Eco Factor: Environmentally friendly mowers powered by batteries.
If you’re one of those who don’t want to make your Sunday mornings noisy and messy with conventional gas-powered mowers, Black & Decker is trying to help you out. The company has been making electric mowers for over a decade and has now completed the first full redesign of its lineup.
Eco Factor: Low-emission drivetrain prototype.
Valentin Technologies is exploring a new kind of a hybrid drivetrain for a 5-passenger vehicle that promises outstanding performance. The drivetrain explores the possibilities of a different kind of a hybrid, where the gas engine is not used to generate electricity for the motors, but instead to pressurize a high-pressure tank.
Eco Factor: Artwork made using discarded printed circuit boards.
Working to save the millions of discarded printed circuit boards from reaching the landfills and staying there for a few thousand years, environmentally conscious designer and computer geek Steven Rodrig is designing artwork from old PCBs that can then grace your living room.
Eco Factor: Solar energy to power cellphone towers could reduce emissions by 5 million tons.
The ministry of New and Renewable Energy of the Indian government is expected to come up with a proposal that would require the telecom operators to convert their diesel-powered cellphone towers to renewable solar energy. The plan is expected to be a part of India’s National Solar Mission, which aims to generate up to 20GW of solar power by 2022.
Eco Factor: Sustainable building to harvest solar energy for hot water and electricity.
Olgga Architects have unveiled the designs of a new Athletic Center to be constructed in the Basroch neighborhood of Grande Synthe in France. Currently under construction, the facility will host rugby, soccer and cycling and archery clubs, and also responds to strict criteria of sustainability.
Eco Factor: Multitasking robots built semiconductors for solar cells.
Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado have installed six multitasking robots that can build semiconductors for solar cells on six-inch-square plates of glass, plastic or flexible metals in just over half an hour. These tireless mechanical workers will also allow private companies to come and test their newest technologies for creating better solar cells.
Eco Factor: Porous material to absorb CO2 and convert it into hydrogen or electricity.
A team of researchers from the Bath and Bristol Universities are working together to find new ways to capture carbon dioxide from the ambient air and convert it to car fuel. The project finds ways to develop porous materials that can be used to line factory chimneys to capture carbon dioxide from the air and reduce the effects of climate change.
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Eco Factor: Livable structures crafted from trashed liquid containers.
Recycling shipping containers into prefabricated living units is not a new concept and we have frequently reported about the latest designs. Designers over at Aristide Antonas have something more unique for us – The Keg Apartments. These unconventional livable spaces have been crafted entirely from trashed liquid containers.
Eco Factor: Battery designed to harvest noise and vibrations to power small electronic devices.
Harnessing solar and wind energy is not a new concept and we’ve already seen plenty of gadget chargers that promise to reduce your carbon footprint using renewable energy. Researchers at the University of Michigan are trying to harvest something entirely different and unconventional – noise.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission concept car powered by electricity.
Hailed as General Motor’s most significant concept since the Chevrolet Volt, the company revealed the EN-V concept that has been developed with GM’s Chinese joint venture partner SAIC. Three variants of the car have been designed, dubbed the Xiao, Jiao and Miao. All three variants have been based on the same mechanical platform.
Eco Factor: Sustainable bus waiting booth harvests solar energy for power.
Shanghai-based Yang-Design has unveiled a solar-powered bus waiting booth for Ningbo South Business District, China. The sustainable booth is divided into three units, which allows the space to be reduced or increased according to the need.
Eco Factor: Concept plug reduces energy consumption.
The Sticord by industrial designer Dongyeon Kim is an innovative plug concept that allows the user to save energy without the hassle of finding a particular cord from a hectic bunch of cables. The user-friendly device features an intuitive indicator that lets the user know if the plug is connected to a device that no longer needs electricity.
Eco Factor: PC Power Management program turns off PCs automatically when users are not present.
Ford has deployed a new PC Power Management program that will be able to centrally control the power settings on Windows laptops and desktop PCs to enable a managed shutdown of computer system not in use, especially overnight and on weekends. The company estimates that as many as 60 percent of Ford’s PC users don’t shut their PCs off at the end of the day, resulting in wasted energy.
Eco Factor: Seven emerging solar technologies to be tested under Chevron’s Project Brightfield.
