ECO DESIGN - Net Zero Offices in LA

The new Morphosis office in Culver City is the largest net-zero energy building in LA and is one of the greenest offices in the USA.

The fairly rectangular structure, located just a few feet from the new light rail Expo Line’s elevated tracks in Culver City (good for commuting), gets most of its energy from photovoltaics—a 2,800-square-foot array sitting on top of a shaded parking canopy outside.  What sets the building apart are it's innovative energy saving methods developed by nearby engineers Buro Happold.

There are four windcatchers on top of the two-story building’s angled roof, a technology adapted from ancient desert environments. Their high-tech iteration, produced by a company called Monodraught, has never before been employed in the United States. Essentially they are louvered steel boxes containing interior cross blades that allow air into the building, and, through the pressure built up on the far side of each blade, pull hot air up the other side. A digital sensor system (powered by photovoltaics) decides when to open the louvers and set the system in motion. It also keeps the louvers open at night, so cool air can flush out the space before the next work day.  LA gets so hot during the day that reducing the reliance on air conditioning is key.

The building’s east and south facades are solid and this limits the solar heat gain. In addition to this, a series of acrylic and galvanized steel shades cover the building’s sun-facing edges to create a pleasant outdoor gathering space for employees.

From a design perspective the offices look amazing - at DesignerEco we particularly love the entryway’s fabricated metallic screen. This is how it can and should be done! For more information and the full article click here.

CHINA'S NEW ECO CITY

We are always thrilled to stumble across green building projects, Tianjin, originally a toxic dumping ground, is to be transformed into an entire eco city. What's great is that they have approached it very realistically with successful adoption in mind.  See below for more info:

Tianjin,  93 miles southeast from Beijing is a coastal port city undergoing an amazing transformation.
The site chosen for the project was an industrial dumping ground for toxic waste, barren salt flats abutting one of the world's most polluted seas. This was deliberate, says Ho Tong Yen, head of Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city Development and Investment, the firm charged with building the city. "In the past, so-called ecocities have been built in ecologically important areas or on useful arable land. We wanted to show that it's possible to clean up a polluted area and make it useful and liveable."

A green spine, called the “eco valley” runs through the heart of the city with cycle routes and a tram. Residents will be encouraged to use regular low-carbon transport or walk, rather than driving. Cars won't be banned, Ho says. "We don't want to create obstacles for people, but rather make it conducive to use alternatives." Niche designs that have focused blindly on eco-technologies have not worked, he thoughtfully says. "This eco-city will be practical – it will work."

Water provision is one of the bigger challenges in this naturally arid area. Tap water will be drinkable and piped in, although the city is planning a possible desalination plant too. A lot of effort is being put into conserving water and recycling it for irrigation and toilet flushing. "The lakes and water pipes have been lined in clay or concrete to prevent salt water incursion, and all waste water is being sent to plant for anaerobic biodigestion," says Ary de Koning of the EU-China River Basin Management Programme, who is advising the city on water issues. "The methane emitted in the digestion process is then used to produce energy," he says.
Read the full article here.

The designers involved here probably won't be sourcing from our boutique - in this instance - it's definitely more eco friendly for them to buy 'Made in China' :)