Archives For progressivetimes

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Drifting in a Cloud of Amenities

indoor pool amenityMost architects care to believe that people will recognize a well-designed space when they see it and that the nuances of a successful design process will be ascribed value in the eyes of potential occupants. However, what seems to be increasingly often, there are extra features and accoutrements that are added to the package outside of the inherent quality of the living space in order to sweeten the deal for payors and entice them to cough up that little extra something. These property amenities are emerging as an interesting barometer for how our culture is ascribing value.

But of all of the glitzy add-ons to high-end real estate, how many of them are really adding that much when it comes to quality of life? How many of them are simply just wasteful pieces of program included for no other reason than an expectation that they represent an image of exclusivity– regardless of whether or not they are used once the project is actually occupied? Continue Reading…

Cultural 
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Green Buildings: 300 Lafayette Street

CF Lafeyette Rendering SidewalkOur culture’s current efforts in sustainability can usually be divided into one of two groups. The first group is trying to add efficiency and/or decrease the negative impact of the way that we do things now. Given its inherent benefit of requiring minimal change to the way people are already operating, this method is unsurprisingly popular. Examples include hybrid cars, LED light bulbs or printer paper with recycled content. These products help mitigate the negative repercussions of our current lifestyle.

The second group is changing a paradigm, archetype or cultural norm in order to operate in a more sustainable way—challenging the baseline to redefine the standard rather than tweaking an existing solution. Examples of this direction would be more in the vein of transit-oriented-development, designing spaces around more natural light or entirely paperless offices. One could argue that the first train of thought is looking for a better answer, where the second one is challenging the underlying question. Do we need to universally rely on automobiles? Do we need so much artificial illumination? Do we need to print things? Continue Reading…

Architectural 
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The UAE’s Hybrid Solar Plant: Shams 1

Tracking CSP Solar Troughs UAEAs the portion of our power that comes from renewable energy continues to grow, these technologies will need to continue to evolve in order to mitigate some of their inherent infrastructural challenges–namely intermittency. Despite the fact that solar power has progressed leaps and bounds since its inception in terms of efficiency, it shouldn’t be mistaken for a mature technology on par with things like the internal combustion engine. Solar still has plenty of room to grow and continue to make its inclusion into the grid more attractive to utilities and easier to integrate. Continue Reading…

Infrastructural 
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How Can We Make Sustainability Matter to Youth?

Children Walking Green WoodsThis was the question posed to a panel at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2014. Comprised of educators, scholars and students, the group floated ideas for how sustainability cannot only gain exposure to students in their educational career, but ingrain its importance at an earlier age to make subsequent generations better equipped to deal with the environmental and societal challenges we face. Continue Reading…

Cultural 
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Circling Sustainability

This forum continues to vet the definition of sustainability and how it differs from public perception inside and outside of the United States. For most of us, I would argue that our understanding of its underlying concept and its resulting associations is a stark divergence from its true meaning. This discrepancy is at least partly to blame for our lethargic rate of progress on environmental issues. At least part of the blame rests on the fact that we live in a age where circulating information is incredibly easy, even the wrong information. Continue Reading…

Cultural 
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Shaping Greener Third World Growth

international renewable energy agencyLooking to the near future, the next phase of economic evolution of the developing world in the globe’s poorest continent is on the horizon. Africa is now attracting international investment in its stores of natural resources that contribute to its ability to lift communities out of poverty. At the same time, history–even recent history–has shown that there are inherent dangers associated with periods of rapid growth. Continue Reading…

Political 
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Second Life for Wind Turbines Will Power the Rural Developing World

Vestas V47 Denmark sky turbineThe idea of reuse embodies the goal of guiding our society to a more sustainable reality. Efforts of recycling, or even upcycling, are continuing to gain strength with how we can utilize resource streams that were once thought of as only waste. Recycling efforts have taken hold at the municipal and state level across the country to help mitigate the amount of waste that is headed for landfills, but it is rare to see the idea of reuse applied to infrastructural systems that offer a reconditioned life for extended service. Continue Reading…

Infrastructural 
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Urbanity 2050

New York Resource Neutral

Associated Press – October 17th, 2050 – New York, NY

Yesterday afternoon, New York City’s administrators reported that the city has reached its goal of resource neutrality. This is a culmination of a multi-decade effort marred by numerous setbacks, including the Hurricane Katie in 2017 and Superstorm Heather in 2032. With less than two months before the end of the year deadline New York joins several international urban centers in completing the challenge set forth during the 2016 Sochi Accord. The Accord countered the once widely accepted practice of structuring cities as dense sinks of resources, requiring outlying rural and suburban land to survive. Continue Reading…

Urban Planning 
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Are We Shedding Urban Driving?

us cars highwayThe long term trend of car dependence has been a source of growing debate among scholars and enthusiasts, whether or not the shift to the millennial generation is marked by a decrease in car ownership and a change in driving patterns. Given the rippling effects that significant declining car use could have on the American economy and its development moving forward, eyes are watching closely to see whether or not its actually happening.

So are we driving less? U.S. PIRG says, “yes.” According to a recent report that compiled data from 100 urban locations around the U.S. from 2006-2011, the once unquestionable dedication to cars seems to be retreating across the country. Continue Reading…

Cultural