Maisons intégrées dans le paysage
Les anglais les nomment "earth house". Une "earth house" est un style architectural caractérisé par l'utilisation du terrain naturel dans la construction des murs de la maison. Une earth house est habituellement installée partiellement dans le sol et recouverte d'une fine végétation. Ce type de maison est l'une des plus efficaces sur le plan énergétique. En Suisse (Dietikon), village conçu par Peter Vetsch, version très moderne : Cette implantation contraste avec l'environnement des maisons individuelles traditionnelles. La résidence se compose de 9 maisons, dont certaines peuvent comporter jusqu'à 7 chambres. États-Unis : Cette maison est intégrée dans le paysage et possède des murs en béton sur deux côtés avec des murs de verre entre. Surface totale de la maison : 255 m² pour 3 chambres. Écosse, îles Hébrides Version moderne d'une construction de l'âge de pierre. Pays de Galles Maison qu'on peut facilement louper si on n'y prête garde. Maison enterrée unique en Suisse (Vals)
GMO, yeah? 5 surprises from an otherwise boring look at genetically modified crops
Researchers at the USDA’s Economic Research Service have stepped back to look at the effect of genetically engineered crops since they were introduced in the U.S. It’s a pretty dry and unsurprising document, but when read carefully a few interesting things jump out. Here’s five. 1. There have been thousands and thousands a field trials, which have translated to just a handful of different traits. Click to embiggen. 2. Herbicide-tolerant soybeans grow on more than 90 percent of the soy acres in the U.S. The fact that several researchers found no significant differences between the net returns of adopters and nonadopters of HT crops (particularly HT soybeans) despite the rapid adoption of these crops suggests that many adopters may derive nonmonetary benefits from HT adoption. In addition, farmers pay less for specialized herbicides and for the diesel needed to run a weed-busting cultivator. 3. That’s among both farmers who used GE insect-resistant crops and those who didn’t. Wow. 4. 5.
Going Green Underground: Eco-Retro Earth House Designs
They may look a bit dated at first, or at least more whimsical than required for functional living. Still, these earth houses have more to offer than custom curves and a unique aesthetic – including a set of design philosophies, strategies and tactics that are far from just superficial nods to sustainable trends. The designs take everything into account from fire and earthquake protection to integral insulation-efficient arches and buffer rooms for energy-free temperature control. While not every Erdhaus is actually built under the existing ground on a site, they are all tied to their earthen surroundings by sloping sheaths of greenery. Grass-covered walls curve up and continue as green roofs along the tops of each structure. The resulting contiguous thermal mass of this all-in-one exterior wall-and-roof system helps to conserve heating and cooling power.
Transition Culture
Hobbit Houses: 15 Grassy Hill-Shaped Dwellings
“In a hole in a ground lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing to sit on or eat: It was a hobbit hole and that means comfort.” This line by J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the beloved The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings fantasy novels, has inspired hundreds of copycat underground hobbit homes around the world – and is itself inspired by ancient Viking hill houses. The World’s First Hobbit Motel (images via: wayfaring.info) For tourists the world over, New Zealand will forever be associated with The Lord of the Rings, since it served as the filming and production location for the film version of the saga. Modern Hobbit Home in Switzerland (images via: toxel) From outside, this home is like any other hobbit hole: half-hidden in a grassy hill, sheltered from the elements and blending in seamlessly with its surroundings. Rent-a-Hobbit-Hole: Hebridean Earth House (images via: webecoist) Hobbit Shed
What 5 Things can You Do to Change the System? | The Overthinker
A few weeks ago a reader on this blog asked me an interesting question that I have been mulling over for some while: can I list 5 things everyone needs to do to change the system? It’s a tall order, but I decided to give it a bash. I don’t plan to prescribe anything here, and no one should take my word for it as I’m no paragon of purism. But I have at least dabbled in all that I will suggest, and would like to invite dialogue around those suggestions, and others. One glaring problem stares me down: how can we change the system when we don’t have the power? I figured my response should not just be things everyone should do, but things everyone can do – at least to some extent – and can scale up. I don’t think in those mechanistic, reductionist terms whereby every problem can be pared down to its constituent parts, and each part can be tackled separately so that the whole picture, when you put it back together again, looks rosy. 1. This comes in a series of steps. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Scandinavian Homes Like Real-Life Hobbit Houses
Curb appeal: cozy exterior, extensive windows, and a green roof? These adorable homes prove that a grassy canopy can make the perfect ceiling addition to any house. Green roofs are traditional in many Nordic countries throughout Europe, so much so that there is an annual competition to determine the best green roof project, which is hosted by the Scandinavian Green Roof Association (SGRA). These images feature some of the most stunning living roofs that can be found around the area. These green coverings are not only an aesthetic trend however—the feature offers a variety of environmental and financial perks. SGRA currently has an open call for entries to their annual Green Roof Award, as they hope to further spread their vision for a future “where buildings and nature are combined– where green roofs and walls create living, livable and resilient cities.” Above: Hofskirkja, Iceland Thjorsardalur, Iceland Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland Mikladalur, Faroe Islands Renndølsetra, Norway Norway
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