Casinos aren’t exactly known for their sustainability. For the most part, they tend to be extravagant and wasteful, using huge amounts of energy, sometimes on what is essentially a 24/7 basis. Indeed, the casinos of Las Vegas alone have measurable detrimental effects on the environment. The lighting and displays at the 150 gambling venues in town account for 20% of the city’s total energy output, with casinos spending about $350,000/month on electricity on average. That may not sound shocking given the general image of the Vegas Strip, but when you consider that nearly 650,000 people live in the city, that’s significant consumption before you even get to residential and infrastructure needs.
To some extent, the general wasteful quality of casinos is a problem people assume will drift away with time. There’s an old-fashioned aspect to real-world casinos that can almost make them seem doomed, and online gaming has actually gotten sophisticated enough to draw some people away from places like Vegas. Live casino sites from Canada give Americans a fairly convenient alternative, and in other parts of the world online gaming is at this point thoroughly established.
Despite this, however, there’s no real indication that casinos are going anywhere. As much as they seem old fashioned, and was much as online alternatives have caught up to them, they plug right along – which means it may be important to consider how we can keep them around and make them more eco-friendly at the same time. As it so happens there are some casinos worldwide that while not perfect, should be recognized for their efforts in this regard. They’re not beacons of green living just yet, but they are beginning to set examples that the industry would do well to follow broadly.
Here are four such casinos doing their part:
Mandalay Bay Convention Resort in Las Vegas
Mandalay Bay Convention Resort prides itself on being one of the most eco-friendly casinos in Las Vegas. For starters, all of the light fixtures now use LED bulbs. The resort also serves sustainable wine and Champagne, with recycled corks (which actually matters a great deal when you consider the volume consumed at a place like this). Many of the resort’s restaurants also boast menus with sustainably sourced ingredients. Even the faucets and toilets in the cashino’s public restaurants are designed to conserve water. In addition, the touch-screen computers available at each table game have eliminated the need for bankroll paper, which saves a great deal of material.
Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City
Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City adheres to Caesars Entertainment’s broader “CodeGreen” strategy. Accordingly, the resort is committed to minimizing food, energy, and water waste. The Harrah’s Resort casino has also reduced its packaging waste significantly, and is said to be making progress toward making the majority of its lighting fixtures energy-efficient as well.
Element Las Vegas Summerlin
For nearly a decade, the Element Las Vegas Summerlin has been dedicated to being green. In 2011, the casino became Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified, which is not something that happens for just every resort property. Some of the casino’s highlighted efforts include carpets made from recycled materials and a restaurant that doesn’t use disposable serving ware.
“Our LEED certification is gratifying because it recognizes our team’s efforts to conserve resources and reduce waste. But even more important, guests keep telling us how much it means to them,” explained David Smith, former general manager of Element Las Vegas Summerlin. “There’s a real appreciation among guests for all of the thoughtful practices that have become an integral part of the Element experience.”
Resorts World Sentosa
Some of the casinos in Southeast Asia are a little bit newer, and while they still consumer massive amounts of energy and generate a great deal of waste, they also tend to involve at least a few eco-friendly designs and/or policies. Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore is perhaps the leader in this regard, with many green initiatives in place. The resort no longer allows plastic straws or single-use plastic bottles, which is another policy that’s more significant than it initially seems. The kitchens on site, meanwhile, have gone to great lengths to reduce food waste in part by reusing and maximizing ingredients. And last but not least, Resorts World Sentosa’s own cooling plant has helped the property’s overall energy efficiency.
Bleutech Park Las Vegas will break ground in the Las Vegas Valley in December of this year as the first city in the world to boast a digital revolution in motion, redefining the infrastructure industry sector. The net-zero buildings within their own insular mini-city will feature automated multi-functional designs, renewable energies from solar/wind/water/kinetic, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality, Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, supertrees, and self-healing concrete structures.
Bleutech Park Las Vegas is sponsored by Bleutech Park Properties, Inc. (Bleutech), a Real-Estate Investment Trust (REIT) that is supported by leading institutional investors and private equity investments. This project will cost over $7.5 billion upon completion in six years. Bleutech Park will redefine the mixed-use environment featuring workforce housing, offices, retail space, ultra-luxury residential, hotel and entertainment while showcasing energy generation and storage, waste-heat recovery, water purification, on-site waste treatment and localized air cleaning, introducing a new high-tech biome to the desert valley. Some of Bleutech’s strategic partners include construction contractor Martin-Harris Construction and technology leader Cisco. This project will bring life to new technologies and alter the future of construction design. Smart buildings equipped with new, self-healing, energy-generating, and breathable materials will move Las Vegas forward in ways never before contemplated or experienced in one place. With the use of unmanned aerial systems and AI, the construction site will become a living, breathing blueprint. Integration will become seamless with technology, more efficient, effective and safer. Guy Martin, president of Martin-Harris Construction said, “We are excited to once again help redefine construction methods here in Las Vegas.”
