Hyundai-kia is greenest automaker in u.s.
hyundai-kia is greenest automaker in u.s. detroit big three continue to excel in least-fuel- effiecient. via china.org.cn [RK]
hyundai-kia is greenest automaker in u.s. detroit big three continue to excel in least-fuel- effiecient. via china.org.cn [RK]
entries due by friday 4 april 2014 [ details ]
The City of Chicago welcomes designers to the Sustainable Chicago Poster Design Competition: CITY IN A GARDEN. Centered on the belief that graphic design can affect positive change, CITY IN A GARDEN seeks to integrate innovative and compelling design into Chicago’s urban fabric. Winning posters will be displayed on bus shelters and city information panels throughout the city, serving as public art, enhancing daily life in Chicago, and encouraging residents to live more sustainably. CITY IN A GARDEN aims to advance Chicago on its path to being the most livable, competitive and sustainable city.
The goal: To design a powerful, attention-grabbing, memorable poster, incorporating what it means for Chicago to be a sustainable city, bringing the City’s motto “Urbs in horto” (Latin for ‘City in a Garden’) to life. The design should be inspiring, engaging and ultimately, create a call to action for residents to make a difference in our community.
[ judges ] Philip Enquist FAIA, is Skidmore, Owings & Merrill’s firm-wide leader for Urban Design & Planning.<a href="about ron kovach
Haworth’s new innovative space in Beijing has been recognized as the world’s first certified LEED project under the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) new LEED version 4 beta program. The USGBC awarded LEED Gold status after the project earned 71 out of the possible 110 points. The site, landmark building Parkview Green, among many other features, provides tenants with access to quality transportation and bicycle facilities. The LEED Platinum (version 3) building is home to a boutique hotel, commercial offices and premium retail.
Inside, Haworth has created the Club – an organic workspace concept offering dynamic co-working and lounge spaces available to tenants, hotel guests and surrounding community. The core design element is a concept of flexibility: Everything can be easily rearranged to meet day-to-day needs.
[ official release ]
BEJING, CHINA – October 23, 2013 – Haworth, Inc., a global leader in the design and manufacture of furniture, today announced that its innovative space, located in Beijing’s landmark Parkview Green building, has been recognized as the world’s first certified LEED project under the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) new LEED version 4 beta program. The USGBC awarded LEED Gold status after the project earned 71 out of the possible 110 points.
“Achieving the first-ever LEED version 4 certification speaks volumes about Haworth’s global commitment to sustainability,” said Steve Kooy, Haworth’s global sustainability manager.
In order to achieve the certification, everything from the location of the building and its energy performance to water efficiency and indoor air quality had to be considered. “We are especially pleased to have achieved this certification in China,” said Frank Rexach, vice president and general manager of Haworth’s Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Latin America sector. “The application of the new LEED standards in Beijing highlights the importance of this fast-growing market.”
Parkview Green is located in the Chaoyang District of Beijing and provides tenants with access to quality transportation and bicycle facilities. The LEED Platinum (version 3) building is also home to a boutique hotel, commercial offices and premium retail. Inside Parkview Green, Haworth has created the Club – an organic workspace concept that offers dynamic co-working and lounge spaces that can be used by the building’s tenants, hotel guests and members in the community. At the heart of the Club’s design was the concept of flexibility. Everything from partition walls, meeting rooms, huddle spaces and private focus areas can be easily rearranged to meet the day-to-day needs of its users. “A workspace that easily responds to changing business needs over time not only saves time and money but it also reduces waste,” said Kooy.
To complete the project, Haworth partnered with BEE inc., a Shanghai- and Hong Kong-based specialist for green materials, trading and LEED consulting. Director of strategic services for Haworth’s Asia Pacific sector, Iolanda Meehan, spearheaded the effort.
“Throughout the construction process we reused 60 percent of non-structural interior elements,” said Meehan. “Additionally, 93 percent (by value) of the furniture in the space is either GREENGUARD certified or has been transferred from an existing showroom and fresh air exceeds the required Indoor Environment Quality by 35 percent.”
