Earthship Biotecture

After an hour of watching countless YouTube videos, I stumbled upon this video and got chills because I was so inspired by the design's simplicity and functionality. The design speaks volumes because it can be built in any part of the world, which in turn saves costs in transporting building materials and practically eliminates climate as an issue. It also addresses many other green solutions such as: water harvesting, recycled materials, on site sewage treatment, day lighting, food production, and solar/thermal dynamics- just to name a few. 

After watching the video, you can see how the architects'  used unconventional, innovative building materials like recycled tires and pop cans. You might be asking yourself, why are building materials like used tires and pop cans necessary when we have better, more advanced building materials to choose from? The architects of the Simple Survival Earthship sum it up quite nicely by stating, "Housing has been big and inefficient for a long time.  Energy shortages and dwindling natural resources are making us look at smaller, more planet dynamic housing.  The Earthship Simple Survival Concept is our answer to this issue." This back-to-basic design concept is an excellent solution for developing countries who need low cost, safe structures, or possibly even disaster relief housing. The Simple Survival Earthship addresses these issues because the Earthships are designed for little money and are designed to be constructed in a short amount of time. In addition to low initial costs and a short construction period, the Simple Survival Earthships' require no bills such as electricity or water, your own food and water sources, as well as your own sanitation system. How awesome is that? But most importantly, to someone living in a third world country, such as Hati, this type of innovative technology would be life changing. Unfortunately, I think many people around the world have preconceived notions that design and architecture are lavish extras and only the wealthy can appreciate it because they are the only ones who can afford it. However, this video shows us this couldn't be further from the truth. Design- the true need for good, safe, clean design- is needed most by the people who don't have access to the services, the technology, or the money to afford it. These are the people the world should and needs to design for. As a future designer, I can only imagine how gratifying it would be to be a part of a design team working on a sustainable project such as the Simple Survival Earthship. From this project alone, it's clear that green design does have huge benefits for the environment as well as everyone living in it. 

what are your thoughts?

• Is this the future of designing sustainable buildings? Or is it a fad that will soon fade out?
• Would you ever consider living in a Simple Survival Earthship because of its various benefits such as virtually no maintenance and now utility bills?
• Are the Earthships a viable option for third world countries, especially countries who have faced a disaster and need immediate shelter, clean water, and sanitation that Earthships could provide?
• Because Earthships are solar powered, they can't have a lot of electrically powered appliances including lap tops, phones, kitchen equipment, etc. What are three electrically powered items that you could live without, and what are three that you would never give up in a million years?

For more information on the Earthship Simple Survival Concept click here to check out their website!

LEED basics

what and how

• What is it? Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, is a third-party rating system that determines whether a building design is green or not. According to U.S. Green Building Council, "LEED is transforming the way built environments are designed, constructed, and operated. Comprehensive and flexible, LEED addresses the entire lifecycle of a building."
• How does it work? LEED is run by a point system. For commercial buildings to earn a LEED certification, a project has to earn a minimum of 40 points on a 110-point LEED scale. Homes, on the other hand, are required to earn a minimum of 45 points on a 136-point scale. 

the rating system

• How does it work? The rating system is composed of different categories that depend on what type of building project you're working on. For instance, the criteria for a a LEED healthcare facility is going to have different requirements than a LEED home. Within those rating systems there are credit categories that act as guidelines or a checklist when your building green. After all is said and done, depending on your LEED score card determined by your criteria, the LEED professionals will rate your LEED building as platinum, silver, or gold. (The more LEED points, the higher the rating)

    

             

benefits of LEED

• Although green building is costly in the construction phase, one huge benefit LEED buildings offer are the reduced maintenance and operating costs over time. Over time LEED buildings can save so much of these costs that they end up paying off the initial fee of construction.
• Conserve energy and water
• Better indoor air quality
• Healthy environment for occupants
• Reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions
• Better employee relationships
• Increase asset value
• Qualify for tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives in hundreds of cities

Still want a better idea of how LEED works?

Click on the video below for a quick visual run through.

Click Here for more information about LEED 

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something green

This is an awesome project- Converting an abandoned Wal-Mart into a thriving public library.

something old, something new

• The old McAllen Memorial Library was located in downtown McAllen, TX. The building opened in 1950, and it was in operation for 60 years. The 40,000 square foot facility had three floors and housed a collection count of 330,394 items. The community of McAllen was excited to have "a new home, new look, and new direction for their library." (McAllen Public Library)

• The new McAllen Public Library opened its doors on December 10, 2011 in a restored Wal-Mart warehouse. The 123,000 square foot building is located on 4001 N. 23rd Street McAllen, TX. Compared to the old library, the new, single floor library is home to a collection count of 355,794 items. (More features are listed below that were not capable for the old library.) Because the city of McAllen is close to the Mexican border, one role the community wanted the new library to encompass was a safe environment for teens after school free of drugs or violence.

