The Autonomous House By Michael Jantzen Is A Thirty-Year-Old Green Wonder

by Lloyd Alter

from http://www.treehugger.com/

Image credit Michael Jantzen

I have not posted much of the recent work of Michael Jantzen on TreeHugger; he has interesting visions but very little reality, mainly renderings of architectural wonders in open fields. (Jerry covered a recent one here.) But I learn from a reprint of a 1982 Popular Science in Modern Mechanix that thirty years ago he was designing very green, cutting-edge stuff that pushes every button that we talk about today. The Liberated House, or Autonomous Dwelling from 1979 is a wonder.

The goals of the Autonomous Dwelling Unit were not dissimilar from what so many architects are trying to achieve today:

• First, be a mobile home, light and small enough to be towed long distances over the road, or be carried by helicopter, or even be floated on water.
• Second, be independent of utility hookups--electricity, gas, water, and sewage--and of fossil fuels.
• Third, be mass-producible at a cost competitive with luxury travelers of comparable size.

Partner Ted Bakewell III explains the construction:

"Let's look at the external features first," says Bakewell, leading the way through the large muddy field in the center of a Bakewell office park. "The shell, for example." The interlocking, aluminized-steel sections that form the rounded ends of the vehicle are normally used for silo tops. The center section would normally be used to join twin silos. "They're very thin sheets, fabricated with a ridge in each panel, so they easily slide together, interlocking, for a totally watertight seal," Bakewell says.

The exterior has rainwater collection and solar panels.

With the sun shining, it has a peak output of 80 watts, going to 120 at noon when the reflector comes into use. Four 12-volt marine batteries store the electricity. "It works because we have designed our electrical needs with the most energy-efficient appliances available," Bakewell says. "We have a truly microload demand that is matched to this small solar panel."

The funkadelic interior includes a thermal storage system under the bed that gathers heat in the daytime and releases it at night, that I am thinking of knocking off for a LifeEdited. A round wood stove hangs from the ceiling. Transformer furniture abounds:

In the dining area, inventive design abounds. Leaves drop down or snap up to extend the table. Seats drop down to get out of the way. Most of Bakewell's cooking is done on an alcohol stove; he believes in using renewable fuels as much as possible. The refrigerator was designed from scratch. In winter, ducts below bring in cold air, saving electricity. A butterfly valve controls the amount. In summer, a solid-state thermionic device supplies cooling.

The toilet area contains a shower and a Clivus Multrum Bio-Loo, a Swedish waterless toilet that composts human waste odorlessly. The shower resembles a nylon telephone booth. Square hoops support an ingenious curtain arrangement (see photo) sewn together by Jantzen's wife, Ellen. Bakewell economizes on water by using a special nozzle head, developed for distributing chemicals from crop-dusting planes. It is capable of producing a very fine water-conserving mist that is, he says, nonetheless very effective in washing. Or, if he feels like splurging, he can open it up all the way. Bakewell showers with, basically, recycled water from a gray-water (used wash water) tank, to which he adds, as needed, fresh water taken from the vinyl rainwater bladder.

"We pump gray water into a pressure tank," he says. "Then it's forced through a five-micron filter, then a 0.25-micron filter, then an iodinator. Then it goes into a storage tank. Before it's delivered to a faucet or shower, it goes through a carbon polisher-activated charcoal. We take out the bacteria with the filters, and then we kill the viruses with the iodine."

It is a wonderful design, full of ideas that are just being rediscovered today. I so wish Michael Jantzen still built things like this, we have so much to learn from him. More at Modern Mechanix.

While reviewing other older work on Jantzen's site, I found this wonderful summer house from 1976. The exterior is certainly a period piece, but the interior!

Look at that transformer kitchen in the middle of the unit, with the sides that fold up to make a dining area. The bunks, hanging around the side of the unit with seating below, just like a railway car. The whole thing is brilliant.