Energy and water efficiencies also helped achieve the certification. Through the optimization of the HVAC system as well as efficient LED lighting design, fixtures and controls supplied by Philips – one of Haworth’s partners in the region – the showroom’s energy consumption was reduced by 59 percent (compared to ASHRAE energy requirements).
“While LEED version 4 raises the bar on green building leadership and requires a new level of commitment to building sustainably, it was important for us to go beyond the prestigious LEED certification to ensure that we created a space that is not only environmentally-friendly and open to the community, but a project that will stand as a model for future workspaces,” said Meehan.
The USGBC’s LEED rating system provides building owners and operators with the framework to identify and implement practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. Within each LEED credit category, projects must satisfy prerequisites to earn points. The number of points the project earns determines its level of certification.
In July 2013, USGBC members voted to adopt the latest update to the green building rating system. The newest version of LEED will officially launch this fall at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Philadelphia, PA.
“Haworth strongly believes that this type of adaptable workspace, coupled with activity and workstyle based areas, is the way forward for corporations to maximize the efficiency of its real estate and the effectiveness and innovation of its people,” said Rexach.
Globally, Haworth improves workplaces with award-winning furniture, interior architecture and technology solutions to help customers achieve business goals, transform culture as well as support collaboration and innovation. Research + design drive a deep understanding of agile workplace needs and are at the center of the company’s strategy. Haworth is committed to protecting and restoring the environment, creating economic value as well as supporting and strengthening its communities. Founded in 1948, Haworth remains family-owned and privately-held and serves markets in more than 120 countries through a global network of 600 dealers. The company had net sales of US $1.31 billion in 2012.
[ haworth ] [ haworth collection ] @Haworthinc > Facebook.com/Haworthinc
the network right now | red (installed) grey (coming) | maps courtesy tesla
In promoting what he claimed to be a national network of “superchargers” for his Tesla electric cars, Elon Musk said when the zombie apocalypse comes, you’ll still be able to drive your Model S electric sports sedan coast to coast in the US. Those superchargers with solar panels will be off the grid.
The chargers cost an estimated $250,000 apiece—the price of an Aston Martin. The chargers are incompatible with all industry standards and work only with Tesla’s Model S—but they are way faster.
summer 2013
fall 2013
winter 2013
2014
2015
above> video courtesy of tesla | below> video courtesy of mike anthony autosports
[ official full release ]
Tesla dramatically expands supercharger network, delivery convenient, free long distance driving throughout U.S. and Canada.
MAY 30, 2013 – Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA) today announced significant expansion of the Tesla Supercharger network. Supercharging enables Tesla Model S drivers to travel long distances, for free, indefinitely.
The expansion of the network builds upon the success of the Tesla Supercharger network that covers California and Nevada on the west coast and the Washington, DC to Boston region on the east coast. The Tesla Supercharger network has enabled an estimated 1 million miles of driving since going live in October 2012. Superchargers are designed for city to city travel, enabling Model S electric vehicle drivers to travel for about three hours, take a 20 to 30 minute break to grab lunch or a soda or coffee, and get back on the road charged up. For free.
With the accelerated rollout of the Tesla Supercharger network, Model S drivers can expect:
> Triple the number of Tesla Supercharger stations by the end of next month, including additional stations in California, coverage of the northwest region from Vancouver to Seattle to Portland, Austin to Dallas in Texas, Illinois and Colorado. There will also be four additional eastern seaboard stations, expanding the density of the network to provide for more convenient stopping points.
> Within six months the Tesla Supercharger network will connect most of the major metro areas in the US and Canada, including expansion into Arizona, additional stations in Texas, Florida, and the Midwest, stations connecting Ottawa to Montreal, and across North and South Carolina into Georgia. It will also be possible to travel diagonally across the country from Los Angeles to New York using only the Tesla Supercharger network.