Flooring systems within Bleutech Park Las Vegas will capture and reuse the energy of human movement throughout the park including common areas and parking structures. Resources for heating, cooling, lighting and electricity will be harvested on-site. Bleutech Park buildings will be connected to a broader highly sustainable network of supertrees allowing a 95 percent reduction in imported water consumption and an opportunity for improved biodiversity. Interface points amongst all technologies will be used throughout Bleutech Park, working in unison with our strategic partners, we are able to spring forth the IoT with cutting capabilities and applications. “We look forward to playing an integral role in this ground-breaking initiative, which will deliver a one-of-a-kind experience to its guests and visitors. It will push the envelope of innovation and bring together technology solutions that once seemed like pure science fiction,” said Mike Grigsby, with Cisco’s Smart+Connected Communities group. “The convergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart Cities in a project like this challenges the way we define both of those solutions. It opens our thinking to what is truly possible and reveals just how expansive the connected communities concept really is.”
Finally, photovoltaic glass will be standard in all structures, turning entire building exteriors into single solar panels, committed to zero-carbon emissions and harvesting solar energy for use and providing 100 percent grid-independence. Aerial construction will be utilized in the creation of Bleutech Park Las Vegas, and unmanned aerial systems will aid in hard-to-reach or unsafe places during construction. “Bleutech believes in the rise of digitization and robotics in construction as this will increase productivity and efficiency,” said Bleutech Park Properties, Inc., CTIO, Bertrand Dano. He continued, “Wearable technology will increase workplace safety, particularly in heavy lifting and repetition. We believe in the future of robotics and their ability to improve jobsite safety and employee’s health.” In summary, these new technologies could create close to a Super-Workforce of the future. Robotics will be an essential part of the technology ecosystem providing 365/24/7 security using biometrics and other state-of-the-art technologies, adding an unsurpassed level of security in real-time, to both residents and visitors.
Bleutech is committed to the creation of jobs, and raising job quality. Job creation is anticipated to exceed 25,000 jobs and provide on-the-job training programs with the latest technology to train the construction workforce of the future. Significant efforts to bring “Made in the USA” manufacturing jobs to Las Vegas for the Bleutech Park project, will contribute to the total number of local jobs in the Las Vegas Valley. Las Vegas Laborers Union Local 872 Business Manager & Secretary Treasurer, Tommy White said, “Laborers Local 872 is honored to join with Bleutech in building this state-of-the-art development. This is going to be a project unlike any other and it is great to see Las Vegas step to the forefront. With cutting-edge technology, innovative training methods and exceptional specialty construction materials, we look forward to providing Bleutech with the skilled workforce required to achieve the excellence only this project will deliver.”
Las Vegas developer, Khusrow Roohani, has been a driving force in bringing this connected infrastructure to Las Vegas, “I’m honored to finally see this project come to life here in Las Vegas, as the first of its kind in the world. This city is the perfect place to unveil these amazing technologies; Las Vegas will never be the same.”
Bleutech also aims at tackling issues such as affordable housing through the development of “Workforce Housing.” This unique approach intends to serve the housing needs of people employed in jobs that the general population relies upon to make the community economically viable, such as nurses, police officers, teachers, firemen, and multiple others within a description of service to their communities. Workforce Housing is the cornerstone of Bleutech Park’s vision and commitment to support a diverse workforce and ensure Las Vegas’ economic, cultural, and health benefits accrue to people of all income levels. It will be designed architecturally with the latest technology, providing grid-independency to its residents, high-tech security and autonomous transportation. Local architect of record, Melvin Green, principal at KME Architects said, “Our goal is to provide creative, attractive and functional workforce housing that will meet the needs of the Las Vegas community as a whole, by providing a harmonious ecosystem that promotes less traffic congestion, more connectivity and greater interaction amongst the residents and their work environment; thereby improving the health of our community.”
About Bleutech Park Las Vegas: Bleutech Park Las Vegas LLC is a Delaware registered Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) private fund property dedicated to providing finance, operation and asset management of primarily Bleutech Park projects throughout the US market and abroad. Bleutech Park Las Vegas LLC is proud to design, build, operate and maintain the future of smart and connected infrastructure while leveraging emerging technologies with higher standards of sustainability and 100% off-the-grid commitment revolutionizing the world for the future.
As the latest and greatest
trends, ecology and autonomy have taken the automotive world by storm in recent
years. Autonomous driving as a mean of enhancing the car-owning experience and
sustainability as a greater step towards environmentally friendly industry are
omnipresent throughout the whole vertical structure of the industry, starting
from affordable transportation all the way to the world’s most superior
marques. That is why Bentley’s latest grand tourer named EXP 100 GT is no
exception, as it showcases the future face of affluent motoring.
