Hi Five Awesome Environmental Projects Undertaken By Large Cities!.

Hi Five Awesome Environmental Projects Undertaken By Large Cities!.

Environmental conservation is every nation's rallying call in the wake of its massive destruction around the world and the dire need to conserve it for ourselves and the future. Unless proper measures are undertaken to protect and conserve it, we shall only be around long enough to watch it perish and we after it.

Many, if not all the nations of the world, in this realization have come up with ingenious ways and projects to conserve the environment and keep it that way for a long time to come. We will look at least five of these projects carried out in major cities around the world.

Near Albany, NY, a company known as Ecovative Design came up with a low-cost innovative zero-waste, bio-based packing material that replaces foam packaging like urethane, Styrofoam and plastic thermoforms. The process takes place indoors, in darkness and doesn't require any human intervention.

It mainly uses fungi which 'grow' on custom-shaped forms that are made from inedible crop waste like buckwheat husks. There is zero waste because all the raw material becomes part of the final product, and easily becomes compost after the intended use.

This product in essence replaces 196,000 cubic feet of foam plastic packaging parts, thereby saving 77 thousand gallons of petroleum annually, essentially because approximately 10% of petroleum used in America goes to the manufacture of plastics and foams.

In Tokyo Bay, an ambitious construction project is being developed to help in the conservation of the environment. The Shimizu Corporation has an ambitious project of constructing a pyramid that is three miles long, making its height 14 times higher than the Great Pyramid of Giza. There are smaller projects too that have just as big ambitions, the Vancouver Cigarette butt recycling program, looks to make Vancouver the most eco-friendly city by 2020.

The pyramid will be made up of 204 other smaller pyramids and will have at least 750,000 housing units for people in Tokyo. The carbon fibre material used to make the pyramid will be mainly light weight; the pyramid will be host to shopping centres, restaurants, research facilities and private homes. The residences and businesses will be powered by wind power, solar power and algae scum.

In the Maldives, an ambitious project funded both by the government and well-wishers has been started up to conserve corals. Seamarc, a consultancy company in marine matters has engineered an innovative technique where new corals are propagated on metal frames.

This is made possible through a process of transplantation using broken fragments of corals harvested from the natural reef. The coral fragments are then attached to the metal frames where they grow into new colonies.

Discernible difference can be viewed within 2 months of the initial 2-3 weeks that follow the transplant. Proceeds from each frame are used to fund local community initiatives and also towards research in Cocoa Island's marine conservation pro-grammes.

Another construction project in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi is building the 1st carbon-neutral city in a span of 10 years. The city will have all cars banned within city limits; only solar-powered vehicles would be allowed within the city.

80% of all the water in the city will be recycled and all human waste 'repurposed' and converted to energy for use. This city would move beyond the current dependency on oil and will be the world's first zero-waste, zero-carbon city, especially because the city will be built with recycled materials from ground up which will eschew carbon emissions.

In Europe, a recycling process for waste water to be used in hotels was developed by Marco Cremona, an engineer, mainly to be used in hotels. Its system, based on the innovative Membrane BioReactor (MBR), this is a waste water treatment process that is used together with reverse osmosis process (RO) that is well proven. With this process, 70-80% of the water brought in by the hotel will be conserved.

Hi Report: Green Buildings Market Grows to $260 Billion; Driven by Higher Rents, Values!.

Hi Report: Green Buildings Market Grows to $260 Billion; Driven by Higher Rents, Values!.

Construction of green buildings rose to 325 million m² of new floor space in 2013, representing a $260 billion market, according to Lux Research, with growth driven by economic benefits rather than environmental motivations.

Growth has exceeded expectations as green construction marches toward a significant share of the mainstream market. In the United States, for example, green buildings command an estimated 20 percent of new construction.

“Green buildings are driven not by utility savings, but by upticks in rental income or resale value,” said Alex Herceg, Lux Research analyst and the lead author of the report titled, “Cash Is King: Assessing the Financial Performance of Green Buildings.”

