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Architecture

Keeping Cool Without Costing The Earth

July 5, 2022 Rapid Transition Alliance, Resilience. , , ,
In May 2022 temperatures in India and Pakistan reached 50°C. Heat this fierce causes chaos to infrastructure, water security and also triggers irreversible cell damage within the human body. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) reported that this extreme event, which plunged nearly a billion people into heat stress, was made 30 times more likely due to climate change. And with extreme heat comes the need to keep cool. As the heat waves in India and Pakistan showed, the response for those that can afford it, is to buy an air conditioner (AC).

Beautiful Hobbit House Must Be Destroyed

August 4, 2014 Rachael Misstear, www.walesonline.co.uk , ,
A 'hobbit house' is now facing demolition after a council refused it retrospective planning permission. Pembrokeshire council planners ruled that the home in Crymych broke the rules for developing homes in the countryside. The decision was backed by nine councillors and four voted against the decision at County Hall in Haverfordwest. It comes after the planning committee visited the site of the eco-home in Glandwr earlier this month. Charlie Hague and Megan Williams built the eco-friendly house to live a self-sufficient lifestyle, winning fans across the world. They have spent years fighting against the demolition of their distinctive home, which was built on private land without planning permission. They received a demolition notice from the council as they failed to apply for planning permission. The couple said that the home has a low impact on the environment because of its unique construction, with its straw bale walls absorbing carbon.

Brettstapel: Important New Building Material

August 4, 2014 Lloyd Alter, www.treehugger.com , ,
Why this mountain bike center is built of Brettstapel, and why North American builders should be using this stuff. Coed-y-Brenin is a hugely popular mountain biking destination in Wales, " the original mountain biking centre, where it all began. From retro, rocky, classics to modern contempory trails, there are rides to satisfy first timers to seasoned pros!" Architype Architects have designed an extension to the original building that has a bike shop below and meeting rooms above. That's a fun use and it is an interesting building, but the real buzz is about the Brettstapel. Brettstapel is a method of making massive wood panels out of smaller pieces of wood, resulting in large panels that can be used as structural walls and slabs, much like Cross-Laminated-Timber (CLT). The use of CLT or other massive wood technologies can help substitute renewable wood for concrete, which has a very high carbon footprint, in many projects.
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