A Net Zero House in Australia

Architect Matt Delroy-Carr designed a tranquil home for his family that was the first true net zero home in Western Australia. Located on a small subdivided block, the design makes the most of the site’s outdoor space. With 60% of the site reserved for the garden, his kids have plenty of room to play – … Read more

Insulation Made From Grass, Jute Fiber and Polyester Binder

Gramitherm is the first insulation to be produced from grass, which is sourced from public parks and grass verges, combined with recycled jute fibers, plus a recycled polyester binder, to produce one of the most sustainable forms of insulation on the market and is available from Ecological Building Systems in the UK and Ireland. Resistant … Read more

Geoships, Made of Bioceramic Material, Are Extremely Durable

On a rural property on the slopes of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, Morgan Bierschenk and his team have been refining a durable, mineral-like material to build sturdy dome homes with a particular matte-ceramic finish. They have called their modular dome homes Geoships.  Geoships are made of “bioceramic.” Used up until recently on high-end consumer electronic … Read more

Indo-Caribbean Thoughts About Sustainability

These are excerpts from an Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre Thought Leaders Forum held in September, 2024. Rosie Paul of India believes that holistic sustainability is important. She says, “When thinking of sustainability, it is not just about the environment, but it is also about cultural impacts, and socioeconomic impacts. You need to look at all the … Read more

Indian Architect, Apoorva Shroff, Champions Sustainable Solutions

When Apoorva Shroff was a child, her mother, a banker, told her about a client of hers who would send the architects in his building firm around the world. The architects’ mission was to be inspired by the beautiful buildings they saw and to replicate them in India. The best part of the job? The … Read more

Three Ways to Keep Cool Without Air Conditioning

Architects around the world are finding ways to respond to their local climates and cultural contexts to keep housing cooler. Some are inspired by vernacular architecture and others learn from nature and employ biomimicry. The Startup Lions campus is an information and communications technology campus located on the banks of Lake Turkana, Kenya. This building … Read more