By envisioning
the EXP 100 GT, Bentley aims to reinvent the way we will think of luxury in
very near future. The splendour of tomorrow will not be about excess. Rather
than that, it will feature a carefully curated selection of recycled natural
materials that leave zero footprint on the planet. Beautifully styled, it embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) as
a means to reassert the car as a place for creating, experiencing and capturing
extraordinary human experiences and emotions.
Luxury
Beyond Mobility
The looks of this imposing grand
touring coupé are deeply enrooted into Bentley’s rich heritage. However, the
silhouette offers a glimpse into the future without any doubt. The EXP 100 GT
is thus a futuristic reinterpretation of the iconic Continental Type-R with
hints from the legendary Blower visible on its front end. Being 2.4 metres wide
and 5.8 metres long, this tourer is by all means a striking car. However, taking
a closer look into details is what really makes it impressive.
Its shell is constructed in
carbon fibre and lightweight aluminium with copper decorative details as a nod
to Bentleys of the yesteryear. The doors open both outwards and upwards and are
2 metres long, making every entry and exit a statement. In the very best
Bentley tradition, its silhouette is sleek and muscular at the same time,
making this car instantly recognizable as a car from the Flying B family.
As the first step towards
sustainability, the finish of the EXP 100 GT is a very special shade of green.
The sustainable and environmentally friendly Compass colour is created using a
Colourstream pigment synthetically made using rice husk ash. This bi-product of
the rice industry has been remanufactured for the Bentley EXP 100 GT to become
a shade that perfectly suits the car’s silhouette and its beautiful spectrum of
autumnal colours inside and out.
Exterior lighting plays a major
role in EXP 100 GT’s dramatic charms. The Flying B mascot and smart,
illuminated matrix grille come to life as one approaches the car, with light dancing
across the dramatic grille, through the iconic mascot and along the long bonnet
central spine of the car and into the cabin. The car literally comes alive. Ample
use of glass surfaces enables the occupants to experience another side of the
EXP 100 GT, the one that connects it with nature around it.
The impeccable craftmanship and
attention to detail transposes to the cabin of the EXP 100 GT as well.
Traditional natural materials such as wood and glass are intertwined with
sustainable technology of the future in a handcrafted interior that is a
perfect environment for the passengers.
The exquisite natural materials
flow throughout the handcrafted cabin of the car, seamlessly blending into each
other. Glass flows into metal, into wood and into leather. The sustainable
textiles and leather complement the pattern of the wood grain, allowing an
overall design motif to flow across all these surfaces, reconnecting passengers
with the authentic, natural world around them.
It’s important to stress that all
the natural materials in the EXP 100 GT are sustainable and environmentally
friendly. For example, the remarkable copper Infused Riverwood is a sustainable
wood from naturally fallen trees that has been preserved for 5,000 years in
peat bogs, lakes and rivers. It has been sourced from The Fenland Black Oak
Project, a British organisation set up to preserve this material for future
generations. Next, the door panels are crafted by Hand and Lock, the
London-based embroidery company that employs traditional techniques that date
back to 1767.
Inside a luxurious cockpit, Bentley
craftspeople have taken handcraftsmanship of materials to an as yet unseen
level, setting the new benchmark for luxury interiors. Bridge of Weir
Leather of Scotland works with specifically selected, locally sourced hides for
Bentley to create a soft, natural leather enhanced by its environment. With the
ultimate Super Natural finish, this will be Bentley’s benchmark for future
luxury alternative materials. Finally, in an exclusive collaboration, Bentley
has used the by-products of wine-making to create the future of luxury
eco-materials, creating a leather-like seating material which is 100 per cent
bio-based and revolutionary in top tier car industry.
As the Bentley EXP 100 GT is a
vision for year 2034, its smart powertrain is fully electric in a path towards
zero emission future of motoring. The dense battery pack enables a range of 435
miles with charging as fast as 15 minutes. The weight of Bentley’s visionary
car is kept under 1,900kg and it promises remarkable performance with 1500 Nm
of torque, 0-60 acceleration in 2.5 seconds and the top speed of 186.6 MPH.
Enhancing the occupants’ experience of their
extraordinary journey in the Bentley EXP 100 GT is the Bentley Personal
Assistant AI. This advanced, intelligent system defines the Grand Tourer of the
future as it delivers a highly personalised experience to the passenger based
on five distinct modes with individual characteristics: Enhance, Cocoon,
Capture, Re-Live and Customise. Interaction with the AI is made through hand
gestures made to the front or rear Cumbria Crystal interfaces that intuitively
interpret the commands.
Enhance harvests inputs from the outside environment, such as
light, sound, smell and air quality, offering a holistic grand tour, and a
feeling of open top motoring from under the glass canopy.
Cocoon creates a protective space, including air purification and
glass areas that turn opaque for privacy; while
Capture records experiences from both inside and outside the car
which become part of your car’s unique history.