Chevron Corporation is currently conduction a comprehensive test of emerging solar technologies on a site in Bakersfield, California. Dubbed Project Brightfield, the development is making use of seven emerging photovoltaic technologies that are lined up side-by-side.
Eco Factor: Sustainable chapel made using recycled glass bottles.
Glass bottles are not often regarded as a building material, however, some eco-minded artists have taken up the job of clearing the landfills and using unconventional materials to build environmentally sound structures with them. The Minnie Evans Bottle Chapel is one such feat of art that has been constructed entirely from discarded glass bottles.
Eco Factor: Open source DIY clothes washer powered by solar energy.
A team of 2nd-year art students from the École Supérieure d’Art d’Aix-en-Provence in France have developed a DIY washing machine that has been made using materials available in the Sahara, which includes bicycle tires, bamboo and a solar panel that is directly connected to a recycled electric motor.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission ATV powered by electricity.
Built in Ellicottville, NY, the E-Force is an all-electric zero-emission all terrain vehicle that is being claimed to be the first electric, adult-sized ATV with adult-sized power and torque for extreme terrains. The E-Force is equipped with a Torque on Demand electric drive system that generates three times more torque than a conventional gas-powered ATV.
One of the more interesting aspects of this job is gaining access to key executives in large companies who make decisions about the future of large industries. Few industries are larger than the automotive industry. During the Geneva Auto Show and the drive event that followed in Tuscany, I was particularly interested to learn that:
1. Volkswagen has more than 11% market share worldwide but only 3% market share in the U.S.
2. 25% of the automobiles that VW sold in the U.S. market in 2009 were clean diesel models.
I still think of VW as a young brand, so it makes sense to me that they’re planning on making strides in the U.S. market by launching greener vehicles. Young people, and people who feel young, want greener cars as much as they want “a fun drive,” which is exactly what Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volkswagen America, said he wants American drivers to think of when they see the silver VW on the hood of their vehicles. He said it in an interview and he said it again at the dinner table.
Clean Diesel Confusion?
Two points to clear up: First, the “clean” in “clean diesel” does not refer to the fuel itself. When you pull up to the station you put regular diesel in the tank. Clean diesel refers to the vehicle’s emissions. The new TDI/clean diesel version of the Touareg boasts a 40% reduction in emissions compared to the previous version that ran on gasoline. Second, this ain’t your Grandma’s old diesel that went from 0-60mph in eight minutes flat. These TDI vehicles are powerful.
The 2010 Volkswagen Touareg TDI – Best Green SUV on the market
I haven’t been this excited about an SUV since my folks got a Chevy Blazer back in the early ‘90s. I loved that Blazer because my family’s dog and my BMX bicycles fit easily in the back compared to my Mom’s previous vehicle, a sedan. It was the one and only SUV they ever owned because Mom thought the Blazer “handled like a truck.” I never got to drive the Blazer, but it looked awesome to me. I can now assure you and Mom that the new VW Touareg TDI handles sharply thanks to a series of technological advances.
Design in the automobile world has come to mean two things: performance and aesthetics. Seems obvious enough, but good design is where performance and aesthetics meet. Walking the Geneva auto show for a few days, I affirmed that it wasn’t due to my environmental optimism but rather objective observation that a third metric is sneaking into the auto-design criteria: efficiency. Porsche’s new 918 prototype hybrid sports car was a major hit amongst the American auto journalists, who also informed me that Porsche has never made a prototype that didn’t go into production (though a few cited one debatable exception). When green cars get this exciting, it’s a big win for the environment.
Under the hood there are a number of innovative technical design issues at play, making the Touareg best-in-class with regard to drive quality as well as environmental sensitivity. First in line for the “best innovation under the hood award”: The 8-speed transmission. It used to be that more speeds simply meant faster speeds, but oh how far we’ve come in a decade or two… How are more speeds now better in more ways?
This is a bit technical: More speeds are better because more speeds means that the engine is running more optimally more often. An engine that runs optimally more often is an engine that lasts longer. An engine that runs optimally also has superior fuel efficiency. Both of these factors save drivers money over the lifetime of a vehicle. So efficiency is good for vehicle owners and good for the environment. As American car buyers realize the value that VW is offering with their TDI models, it will be good for the company’s bottom line as well.
