Bioclimatic home optimizes thermal comfort and energy efficiency in Cancun

International architecture firm sanzpont has designed a bioclimatic home sculpted by site conditions in Cancun , Mexico. Currently under development, the single-family home — dubbed the T&N Villa — will occupy prime waterfront property within the subdivision “La Laguna 1” in Puerto Cancun. The contemporary building’s sculptural form is largely informed by the architects’ varied site analyses, which include thermal radiation studies and data collection on climate to determine optimal massing and orientation for energy efficiency. The proposed T&N Villa spans 3,414 square feet over two habitable floors, in addition to a basement parking pad and accessible rooftop. The street-facing front facade will comprise two main volumes — the left features a green wall backed by wooden ribs, while the right volume is predominately finished in white vinyl paint. The water-facing rear consists of white vinyl-painted walls that jut outward to provide protection against the sun. Large expanses of glazing will be treated with UV protection, and the windows at the front facade will be tinted shades of green for extra privacy. Non-reflective silver roller blinds will offer added sun protection. Using careful climate analyses that cover the area’s temperature, humidity levels, wind speed, solar incidence and even cloudiness over time, the architects devised a bioclimatic design to achieve thermal comfort year-round. Comfort is also ensured through careful placement of windows to facilitate cross ventilation and the best natural lighting, while the architecture was also modified with solar shades, like louvers and a “Serge Ferrari” roll-over solar protection membrane, to reduce unwanted solar gain and lessen dependence on air conditioning. A green roof also provides an additional layer of insulation. Related: Soak Up the Sun at Casa de las Olas’ Solar Powered Eco-Escape in Tulum “In order to improve the thermal comfort and the efficiency of the energetic demand, it was decided that the façades would be composed of mainly solid materials, with very little openings,” the architects explained. “Sun protection and privacy is resolved with narrow vertical windows, a green wall, walls with air chambers with thermal insulation and a series of louvers to prevent solar radiation inside the house, creating an emphasis on verticality.” + sanzpont

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Bioclimatic home optimizes thermal comfort and energy efficiency in Cancun

New images revealed for Zaha Hadid Architects LEED Platinum-seeking Generali Tower in Milan

Zaha Hadid Architects just revealed new images of their soon-to-be-completed Generali Tower, a twisting glazed landmark in Milan targeting LEED Platinum certification. The sculptural building was created as part of the massive CityLife masterplan that, when completed in 2020, will mark the largest new civic space and public park created in the city since the opening of Parco Sempione 130 years ago. The 44-story Generali Tower, along with two other towers, serves as the centerpiece for CityLife. The 557-foot-tall Generali Tower is aligned with the surrounding public park at its base but gradually twists to orientate the upper floors in alignment with the primary southeast axis leading to Bramante’s 15th Century tribune of Santa Maria della Grazie and beyond. Algorithms were used to determine the “torsion of the tower, induced by the warping of the columns around the core,” wrote the architects. “The curvilinear geometries of its podium defined by the perceived centripetal forces generated from the staggered intersection of these three city axes at the tower’s base.” Related: Zaha Hadid Architects designs robot-assisted vaulted classrooms for China The building features a reinforced concrete structure clad in a double-facade system that, in addition with sun-deflecting louvers, helps ensure excellent energy performance. The Generali Tower’s interiors will be completed this summer and house up to 3,900 employees. Once CityLife is completed, the 90-acre site will offer 1,000 new homes, offices for over 11,000 staff, a new 42-acre public park, piazzas, and a kindergarten. + Zaha Hadid Architects Images by Hufton + Crow

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New images revealed for Zaha Hadid Architects LEED Platinum-seeking Generali Tower in Milan

Green-roofed Argentinian home boasts a thermally efficient envelope

Buenos Aires-based IR arquitectura crafted a home that feels as if it grew out of the landscape. Set in a clearing in Tortuguitas, Argentina, the timber-clad AA House embraces nature with its green roof, inner courtyard with a polycarbonate roof, and large openings framing the outdoors. Thermal efficiency was a guiding design principle that informed everything from site orientation to material decisions. Built of locally sourced wood , AA House appears as a cluster of pitched timber boxes framed on each side by forest. The main living areas and bedrooms are laid out linearly on an east-west axis and face north to “guarantee the best solar incidence range,” wrote the architects. The common areas and greenhouse-like courtyard occupy the heart of the home and separate the master bedroom on the east side from the children’s bedrooms on the west end. Related: Award-winning renovation slashes mid-century home’s carbon footprint by 80% Earth walls finished with clay fill the spaces between wall studs and lend the advantage of high thermal mass by absorbing heat during the day and dissipating it at night. Vertical strips of timber clad the facade with matching vertical timber louvers installed over most of the glazed openings save for the large glazed wall on the north side of the living room that’s shielded by a deep overhang and left open for uninterrupted views. + IR arquitectura Via ArchDaily Images © Federico Cairoli