Re-Live replays highlights of your Grand Tour, while
Customise combines elements of all the different modes and are
individually selected by the driver or passenger.
Next, Adaptable
Biometric Seating uses the Bentley Personal Assistant data to tailor and deliver
unmatched comfort during every ride. The seats can be positioned in three ways
depending on whether the car is being personally driven or autonomous, while
the active component of the seating senses the occupants’ needs and responds to
offer additional support when necessary. In addition, biometrics are embedded throughout the Bentley EXP
100 GT to track eye and head movements, even blood pressure. It represents the
future of customised, in-car comfort far beyond any seating experienced in a
modern-day car.
Sustainable
Innovation – The Future of Bentley
Bentley believes its approach to innovation is
created through a balance: Preservation of the world and the self should be at
the forefront, while purposeful and intuitive innovation remains essentially
linked to sustainability.
The Bentley EXP 100 GT features air and sound
curation that promotes self-care and well-being in the car. These create a
physiological, health-enhancing environment for passengers, promoting increased
mindfulness in the cabin.
For example, Capture mode on Bentley Personal
Assistant brings the external environment into the cabin, creating an open-top
driving experience without taking the roof down. It also cocoons passengers –
blocking and filtering air pollution in cities.
The Bentley EXP 100 GT has passive and active
air intakes in the front grille, cooling the drivetrain and batteries that
drive the car’s powerful electric motors. Unwanted air is channelled out of the
car at the rear to aid aerodynamics.
The Air Purification System is located in the
boot space to purify air before it is supplied into the cabin, with deployable
air vents on the rear passenger shelf and static vents on the front passenger
panel. The air vents undulate giving the appearance that the car is breathing
and alive. Meanwhile, CO2 levels in the cabin are constantly monitored to
maintain air quality.
As well as capturing exterior scents, Bentley
has developed a unique scent for the Bentley EXP 100 GT. Created in
collaboration with ethically-aware fragrance house 12.29, it builds on the rich
heritage of Bentley, incorporating sandalwood and fresh moss.
The Bentley EXP 100 GT also puts passengers in
control of how they disconnect and reflect, enhancing mindfulness by allowing
occupants to live in the present. As screen-time become ever more present,
these disconnecting, relaxing experiences have gained luxury status.
Rotary switches fashioned from copper and
aluminium add tactility in a digital world.
The in-car displays enhance the grand tour
experience using augmented reality, or can provide a relaxed cocoon on demand.
All displays use a simple, intuitive interface that includes transparent OLED
information displays in the doors, automatically darkening glass, and a front
entertainment screen for displaying films, live video and other media when the
Bentley EXP 100 GT is in autonomous driving mode.
Sam_Chick
Thanks to the EXP 100 GT, Bentley
has taken huge steps towards designing the ultimate luxurious grand tourer for
the future. With that in mind, the future of Bentley will be intelligent, green
and sustainable, with a next-level approach to comfort and a redefined way of
experiencing epic journeys.
Do you
dream of being shipwrecked all alone on a desert island? How you miraculously find
everything you need in order to survive until you are rescued. Perhaps you
return time-after-time to gather sleep around you.
created by dji camera
Actor
Marlin Brando had a taste of this after he discovered Motu Onetahi in the
Teti’aroa atoll while filming Mutiny on the Bounty in 1960. He built a small
village there where he could be alone with his thoughts. This was where he learned
to be an early champion of the environment.
His retreat
became a modest hotel infused with the spirit of Polynesia by his Tahitian wife
Tarita Teriipaia. You’ll find less straight lines in the architecture when you
visit. The built environment flows in and out through nature and you are free
as a bird to roam.
TAHITI. ATOLL DE TETIAROA. VUE AERIENNE DE L’HOTEL BRANDO.
Marlin
Brando left no instruction for what was to become of his Motu Onetahi island
after he died. However, developers Teti’aroa Pacific Beachcomber SC have been
true to his desire to place a light footprint.
TAHITI. ATOLL DE TETIAROA. HOTEL BRANDO.
LE BAR PANORAMIQUE DU LAGON.
Richard
Bailey, their CEO believes “For me, doing
well by doing good means making a business out of saving our world and
ourselves, one precious island, river, plain, reef, custom, legend, habitat or
village at a time.
By offering others the opportunity to enjoy and
learn from these things we preserve them, and by preserving them we not only
perpetuate our business model, we also build knowledge about why preserving
them is so important to our own well-being.”
When we
arrive we find a remarkable infusion of a natural retreat coexisting with a
center for marine conservation research and education. The Brando Resort is one
of the most sustainable places on the planet in true desert island tradition.
It soothes
the soul of the rich and famous while helping fund the Teti’aroa Society’s conservation,
education, and ongoing scientific research initiatives. This could become a
self-fulfilling prophecy for the role of the built environment in a mid-21st
century city.
