These days, we provide thermal comfort in winter by heating the entire air volume in a room or building, an approach that consumes a lot of fossil fuels. In this series of articles, LOW←TECH MAGAZINE focuses on our forebear’s concept of heating, which was more localized. They used radiant heat sources that warmed only certain parts of a room, creating micro-climates of comfort, and they used personal heating sources that warmed specific body parts. It would make a lot of sense to restore this old way of warming, especially since newer technology has made it much more practical, safe, and efficient. By placing heating technology in a historical context, LOW←TECH MAGAZINE challenges the high-tech approach to sustainability and highlights the possibilities of alternative solutions. Contents table: Restoring the Old Way of Warming: Heating People, not Spaces Insulation: First the Body, then the Home The Revenge of the Hot Water Bottle Energy Labels Oblige Frugal Homeowners to Make Unsustainable Investments How to Keep Warm in a Cool House Sunbathing in the Living Room: Tile Stoves and Other Radiant Heating Systems Heat Storage Hypocausts: Air Heating in the Middle Ages The Revenge of the Circulating Fan

This book is to further the debate on new sustainability thinking in the built environment, by bringing together a selection of short contributions from thought leaders in the UK and the rest of the world (USA, China, India, Australia, NZ, Indonesia) with an overarching narrative from the author. Although progress in sustainable solutions has been made over the past decade, the trend is still one of a woefully wasteful construction industry. This book aims to show that being ‘less bad’

Transition Engineering: Building a Sustainable Future examines new strategies emerging in response to the mega-issues of global climate change, decline in world

Jean-Marc Jancovici was invited for a talk by the MIT Media Lab : https://www.media.mit.edu/events/will-technology-save-us-from-climate-change/Slides : http...

Build Beyond Zero book. Read reviews from world’s largest community for readers. “Net Zero” has been an effective rallying cry for the green building mov...

Presented in six video units and in-depth expert conversations, this free online course centers on game-changing climate action.

Minimizing thermal bridging through the building envelope is a key design aspect for achieving net-zero energy-ready (NZER) buildings. However, this can seem quite complicated for project teams, especially when much of the envelope is unknown during the early building design stage. Finding the optimal envelope solution for thermal performance that also incorporates architectural intent, cost savings, constructibility and durability is only achieved when the entire project team is engaged to collectively meet these goals. This playbook outlines good design practices for anticipating and dealing with thermal bridging in order to meet the expectations of the BC Energy [Step Code], Passive House or other NZER standards. The intent of this document is to provide guidance for design teams including developers, architects and consultants, to effectively tackle thermal bridging while meeting all project goals, not just thermal performance. 0:00 - Introduction 2:44 - Why does thermal bridging matter? 5:17 - How to set and achieve thermal bridging mitigation targets 9:06 - An example of thermal bridging mitigation for a multi-unit residential building 10:40 - Five tips to avoid thermal bridging pitfalls To access the playbook, check out 'Thermal Bridging In Net-Zero Energy-Ready Building Design' on the ZEBx.org website 'Resources' - or follow the link here: https://www.zebx.org/playbook-dealing-with-thermal-bridging-in-net-zero-energy-ready-building-design/

Buildings as sources of materials - More information: https://bit.ly/2MPg6wu

electricityMap is a live visualization of where your electricity comes from and how much CO2 was emitted to produce it.

From What Is to What If book. Read 27 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. The founder of the international Transition Towns movement ...

By now, in this journey into 'From What If to What Next', it is clear that one of the key things in our world in 2021 that needs reimagining is our education system. In this episode, we explore how it might be if at the heart of that reimagining were permaculture principles. How would the underpinning of the National Curriculum with permaculture principles affect both what is taught, and how it is taught? Imagine a generation leaving school skilled in a diversity of practical sustainability skills, as well as being instinctive systems thinkers. After you've heard this conversation, anything...

Energy and Civilization book. Read 121 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. A comprehensive account of how energy has shaped society t...

We need to create an environment where our imagination enshrines us. It needs to run through everything we do.

Inventor, engineer and MacArthur Genius Grant-winner Dr. Saul Griffith thought he was an eco-prude, until he audited his total power consumption and learned he burns three times as much energy as the average European, and eight times as much as the average Carribeaner. Watch as he unveils Wattzon.com, a free online tool anyone can use to gain a deep understanding of their total energy footprint - and how to reduce their role in climate change.

Doubts on progress and technology window.cookieconsent_options = {"message":"This website uses cookies.","dismiss":"Got it!","learnMore":"More info","link":null,"theme":"light-bottom"}; ...

What can you do to mitigate the huge impact of construction on climate change? By Will Hurst

Richard Heinberg talks about our renewable future. Filmed by Rick Row.

In recent years, buildings have grown taller and cities grander, but one thing that seems to have fallen to the bottom of constructrion priorities is environ...

On Human Nature has 2,470 ratings and 127 reviews. Riku said: OBSERVING THE HUMAN ANIMALMany animals, especially mammals, have evolved social mecha...

Sand Wars is a surprising investigation into one of the most consumed natural resources on the planet. Triggered by a demand for expansive construction, the ...

Award-winning architect Amanda Sturgeon doesn’t just create beautiful buildings, she strives to design sustainable spaces that connect people with nature. Inspired by a “biophilic” design strategy, which translates to “love of life,” Amanda is determined to create projects that celebrate their surrounding environment, not shut it out.From offices to schools to hospitals, Amanda and her team are finding that biophilic buildings create spaces in which people are happier, healthier, and more productive. Watch Amanda’s 2018 TEDMED Talk to learn how her design...