Compact OffGridBox provides clean drinking water and power where it’s needed most

An Italian company has developed a compact solution for communities that lack access to clean drinking water and electricity – the OffGridBox . Measuring 6x6x6 feet, the container cube features everything necessary to generate, convert and store solar energy , as well as collect, treat and distribute clean drinking water . But the system does have drawbacks – including a $15,000 price point that’s hard to justify in certain corners of the world. Read on to learn how the founders are trying to scale their innovative solution for maximum impact. According to Fast Company, “Founder and CEO Emiliano Cecchini has sold a few of the units, but he worries he’s not yet found the formula to take his invention to scale.” “We’re looking for the next system to scale,” Cecchini told FastCo. “The idea came three years ago and, yeah, we’re kind of struggling to make it bigger. Back in Italy, it’s not easy to find the right financing strategy, mentors, and accelerator programs.” Related: Desert Twins produce drinking water in the driest place on Earth It’s a pity, because OffGridBox has the capability to serve up to 1,500 people per unit, the company says, and that’s without any upgrades. The basic model comes equipped with 12 solar modules, an inverter and battery storage. This system provides enough power to charge 300 battery packs that can each charge three LED lights for four hours and two cell phones, according to FastCo. OffGridBox also has a built-in water filtration system that produces food-quality drinking water, and a built-in storage tank that holds up to 396 gallons. That’s potentially life-changing for communities that lack good infrastructure. The company is persevering with a new model that will charge end users a nominal fee to use the station. “The new model is pay-as-you-go micro-payments, local contractors, and local empowerment,” Cecchini told FastCo. A family of four will pay 12 US cents per day for water, and the battery packs are subsidized by the company. They’re testing this new tactic in Rwanda , where the company plans to install units in 18 villages. Eventually they hope to equip the boxes with Wi-Fi. Head over to FastCo for the full story . + OffGridBox

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Compact OffGridBox provides clean drinking water and power where it’s needed most

Huge circular windows flood Melbourne’s Cirqua Apartments with natural light

Huge circular windows flood the interior of this funky apartment block in Melbourne with natural light. BKK Architects designed the Cirqua Apartments as a series of staggered volumes that reference the region’s historical housing while reinterpreting it in a modern way. The block occupies a steeply sloping site in a residential neighborhood in Melbourne. Its exterior is dominated by huge porthole windows that span almost the full height of the six cubes. The openings bring natural light into the interior and maximize the connection of the project to the surrounding garden. Related: 6,000 Circular Windows Flood Japan’s Kanazawa Library With Light The open-plan interiors feature a lot of natural materials and warm colors, with circular light fittings echoing the circular windows. White walls, marble and wood create a delicate visual balance. Beside its remarkable design features, the project also creates a precedent in the area’s multi-residential market. It was built to appeal to owner-occupiers rather than buy-to-let investors. + BKK Architects Via Dezeen Lead photo by Peter Bennetts

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Huge circular windows flood Melbourne’s Cirqua Apartments with natural light

GreenOrder, Cleantech Group announce merger

The two pioneering companies have found common purpose at the intersection of clean technology and sustainable business.

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GreenOrder, Cleantech Group announce merger

Team Roma’s Solar-Powered Med in Italy Prefab Has Amazing Thermal Properties

Read the rest of Team Roma’s Solar-Powered Med in Italy Prefab Has Amazing Thermal Properties Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: Architecture , BIPV , cleantech , Design , eco design , Europe , green design , madrid , Med in Italy , SDE 2012 , Solar Decathlon , Solar Power , sustainable design , Team Roma , thermal massing

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Team Roma’s Solar-Powered Med in Italy Prefab Has Amazing Thermal Properties

A Solar-Canopy Powers Tranquil Middlebrook Artist Studios in Coastal California

Read the rest of A Solar-Canopy Powers Tranquil Middlebrook Artist Studios in Coastal California Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: California , ccs architecture , cleantech , Djerassi Resident Artists , eco design , green design , Middelbrook Studios , solar panels , sustainable design , Woodside

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A Solar-Canopy Powers Tranquil Middlebrook Artist Studios in Coastal California

Germany Sets New Solar Record By Meeting Nearly Half of Country’s Weekend Power Demand