“Those factors, along with government incentives, can make the financial case for green buildings, delivering predictable internal rates of return (IRRs) north of 5 percent,” he added.

Lux Research analysts studied utility savings, rental rates, resale value and government incentives in green buildings and their impact on IRRs.

Among their findings:

• Green certification fuels growth. Lux Research’s analysis found that buildings with LEED Gold certification outperform their baseline peers. For instance, higher rental income added $4.1 million in value to a model 80,000 ft² commercial building in Los Angeles.

• IRRs get a boost from subsidies. Incentives like Germany's subsidized interest rates for energy-efficient homes, or government cash rebates in India, can lead to an IRR of 5 to 6 percent over 15 years.

• Energy efficiency codes offer market opportunity. While green building standards like LEED helped build market demand for green buildings, building energy efficiency codes such as ASHAE 90.1, IECC and ECBC India can create a much larger market opportunity. In Germany, Lux Research estimates that new floor space compliant with the EnEv 2009 code was 50 million m², or about 36 percent of overall new construction, in 2013.

The report, titled “Cash Is King: Assessing the Financial Performance of Green Buildings,” is part of the Lux Research Efficient Building Systems Intelligence service.

Hi A Dark Side of Solar Power!!!

Hi A Dark Side of Solar Power!!!

The harshest criticism for fossil fuels has always been the horrible effect they have on the environment. Not only does retrieving the resource (coal, petroleum, natural gas) do irreparable damage to landscapes and ecosystems, but transporting it can be quite dangerous. And once the fuel has been spent, harmful byproducts clog the atmosphere and have far-reaching effects that scientists have only recently begun to quantify.

You know this, and I know this. And I know that you know that we all know this. This isn't going to be a recital of facts we know, ya know? But what about the negative environmental impacts our cultural shift to renewable energies, namely solar power, produce? There is a side to solar (PV) power that's rarely considered and not well understood.

Energy Payback Time (EPBT):

EPBT is the amount of time it takes a solar panel to collect the same value of energy that was expended in the panel's creation. It used to be that panels virtually never recaptured the amount of energy which was needed to create them, but that belief faded in the 1990s as the technology improved.

A significant amount of energy is spent producing, processing, and purifying materials for PV panels, as well as for the manufacture, transportation, and installation of the panel. The mathematical formula (.pdf) for determining the EPBT looks like this:

Rather than break down figures for areas with my limited text space, I'll just spoil the conclusion: the effectiveness of solar panels is severely affected by material efficiency and the location of the panel. In most of the United States, it takes almost two years before the panels begin to reduce emissions. At what latitude do solar panels stop making sense?

Environmental Waste:

Not surprisingly, China has been the leading manufacturer of PV panels worldwide by nearly fourfold. Despite this robust production rate, they're only second in PV power production (18,400 mW compared to Germany's 36k mW). What gives?

Frankly, China doesn't care about its environment and has little oversight on how companies dispose of industrial waste. And in consideration of the profit the industry is making, what regulations do exist are overlooked. U.S.-based PV panel manufacturers have a hard time disposing of toxic materials used in the production process. Chinese companies don't have the same difficulty, choosing to bury chemicals or flush them in public waterways. The result is a panel which was cheaper to produce and ship abroad.

Really, we're just burying the problem someplace else, hoping that a super-solution from future geniuses materializes in the meantime.

Wildlife Impacts:

The Ivanpah solar plant in utilizes 174,000 heliostats to reflect sunlight onto a centralized solar tower. The tower collects the sunlight, transfers it to heat, and boils water to begin the electricity production process. The plant is located in the Mojave Desert, away from population centers.

Human population centers, at least. While the imagery of a desert solar plant probably conjures images of dust and tumbleweeds, the area where the plant lives is much more lush than you might expect. When the plant was first announced, it incited considerable backlash because it was building on habitat that belonged to the endangered desert tortoise. The plant's construction was ultimately changed to help curtail its effects.

