There are so much recycling opportunities. Gary McNeish is one if the growing group of great people in the world who wants to make the world more clean and circular.
For the last few years, he has been concentrating on recycling industrial waste:
Metal from tyres can be used in the same way, however this method not only strengthens the concrete but if a small electric current is applied to the concrete when dry it will heat up making it ideal for snow and ice removal in harsh environments
Recycling red mud (Bauxite Residue) a by product from the Aluminium industry
The greenhouse purifies the outdoor air with functional living green before it will enter the building.
The municipality of Venlo preferred a new city hall as state-of-the-art example of Cradle-to-Cradle design. Right now, the City Hall Venlo’s design is a paramount example of applying the Cradle to Cradle design principles on building scale. The Hall is being recognized for many innovations
the building is designed for its users and residents, culture and place
it is designed to anticipate future innovations and continuous improvements at all scales
This post describes how the dream of a C2C inspired building has been translated into practice, how the process evolved and the benefits it has brought so far. How did they do it?
Reusing materials begins with the knowledge about products and building. What’s inside and what can we do with it? Read More
Mobaco-A’s starting point is to create a village environment with local resources which can be made by local people themselves. The dwelling units consist of freestanding, semi-switched and switched units that can be linked as needed
The MOBACO-A Concept – MOdular Bio-BAsed Self COnstructing – intents to build adaptable reconstructable shelters for the permanent demand for temporary or tiny houses.
Beginning 2016 the Dutch Government (COA) issued a competition for constructing for refugees. The Mobaco-A consortium starting point was: respecting both the People and Planet aspects.
This concept house is complete self supplying for it’s energy, water and can be made by de the local people themselves in just two days. Read More
In the Netherlands, the utilization of Geopoolymer is recommended by the CUR committee as one of the 7 high potentials actions towards the Dutch initiatives on further lowering the CO2 footprint of concrete.
Geopolymer concrete is Cement-free. This Geopolymer product is a more sustainable alternative for ordinary cement based concrete.
It uses a mixture of industrial by-products such as ashes, produced during the manufacturing of steel.
Therefore geopolymer concrete preserves natural resources, produces less CO2 and allows us to use by-products to develop a sustainable construction material.
It’s a beautiful product which can be used to build for environmentally friendly buildings. Read More
The wooden tower will be 73 meters high, containing 55 apartments of different sizes
Haut will be the new landmark in Amsterdam. The 21-storey residential building by the River Amstel in Amsterdam, is a serious contender to become the tallest timber tower in the world.
The new standard is created in exclusive comfort in one of the most beautiful places in Amsterdam.
BetterWorldConstructions Green Architecture and Urban Development
BetterWorldConstructions aims to close the loop of low carbon construction chains. Therefore we organize a workshop named ‘The Future of Building Circular’ in the Netherlands, April 20, 2017.
We invited the networks of clients, architects and suppliers in the bio-composite materials construction chain, circular construction and low-carbon concrete industries in the Netherlands and in Belgium. Read More
The Breeam Awards 2017 – the international award for exceptional sustainable places and projects around the world – have been awarded to beautiful, sustainable buildings.
The high performing winners contribute to high sustainability performance coupled with commitment and vision to creating and maintaining healthy, productive places.
For the first year, the Breeam partnered with GRESB to introduce new award categories for socially responsible investment based on the use of BREEAM and GRESB. Read More
This Rubber House is named for its use of recycled rubber conveyor belts screwed onto the exterior of the home to serve as roof and cladding material.
PhD Laurens Polgar has created recyclable rubber.
Until now, rubber was only reusable as low grade product, for example used as pegs or paving stones.
By using a different system, Polgar has made rubber that is completely recyclable to new rubber, while maintaining all its properties.
Polgar won with his invention the Benelux finals of the prestigious Falling Walls Lab and is allowed to participate in the European final in Berlin. Read More
According to climate researchers, more rain than snow will fall in the Arctic. Moreover, oceans are getting hotter, and they’re also losing oxygen
According to climate researchers in the Netherlands, at the end of this century more rain than snow will fall in the Arctic. It was already known that, due to global warming, up to 60% more precipitation would fall in the Arctic.
The researchers now argue that it mainly involves rain, while scientists always presuppose the precipitation would be snow. Read More
ECN – a Dutch research on energy company – claims a breakthrough in CO2 removal technology.