> A year from now, the Tesla Supercharger network will stretch across the continent, covering almost the entire population of the US and Canada. The expansion of the network will mean that Model S drivers can take the ultimate road trip — whether that’s LA to New York, Vancouver to San Diego, or Montreal to Miami – without spending a cent on fuel.
In addition to the expansion of the Tesla Supercharger network itself, Tesla is improving the technology behind the Tesla Supercharger to dramatically decrease the amount of time it takes to charge Model S, cutting charging time in half relative to early trials of the system. The new technology, which is in beta test mode now and will be fully rolled out to customers this summer, will allow Model S to be charged at 120 kW, replenishing three hours of driving in just over 20 minutes.
[ about tesla ]
Tesla Motors’ (NASDAQ: TSLA) goal is to accelerate the world’s transition to electric mobility with a full range of increasingly affordable electric cars. California-based Tesla designs and manufactures EVs, as well as EV powertrain components for partners such as Toyota and Daimler. Tesla has delivered more than 10,000 electric vehicles to customers in 31 countries.
[ forward-looking statements ]
Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding future Tesla Supercharger locations, timing and capabilities, are “forward-looking statements” that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations, and as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those projected. Various important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including potential difficulties in finding suitable Tesla Supercharger sites, negotiating leases or obtaining required permits for such locations, as well as the risks and uncertainties identified under the sections captioned “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results Of Operations” in Tesla’s Form 10-Q filed on May 10, 2013. Tesla disclaims any obligation to update information contained in these forward-looking statements.
xx roberto gavazzi
We’re in the Chicago showroom of Maxalto and talking to Boffi CEO Roberto Gavazzi. Boffi has recently opened a showroom in this space.
[DesignApplause] Roberto the last time I saw you though we didn’t have a chance to talk, was in Boffi’s flagship showroom in Milan during the 2012 design fair. You and Philippe Starck were in animated conversation while looking at a kitchen system.
[Roberto Gavazzi] Phillipe dropped by to look at new products and we were discussing several new techniques incorporated into that particular kitchen system. Boffi sells the kitchens to the best architects and designers worldwide known such as: Philippe Starck, Norman Foster, Jean Nouvel, Patricia Urquiola and, of course, Piero Lissoni. We are particularly proud of this as it means all these important people like Boffi products and choose to buy our systems for their private kitchens/ bathrooms instead of designing a system and asking for a special production on a personalized drawing.
aprile kitchen with wood and stainless steel | piero lissoni | click > enlarge
[DA] The ‘Philippe” kitchen in Milan that was in your showroom, did that concept go into production?
[RG] Yes, it’s now in production. It took a few months to be ready because it required a new manufacturing patent: The new material looks like a solid piece of stainless steel, but in reality it’s a sandwich made up of very, very thin slices giving us a lighter material that’s easier to use and bend. Stainless steel can be very heavy and complicated to install. It was difficult and complicated to produce but we’re happy with the end result.
[DA] Let’s talk about the business side. You came to Boffi in 1989. Piero Lissoni came in 1990. Why were you guys brought in and what roles did you play? What roles do you play now?
[RG] Piero Lissoni at that time was already an extremely strategic resource for this company. When I came in 1989, I was completely ignorant in terms of design and manufacturing kitchens. My previous job was in the computer industry in Italy and France. No culture, no knowledge, no real special attitude toward this business.
[DA] Why did they ask you to come on board?
[RG] In reality, they didn’t ask me. I wanted to stop working for large internationals and wanted to become an entrepreneur and so, I started looking for a company that was for sale or that needed a partner to step in and become an industrial entrepreneur. My family has been and still is entrepreneurial in Milan and I inherited this mindset. In my search I found Paolo Boffi and he was looking for a partner in 1989. We quickly understood one another’s desires and wishes. In the end, we made this deal that was an incredibly lucky deal for me. I hope for him also. I think we were very complimentary, especially in the beginning. He was the real creative mind and on my side, I brought a little bit of money and management.
