block... Via Lauren Moss 
Pierre R Chantelois's comment,
January 12, 9:56 PM
Quelle excellente idée. Si les gouvernements pouvaient en réquisitionner quelques milliers, ils pourraient en faire don à Haïti pour accéler la mise à niveau de la qualité de vie de la population. Un 12 décembre, il y a trois ans...
Natalie Curtis's curator insight,
March 8, 9:27 AM
I love that I've finally found the neologism for this type of architecture finally! Cargotecture is an upcoming trend in the architect's world and this article is actually one of the most brief and yet informative blogs I may have found in my short search, so far of these shipping container homes and buildings. The containers prove to be a very useful and easily moveable. They are in great abundance, which is fantastic since they are so often used for their resilience to fire, termites, hurricanes and earthquakes. So there's my answer finally to why these containers are becoming so popular amongst architects. Delete the scoop?
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![Sustainable Technology: Our phones are depleting natural resources [INFOGRAPHIC] | Digital Sustainability | Scoop.it](http://img.scoop.it/PMwB9eX-lUPdQsXTU7RaYjl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBVaiQDB_Rd1H6kmuBWtceBJ)
This infographic takes a look at this troubling technology trend, which is depleting the planet's supply of Rare Earth Elements.
Apple sold a record 5 million iPhones the first weekend the phone was on the market. And unlike in the iPhone’s early days, the latest Apple smartphones are not primarily being purchased by first time owners. But did you ever stop to think about what happens to all those iPhone 3, 3GS, 4 and 4Ss now deemed out of date? While there are many recycling programs available, most smartphones are not efficiently thrown out. Apple’s iPhones is far from the only culprit — most every smartphone, hard drive, hybrid car, satellite, MRI machine and GPS, along with dozens of other tech gadgets, are made from Rare Earth Elements. This infographic takes a look at this troubling technology trend, which is depleting the planet’s supply of rare earth elements... Via Lauren Moss Delete the scoop?
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Rescooped by Digital Sustainability from Sustainable Technologiesonto Digital Sustainability