Now that the plant is up and running, an unforeseen consequence has occurred: an excessive number of bird deaths. Birds are lured to the area by insects or migration patterns, but once in the vicinity of the plant they're almost assured a hellish death. Estimates of up to 28,000 bird deaths a year have been attributed to the concentrated solar arrays, which blind and even ignite birds midflight. Officials are considering how to proceed with a megawatt and mega-money facility that may drive the extinction of entire species on its own.

The point isn't that solar power is harming our environment. Without a doubt, nearly any energy harvest strategy will conclude with negative environmental effects. But it shows that a long, long road of development must be traveled before our technology creates the sustainable utopia we envision. For now, we should probably maximize the efficiencies of the energy sources we have.

Hi International Shipping Goes Green:

Hi International Shipping Goes Green:

The world's economy continues to be buoyed by its oceans. Approximately 90 percent of all international trade is exchanged by vessels, and between tankers and intermodal container transport ships, they represent 65 of the 68 largest ships in operation.

Of course, the negative environmental effects of huge shipping vessels are well documented. International Maritime Organization predicts that carbon dioxide emissions from shipping would constitute 72 percent of human-made emissions by the year 2020. Considering cargo weight and transport distance, shipping via sea is the most efficient and economical, but annual increases in the amount of tonnage traded and distances traveled mean most efficiency gains are offset by increased usage.

A variety of engineering solutions have been implemented to keep mega-ships financially afloat.

Wind power returns:

In 2007, German shipping company Beluga Group launched MS Baluga Skysails, a 433 ft. long container ship. Notably, the ship receives auxiliary power from a paraglider attached to the front of the ship that reduces fuel consumption between 20 and 30 percent. The largest of the paragliders, up to 6,500 ft.², can exert as much towing power as a 6,800 hp engine. A pod-based logic controller system links the canopy and the towline to determine the optimal flying height (up to 1,600 ft.), wind direction, and speed.

Overall, Skysails have been slow to catch on, though the company says 40,000 container ships can be retrofitted with the system.

Dual props, slower speeds:

International shipping operator Maersk operates the current largest ships in the world, their Triple E class of container ships, of which there are 20. The handful of vessels larger than their Triple E Class have all been retired and dismantled because they weren't sustainable enough. So when Maersk launched their first Triple E in 2013, they knew that many operational changes were necessary in order to keep the ships viable.

Despite being the largest ships ever, Maersk claims there is a 20 percent improvement in operational efficiency over their second largest fleet of ships, the E class. This savings comes primarily from reduced throttle speeds. Most of Triple E transit is conducted at 19 knots, and the ship have maximum speed of 23 knots. This is considerably slower than other container ships (up to 28 knots), but it is considered the optimum operating speed which reduces power consumption. This adds 2-6 days to each journey.

Efficiency also stems from a unique twin propeller arrangement. Most container ships utilize just a single propeller, as they're more efficient because the dueling draughts of two propellers often result in parasitic drag. But the Triple E class has two 9.8 m four-bladed screw propellers, compared to the single 9.9 m six-bladed screw propellers, contributing 4 percent better efficiency and better pressure distribution. In this instance, the significantly larger disc area of the propellers compensates for conflicting vortices. The ship is also fitted with an innovative, $10 million waste heat recovery system, and Maersk is considering adding exhaust treatment systems as well.

LNG tankers run via boil-off:

While the Triple E is the largest container ship, the Q-max is the largest liquefied natural gas tanker, as it's 80 percent larger than most LNG carriers. Just as LNG trade has increased, LNG carriers have become more prominent. But it would be an oxymoron for a ship that provides for essential services for a booming green industry to also be an emissions giant. As such, the ship uses two low power diesel engines to power a dual propeller arrangement. Since the natural gas needs to be supercooled, the vessel maintains an internal membrane which waffles or compresses to minimize thermal effects on the vessel hull. Naturally, some of the gas transitions to vapor, where a system captures it and returns it to a liquefied state. Most LNG carriers recapture LNG at rates of 99 percent or more.

