Climate Pulse

Team Finland hails from Aalto University, and Alvar Aalto would be proud of this of this stunning little pile of lumber. It's passively heated and designed for the cold and dark Finnish climate, with solar hot water collectors and photovoltaics on the roof. Given the importance of wood in Finnish... [continue]

Last year, Enviu, known for the sustainable dance floor and club, launched the Open Source House project, a platform to share much needed sustainable and affordable housing solutions. The goal of their first competition, in which 3100 architects participated, was to design an affordable, flexible... [continue]

a portion of the winning entry A lot of people had doubts about the Betacup Challenge, a competition "in search of a solution to the rampant wastage of unrecyclable paper coffee cups". There are perfectly good solutions out there right now, like reusable or travel mugs. On the Betacup site's "why... [continue]

Every year the Electrolux Design Competition introduces some fascinating concepts into the world of food; sometimes they are even green; this year most of them are just bizarre. Perhaps the prize should be a copy of Michael Pollan's Food Rules; these people have never seen a kitchen, and in fact... [continue]

Back in the day when TreeHugger described itself as the "Green Lifestyle Filter" and covered design like a bamboo fiber blanket, Inhabitat was the little upstart. Five years or so later, they regularly eat our lunch with features like their Spring Greening Contest, where they invited readers to come... [continue]

Apartment Therapy runs the small, cool contests every year, including one for kitchens; cleverly, they break it into categories including owning (American kitchens where people go nuts) renting (where people have more limited options) and international (because they really are different) This year's... [continue]

Greenpeace in the UK started a wonderfully clever competition to create a new logo for BP in protest of their investment in the Alberta tar sands; events overtook them as the gulf spill became the poster child. And this is the company that was once going "beyond petroleum."...Read the full story on... [continue]

All photos by Lloyd Alter When Viljo Revell designed Toronto City Hall back in the sixties, the podium roof was for grand entries; you could drive up the ramp and walk right into the Council Chambers. It never quite worked out that way and was pretty much ignored for years. Not any more; this... [continue]

Images: Annie Scheel, BIKE & Delaware Valley Green Building Council Here's a great example of forward-thinking urban planning: a downtown, all-in-one bicycle parking facility that prioritizes human-powered transportation. The competition entry BIKE for the Delaware Valley Green Building Council by... [continue]

Air-drying clothing is definitely the cheapest, and especially the most eco-friendly way of drying your clothes; no energy or machinery is needed. However, if you live in a small space, a rainy country or simply are a busy (or forgetful) person, line-drying can be a little impractical, or even,... [continue]