Denver is one of the few airports that did not have a rail link till now. Most airports see a rail link as an important source of low carbon transportation that is efficient as well. The new expansion plans that are on at Denver will have the airport connecting to the core of the city at Union Station. A FasTrack line is set to end at the new station that will be built on Calavatra’s design. The line will cross the rail bridge at Pena Boulevard and proceed to the commercial plaza the hotel adjacent to it.

The five hundred room hotel will bring to fruition the plans that were set in motion in 1995, to have a hotel at the site. Equipped with a conference center, this hotel is sure to be a boon for business travelers. The new plaza that is right above the station will facilitate connection to the arrivals area and offer travelers breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains.

Santiago Calavatra is best known for the use off sweeping arches in his structures and also for his rail stations. His design is expected to imprint his distinctive style to Denver’s iconic Airport as well as contribute to the style of the city.

(Via Inhabitat)

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Although the technology seems settled, new wind power designs are still being developed, especially as engineers try to extend the generating capacity of turbines. The Aerogenerator X is a new 10 MW wind turbine designed for off-shore use combining the best of horizontal axis and vertical axis designs. The engineering firm Arup and architects Grimshaw developed the design (based on an earlier Grimshaw design from a couple years ago) on behalf of the British company Wind Power Limited.

The familiar, three-bladed, horizontal axis turbine is a well established design, but increased stresses as the size of these turbines increases makes it difficult to enlarge them further. Because of the square-cube law, larger wind turbines produce exponentially more power, so there is an incentive to build larger and larger turbines. This led to the innovative design, inspired by the sycamore leaf.

Aerogenerator X has a very large swept area, like a horizontal axis turbine. The span of the turbine is 275 meters (over 900 feet). But the Aerogenerator X is also only half the height of an equivalent horizontal axis turbine. And like a vertical axis turbine, the generator and equipment are located at the base. Stresses on the blades are reduced in this configuration, making it easier to design and build something of this size. This also makes maintenance much easier, especially for an offshore turbine.

Project partners also include Rolls-Royce, Shell, BP, EDF, EON, Caterpillar, and the UK government. The first full-scale versions of this turbine are expected to be completed by 2013 or 2014.

Hat tip to @MelStarrs and BAKOKO!

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With the world walking towards a green future, every company is trying to make records for others to follow. In an attempt to design the world’s biggest offshore wind turbine, engineers from Britain, US and Norway are battling it out to taste success. He aim is to build a massive 10MW offshore machines that is twice the size and power of anything seen before. Arup, a British engineering firm has come up with a design that is inspired by floating oil platform technology and mimics a spinning sycamore leaf.

Dubbed the “Aerogenerator” is a machine that rotates on its axis and would stretch nearly 275m from blade tip to tip and would stand nearly 600ft high above the waves. Each turbine should be able to generate enough electricity to provide 5,000-10,000 homes. Then from Norway comes the firm Sway that is planning to build massive floating turbines that would stick straight out of the sea from 100m-deep floating “masts” anchored to the seabed.

An EU-sponsored research project is also investigating 8–10MW turbines, and other American and Danish companies are planning 9MW machines. Full-scale prototypes of all three leading designs are expected to be complete within three years. These projects have the potential to transform the global energy market forever.

Via: Guardian

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Designed by Della Valle Bernheimer in collaboration with the Architecture Research Office, R-House is a prototype that was designed specifically to be economical and practical. The design won Syracuse University’s competition ‘From the Ground Up’ – an initiative to revitalize the housing in the Near Westside neighborhood that is now in shambles.

R-house proudly serves as a model for affordable and sustainable residential abodes, is well-insulated, with an airtight exterior, efficient re-circulating of heating/ventilation and windows that are designed to enhance solar gain. The house demonstrates how innovative ideas can be successfully translated into reality to make an affordable passive house work well in a cold climate. It sets a new standard for houses that function in the net-zero/minimum energy consumption bracket.

Interior spaces are large and light and the energy required to heat it is equivalent to that consumed by a hair dryer. This prototype can be tweaked with to tailor-make homes depending on the families’ needs. Affordability and sustainability working in tandem with such high standards of energy efficiency and insulation make this a definite value addition to a neighborhood in dire straits. The R-Home seems to be the prefect answer to their prayers.

(Via dbnyc)

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Eco Factor: Megayacht propelled by a solar hybrid engine.

We frequently report about yachts that have adopted new technologies to reduce their carbon footprint. While most of them just aim to reduce emissions, this one from Sauter Zero Carbon Design promises to be the first zero carbon footprint megayacht in the world. Dubbed the Supernova, the 60m Solar Hybrid Megayacht boasts wingsails half as tall as sails found in conventional monohulls that promises to reduce drag and provide a much greater thrust.

The yacht also includes an advanced hydro and aerodynamic design that harnesses sun, wind and the waves to generate electricity to propel the yacht to a cruising speed of 17 knots. A 100 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is achieved by employing multiple diesel electric drives that are supported by rotational wingsails.

Via: BornRich/MBW

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Via Yankodesign.com

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