16 Rockin’ Refrigerator Concepts

By Chip 

From http://walyou.com/

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Since its introduction in 18th century, refrigerator has become an indispensable part of every household. Ever since its inception, refrigerators have maintained the same old rectangular shape. However, in an era where creativity plays a key role in every product, the boring destiny of fridge is seeing a change with more and more innovative designs. Take a tour into the future with 16 awesome refrigerator concepts below.

Futuristic Biopolymer Fridge

Four times smaller than a conventional refrigerator, the ultra slim Bio Robot is a biopolymer based fridge without doors, drawers, or even a motor. Each item you put in the fridge is stored in its own biopolymer vacuum bubble at its own optimal temperature by bio robots. Designed by Russian industrial design student Yuriy Dmitriev, the fridge can be hung vertically, horizontally, and even on the ceiling.

Smart Fridge Concept

Source: GadgetHer
Smart Fridge is a concept that turns your fridge into a trust-worthy cooking companion. The fridge can track the ingredients available inside it, make a menu list of all that can be prepared with the available ingredients, and give a step-by-step instruction of the dish being prepared. The Smart Fridge also tells you when you are running low on a particular ingredient. The concept was conceived by Ashley Legg, while the visual impressions of the gadget were done by Yanko Designs.

Self-Cleaning Fridge

While we all know how important it is to clean the fridge regularly, we all hate the task of cleaning it. However, it won’t be a problem any more with the futuristic Self-cleaning Fridge thanks to nano-tiles which can scan and move old food items to the front of the fridge. The highly intelligent fridge is also equipped with a ultraviolet reader which analyzes the weight of each plate before and after a meal to track the calorie intake of a user, and two touch screens that display menu suggestions and shopping lists.

Tree House Fridge

Source: Gearfuse
Yanko Design’s Tree House Fridge is a perfect example of how visual impression can totally take over functionality. Resembling tree house in our childhood, the fridge has separate “branches” which work as separate fridges with different designs. One has holes as a fruit shelf which gives you the feeling of picking up a fruit from a tree. Another is like a bird house to keep eggs. Doors can slide away when a hand is placed in front of it.

IceCloud Fridge

Source: Behance
IceCloud Fridge by Fanni Csernátony is a futuristic makeover of Nigeria’s zeer pot for the year 2050 when space, energy and water will be our most precious treasures. The fridge uses evaporating water to keep things cool naturally. The hanging structure makes it perfect choice for houses with limited space.

Neff Portable Fridge

Source: The Design blog
To reduce the energy consumption for cooling, German designer Stefan Ulrich has decided to harvest the leftover energy from the kitchen to power the fridge through an innovative combination of new materials. Dubbed as Neff, the portable fridge can either be mounted on the wall or placed on the table.

Electrolux Flatshare Fridge

The Lego-like fridge design is Stefan Buchberger’s solution to the food conflict between roommates who share one fridge. The Flatshare fridge consists of up to four stackable modules on top of a base station which allows each roommate to have his or her own secure and secluded refrigerator space. Each module can be further customized with add-ons like bottle openers or a whiteboard.

Celsius Stackable Modular Refrigerator

Source: Hardware Sphere
Designed by Angeline Meloche, Celsius is a conceptual stackable fridge with individual rooms for different items such as vegetables or beverage, meats or fishes. You can purchase the basic one-shelf version and expand the refrigerator by stacking one to each other. It features controls 5 temperature settings which can be controlled by a touch sensitive front panel.

Electrolux Soft Refrigerator

Source: OhGizmo!
Using heat-insulating membrane and modular vented shelving, the collapsible fridge concept by Electrolux can be size-optimized based on how much food there are inside the fridge which will not only save your kitchen space but also reduce the energy needed to keep the fridge running.

Koolie Shopping Cart Fridge

Source: Behance
Koolie is a space-saving fridge design which doubles as a shopping cart or a picnic basket.   The fridge features a built-in RFID field that detects all the new food items placed inside and charges a predefined credit or debit card automatically when you leave the store through cashier gates.