[DA] Were you replacing something or were they trying something new?
[RG] Boffi was a traditional family business. The second generation had three brothers. They had problems and ended up separating. One brother bought from the others. Paolo now owned all the company but wasn’t an experienced manager. He needed someone to help him and needing some more money because he had used all of his to buy the company from his brothers. That was the main reason why he wanted a partner. Paolo proved to be exactly that, a partner. It’s not easy to find an entrepreneur that owns 100% of a family company, and is open to share it with someone else. We really had a very nice time and a lot of fun. Piero Lissoni was also a part of the partnership.
[DA] Are the three of you still doing the same things?
[RG] Yes. At the beginning, we were much younger. Piero was starting his activity as an Art Director. Piero has a unique capacity of fully understanding a company and defining a strategy and pointing you the right direction. He’s always thinking in terms of the whole company and not simply particular products. We’re not fighting one product against another anymore. We’re fighting the concept of one company voice against other company voices. Boffi’s story is about how we produce our products, conceive the collection, the marketing we use, how we distribute in our showrooms. It’s a meaningful and complex integrated message that makes sense, is successful and is liked by our customers.
[DA] I’m thinking about Steve Jobs hiring Paul Rand, the designer of the IBM corporate image. Jobs had just left Apple and was starting a new company, Next. Jobs tells Rand that he believes it takes 10 years and $100,000,000 to evolve an identity into a personality.
[RG] It’s really a long process and these companies are so complicated and sometimes rigid. A kitchen company like ours is one that is far more complicated that any other design industry. We sell products as a system to a high-end sophisticated customer who desires something tailored to their needs. We deliver an impeccable kitchen that will stand in the home for 20-25 years. You’ll have a kitchen in front of you for so long that you can get bored if it’s not exactly what you want.
It’s a business that is relatively rigid for being a retail activity. It’s not an impulse purchase. With a kitchen, it’s a long process that can last months.
[DA] It seems a very tough retail sell. Maybe harder than selling airplanes to corporations. This may not come off well in print but with the kitchen there’ a wife to incorporate into the recipe.
[RG] We see people that enjoy the process of purchasing a kitchen that they may stretch the process longer than needed. The men come back many times with their wives, it’s a joint effort for sure. It’s interesting, the more expensive and complicated, the more the husband gets into it. The men become intrigued by the technicalities.
[DA] We’re evaluating our own kitchen now. We pull our friends, or they pull us into the discussions. The kitchen is 16 years old and not engineered well enough.
[RG] You want to have access to a good product and a professional who can evaluate your needs and explain how and why the product is built the way it is. Satisfaction is extremely important. We devote a tremendous amount of money in our budget to train our people very well. We have a very nice training department in Milan near where the factory is located. It’s 1, 500 square meters where we have all sorts of products.
customer training facility
[DA] Are you talking about the Customer Training Facility?
[RG] We train our dealers to be perfectly prepared to face any kind of customer. For example, in Paris, we have a shop there. A woman walks in and asks for our most basic sink. In Paris at this shop, we are selling very elaborate kitchens. Our dealer answers her questions very nicely for one hour. She goes away and comes back one month later with an elaborate kitchen request. We discover this woman is the wife of a very important industrial owner in France. The lady went to every high-end kitchen shop in Paris and asked for a sink from everyone. She then chose the one that answered the questions best for the longest time and said that if the dealer is paying that much attention to her for a sink, she was sure they would deliver a very nice kitchen with perfect customer service.
[DA] We have Boffi in our bathroom, the process was enjoyable and we are far from bored.
[RG] Good to hear, thank you.
[DA] Do you also bring customers in?
[RG] Yes. We like to bring them to the factory. We are very open and like to show the quality of our products. You can feel it when you visit a factory, go around and see how things are done. We encourage our dealers to bring any kind of customer. It’s satisfying to say those who visit our factory, who get involved with the process, pretty much are sold on us.
[DA] Is there a role for design to play in a challenging economy?