You will
not find traditional resort engineering when you arrive. Instead, you will see
commitment to the United Nation’s sustainable development goals everywhere you
go. They rest on a firm foundation of unwavering dedication to be the world’s
first truly post-carbon resort here.
The
seawater air-conditioning system creates a minimalist carbon footprint. A
food-digesting process returns the resort’s organic waste as compost in a
single day. The kitchen garden flourishes in rich black soil overlaying nutrient-poor
coral. You will taste the difference when you dine in Richard Bailey’s
spectacular success.
Location: Motu Onetahi, Tetiaroa Atoll, French Polynesia
However
ecotourism is only truly sustainable when it supports the environment within
which it finds itself. The low-lying coral reefs surrounding the richly-biodiverse
lagoon are close to what Marlin Brando found in 1960 that opened his eyes.
The eco
station on Motu Onetahi is therefore a perfect observation point for observing
the effects of climate change while reducing the impact of the other factors
affecting the natural environment.
However,
the impact The Brando has on the lives of the surrounding Polynesian people is perhaps
its greatest success. It invested
eighteen month’s hospitality and tourism training in its people before it
opened its doors. Some 80% of employees are locals.
Moreover,
it continues to invest in its people through expert lectures, guided field trips
and science-based research projects throughout the atoll. These activities
include a sea-turtle-monitoring program, and propagating bees for release where
colonies are failing elsewhere.
The resort
fulfills its needs for food, handicrafts and other supplies locally wherever it
can. As a result, the locals queue up to attend internship training in
sustainability and doing what they can to mitigate global warming.
From its side
the resort sources its energy from 4.000 solar panels provisioning 1.4
megawatts backed by the largest battery storage system in French Polynesia. You
will not catch a whiff of diesel when you arrive, for the standby generators,
when needed run on coconut biofuel.
TAHITI. ATOLL DE TETIAROA. HOTEL BRANDO. LE VARUA POLYNESIAN SPA.
Richard
Bailey says “What I believe is that, in
this business, the planet is our product.
And so are we, as a species. We are lucky in the tourism industry to
have an inexhaustible supply of powerful agents of change – the travelling
consumer.
“Discovery of the astonishing natural and
cultural wonders of our world, how we fit into it, whence we came, what our
future holds – these transformational experiences are the value proposition of
our business. We damage or lose these at
our peril. So tourism is the perfect
laboratory for sustainable technologies and concepts.”
Creating
super-luxury resorts in a responsible fashion can be a challenge because
well-heeled vacationers expect to find every modern convenience to hand. When they arrive at The Brando they find
themselves in an 8,000-acre terrestrial and marine habitat preserve.
Their
old habits fade fast when they discover there are only another thirty-four
heavenly villas on the island. They can indulge in their favorite daydream of
being cast up by the waves onto a desert island, while knowing a short walk will
return them to one of the most responsibly luxurious resorts on Earth
From its position on top of a hill, this large bungalow has commanding views of the Unesco World Heritage Site of the Botanic Gardens.
We made use of large cantilevers and horizontal planes to make the building float and give it lightness when viewed from the road.
Upon entry, the rear conceals a sunken courtyard and pool to allow light into the basement. A human scale and comfort is achieved through the use of warm materials and allowance for cross ventilation.
Text description provided by the architects. The first residential complex in Ukraine based on the block development principle. Picturesque building silhouettes, elaborated apartment layouts, and fully pedestrian courtyards became the standard of comfort class in the Ukrainian residential property. Due to the city block concept, the area is divided into two types: streets (allowing for motor traffic) and courtyards (located inside the block and featuring children’s playgrounds, benches, and alleys). Motor vehicles cannot enter these inner courtyards, with the exception of emergency service vehicles which can use widened passageways paved with grass paver.
In the conditions of a limited budget, architects created sections with simple geometric shapes and made flat facades, thus excluding balconies and decorative elements. The focus was on three techniques: silhouette: different turns and height of dual-pitch roofs allowed to achieve an interesting shapes; window: the first housing project in Kyiv to use the French balcony system and the window shifting system, which allowed to avoid monotonous rows; color: the first daring color solution for a residential neighborhood in the country.
The Comfort Town residential complex includes the Academy of Modern Education with a 160-seat Kindergarten, a 140-seat Elementary school, and a 600-seat High school А+. The residential complex also includes a 4500-sq.m retail complex with a supermarket, a 4600-sq.m fitness complex with three swimming pools and gyms, a 1.5-hectare complex of outdoor sports grounds, cafes, stores and offices on lower floors of apartment buildings, 22 children playgrounds and own maintenance service.
A different number of stories of adjacent buildings (ranging from 2 to 16 floors) forms a picturesque image of every street. There is also a restored park with perennial trees, sculptures, and a fountain. Thus, the former industrial territory turned into a good living environment and the status of the district as a whole has increased.
