Driven by technological advances in transparent building facades and the general motivation for high quality green buildings, facade design alternatives have shifted to utilizing dynamic fenestration and shading systems for optimal control of daylight and solar gains. The concept of dynamic facades (installing controllable elements on the building envelope) is not new; however, it is only during the last few years that architects and engineers have started to trust these systems and use them in buildings.
Dynamic building envelopes include advanced window technologies, innovative fenestration systems and automated shading control, all of which characterize the new “intelligent” buildings generation (together with efficient HVAC control systems). Although a great idea, the design and implementation of such systems is a quite complex task.
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Salamander Designs has introduced its Chameleon collection of furniture to hide your electronics—except for the TV that stands on top of it—in cabinetry that blends into virtually any living room environment. Kinda like a chameleon.
All cabinetry in the line, according to the company, features solid wood and soft-close dampeners; ventillation louvers built into the segment bottoms; and removable pinch-out rear panels for easy component jack access. Some models incorporate enclosures for center channel speakers that come with integrated grilles, and one model has a media drawer slotted for DVDs and CDs. (more…)
With rising energy prices and a growing demand for eco-friendly construction, more and more people are coming around to round homes.
When Yosh Schulman and his wife, Nili Simhai, decided to find an environmentally friendly option for their new home in Millerton, N.Y., they chose a prefabricated circular home for some of those specific reasons.
“My wife runs an environmental education center, so we wanted a home that made wise use of natural resources,” says Schulman. “Circular homes use fewer building materials. Their footprint’s impact on the environment is minimal. There are heating and cooling benefits, as well.”
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