[RG] Certainly. Design is a software that adds tremendous obvious and not-so-obvious features to products. Design becomes part of the conversation with some products. When you talk of Apple you invariably talk about design. The design attributes can make an environmental as well as a economic statement. We all notice how more and more cities are having design fairs. No matter the economy. There must be a reason. And there’s growth and awareness now seen in many industries where only fashion and architecture held court.
[DA] How do people find Boffi? Do you feel that Boffi is well represented worldwide?
[RG] We’re in around 55 countries and export 75% of our production so we feel we’re well represented worldwide. And it’s competitive so we are always working to be better. We scrutinize where we go, what’s the best fit for us to open a showroom and assemble a Boffi team. We are working on growing in Asia now.
[DA] Design is making sense of things. Does Boffi frame concepts and products in innovative settings to capture users’ imaginations?
[RG] Most good brands try to sell emotions today. It’s not so easy to do with products like kitchens that also need to be technologically reliable. You cannot exaggerate the design approach forgetting about the rules of the kitchen. Boffi believes the presentation, the passion, the experience of the people presenting is important to adding emotion to the equation. It’s one of the ways to be different from the others. And today’s market is extremely fast. If you have a strong product in your collection, you can quickly find a strong resemblance with the competitors.
chicago showroom
[DA] I’ve been to three of your showrooms. This new Chicago store is a bit different than the others, not as much of space. Is the move an experiment in terms of market mix?
[RG] Yes. Here we are using a different formula. In general in larger cities, we have completely monobrand shops were you just sell Boffi, where we try to communicate our professional strength. In this one, it’s a very beautiful space. We share it with B&B Italia and the Maxalto line. It’s a collaboration between 2 brands at the same level that share the same values. They are complimentary products in terms of style. I’m also very good friends with the B&B owners so there’s always a special feeling. This formula can be both efficient and effective, especially when you have showrooms that are a little too big. By sharing it with another company in line with yours it can also have a very interesting co-marketing aspect that has appeal to customers.
[DA] This is a great space. In terms of the product offerings in this showroom, the amount of product on the floor is less than your other showrooms.
[RG] It’s not necessary to show a lot of products. It’s important to show products that reference what you can offer. I feel you can always bring your customer to a bigger show in New York or Italy when they want to buy a kitchen and where they can spend some time. Also, it’s a nice experience for them. We see many of our customers who enjoy visiting our other showrooms in other cities. If you’re able to maintain the same quality of offerings at diverse locations your story is much more compelling.
[DA] Kitchens are not found and sold via your Web site are they?
[RG] You can use the Web site as a brochure to look at this or that. But we really want people to come to our showrooms and be able to touch the product, talk with our people and receive a really tailor-made solution.
[DA] What does sustainability mean to you right now?
[RG] It’s a growing need that we see in everywhere. We see that the public is very interested in it. That’s why we not only want to be in line with the needs of the market, but we feel it is a very important part of our social responsibility. Our lacquer is formulated to be pollution-free. We try to recycle all of our unused materials.
[DA] You have 39 designers. What’s asked of your designers? Do they contribute toward innovation of technology or product meaning?
[RG] Designers are chosen depending on their capacity to deliver something special to Boffi. And their styles are complementary offering up the option of experiencing one complete collection or mixing pieces to make a custom product. Today, we have a core of 5-6 designers. The process of choosing designers is made with Piero Lissoni. Together we choose the designers without really a specific requirement except for their style.
[DA] Is there anything we didn’t cover that you’d like to get into our conversation?
[RG] I would invite everyone that wants to discover Boffi to come our showrooms, to come to Milan. If they want to visit the factory and our showrooms, it’s always a pleasure to have them come. We like to really show what we are. There are no secrets. It’s always an open door for everyone.
