Sweden Heals Old Apartment Buildings

About 400,000 apartments need help in Sweden due to bad energy efficiancy. About a gazillion other homes around the world do too, but not all coutries act upon such matters. Their aim is to upgrade appartment buildings from the 70’s so that they would meet the standards of a passive house. To do that they will thickly insulate them, install better and more energy-efficient windows and doors, equip them with more efficient appliances and lighting and install heat exchangers. All of the rooftops facing south will also receive solar panels to provide districts with warm water. Their aim is to cut the use of energy from 216 kWh/m2 to about 92 kWh/m2.

I bow to you, queen Sweden.

(via: TreeHugger)

Tata Nano | The Cheapest Car On Earth

I can’t say I care much about cars, but the one that runs on air and this little toddler cought my attention.

cost: $2,500

length: 3.1 metres

width: 1.5 metres

height: 1.6 metres

stylish: not so much

/specs and more photos after the tiny jump

E-waste | We made our bed, now we’ll sleep in it.

This is by no means an attack on Apple, but the picture of the little girl is just so heartbreaking because sadly it represents what we’re leaving over for our kids. We’re all contributing to the big problem of electronical waste and should be aware of what happens with the out-of-date appliances.

Electronic waste, “e-waste” or “Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment” (“WEEE“) is a waste type consisting of any broken or unwanted electrical or electronic appliance. It is a point of concern considering that many components of such equipment are considered toxic and are not biodegradable. (from Wikipedia)

Watershed | FLOAT architectural research and design

Sheds make me feel happy and all fuzzy inside. Made by FLOAT for a nature writer in Oregon this shed definitely ”fulfills its intention of revealing the surrounding ecology while allowing observation without disturbance”. From the shed it is possible to see the ecological restoration project going on along Mary’s River. All connections are reversible, all components can be removed for reuse, and the whole thing is completely recyclable. Let me do the close-to-zero ecological footprint dance while you check out more photos after the jump.

(via: Inhabitat)

Kengo Kuma | Artkrush Interview

Paul Lester of Artkrush took the advantige of interviewing one of Japan’s most celebrated architects on one of his rare visits to the States. From wikipedia: Kuma’s stated goal is to “recover the tradition of Japanese buildings” and to reinterpret it for the 21st century.

/click to read the interview at Artkrush

/more photos after the jump

(via: dezain)

Let’s End The Day With Sammy

Ladies and gentlemen: Mr. Sammy Davis Jr. – Mr. Bojangles | 1971

Goodnight:*