New report sets out roadmap for market development with potential to transform millions of buildings across Europe
The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) Europe network and partners launched a new report ‘Creating an Energy Efficient Mortgage for Europe: the supporting role of the green building sector.’ The vision is to support the growth of the market so that energy efficient mortgages will be made available to every borrower in Europe.
The report argues that to achieve this, the finance and the green building sector must work together more closely. It sets out a roadmap for building, construction and energy efficiency organisations to follow that will help the market for green finance to flourish – with the potential to transform millions of buildings across Europe.
Written jointly by WorldGBC’s Europe network and E.ON as part of the highly successful, EU funded Energy Efficient Mortgages Initiative, the report emphasises the importance of considering the needs of the borrower to ensure energy efficient mortgages have broad appeal.
A pilot scheme launched last year by the initiative, which also involves the European Mortgage Federation – European Covered Bond Council and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, has already seen 46 major banks signed up to develop new green lending products. City and regional governments including the Scottish government have also committed to support the initiative.
The success of these new products can be secured through the support of businesses and organisations with expertise in building energy performance. They can take action to stimulate demand, streamline delivery of energy efficient buildings and renovations and provide extra support to the borrower.
These goals can be achieved through both greater collaboration across sectors and education and training to increase awareness and skills. Additionally, innovation is required to streamline the assessment, planning and delivery of high-performance buildings and renovations which satisfy lenders criteria for energy efficient mortgages.
Cristina Gamboa, CEO World Green Building Council commented:
“Green finance is increasingly recognised as a powerful driver for climate action. The growth of the energy efficient mortgage market in Europe represents a unique opportunity to unlock new investment to accelerate the decarbonisation of the built environment. We are working with our members to ensure that our sector is equipped to seize this opportunity.”
Marco Marijewycz, Senior Manager – Global Business Development, B2C Solutions, E.ON said:
“The successful growth of a European market for energy efficient mortgages can only happen if we put the customer front and centre. E.ON’s consumer insight work shows there’s appreciation across the board of the benefits energy efficient mortgages can offer for property owners; like lower energy bills, increased comfort levels and lower environmental impact. But for the market to reach mass scale, will require close cooperation between market actors such as banks and energy companies. E.ON is already pioneering such an approach and we believe the recommendations set out in this report provide clear guidance to facilitate wider cross sector collaborations.”
Luca Bertalot, Secretary General, European Mortgage Federation – European Covered Bond Council said:
“The journey towards developing a European energy efficient mortgage market, by linking energy efficiency to financial processes and decision-making, and delivering a financial system that supports sustainable growth, requires actions across the entire financial system in close cooperation with the built environment sector. The guidance set out in this latest report can help that sector to play its part in the growth of the market and increase demand from borrowers. This collaborative approach will help shift the climate performance of Europe’s buildings.”
Ursula Hartenberger, Global Head of Sustainability, RICS commented:
“Properties which are below average in their energy efficiency may suffer value erosion as the market and government policy starts to push the need for more efficient buildings. With energy efficient mortgages there is an opportunity for valuers, lenders and businesses that specialize in energy efficiency services to collaborate to help borrowers mitigate this risk. This report is a timely and valuable resource to guide these new collaborations.”
Barry Lynham, Managing Director Knauf Energy Solutions commented:
“Europe needs a step change in the annual energy efficiency renovation rate for buildings to stand any chance of meeting its climate targets; energy efficient mortgages are a key tool for making this step change a reality.”
Developing the market will only happen if customers understand and believe in the benefits of energy efficient mortgages. The report analyses market research led by E.ON to help drive the appeal of these mortgage options to the borrower. Financial incentives and the potential to increase property value were cited as the highest rated benefits for borrowers.
About the World Green Building Council
The World Green Building Council is a global network of Green Building Councils in almost 70 countries. Collectively, our goal is to achieve the following by 2050: limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius; reduce the building and construction sector’s CO2 emissions by 84 gigatonnes, and ensure all buildings are net zero emissions. These goals will help deliver on the ambition of the Paris Agreement. We are building a better future, and are committed to green buildings for everyone, everywhere. www.worldgbc.org
Established in 2009, Croatian company Rimac Automobili has quickly evolved into industry leaders when it comes to performance electric car technology. In recent years, Rimac Automobili has supplied some of the world’s most power-hungry car companies with vital components which are able to fulfill their highly specific demands.
Among others, Rimac developed a powerful 500 kW battery pack and associated systems for the revolutionary Koenigsegg Agera, the most powerful production car in the world with a combined power output of 1,340 kW or 1,797 horsepower thanks to twin-turbocharged V8 and Rimac Automobili’s potent 75 kg, 4.5 kWh 800 volt battery pack. This system is currently the world’s most power-dense battery pack in a production car, taking Rimac Automobili to the forefront of new automotive technologies.
With electric cars gaining mainstream momentum, Rimac Automobili gained global visibility and international recognition, which prompted big industry players to take interest in a boutique Croatian company.