Germany fed a whopping 22 gigawatts of solar power per hour into the national grid on Saturday, setting a new record by meeting nearly half of the country’s weekend power demand. After the Fukushima disaster , Japan opted to shut down all of its nuclear power stations and Germany followed suit after considerable public pressure. This seems to have paved the way for greater investment in solar energy projects. The  Renewable Energy Industry (IWR) in Muenster announced that Saturday’s solar energy generation met nearly 50 percent of the nation’s midday electricity needs AND was equal to 20 nuclear power stations at full capacity! Read the rest of Germany Sets New Solar Record By Meeting Nearly Half of Country’s Weekend Power Demand Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: “solar energy” , 2020 energy goals , alternative energy , clean tech , cleantech , eco design , EU , Fukushima , germany , green design , meltdown , news , nuclear , nuclear disaster , nuclear power , protests , renewable energy , solar panels , sustainable design

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Germany Sets New Solar Record By Meeting Nearly Half of Country’s Weekend Power Demand

The SAVortex Is the World’s Most Efficient Hand Dryer

SAVortex is known for designing, manufacturing, and launching the world’s most efficient hand dryer–the Vortex 550. Inhabitat recently caught up with founder Syed Ahmed at the Cleantech Forum in San Francisco, where we spoke to him about his design. Syed shared with us a wealth of information about washrooms, his revolutionary Vortex 550, and details about the patented compression and regenerative heating technologies that reduce the unit’s power consumption by 66% (as compared with Dyson’s popular Airblade model). Hit jump to find out more about this new tech! Read the rest of The SAVortex Is the World’s Most Efficient Hand Dryer Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: “cleantech forum” , “energy efficiency” , “vortex hand dryer” , clean and cool mission , clean technology , cleantech , Green Building , green design , Hand dryer , SAVortex , syed ahmed , Vortex

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The SAVortex Is the World’s Most Efficient Hand Dryer

Ole Scheeren’s Floating Cinema in Thailand is Made of Recycled Materials

Floating on a raft in Thailand is an experience that dreams are made of, but add Ole Scheeren’s cinema to the equation and you’ll basically feel like you died and went to heaven. Designed as a theater for the Film on the Rocks Yao Noi Film Festival , the Archipelago Cinema was nestled between two verdant rocks in the middle of Nai Pi Lae Lagoon near Kudu Island. The lucky guests were floated out to watch a nighttime film in what was described as a surreal and almost primordial cinematic experience. Read the rest of Ole Scheeren’s Floating Cinema in Thailand is Made of Recycled Materials Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags:

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Ole Scheeren’s Floating Cinema in Thailand is Made of Recycled Materials

Solar Installations in the US More Than Doubled in 2011

The US solar industry is gaining some serious ground, according to a new industry report charting a recent spike in solar installations. While big bankruptcies — such as government-backed Solyndra ‘s – have grabbed the headlines, the solar industry enjoyed a record-breaking year last year. The new report from the  Solar Energy Industries Association and  GTM Research noted that the number of photovoltaic installations more than doubled from 2010 to 2011. Read the rest of Solar Installations in the US More Than Doubled in 2011 Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: “clean energy” , “solar energy” , cleantech , GTM Research , photovoltaic , Solar Energy Industries Association , solar panels , Solar Power , solar pv

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Solar Installations in the US More Than Doubled in 2011

Free Smartphone Applications Can Consume 75% Of Your Battery Life!

I think we can all agree that smartphones are incredibly useful, and their benefits are only compounded by the wide range of applications we can download . However, a study has revealed that these applications you may have acquired for free could be draining your battery life by an astounding 75% — mainly due to ads. Read the rest of Free Smartphone Applications Can Consume 75% Of Your Battery Life! Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: ads in free apps battery life , Angry Birds , applications smartphone battery , battery , Featured , free applications battery life , free apps battery , free apps battery life , free apps inefficient , Free Smartphone Applications Can Consume 75% Of Your Battery Life! , green it , iphone battery life , Mobile & Wireless , power , renewable energy , smartphone , why does my smartphone battery drain so quickly

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Free Smartphone Applications Can Consume 75% Of Your Battery Life!

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