But the tankers can also run on the boil-off gas from its recapture system. The company that owns the 14 Q-maxs has initiated conversion on its fleet, so the diesel engines can also run via recaptured LNG. The result is a tanker that has a significant reduction in emissions, engines that require less periodic maintenance, fuel supply flexibility, and ultimately risk reduction.

Like many industries, international shipping businesses are adjusting to new environmental regulations that determine in which nations they can do business. Efficiency equals increased profitability, so it's ultimately a business decision to create a new generation of shipping vessels. Until a true bridge-over-the-ocean engineering project comes true, even more efficient ships are needed to offset the increasingly global marketplace.

!!!Hi GREEN DISCLOSURE!!!

In[visible] Pollution:

In[visible] Pollution:

We spend a lot of time on talking about pollution, but it's not just us, it's the entire media, and it has been that way for more than a decade. 

So if you're truly sick of hearing/reading/seeing about how damaging we as a species are to the Earth, perhaps you should click the back button.

But before you do, let me tell you this isn't about ozone layers, or global warming, or toxic materials storage. 

This is about a pollution source that goes ridiculously underreported, and despite its highly visible presence, researchers are just beginning to understand its effects.

It might be weird to consider light a contaminant, but that's exactly what it is (artificial light, that is). 

We all know the cyclic patterns of the sun are entirely responsible for life on Earth anyway, but humans' lack of night vision has birthed trillions of incandescent, fluorescent, high-intensity discharge and LED bulbs since commercial light bulbs were first available in the late 1870s.

Light Pollution Effects:

Of course, not all artificial light sources pollute equally. 

Indoor lights are quite necessary. 

They have provided us with more time to finish tasks or spend on recreation, and are absolutely necessary in higher latitudes, when daylight can be reduced to just a few hours per day. 

There is no telling how many "cow kicked over the candle" fires that artificial lighting has spared. Indoor light is also largely held in check by the building it illuminates.

Outdoor lighting receives the most scrutiny when considering light pollution. 

First, many overnight lights are left on continuously, and in an age of resource sustainability this type of energy waste is being carefully reconsidered. 

While streetlights may make shady street corners or back streets more safe, they're also an enormous energy burden in big and small cities alike. 

Also, as energy savings from more efficient lights are realized, it might prompt engineers to begin placing more lights. 

Studies have also indicated that excessive light during nighttime can lead to headaches, fatigues, stress, sexual dysfunction, anxiety and poor temperament.

Light pollution can also disrupt ecosystems-everything from diurnal animals, to moths attracted to lights, to birds who are disoriented by excessive light pollution, and amphibians and reptiles who function on a "light compass." 

It also prevents observation of the night sky by both professional and amateur astronomers, as light from a single location scatters and impairs viewing conditions even dozens of miles away.

Solutions? None, really:

Really, what can we do? Humans never evolved the same inherent night vision as many other mammals, and therefore developed technology to combat this inferiority. .

To truly cut back on light pollution, several techniques are recognized. First, full cutoff fixtures have been implemented in many cities and towns, sometimes by ordinance. 

These lighting devices use a flat lens to ensure all light is pointed downward, and the light housing reduces extra glare but also minimizes the light's efficiency. 

Also, spacing lights appropriately according to their wattage often results in fewer lights being used overall.

There have been attempts to develop methods that minimize light trespass using scientific guidelines. 

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed software that allows lighting engineers to quantify the performance of lighting designs by analyzing glow and trespass, while comparing different lighting alternatives for the same space. 

Another system, the Unified System of Photometry, establishes a measurement of what type of street lights belong where, based on an algorithm of visibility, energy consumption and security. 