In June 2018, Porsche AG invested in Rimac Automobili, becoming the minority shareholder with 10 per cent share in the Croatian startup. That way, both companies got their own set of benefits, with Rimac getting a much needed official recognition and financial backing in further endeavors, and Porsche getting exclusive insights straight from the testing grounds.
To showcase the latest in cutting edge electric car technology, Rimac Automobili presented the C_Two concept in 2018. Built as a follow up to the 2013 Rimac Concept One, the new halo car shows just how much the electric car industry has progressed in a short period of time.
Just like its predecessor, the C_Two is an aerodynamically effective two-seater coupé built on an impressive carbon fiber monocoque that weighs under 200 kg. Some drama was added to the sleek silhouette thanks to butterfly doors, a must have in the competitive hypercar world where sensational looks are as equally important as mind-bending performance.
In addition to being a low slung, low drag car which creates the foundation for effective use of air flow, the Rimac C_Two also benefits from active aerodynamics in form of active hood, front splitter, air brake and rear flap, all working together to achieve optimal results in every situation, be it hard acceleration, hard braking or tackling the sharpest corners.
Regardless of undoubtedly impressive exterior, the most important feature of the C_TWO lies underneath the bodywork. It’s the all-electric powertrain comprising of four electric motors powering each individual wheel. Working together, these motors have a total of 1,914 hopsepower and they instantly deliver whooping 2,300 Nm of torque. Thanks to immense power and specially developed Pirelli tires, the C_Two has a lightning fast 0 to 100 kph time of 1.85 seconds while the 0 to 300 kph sprint takes 11.8 seconds.
As that’s not impressive enough, the battery that powers the Rimac C_Two certainly is. Its capacity is 120 kWh, and it produces 1.4MW of power. The power-dense pack enables the autonomy of 550 km when driven in WLTP cycle. The battery pack itself is integrated in the monocoque chassis and it sits in the middle of it, enabling perfect weight distribution and also adding to the impressive torsional stiffness of 8,000 kgm/deg.
The technology controlling Rimac’s latest halo car is as astonishing as its powertrain. Rimac All Wheel Torque Vectoring ensures perfect driving dynamics by addressing the right amount of torque to each wheel. The powertrain can be configured to transform the Rimac C-Two into a rear-biased silent hypercar as well, making it a proper challenge even for the most skillful drivers.
The technology doesn’t end there, as the C_Two is loaded with even more gizmos. In a place where technology meets gaming-like experience the C_Two can load selected racetracks into its on-board systems thanks to the ‘Driving Coach’ function. That way, the driver is presented with perfect racing lines with braking and acceleration guidance and additional steering inputs.
At this moment, the Rimac C_Two is in its prototype phase, but the most discerning believers in electric car technology have something to look forward to since Rimac Automobili plan a very limited run of production variants of their current crown jewel. Electric cars have certainly come a long way, and selected buyers will be lucky enough to reap the benefits of galloping progress thanks to the revolutionary Rimac C_Two.
Canadian architecture practice Henriquez Partners has designed a series of ten towers for a new suburban development in Vancouver. The mixed-use project was made for developer Westbank to create a new 4.5 million-square-foot residential community for the city. Dubbed Oakridge, the towers will include housing, office and retail as a contemporary architecture for the Pacific Northwest.
Oakridge will feature a nine-acre park with landscape work by local firm PFS Studio, and different designers will oversee the interiors of each tower. The project combines commercial, residential, communal areas and green spaces through the different buildings on site. The redevelopment will include three mid-rise buildings for commercial and office uses, as well as a performing arts academy, library, senior center, childcare facility and mall. The design will bring these diverse functions together around a comprehensive programming and sustainability plan.
Oakridge. Image Courtesy of Westbank
Oakridge. Image Courtesy of Westbank
Henriquez Partners‘ neighborhood development plan includes an energy system for heating and cooling that will capture heat and draw from geothermal wells. The system aims to reduce the typical amount of greenhouse gas emissions by over 68 per cent. Made to be a “fully-integrated vessel of culture within the city of Vancouver”, the project will also include on-site solar energy and a water savings program that will use on-site water sources for almost all irrigation grey water uses.
The Oakridge Redevelopment is slated for completion in 2027.
Image by Delfino Sisto Legnani and Marco Cappelletti
Located on Paris’s iconic Avenue des Champs-Élysées, the historic Art Deco bank building from 1932 is uncovered by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group to create a carefully curated retail laboratory for the world’s leading fashion, food and lifestyle brands — merging a new hybrid retail model that bonds with the surrounding city.
The 6,800m2 Galeries Lafayette concept store officially opened its doors to the public this spring, welcoming local and global shoppers into the restored Art Deco gem. The generous four-story environment is the largest store on the famed Parisian boulevard, and combines old world elegance with modern chic for hosting established and emerging brands, experiences and events. The 120-year old heritage brand Galeries Lafayette Group brought BIG on board following an international architectural competition in 2016.