Nord Fridge

Source: Behance
Composed with right and clear geometry on the surface, Olga Kalugina’s Nord fridge features a bunch of new elements inside: an inclined triangle shelf  which can be used as a cellar or a place for juice, a movable shelf which can be moved or taken out, a height-changing shelve which can be made higher or lower.

Samsung Fridge

Source: Appliancist
GRO Design has come up with an idea to make a fridge which looks more like furniture piece than appliance. Designed to work vertically as well as horizontally, the fridge can easily blend in various contemporary interiors and layouts.

Window Fridge

Source: Ubergizmo
It’s not uncommon for us to open the fridge door and waste several minutes thinking about what you want to get. To help you save time and energy, the Window fridge comes with a transparent door which helps you make a decision before opening the door. It also comes in a long tube design that makes it a snap to turn on the inside.

Shift Refrigerator

Source: Yanko Design
The Shift Refrigerator is another fridge concept to save energy by minimizing the outflow of cool air. Designer Yong-jin Kim adds a a smaller compartment in the big fridge with the hope that it will be used to store the most used food items. The smaller the door is opened, the less electric power is used.

iFridge

Source: Leonidlucenko
Inspired by Apple’s neatly designed products, iFridge is a mini fridge design with two separated rooms to store snacks, fruits and drinks.

Teleport Fridge

Source: Tuvie
The Teleport Fridge is the first design that utilizes the technology that all sci-fi fans have dreamed of: teleportation. The fridge uses touchscreen as the teleportation interface. All you have to do is to call or email the grocery store and your orders will be placed right inside your fridge.
Having just big enough fridge saves your space at home and makes it possible to use the fridge as a shopping cart or a picnic basket.   Koolie has an RFID field build inside so that it detects all the new food items placed inside and charges a predefined credit or debit card automatically when you leave the store through cashier gates. You just need to enter you PIN.

Fridge Runs for 10 Days Without Power

posted by Melissa Breyer

from http://www.care2.com/

Faced with potential power outages across the country this week, many powerless people will be shuttling the contents of their refrigerators outside to keep things chilled. But what happens if you’re in warm weather and are the victim of an extended power outage, and even worse, what if instead of milk and leftovers in your fridge, you have a large supply of lifesaving vaccines?

In many third world countries, where power failures and warm weather are common, some aid agencies are using the True Energy Vaccine Refrigerator. It can maintain temperatures of below 50F, without power, in ambient temperatures up to 109F for over ten days at a time.

According to a post on Gizmag, the refrigerator runs off mains power, solar power, or a combination of sources. It incorporates True Energy’s Sure Chill technology, which utilizes high-density polyurethane foam insulation and an undisclosed “innovative phase change material” to store energy until it’s needed, allowing for consistently cool temperatures regardless of interruptions in the power supply. It can run indefinitely on less than five hours of mains power per day. Once fully charged, as already mentioned, the phase change material can keep the fridge going for ten days without any power input at all. As a side benefit, this non-battery power-storing capability is also said to make it twice as energy-efficient as similar products.

True Energy Vaccine Refrigerators are currently in use by agencies such as the World Health Organization and Unicef. The company is also looking into using its Sure Chill technology in products such as commercial refrigerators, drinks coolers, air conditioners and telecommunications infrastructure cooling.

10 Great New Green Restaurants in the U.S.

by Jeff Kart, Bay City, Michigan

 
Photo via CUPS blog

The restaurant business can be an extremely wasteful one -- and those times when you don't have time to cook or just feel like someone else's cooking, can have a serious impact on your footprint. Luckily the foodies have options, with more and more sustainable restaurants springing up around the world. With this in mind, we've culled 10 great new restaurants in the U.S., with help from the extensive Green Restaurant Association database and reviews from both diners and other publications. Each restaurant -- offering a variety of cuisine -- has been in operation for less than a year.