It commonly recommends replacing yellow/orange-ish street lights with white 'cool' lighting, which can reduce power drawn and light pollution without affecting visibility.

The problem with these solutions is that they only minimize extraneous light proliferation, and do nothing to ultimately stop light pollution.

Forgive my pun, but light pollution isn't a black-or-white, day-or-night issue. 

There is always going to be a need for a competitive balance between the two, but consider that, as a whole, illumination technology is still quite immature. 

There could be a day when engineers are able to reliably illuminate our nighttime environments without negatively affecting so many of the ecological processes around us. 

Until then, personal responsibility of light pollution is the only real means to moderate light pollution. 

It's like the Keep America Beautiful advertising campaign from the 1960s: be responsible for yourself, because there aren't any other alternatives.

Hi' Ah-ram Online Reader: Renewable energy is Egypt's raft out of crisis: Experts.

Hi' Ah-ram Online Reader: Renewable energy is Egypt's raft out of crisis: Experts.

Power-generating windmill turbines of The Zafarana project, Egypt (Photo: Al-ah-ram).

"The solutions are known, but the will to implement them is absent, say energy experts discussing Egypt's energy crisis";

Scarcity of financial resources and the lack of a solid plan are the main reasons behind the perpetuation of Egypt's energy crisis, according to experts who attended the Cairo Energy Conference.

"The energy problem is well known. Its solutions are also well known, but there is no will to solve it," says Mohamed Shoeb, former president of the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company.

Shoeb and other experts, some of which are former officials, believe an advance can be achieved if the government thinks out of the box.

Many believe solar energy is a viable option for Egypt. "Some countries, like Germany, have a plan to generate all their electricity needs from renewable energy by 2050, and so should we," says Gala Othman, president of the Association of Wind Energy.

"Solar energy is no longer expensive. The cost of it has decreased by almost 90 percent during the last 10 years," says Shoeb.

Many experts say smart electricity meters that can reduce consumption in peak hours can help reduce electricity cuts. Instead of cutting off power, the government can reduce the consumption of households who have several air conditioners or power-hungry electrical devices in operation in peak hours.

Experts add that energy saving LED lightbulbs can reduce power consumption by 20 percent and would cost less to widely distribute than fuel imports.

"There are several ideas that can be studied and implemented, but we have been very slow," says Mohamed Moussa Omran, undersecretary of the Ministry of Electricity.

"We were the first in the region to start using solar energy, but were left behind. Countries like Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are introducing smart meters," he said.

"Transparency is missing, and that is a problem that needs to be solved. The government thinks the people are not capable of understanding the problem," says Shoeb.

Different parts of the government do not speak frankly to each other about the issue, he adds. 

"The discourse inside a governmental administration would most probably change if they interact with another one in a different ministry," he said.

Differences between the Ministry of Electricity and the Ministry of Petroleum over the issue have led to an exchange of accusations between previous ministers.

In a speech Saturday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said that the production and distribution of electricity were not developed to catch up with consumption.

He estimated that Egypt needs 2,500 Megawatts annually for the upcoming five years to meet rising demand, at a cost of $2.5 billion a year.

In addition to funds needed to build power stations, El-Sisi said that fuel needs would amount to $700 million per station per year.

He invited private investors to develop power stations as well as the power grid.

Power cuts have become frequent since August 2008, but were generally confined to summer months when air conditioning use increases the demand for power. In winter 2012/13, blackouts became common.

Close to 80 percent of Egypt's electricity is generated by natural gas, the production of which has lagged behind in recent years as political unrest and mounting government debts have discouraged foreign energy firms from developing new gas fields.

Hi' Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality;

Hi' Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality;

Indoor air pollution is considered as one of the top environmental risks to public health worldwide due to increasing number of building-related illnesses. 

Studies have found that concentration of indoor pollutants is significantly higher indoors than they are in outdoor environment, which is two to five times and sometimes hundred times higher than outdoor levels. 