I’m not sure when that type of thing went out of style in the business world, but if it makes VW old-fashioned to offer a high quality product at a competitive price, then color them old-fashioned. To put it simply, the Touareg TDI is a V6 that performs like a high-end V8 but sips fuel like a four-cylinder.
But the American auto market can’t be captured solely based on dollars-and-cents and value, so VW threw in some very cool features that sounded gimmicky to me at first glance but over the course of the drive event in Tuscany started to actually improve the quality of the ride (and I shutter to admit, my abilities as a driver). The top two coolest features: Dynamic Light Assist and Area View.
Dynamic Light Assist means the headlights utilize a number of cameras built into the car to assist the driver in adapting to road conditions. Effectively, that means each headlight toggles independently to improve your view of the road and minimize glare. It’s a noticeable improvement with regard to visibility.
Area View means cameras, lots of cameras. When you put the car in reverse to back up at a light or to parallel park, you can rely pretty heavily on the view from the dashboard monitor. Yes, I think you should still take a look back first, but it’s a comfort knowing that you’ll never feel the need to park “by sound” again, especially if you’re driving an SUV in city traffic. This is really just the beginning of the Area View features, but you’ll have to check it out for yourself to see how intuitive this technology has become.
The redesigned Touareg TDI is the most fuel-efficient SUV in its class, and one could make a good argument that it’s also among the most feature-rich driving experiences of any SUV. There are flashy things that look cool, there are flashy features that enhance performance, and there are some that do both in such a way that increased safety. You’ll also find rear seats that fold down with a one-hand-on-one-lever maneuver, increased structural strength paired with a substantive decrease in weight, and an intuitive in-dash touchscreen monitor that pulls it all together in a way that makes all of these add-ons feel like an afterthought. I guess that’s what they mean when they talk about fun and design.
Clean Diesel or a Hybrid?
Volkswagen will also be releasing a hybrid model in time for late Fall 2010 (the 2011 model year). I got the chance to test drive this work-in-progress through the city streets of beautiful downtown Florence. With many of the same mechanical marvels under the hood as the TDI (8-speed transmission, European steering, dynamic headlights, cameras, etc) and the same streamlined body, the Hybrid model will prove an excellent option for those skeptics who are still unwilling to go for diesel – as well as for those who simply believe hybrid technology is the way to go.
My personal recommendation is still on the clean diesel option because it’s readily available now, it’s a tried-and-true technology (consumers have been driving them in Europe and elsewhere for years), and it’s an excellent value that’s substantively better for the environment than any standard petrol SUV – 40% emissions reduction is buzz-worthy. At a time when so many auto manufacturers are showing up in congressional hearings, VW has already invested in a green manufacturing plant being built to the highest possible environmental standard that will bring good jobs to Tennessee. Mix that in with a fun vehicle that looks as good in the rolling hills of Tuscany as it does in the city streets of Florence and you’re looking at the newly redesigned, leaner, and greener VW Touareg TDI.
Eco Factor: Realtor modifies 1990 Ford Capri to run on electricity.
Deception Bay real estate agent Richard Gowda has spent the last year converting his 1990 Ford Capri into a plug-in electric car that no longer emitted and toxic gases. The creator has put the final touches to the vehicle and has received the roadworthy tick of approval as well.
Eco Factor: High-strength, lightweight frame for electric vehicles.
JFE Steel Corp has developed a lightweight but highly strong steel frame for electric supply vehicles. The frame developed in collaboration with Keio University uses a plate made by laser-welding steel plates with different thickness.
Eco Factor: Artwork made from recycled materials.
We’ve reported about several bizarre but interesting pieces of art that have been made using materials not many would like. However, each of these artworks has been designed for a cause. Checkout this amazing steampunk-looking desk-phone that has been entirely made from found farmer’s tools.
Eco Factor: Sustainable pavilion designed to reflect nature.
The Austrian Pavilion for the World Shanghai Expo 2010 by SPAN and Zeytinoglu Architects is under construction and once completed, will offer visitors breathtaking views of nature, the country’s interaction of City, landscape, urban habitats and cultural landscapes through its design.
Eco Factor: Vest designed to sniff out air pollutants.
The Detectair is a cowl-neck vest equipped with LEDs that continuously monitor air pollutants and flashes if you’ve wandered into an unhealthy airspace. Designed and developed by Genevieve Mateyko and Pamela Troyer the dress is based around an Arduino microcontroller and sensor technologies to analyze air quality.
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