Restaurants can accumulate points in seven categories to earn a green badge from the Green Restaurant Association:

• Chemical and Pollution Reduction
• Water Efficiency
• Waste Reduction and Recycling
• Sustainable Furnishings and Building Materials
• Sustainable Food
• Energy, and Disposables.

Based on the number of points earned, restaurants are designated as a 2-Star (at least 100 points) or a 3-Star (at least 175 points) Certified Green Restaurant.

1. CUPS 3-star (194.42 points)

Location: La Jolla, California

Cuisine: Organic Cupcakes/Lounge

Review from Yelp:

I opted for the chocolate milk and my bf got the maple w/bacon...wowza!! I'm telling you..we could've skipped breakfast and just had some of those! It tasted like pancakes w/bacon and syrup..mmmm.. The cupcakes were very moist and generous w/the topping as well.

Highlights:

At CUPS, 30% of main dishes are vegetarian. They source certified organic items, boast many vegan options, and feature recycled flooring, countertops, and decor. They also recycle cardboard, paper, plastics, glass, and aluminum, and staff dines on 100% reusables.

2. Frontera Grill & Topolobampo (3-star certified, 175.02)

 
Via rickbayless.com

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Cuisine: Mexican Fusion

Review from Frommers:

Owners Rick and Deann Bayless are widely credited with bringing authentic Mexican regional cuisine to a wider audience. Their restaurant is the place to taste real Mexican food, so don't show up expecting a plate of nachos with processed-cheese topping. The building actually houses two restaurants: the casual Frontera Grill (plain wood tables, terra-cotta tile floor) and the fine-dining Topolobampo (white linen tablecloths, a more hushed environment). At both restaurants, the focus is on fresh, organic ingredients supplied by local artisanal farmers.

Highlights:

Frontera features local and regionally-sourced certified organic foods and water is served only upon request. If every U.S. restaurant did this, the Green Restaurant Association tells us, we would save 26 million gallons of water per year.

The restaurant has a full-scale recycling program, composts pre-consumer and post-consumer waste and is conveniently located close to major public transportation outlets, helping reduce pollution. Plus, their vehicles use alternative fuels.

3. Adam's Sustainable Table (3-star certified, 253.29)

 
Via thesustainabletable.com

Location: Eugene, Oregon

Cuisine: Eclectic (they have a little bit of everything, from comfort food to Northwest specialties)

Review from Tripadvisor:

Adam's recently received the award as the first 3 Star Certified Green Restaurant in Oregon. This might lead you to think that the food is MERELY good for you, but Adam has maintained his reputation as a fine chef while sticking to his mission: sustainability and a zero carbon footprint. We go back regularly for the salads, the hormone free meat and fresh fish. Especially good last time was the "hand cut papardelle with braised lamb". We also love the bread, baked in the restaurant. Though the menu has changed from the original Adam's Place, the martinis have remained. And they are excellent.

Highlights:

At the Sustainable Table, to-go containers are made from 100% recycled (35% post-consumer recycled) content that's processed without chlorine; others are made from corn-based material. The restaurant's decor is made up of everything from refurbished chairs and tables to bamboo window treatments and lamps made from recycled cans.

4. Del Posto (3-star certified, 175.62)

 
Via facebook.com/DelPosto

Location: New York, New York

Cuisine: Italian

Review from The New York Times:

Del Posto, which means "of the place," has ample ethnic grounding in Italy's fancier restaurants. It also has something more important: mostly terrific food, distinguished by first-rate ingredients (the arugula here makes arugula at many other restaurants seem like iceberg in drag), clear flavors and, more often than not, superior cooking.

Highlights:

Del Posto sources sustainable seafood; uses low-flow sink aerators, which help conserve water; and installed compact fluorescent lamps and occupancy sensors in the restrooms and walk-in cooler. They also buy free-range and hormone-free meats.

A full-scale recycling and composting program includes grease recycling, and the interior features recycled materials including tables made from salvaged wood.