The company is focussing on CO2 capturing and the reuse of CO2.
With the SEWGS technology (Sorption-Enhanced Water Gas Shift), in just one proces step, coal and gas plants, wil operate cheaper and more energy efficient. Read More
V-Storage started a pilot using old batteries from busses as an energy storage system. The ‘old’ batteries are placed in a large container. They intent to use the stored energy to electrify busses and to increase the Grid Balance. The pilot will start in January 2017.
In four or five years, the batteries in the roughly one and a quarter million EVs currently on the road are going to start to wane. EV owners will either replace them, or replace the cars entirely.
That means we’ll have a lot of used batteries (with plenty of life left in them) but which are no longer suitable for EVs. What to do?
One possibility is repurposing them to serve as grid-connected energy storage.
Storage is valuable to the grid for many reasons, including its ability to smooth out fluctuations in supply, allowing for more integration of variable renewable energy. Read More
The University Wageningen concluded that recent cultivation research has led to a reduction of costs of more than 50%. Sustainable seaweed cultivation is necessary to develop new production and market chains!
Let’s introduce to you the SeaFarm: It’s one of the solutions to secure food, feed, green chemistry and energy in the near future.
As per United Nations:
“The world population is predicted to grow to 8.3 billion in 2030 and to 9.1 billion in 2050. By 2030, food demand is predicted to increase by 50% (70% by 2050). The main challenge facing the agricultural sector is not so much growing 70% more food in 40 years, but making 70% more food available on the plate.”
We live at sea
Two third of the world population lives not more than 350 miles from the sea. Somewhat more than halve of the population lives at a maximum of 150 miles from the sea.
In 2050 – in order to feed, clothe, house and energize mankind – we need to have doubled agro production. The big question is ‘Is this possible?’ Yes it is. Which alternatives do we have?
We can speed up deforestation, but then don’t bother about biodiversity, nature etc.
Triple P? Yes, but then bring agriculture to the marine environment. This should be the start of developing sustainable seafarms, based on seaweeds and (shell)fish.
Advantages of a Seafarm
The developed SeaFarm concept and design is a solution to move food production of aquatic and non-aquatic cultures to the ocean surface. Benefits of such solution, comparing to “traditional” farming are:
No land reclamation
Minimizing losses due to pests “infection”
Minimizing or completely removing usage of pesticides
Organic food production is possible without costly and lengthy process of land preparation (“healing”)
Cultures are grown in controlled climate
Cultures are grown in vicinity of the consumers, cutting transportation COx pollution and costs and reducing road congestion
Inserting Oxygen into atmosphere by photo synthesis and reducing CO2
Minimal usage or no usage of fossil fuels or external energy sources
No new or “experimental” technology – only proven components are used
Short “pay-back” period – approx. 18 months for presented case.
This should be the start of developing sustainable seafarms, based on seaweeds and (shell)fish.
Seaweed opportunities
According to the University Wageningen, seaweeds-based seafarms produce:
Proteins
Pufas
Carbohydrates
Micronutrients
Minerals (especially P)
and Energy!
TripleP sustainable
Starting point for new developments is that it must be TripleP sustainable, since we cannot afford any longer to threaten the worlds ecosystems and its biodiversity, and since we have to meet human requirements such as food security, green chemistry and climate measures.
A futuristic view? We do have 40 years for realization! Seaweed-based sea farming is then an opportunity:
Food security >> proteins, micronutrients and lots of other valuable compounds
Green chemistry >> replacement of fossil resources together with land based plant resources
Energy if not otherwise
Production of fresh water if needed
No freshwater usage for plant production
Recycling of lost plant nutrients
Sequestering Green House Gasses
Off shore cultivation
Logistic, costs of infrastructure yield and planting mechanisms. The University Wageningen concluded that recent cultivation research has led to a reduction of costs of more than 50%. Sustainable seaweed cultivation is necessary to develop new production and market chains!
Seaweed is most commonly recognized as being the green wrapping around your sushi rolls, but it has so much more to offer your body and the planet than just sushi support. Seaweed is known as the ocean’s superfood and is one of the most sustainable, nutritious and cheapest foods we can grow. It’s an abundant source of minerals and has unique cleansing and detoxifying properties. Seaweed is an amazing, underutilized gift straight from the ocean.
