Young designer, (she’s an undergrad at Western Washington U.), Kristen-Lehua Barcheski has come up with some innovative designs for shipping container housing. Her EIGHTx8 series features concepts that utilize the ubiquitous cargo container as the basic building unit.

The compact, modular nature of the container units makes them an ideal living solution for crowded urban communities. (more…)

The geometrically-shaped JustK House is the creation of the German architectural firm, AMUNT (architects: Martenson, Nagel +Theissen).

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Zero Energy Design is a custom architecture company which strives to build houses that use 50% less energy than the required building codes. This is one of the leading innovative companies in green building. With alternative energy being such an important issue today, companies like these are at the forefront of green living. There’s no better way to live an eco-friendly life than to start with your home.

Zero Energy Design follows the ideology that less is more. The houses they produce are very simple designs tailored to the surrounding landscape. Not only are the dwellings built to stand the test of time, but they are also built with non-toxic sustainable materials to minimize the ecological footprint. These beautiful homes are adapted to the buyers’ unique lifestyle, and fit for the environment.

Related: previously on altCon – more sustainable building info

The Bank of America Tower in Manhattan, New York is currently the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly skyscraper in the world. Dwarfed only by the Empire State Building among the skyscrapers of New York, this billion-dollar giant on Sixth Avenue measures in at 1,200 feet tall. So, since we all know that such buildings tend to be energy guzzlers, what makes this one such an ecological powerhouse? (more…)

The one+ småhuse, designed by Lars Frank Nielsen, a principal of the Danish design firm ONEN Design, is an inexpensive summerhouse created for the Swedish company Add-A-Room. In it’s basic configuration this modular home occupies approximately 15 sq meters. Arranging several modules in a Lego-like manner can result in a number of larger buildings and design variations.

The durable prefab modules are constructed primarily of locally sourced Scandinavian materials that require minimal maintenance. The thin outer paneling is made from Super Wood – a Danish building material that utilizes Swedish spruce in an process that involves no heavy metals. (more…)

Strolling along the west-side of Manhattan just keeps getting better and better. If you’re planning a trip to New York City, a visit to The High Line park is really a must. Hang out above the bustling streets, and enjoy the beautiful landscape and view from this amazing “park in the sky.”

Built on the site of a former “L” elevated railway, and running from West 14th to 20th Street, Stage 1 of The High Line opened in June of 2009 and fast became an oasis for harried folks in dire need of fresh greens and a new perspective. At 30 feet above the hustle and bustle, we were inspired to make this brief High Line video.

Cut to two years later…The greenway’s highly anticipated Second Stage of development from 20th Street to 30th will open to the public in May. Thanks in large part to Friends of The High Line, as well as the NYC Department of Economic Development, Section 2 will be unveiled officially with an Opening Spring Benefit on May 16, 2011. Cocktails, tour and dinner, tickets start at $1,000. With an area designated as the Chelsea Thicket, a wildlife field with perennials blooming every few weeks, a green lawn, seating benches from reclaimed lumber, as well as a crazy new “cut out” – a steel walkway rising 8 feet above the High Line level – Section 2 includes these sleek design features and more wows … at one point along the walkway you can see clear across the island, from the Hudson to the East River.

Ultimately, upon completion of Section 3, Manhattan’s High Line will continue northward to Hell’s Kitchen. (Hard) hats off to all who are making this greenway a reality. We love it. Especially in this down economy, it’s a testament to: the power of neighborhoods working together, NYC’s greening efforts, and an incredible transformation and utilization of a once abandoned, almost forgotten site.

Related: previously on altCon
high line park – nyc rises to the occasion (6.8.09)

Looking to make some green business connections? If you’re in Miami today, check it out…MiaGreen, a 2-day event taking place right now at the Miami Beach Convention Center. It’s a well produced B to B conference, designed to help green entrepreneurs expand their businesses in the USA, Latin America and the Caribbean. We made our way around the expo yesterday, filled with innovative sustainable-minded products and services; here are just a few of the many standouts:

• Adopt a Beach – in partnership with ecomb.org: a beach clean-up program
• AussanNatural.com: 100% non-toxic and botanical-based cleaning products with product lines for your home, your pet, your kids, boats, cars and sporting equipment
• Carlisle-lac.com: roof gardens & EcoStar roofing tiles
• EnglertInc.com: Environmental Rainwater Harvesting & SunNet Building Integrated Photovoltaic Standing Seam Metal Roof Systems (more…)

Save some money on electricity and shed some light on those hard to light outdoor areas like, driveways, patios and backyards with an off-grid, solar powered light like this Concept SL-100 solar powered security light.

The unit features 32 wide angle LEDs, a compact design, a 2W amorphous solar panel and a 4V 4.5AH lead acid battery. The light will illuminate a roughly 190 square foot area for up to 10 hours on full charge. A built-in motion detector with photocell light sensor allows auto-on/auto-off after you define your timer setting.

No wires, no electricity – just make sure the solar panel gets direct sunlight for a good portion of the day.

Winter got you feeling boxed in? Here’s a tiny house prototype that will match your mood.

The prefab geometric Boxhome was constructed in Oslo, (more…)