Image by Delfino Sisto Legnani and Marco Cappelletti “At Galeries Lafayette, we usually say that the future begins in the past. By opening on the Champs-Élysées, our Group is not only writing a new chapter in its entrepreneurial and family history, it is also fulfilling its founder’s dream. A dream expressed nearly 100 years ago on the corner of the “Champs” and rue La Boetie, where in 1927 Theophile Bader planned to build a venue offering something midway between retail, services and entertainment,” said Philippe Houze, Executive Chairman of the Galeries Lafayette Group. “Today, almost 90 years later, we are delighted to pursue his grand design with a store concept that is both historic and disruptive, and which by combining two iconic brands ‘Galeries Lafayette’ and ‘Champs-Élysées, will also help promote a certain French Art de Vivre and contribute to the revival of this world-famous avenue.”
BIG’s design pays tribute to the tactility and texture of the historical building. Throughout the store, visitors encounter precious materials and refined details from the past that are reinterpreted and deployed in a contemporary way. Walking around the lofty gallery-like space is an experience in moving through a composition of architectural elements that operate at the scale of furniture and defined in experiential shopping zones. “Working with a family and a company that can look back 100 years gives you – not only the possibility – but actually the responsibility to attempt to look as far ahead as you can look back. With the advent and omnipresence of online retail, the urban department store’s role and relevance must be renewed as the urban agora. We humans are social beings – and more than ever do we need a forum for collective intimacy – where we can’t just get what we want by clicking on it – but where we can engage with others in urban environments that are visually and physically stimulating to all the senses,” said Bjarke Ingels, Founder & Creative Director at BIG.
Image by Michel Florent Shoppers are invited into the building through an inverse canopy on the street level. A glowing bridge ushers life into the heart of the building: a dramatic circular atrium covered by a monumental glass cupola that has been restored and uncovered for maximum daylight. The entire store unfolds on the ground floor and creates a bright new urban living room for brand activations, fashion shows and other special events. A grand staircase, which doubles as an auditorium during events, takes visitors to the mixed-use space on the first floor occupied by creative and emerging brands, as well as a denim lab, jewelry display, limited edition sneakers and tech products. A continuous golden ring of perforated metal wraps around the columns and creates a series of rooms and alcoves facing the atrium.
Image by Delfino Sisto Legnani and Marco Cappelletti “To create an invitation to enter, ascend and explore, we have designed a handful of elements that find themselves at the intersection of architecture and furniture. Rather than messing with the old bones of the building or delineating function with walls – the program has been provided with a family of pavilions that may change and transform over time. The raw space has an almost urban scale and character that makes it capable of accommodating even the wildest interventions, which makes me excited to imagine what I might expect to find here next time I come back. And it shows me that Galleries Lafayette is not only opening a new department store on Champs-Élysées, rather, they have opened up a new urban room for the Parisians,” continued Bjarke Ingels.
Images by Michel Florent From the ground floor, visitors are immediately able to see the upper levels, enticing them to explore the different destinations and activities. The escalators are finished in warm metal and a ribbon of glass from the same material palette as the central atrium. Exploring the store and its different levels is a discovery of carefully curated environments where furniture is never only storage: interweaving carpets become dressing rooms, countertops are a sculptural stack of elements, and magic carpets for the shoe display double as furniture for shoppers to sit and try the footwear.
Image by Matthieu Salvaing “When we inherited this incredible space from 1932, most of the beautiful materials and Art Deco elements were covered with black painted drywall, the skylight was blinded by sheetrock and the connections to the outside had disappeared. We focused on the heart of the building and preserved all of its precious materials and refined details, wrapping them in gallery-like spaces. The historical architecture is supplemented by the raw qualities of ceiling heights and abundance of daylight,” said Jakob Sand, Partner at BIG.
Image by Salem Mostefaoui The upper levels of the store are further refined and continue the idea of furniture as artifact. The top floor features a series of suspended glass vitrines that resemble independent objects and can host a variety of experiences and activities visible from the lower levels.
Image by Delfino Sisto Legnani and Marco Cappelletti Visitors can take a break from shopping and in the Oursin restaurant while enjoying views to the city or relax at the Citron coffee lounge, both designed by French fashion designer Simon Porte Jacquemus and operated by Caviar Kaspia. Meanwhile, a Parisian food court in the entire lower level, where groceries and eateries are divided into sweet and savory sections and where massive counters are arranged around welcoming shared tables.
Image by Salem Mostefaoui Learn more about the Galeries Lafayette Flagship on Champs-Élysées and many other BIG projects at our FORMGIVING exhibition at the Danish Architecture Center in Copenhagen, on view from June 12th to January 5th: https://dac.dk/en/exhibitions/formgivning-big.
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