Episode 156: To B or not to B? A bold experiment in reusable consumer packaging

This week, words of wisdom from Danone’s chief sustainability officer, TerraCycle founder Tom Szaky, Marsh & McLennan risk specialist Richard Smith-Bingham and Unilever R&D chief David Blanchard.

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Episode 156: To B or not to B? A bold experiment in reusable consumer packaging

David Adjaye unveils designs for National Cathedral in Ghana

In celebration of Ghana’s 61st year of independence, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo revealed designs for a National Cathedral of Ghana to be built in Accra. The government appointed David Adjaye to design the project, a Ghanian British architect of Adjaye Associates who rose to international prominence for his work on the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. The multi-faith landmark will be a multifunctional space home to Africa’s first Bible Museum and Documentation Center as well as venue for presidential inaugurations and state funerals. The new National Cathedral will be built on a 15-acre landscaped site next to Osu Cemetery. Envisioned by Adjaye as a “physical embodiment of unity, harmony and spirituality,” the multi-faith building will house a series of grand chapels , baptistery, two-story 5000-seat auditorium, music school, central hall, choir facilities, art gallery, retail, and other multipurpose space. The building’s adornments and furnishings will be designed in collaboration with Ghanaian and African artists. Related: National Museum of African American History and Culture opens in Washington, DC A new ceremonial route and landscape will link the Cathedral to prominent Accra landmarks including Independence Square, the State House, and Africa Unity Circle. “It is an immense honour to be granted the opportunity to contribute something of this scale and import to my home country,” said Adjaye. “I have sought to craft a building that not only understands its landscape but one that will be unique to Accra and the Ghanaian Nation.” + Adjaye Associates Via ArchDaily Images via Adjaye Associates

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David Adjaye unveils designs for National Cathedral in Ghana

Luminous Bear Run Cabin offers dramatic views of the Cascade Mountains in Washington

The Bear Run Cabin in Marblemount, Washington, captures the dual nature of the surrounding landscape – the dramatic peaks of the Cascade Mountains and the gently sloping adjacent woodlot. The building, designed by David Coleman Architecture , is carved into the site, with two volumes standing in a yin-yang relationship. The cabin occupies a rain-drenched site in the rugged, northwestern foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Its western terrace is carved into the site, and it leads towards a soaking tub set behind a glass wall . The south-eastern porch and monumental stair, both covered by a soaring roof, rise above the site and offer shelter from the rain and summer sun. Related: Son builds modern dream cabin from recycled materials for his aging father The house is extremely flexible – in the summer the living space expands onto porches and terraces while retaining its efficiency and compactness in the winter. The 890-square-foot cabin accommodates a living room, a bath, and a sleeping loft clad in frameless glass, while the 1000-square-foot studio houses a music room, a workshop and a guest loft. Related: Affordable Polycarbonate Cabin is a light-filled vacation home in Chile The west wall is clad in a polycarbonate skin that illuminates the interior with a soft glow during the day. This same wall lights up in a dramatic display at night. The project won the GRAY Awards — the first regional awards program to celebrate design exclusively from Washington , Oregon and British Columbia. + David Coleman Architecture Photos by Ben Benschneider

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Luminous Bear Run Cabin offers dramatic views of the Cascade Mountains in Washington

How business can bolster the Paris Agreement

An interview with David McCauley, senior vice president of Policy and Government Affairs at WWF.

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How business can bolster the Paris Agreement

Dubai’s crazy rotating wind-powered skyscraper is actually being built

The modern world is full of unique, eye-catching buildings – but an upcoming Dubai skyscraper is about to put a new spin on the field of architecture. We’ve reported before on Israeli-Italian architect David Fisher ‘s crazy rotating Dynamic Tower – and now it looks like the 1,375-foot-tall high-rise is finally becoming a reality. Solar panels will be installed on the roof, and 48 individual wind turbines will be hidden in between the floors to provide power. According to the architect, the building will generate up to 10 times more energy than it will use. Proposed by Fisher almost a full decade ago, the project was supposed to break ground in 2010, but was put on hold due to planning obstructions and design changes. Now, seven year later, it looks like the project has finally been given the green light. https://youtu.be/jEYZ-ylelbg The Dynamic Tower will have 80 floors that are capable of rotating a full 360 degrees, letting tenants and hotel guests select their own personal views via voice command. However, even more impressive than the unique twisting feature is the project’s sustainability profile – the entire building will be powered by sun and wind energy. The apartments will offer the ultimate in luxury living – at a staggering price tag of 30 million dollars. The “beyond star rating” building will offer swimming pools, garden space, a fitness center, and even a car lift that transports cars outside individual residences. + David Fisher Via Mirror Images via David Fisher/Dynamic Architecture

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Dubai’s crazy rotating wind-powered skyscraper is actually being built

How does workplace safety and health align with sustainability?

OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels reveals surprising connections, as well as where employee engagement comes into play.

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How does workplace safety and health align with sustainability?

New zero-energy districts: A mile high and growing

Colorado takes the cake for upcoming net zero energy districts to watch in 2017 and beyond.

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New zero-energy districts: A mile high and growing

Imposing Communist-Era Television Tower Transformed Into a Unique Hotel in Prague

Visitors to the hotel can also get a different perspective of the city from the observatory located at the tip of the tower. For food and other culinary delights, the  Oblaca restaurant  is located one floor down. And for added luxury, the hotel will prepare a festive decorated table for a private dinner or lunch of up to 16 guests, which can also include a private waiter and sommelier. Related: Prague’s Luscious MOODs Hotel Melds Sustainable Materials With Superior Comfort The only thing that might justify the $900 per night price tag, is a glass-walled bathroom that lets you relax in style and peer out over the city skyline from your secluded hideaway. While it would certainly make for a unique experience, the room itself doesn’t have any other standout features – unless you include the option to convert it into your very own private conference room, in which case there’s that. Originally constructed in the 1980s, the tower consists of three concrete pillars with a metallic finish, and has nine different ‘pods’ scattered across it’s surface. The television tower still houses transmission equipment, which was supposedly used to jam communications from the west during the country’s communist occupation. Related: Mobile Bicycle Sauna Dedicated to Prague Cyclists Who Want to Relax Criticism of the building’s appearance was strictly prohibited during its earliest days, but in an attempt to try and improve the building’s public image at the turn of the century, Czech artist  David ?erný  was invited to infuse the tower with some public art. He settled on giant metallic babies crawling up and down the side of antennae; they were removed at one point, but after enormous public outcry, they were quickly reinstated. Via Gizmodo Images by One Room Hotel

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Imposing Communist-Era Television Tower Transformed Into a Unique Hotel in Prague

This zero waste shirt is the perfect tribute to the iconic David Bowie

Daniel Silverstein has created a shirt worthy of even the most fashionable rock and roll icon. His “zero waste” David Bowie sweatshirt is hand pieced out of textile scraps , ships in a mason jar, and no two are alike, so you can be just a unique as Ziggy Stardust himself. READ MORE >

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This zero waste shirt is the perfect tribute to the iconic David Bowie

Episode 13: David Crane on life after Paris; GM goes electric

Don’t miss David Crane, GM, and GenZe on this week’s edition of the GreenBiz 350 podcast.

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Episode 13: David Crane on life after Paris; GM goes electric

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