As most of the people spend 80% to 90% of their lives indoor, indoor air quality has significant implication on sustainability.

Decreased indoor air quality can affect quality of life of the building occupant, increase health risks and increase the liability for building owner, decrease the productivity of occupants and reduce the resale value of the building. Poor indoor air quality can cause “sick building syndrome”, which is a medical condition linked to poor health and absenteeism.

Poor indoor air quality is due to many factors including but not limited to improper building design, inadequate ventilation, off-gassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from furniture, carpets, paints and coatings, cleaning products, and from human respiration. Airborne particles such as lints, dust, dust mites, mold, bacteria, pollen and animal dander also contribute to poor indoor air quality. Indicators that are used to measure the indoor air quality include total particulate matter, total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), formaldehyde, carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O₃), air temperature, relative humidity (RH). Concentration of CO₂ in the indoor environment indicates whether ventilation is sufficient or not.

In the Middle East region, most of the people live in enclosed air-conditioned indoor environments. With rapidly growing population, increase in number of vehicles on the road, high temperature level, ever increasing construction activities, regular sandstorm, concentration of air contaminants in the region is among the highest worldwide. Indoor environment also reflects outdoor air quality and pollution. Transport of outdoor contaminants to the indoor environment can result in occupant exposure to outdoor pollutants that have serious health impacts. In addition, there are many sources of indoor pollutants present in building materials, cleaning products, indoor mold and legionella growth, and emission from interior furnishings, finishing and equipments.

Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality;

Indoor air quality is influenced by concentration of outdoor air pollutants as well as indoor source of pollution, characteristic of building and habits of occupants. Appropriate building design and mechanical system and control strategies as well as changing occupant behaviour can improve indoor air quality and health and comfort, performance and productivity of building occupants. There are a host of strategies to improve the indoor air quality.

Appropriate design;

Building envelop, orientation, and location of air intake, location of mechanical ventilation systems can contribute to indoor air quality. Hence, these factors should be considered during the design stage of projects to control the main source of pollutants for the whole building.

Whole house mechanical ventilation;

Properly designed and sized ventilation system can supply adequate outdoor air to indoor. In most of the green building rating systems, industry standards such as ASHRAE Standard 62 or Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality are commonly followed.

Mixed mode ventilation:

Use of combination of mechanical and natural ventilation systems in buildings, such as automated window controlling systems and operable windows, can help in maintaining healthy indoor air quality.

Air quality management during construction:

During the construction phase, molds can develop due to exposure of building materials with moisture. Dust and particulates can easily accumulate on building materials if they are not protected. The air quality during the construction period can be protected by protecting the building materials from dust and particles and moistures.

High efficiency air filters: 

Filters prevent transports of outdoor VOCs, dusts, particulates and ozone indoors. Use of good particle filter such as high MERV rated filters in ventilation equipment are found to be the most effective filters in filtering outdoor dust and particulates out.

Maintenance schedule for HVAC filters:

Dirty filter can cause sensory irritation. Hence, appropriate maintenance schedule can prevent this to happen.

Use of low emitting materials: 

Use of materials that have low VOC content for products such as indoor carpets, rubber flooring, sub-floor materials, ceramics and ties, plasterboards, or other sealants and adhesives.  Also internal construction materials with low formaldehyde content can be helpful.

Conduct building flush out: 

Flushing out of indoor contaminants thoroughly in buildings before occupancy will help replacing dirty indoor air with fresh outdoor air.

Green cleaning program:

Select cleaning materials that are made of low emitting materials and employ a green cleaning program to reduce contaminant exposure.

Carbon dioxide monitors: Install CO₂ monitors in ventilation system and integrate them to regulate the supply of fresh air according to the building occupants demand. By doing so, if the CO₂ concentration increases beyond a set point, then the airflow automatically increases. 

Sustainable Cities.