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Green-roofed Argentinian home boasts a thermally efficient envelope

Village-inspired office in Jakarta is topped with living trees and a green roof

The new Aedas- designed Unilever HQ in Jakarta references Indonesia ‘s villages to create a welcoming environment filled with natural sunlight and plenty of green space. The building features green roofing, a main square and winding streets to mimic the organization of a traditional village, along with floor-to-ceiling louvered windows that fill the interior with light. The new building sits in the BSD Green Office Park, Indonesia’s first green office campus masterplanned by Aedas. It houses the company’s four separate offices in Jakarta under one roof and combines its modern vision with the country’s historic architectural influences. Related: Aedas unveils mountainous mixed-use building that looks like a stack of books The large complex incorporates three main elements–community, diversity and nature–into the design and focused on facilitating collaboration while maintaining privacy. Group and individual workspaces are organized into zones to encourage collaboration. The ground floor houses public and common areas organized around a central atrium. A variety of elements– Indonesian batik fabrics, recycled teak timber , and furniture– reference the traditional Indonesian culture. Grey aluminium blade louvers cover the curtain wall system and provides shade while reducing heat gain . Natural light reaches all interior spaces thanks to the absence of enclosures. + Aedas Via World Architecture News

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Village-inspired office in Jakarta is topped with living trees and a green roof

Major climate science denial group admits to using false temperature data

Though 97 percent of leading scientists agree that climate change is a very real threat that needs to be addressed immediately, certain factions refuse to accept mounting data on Earth’s rising surface temperatures . In fact, some groups have gone as far as to fabricate information – including the so-called Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF). The climate science denying group recently admitted to providing false data in an interview with the BBC. On August 13, 2017, the climate science denying think tank admitted to sharing “erroneous” temperature data to support Lord Lawson’s false claims he made to the BBC that global temperatures are not rising. The interview was immediately criticized by both the media and scientists, reports DeSmog . This is because Lawson was wrong to claim that the average global temperatures have “slightly declined” since 2007. In reality, the global surface temperature over this period has increased. 2014, 2015 and 2016 are now the three hottest years on record. Related: Koch brothers is launching a new, multimillion-dollar group to fight the rise of electric cars Screenshot of GWPF tweets taken on August 14, 2017. Three days after the interview, the climate change denial group tweeted that it was “happy to correct the record.” It has since removed the tweet, as requested by climate scientists Ed Hawkins . Thanks for acknowledging this Benny. Are you could to delete the original tweet so that this erroneous claim doesn't spread further? — Ed Hawkins (@ed_hawkins) August 13, 2017 Indeed. My bias, my mistake. — GWPF (@thegwpfcom) August 13, 2017 The tweets reveal that the graph was originally produced by US meteorologist Ryan Maue, who is an adjunct scholar of the libertarian group the Cato Institute. Weather forecaster and climate science denier Joe Bastardi later published the graph. Both Bastardi and Male work for the private weather consulting firm WeatherBell Analytics , which is funded by climate change deniers such as the Koch brothers. After admitting to fabricating data, the GWPF immediately tweeted that the rest of Lawson’s claims to the BBC were true — despite many being demonstrably false. Additionally, the group went right back to proclaiming that climate change is a hoax. While the situation is frustrating, at least in this instance it has been verified that  global temperatures are, in fact, increasing. Via Desmog Images via Pixabay

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Major climate science denial group admits to using false temperature data

Rammed Earth Walls and Louvered Canopies Protect Craigieburn Library From the Intense Australian Sun

Read the rest of Rammed Earth Walls and Louvered Canopies Protect Craigieburn Library From the Intense Australian Sun Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: “sustainable architecture” , australian architecture , craigieburn , craigieburn library , fjmt , francis-jones morehen thorp , library design , locally sourced earth , louvers , pavilions , rammed earth , solar heat gain , sunscreen

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Rammed Earth Walls and Louvered Canopies Protect Craigieburn Library From the Intense Australian Sun

Bernardo Bader Designed a Dainty Timber Home With a Green Lung on the Inside

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Bernardo Bader Designed a Dainty Timber Home With a Green Lung on the Inside

Natural Japanese Cedar Keeps the Louver Haus in South Korea Cool and Private

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Natural Japanese Cedar Keeps the Louver Haus in South Korea Cool and Private

Louvered LAM Café is a Gorgeous Naturally Daylit Coffee House in Vietnam

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Louvered LAM Café is a Gorgeous Naturally Daylit Coffee House in Vietnam