1) aprile in wood and stainless steel | piero lissoni
1) aprile in stainless steel | piero lissoni
3) cila in glass | luigi mason
4) k20 in stainless steel | norbert wangen
5) b20 bathroom cabinets | norbert wangen / index mirror | felicia ferrone
6) quadtwo | jeffrey bernett / boccia lamp | piero lissoni
7a) CTline | victor vasilev
7b) CTline | victor vasilev
8) tape shower cubicle | monica armani
9) > 11) milan showroom
12) > 13) apartment installation
14) > 16) customer training facility
17) > 20) chicago showroom
click > enlarge
A+D Museum is pleased to present Airport of the Future, the international student competition entries and winners of the Fentress Global Challenge 2011 as part of the larger traveling exhibition Now Boarding: Fentress Airports + The Architecture of Flight which is featured in three parts here in Los Angeles. The Museum of Flying will be exhibiting Now Boarding, and the Flight Path Museum is highlighting the rich past and promising future of LAX with artifacts from LAX’s past and a large-scale model of the new Tom Bradley International Terminal.
A+D Museum’s exhibition, Airports of the Future celebrates insights on the future design of airports by university students from around the world. The show also examines the future of flight through the minds of the architects behind the modernized Tom Bradley International Terminal. Freehand sketches and final renderings from Fentress Architects’ Airport of the Future think tank provide a rare glimpse into the architect’s imagination and design process. The exhibition also includes a look at the architect’s scale model of the master plan for LAX’s future. [ details ]
[ opening reception ]
Join us in exploring the future of airport design with drinks and hors d’oeuvres at the Airports of the Future opening reception, Saturday 9 March 2013.
Admission: $10 Individual, A+D Members and Student w/valid ID FREE with [ RSVP ]
[ 2011 fentress global challenge ]
After reviewing 200 innovative student submissions from around the world, Fentress Architects is to announced in 2012 the winning designs for the 2011 Fentress Global Challenge, an international competition for architecture and engineering students to present their visions for the Airport of the Future. Designs were evaluated on Creative Approach, Response to Site, Sustainability and Functionality.
1ST>
LDN Delta Airport | Oliver Andrew | London South Bank University, London
2nd>
The Airport of the Future | Martin Sztyk | University College London, London
3RD>
Pocket Airports | Alexander Nevarez | Art Center College of Design, United States
Honorable Mention
Aero-Loop | Thor Yi Chun | University of Science of Malaysia
New Arcticity | Daniel Kang | National Taiwan University of Science
[ details ]
[airport of the future ] idea lift-off blog.
http://fentresspulse.com/2013/02/25/now-boarding-arriving-in-la-heres-the-what-when-and-where/
applications due friday, 15 february!
Moving Design is a coalition of designers and artists, working with community partners, leading initiatives that inspire change through the power of design.
Our 2013 Call to Action is focused on informing and transforming Sustainable Living in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood. We will select fifteen designers, writers, programmers, and visionaries to generate powerful ideas and become catalysts for smarter, more sustainable living choices. Inspired by the WPA’s simple, strong illustrations and messages, we’ll introduce the neighborhood to ideas and initiatives which will inspire community actions. [ details / apply now ] @movingdesign fb/movingdesign
house forms caucus to raise federal energy efficiency. there is nearly 3 billion square feet of building space that’s owned and operated by the federal government. via green biz [RK]
click > enlarge
By now we’re all familiar with the array of lovely, upcycled glass wine bottles cut and repurposed as vases, carafes, decanters, etc. Japanese design powerhouse, Nendo, took the idea one step further with their recent collaboration with Coca-Cola, which they debuted a few days ago at Design Tide Tokyo.
The five-piece dishware set is handblown in northern Japan from recycled glass Coke bottles. Though the glass isn’t cut from larger bottles, the design of the dishes mimics that cut mark and also references the bottle’s shape, with the circle of dimples on the bottom. We’re not soda drinkers, but we love the glass’ greenish hue and the way it looks on a table, as well as the slight imperfections that come with handmade objects, like the air bubbles.
images courtesy designboom
electric car buying guide. electric vehicles offer more driving fun. via sierra club [nOnnIs]
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