Wakame is a wonderful seaweed for women in particular, because it’s been shown to significantly reduce bloating. It tastes a bit like spinach and is commonly used in seaweed salads. Soak it briefly first and keep in mind that it will expand about 20 times. When boiled with water, it provides a healing mineral-rich broth, one that you will find as a base for most miso soups.
Nutrition
Once you get over the slimy texture, you’ll find that seaweed has a lot to offer nutritionally and is easy to sneak into your diet in different forms. Sea vegetables are rich in trace minerals, iodine, iron and calcium. These minerals are essential for proper brain function, metabolism and maintenance of strong bones. They also have powerful electrolytes to help keep you hydrated, contain blood-purifying chlorophyll (remember, they’re still plants and require photosynthesis to develop) and polysaccharides, which detoxify your body from heavy metals and other toxic substances. They can also be great sources of protein, vitamin B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids. These properties definitely qualify seaweed as a superfood — one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.
Sustainability
One of the biggest factors contributing to climate change is the carbon-dioxide emissions produced from factory farming. More than a quarter of the CO2 released into the atmosphere is absorbed directly into the ocean. Seaweed, however, has the amazing ability to absorb dissolved nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon dioxide directly from the sea. It actually needs to absorb CO2 in order to grow, making it the ideal plant to assist with our threatened ecosystems.
We need seaweed to keep our oceans clean. Fortunately, it’s a resilient plant that reproduces quickly. Seaweed farms are becoming more popular and have the capacity to grow nutrient-dense food for both humans and animals. Seaweed also has the potential to be a source of biofuel and fertilizer for crops like corn and soy. As one of the fastest-growing plants in the world, it could nourish the entire planet while leaving a negative carbon footprint — you can think of seaweed as the culinary equivalent to an electric car.
Varieties of Seaweed
Seaweed has more than 10,000 species. It’s very easy to incorporate the most common and easiest species into your diet.
Sundrop Farms: The company that’s growing food in the desert. Complete circular and green
This tomato farm in Australia is the first agricultural facility of it’s kind, combining solar power with desalination and countering the requirement for fresh water and fossil fuels.
The firm celebrated its grand opening in Port Augusta, South Australia, last Thursday.
ORNL researchers developed a catalyst made of copper nanoparticles (seen as spheres) embedded in carbon nanospikes that can convert carbon dioxide into ethanol.
Wow, they did it. Just by coincident. Scientist of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory succeeded to convert CO2 into ethanol.
It is time to demonstrate how to change the world!
Dangerous debris that destroys people’s lives and their surroundings will soon be transformed by The MobileFactory’s The Flying Dutchman into high-quality building materials for poor people to build their own safe, dignified homes. Read More
Circular building is more than reusing the existing structure. All added materials, such as the concrete tiles, furniture and the insulation material, are recycled products and materials.
How do you give four dated bunched offices a second life without wasting material? Simple: build circular.
Energy Company Liander did it.
We have seen it. And it’s an amazing ‘new’ future proof and circular building. Read More
Smart Cable Guard: You will receive immediate alerts of any faults, including recurring hidden faults (self-healing breakdowns) that are difficult to detect by conventional methods.
This online multi-functional monitoring system saves millions because of it’s early warning system that prevents your area from electricity breakdowns. Read More
The Hellisheidi power plant is the world’s largest geothermal facility. It provides the energy for Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, plus power for industry, by pumping up volcanically heated water to run turbines
Iceland has done it again. No, its not football. It’s even better. They successfully turned CO2 into stone!
In Iceland, scientists and engineers are fighting climate change by injecting CO2 deep into volcanic rocks. Read More
‘Cauca project’ in Colombia developed with recycled plastic components by Concepts Plastics
Colombian architect Oscar Mendez is building homes for the homeless, using discarded plastic.
We give credits to the guy who came up with this invention. He is helping so many people and families.
Let’s ensure this solution spreads all around the world. Not just for homeless, he can sell it for sheds, storage, parking garage etc… Great idea!!! Read More
Lego was built on plastic. Now the Danish toy company is investing millions into getting rid of it.
Lego’s mission is to gain a positive impact in the world. With a successful strategy, the Danish company already saved 7,000 tons of packaging materials.
This was said by Tim Brooks, vice president environmental responsibility. Read More
The Breeam Awards 2017 – the international award for exceptional sustainable places and projects around the world – have been awarded to beautiful, sustainable buildings. 