5. Uncommon Ground (3-star certified, 228.16)

 
Via cityfarmer.info

Location: Chicago

Cuisine: American Comfort Food

Review from Frommers:

When you're looking for refuge from Cubs game days and party nights in Wrigleyville, Uncommon Ground offers a dose of laid-back, vaguely bohemian civility. Just off busy Clark Street, the cafe has a fireplace in winter (when the cafe's bowl -- yes, bowl -- of hot chocolate is a sight for cold eyes) and a spacious sidewalk operation in more temperate months.

Highlights:

Uncommon Ground serves local food, and uses reclaimed wood in its decor and furniture. The uniforms are even made from organic cotton, and there's a full-scale recycling and composting program.

6. Comb Ridge Coffee (3-star certified, 208.5)

 
Via combridgecoffee.com

Location: Bluff, Utah


Cuisine: Coffee Shop

Review from Tripadvisor:

In a land where people get confused when you try to explain what being vegetarian means, Comb Ridge Coffee is a king among restaurants. My soy chai latte was so awesome, I went back for another and the food is excellent. Great atmosphere; my fiancee and I sat on comfy sofas and read magazines for awhile before continuing our journey. I'm so glad this place exists!

Highlights:

Comb Ridge serves only organic food and fair-trade coffee. In addition, kitchen equipment is energy efficient; glassware and dishes are reusable; and the restaurant runs a full-scale recycling and compost program.

7. Michael & Ping's Modern Chinese Take-Out (2-star certified, 134.5)

 
Via facebook.com/michaelandpings

Location: Brooklyn, New York

Cuisine: Chinese Fusion

Review from Metromix New York:

You'll find standards like beef and broccoli, kung pao chicken and steamed pork dumplings, but unorthodox (and un-Chinese) additions like banh mi and pad thai announce that this isn't your typical old-school delivery joint.

Highlights:

Michael & Ping's offers vegan and vegetarian food options and has installed energy efficient dish and ice machines, hand dryers, and occupancy sensors.

8. Muir Woods Trading Co. ( 3-star certified, 175.28)

 
Via muirwoodstradingcompany.com

Location: Mill Valley, California

Cuisine: Healthy American

Review from Yelp:

All the ingredients were locally made and you can taste the goodness. I had the Tyler recommended special of grilled cheese and tomato soup. Bread - it's like a 9 grain. Cheese - mix was 2-3 different cheeses - white cheese, which is yum not sure which type, but it's tasty. Tomato soup is light and not too heavy. Totally recommend it.

Highlights:

Muir Woods purchases local food, sourced from less than 100 miles away; certified organic food; sustainably sourced seafood; hormone-free meat; and 30% of their main dishes are vegetarian. They also have salvaged booths and tables, and recycled countertops.

9. Seaglass Restaurant & Lounge (2-star certified, 131.1)

 
Credit: Akuppa

Location: Salisbury, Massachusetts

Cuisine: American Seafood

User review from Zagat:

Went for drinks & ap on a week night (wed) and as everyone confirms the view is awesome, esp if you can sit by the window. Had the signature martini with the blue curacao which was delicious, my wife got a margarita, I think it was yummy. We split the ahi tuna ap, which was perfect. We were so impressed with the view we reserved a window table for a saturday night for her b-day. Hope the dinner is as good as the ap and the view.

Highlights:

Seaglass features locally sourced food from less than 100 miles away and recycles cardboard, plastics, glass, and aluminum. The business vehicles are fueled by waste vegetable oil, and paper products are recycled. And can you go wrong with a view that has been called breath-taking?

10. Sopraffina Marketcaffè (2-star certified, 124.7)

Via trattoriaten.com

Location: Chicago

Cuisine: Italian

Review from Centerstage Chicago:

The menu at the cafe includes thin crust pizzas, pizza-stuffed peppers, an extensive selection of salads (such as the Hilltop with candied walnuts, fresh pears, dried cranberries and gorgnozola), gourmet sandwiches with roast beef, tuna and turkey served on the signature flatbread, lasagna and homemade soup.