OLD Exterior

 

NEW Exterior

OLD Interior

NEW Interior

OLD MCALLEN LIBRARY

NEW MCALLEN LIBRARY

Opened: 1950 Size: 40,000 square feet Collection Count: 330,394 items Floors: 3 Public Meeting Rooms: 2 Public Study Rooms: 3 Public Computer Lab: 29 Special Features: ground floor atrium, patio, used book store

Opened: December 10, 2011 Size: 123,000 square feet   Collection Count: 355,794 items Floors: 1 Public Meeting Spaces: 16 Public Study Rooms: 14 Public Computer Lab: 64 Children's Computer Lab: 10 Teen's Computer Lab: 6 Genealogy Computer Lab: 2  Special Interior Features: teen area, cafe, auditorium, quiet reading room, self-check out units, art gallery, electronic classrooms, meeting rooms with audiovisual services, expanded children's area, used book store, automated materials handling system, themed wood ceiling and other special interior design features Special Exterior Features: extensive landscaping, Dewey Learning Trail, front mall area with one water feature, entrance canopy, drive-up book drop, exterior children's area, over 350 parking spaces

something borrowed, something green

• Building new requires a lot of materials and resources. On the flip side, demolishing an old structure wastes materials such as windows, doors, fixtures, etc. that could be salvaged and recycled or re-purposed in a different space. That's what makes this project such an awesome example of  green design! Although the architects/design teams weren't working toward LEED credits for the project, the McAllen Public Library was successfully able to transform a huge, empty Wal-Mart shell into a functional, flexible, and aesthetically pleasing space.
• As buildings age and materials/furnishings become outdated, it is important for designers and architects to create a timeless design that can last for its users. (Because no one wants to relive the days of ornate flower wallpaper and wood panel walls.) Whether we want to face it or not, the future of design is adopting green practices left and right that are safe for its end users and the environment.
• On that note, here are some more inspiring stories of abandoned Big-Box stores being converted into schools, a church, and much more. Check here to check their stories out! Big-Box Reuse

Resources:
Mcallen Public Library
Google Images

If you've found yourself on my blog, welcome!

My name is MacKenzie Johnson, and I'm currently a student at the University of Northern Iowa majoring in interior design and minoring in marketing.


 A little bit about me  
             ^ more 

• I am a senior who will be graduating spring of 2013. Upon graduation, I plan to have found a professional internship in (hopefully) somewhere outside of Iowa. (I would love Chicago!)

• (I apologize in advance for the length of these next few bullet points) During my four years here at UNI I've also been a member of the UNI Dance Team, which is where most of my passion, time, and energy has been devoted to. (So of course I'm going to go into more detail) As a member of this amazing team, I've been able to say I haven't missed one UNI Football, Men's Basketball, or Women's Basketball home games. (Do the math, four years times a full schedule of games from August until late March. That's a lot of games!)

• In addition to game day involvement, I also can say I have danced at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex in Disney World all four years. In which two of those years my team has won two national titles in Division 1 Pom. (What every competing college dance team aspires to.) But wait! It gets better. I also have had the privilege to dance at the NCAA Sweet Sixteen game-- UNI vs. Michigan State. That's correct, I said THE Sweet Sixteen. I mean we're talkin' on the floor. At halftime. In front of thousands of fans! 

• However, even with all of the success I've had with my team over the last four years, I'm being honest when I say the best part wasn't winning a national title or being on ESPN. (Although, I can't deny those we're amazing moments!) Nop, the best part was meeting some of my closest friends while working so hard for so little recognition and have our hard work become success. And that my friends is something I wouldn't trade for the world! 

• Besides dance (Which takes up most of my time), I enjoy traveling, DIY projects, fitness, spending time with family and friends, fashion, a good read, animals, and how could I forget my favorite thing to watch on TV, The History Channel.

 Back to design  (What you're really interested in)

• Over these past few years, I've developed a passion for all things related to interior design and architecture. (Just take a look at my Pinterest!) More specifically, I've gained a deep appreciation and interest in sustainable design solutions, innovative design, restorations, and re-purposed design.

 Why read this blog? 

•  I truly believe that design has the capability to change the world for the better, and hopefully after reading my blog you will become inspired too. Because design is always trending, changing, and improving, this blog will be an excellent read if 1. You're a design guru or 2. You're someone who would simply like to read up on the topic. Whatever your reason is I'm glad you're here!

• If you haven't guessed by now, this blog will be all about green design. I'll be blogging about anything from green materials to sustainable design projects to drop in homes. Green design has been growing in popularity around the world, but more recently in the United States. I'm looking forward to providing engaging information to all of my followers interested in green design. (I hope that's you!)

• In my near future, I aspire to become involved in international design, product design, and custom furniture design- don't be surprised if these topics pop up in my blog from time to time!

Thanks for stopping by. Make sure to stop back, more posts to come!