Highlights:

With several locations in the Windy City, Sopraffina offers several vegan and vegetarian purchases; 30% of their main dishes are vegetarian. There's also a reusable mug program and all deliveries are made by foot or bicycle.

Amsterdam Townhouse Has All The Green Gizmos But Is Gorgeous Too

by Lloyd Alter, Toronto

from: http://www.treehugger.com/

photos by I See For You / Föllmi Photography via DailyTonic

Suzanne Labarre at CoDesign is "smitten" with FARO Architecten's Woonhuis Weijnen 2.0, a townhouse near Amsterdam. No wonder; it is one of those rare combinations of true green and great design.

The layout is open and airy, all warm and wood-lined. There is some clever structural work, with the mezzanine held up by a monster tree trunk. But the systems are there too; according to Daily Tonic,

Thermic mass is reached by using clay plaster with phase changing materials for some walls. A very large boiler feed water container of 2 m3 provides a large accumulation of energy. The heat exchanger in combination with the high level of insulation and triple glazing provides a great level of comfort. The air supply comes via the outside and will be heated by a Sole ground source heat exchanger two meters under the house. Extra energy for space heating and warm water will be supplied by warm water collectors. These are integrated in the cornice of the façade. The temperature can be increased if needed by use of a pellet stove with a heat pump. The horizontal windows lie deep in the façade to prevent excess sun coming into the house.

The large windows have adjustable sun screens. Rain water is used for both toilets and laundry. The large openings in the facade allow the use of solar heat. When there is a surplus of sun, sun screens will be used. The deep lying windows keep most of the sun out on a daily basis. The sun heats through vacuum tube collectors in the cornices the water for heating. Warm water collected in the large collection vats is used for floor heating and warm tap water. A heat exchanger is used for ventilation, returning heat from the 'used' air to the fresh air without mixing these (HR technique). For extra support, an earth heat collector can cool air in summer and heat air in winter. A wind turbine produces energy when the wind blows. This can be used directly in the house. Overcapacity can be send to the grid, and can be used again by no wind. The grid works as a buffer.

I want that home office. More images at Daily Tonic

Biofuel from Canal Algae to Power Venice by 2011

Written by Eva Pratesi

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It’s plentiful, it’s homegrown, and it could help clean up the environment while powering our cities. The idea of transforming algae into a fuel is a reality. Nowadays there are numerous implementations of algae into the renewable energy market.

“Sargassum muticum” and “Undaria pinnatifida” are the names of two kinds of algae brought by the ships coming from Japan and the Sargassi sea. The algea grows over the seaport of Venice, causing problems for gondolas and ferry boats. But today it could be turned into a resource.

Italy recently announced a 200 million euro eco-friendly project to harvest the prolific seaweed that lines Venice’s canals and transform it into emissions-free energy. The idea is to set up a power plant fuelled by algae, the first facility of its kind in Italy. The plant, to be built in collaboration with renewable energy services company Enalg, will be operative in two years and will produce 40 megawatts of electricity, equivalent to half of the energy required by the entire city centre of Venice.

The algae will be cultivated in laboratories and put in plastic cylinders where water, carbon dioxide, and sunshine can trigger photosynthesis. The resulting biomass will be treated further to produce a fuel to turn turbines. The carbon dioxide produced in the process will be fed back to the algae, resulting in zero emissions from the plant. “Venice could represent the beginning of a global revolution of energy and renewable resources. Our goals are to achieve the energetic self-sufficiency for the seaport and to reduce CO2 emissions, including those one produced by the docked ships”, says the president of the seaport of Venice Authority, Paolo Costa.

The idea sounds good and seems to open great possibilities for zero emission energy production; Venice could represent the first step of a real innovative evolution even if there are still some doubts about the huge amount of money required for this project and the authorization needed to built the plant.

For more information about biomass energy, see also Solena Group.

Image credit: Kevin via Flickr under a Creative Commons license.