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The Buckminster Fuller Institute (BFI) is an organization after Inhabitat’s own heart. It was formed by the visionary eco architect/designer’s family in 1983 to champion Buckminster Fuller’s amazing legacy and provide the design world — and the rest of humanity, for that matter — with the tools we need to solve the world’s most pressing problems. Buckminster Fuller was a “full systems thinker” — he was a renaissance man who foresaw the problems we are facing now decades before anyone else, and came up with innovative, thoughtful ways to solve humanity’s most pressing problems around energy, shelter and natural resources. Sadly, this amazing man is no longer with us, but The Buckminster Fuller Institute marches forward in his name with a handful of thought-provoking programs for designers. Their flagship initiative is the Buckminster Fuller Challenge design competition to provide solutions to complicated social/environmental problems. Inhabitat covered the BFI Challenge finalists back in April, and we are thrilled to announce the winner of the competition here in our latest video! Watch our video profile (above) to learn about BFI, Bucky’s legacy, and the inspiring winner of this year’s $100,000 prize.
Read the rest of VIDEO: Buckminster Fuller Institute Announces 2010 Challenge Winner!http://www.inhabitat.com/wp-admin/ohttp://www.inhabitat.com/wp-admin/options-general.php?page=better_feedptions-general.php?page=better_feed
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Post tags: buckminster fuller challenge, buckminster fuller institute, Green Design Competitions, holistic design solutions, holistic solutions, whole systems solutions
Students in Israel at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have developed new technology that allows blind people to “see” objects around them through a simple radar system. The device consists of a computer, two video cameras and a scanning light source that audibly alerts the individual of objects that are close in proximity. The system scans surrounding objects and their distance from two points, much like the human eyes. Currently, vision impaired people need either a sensor cane or a guide dog in order to walk freely, both of which take up the use of one hand. This invention could prove to change all of that.
Read the rest of Students Develop Radar Device to Help Blind People “See”http://www.inhabitat.com/wp-admin/ohttp://www.inhabitat.com/wp-admin/options-general.php?page=better_feedptions-general.php?page=better_feed
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Post tags: blind can see with radar, blind person, en-Gurion University of the Negev, guide dog alternatives, radar assistance, radar inventions, vision assistance devices
Green building is making big strides in Texas as evidenced by this cute little zero-energy home in Fort Worth, which opens for public tours today. The Zero Energy Casita, erected by the award winning green builder, Don Ferrier, is a two bedroom, 1,051 square foot home packed with sustainable features. A residential wind turbine supplies power for the energy efficient home built from reclaimed materials. If you’re in the area, definitely take the time to check it out and see all of the green building techniques first hand.
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Post tags: "wind turbine", don ferrier, eco design, eco home, ferrier homes, fort worth, Green Building, green design, net zero home, reclaimed wood, renewable energy, SIP, Sustainable Building, texas, wind energy, Zero energy, zero energy casita
Image credit: NRFTO With deadly cyclist vs motorist conflicts going on in our streets, and bikers even getting shot for riding with their kids, the launch of the country's first defensive cycling classes could not come at a better time. But what is defensive cycling all about? ...Read the full story on TreeHugger
Planning to Buy a house soon? It’s a big investment so it’s important to get it right. Go through this checklist to make sure you’re fully prepared and you have all the info you need to get the house of your dreams.
Click on the image (below) for a larger view.
We’ve come to the point where we’re pretty darn pessimistic about almost any supposed advancements in the BP oil spill saga – but as of yesterday, there seems to be some actual good news. According to Admiral Thad W. Allen, who is overseeing the federal response to the disaster, a key riser pipe at the Deepwater Horizon site was successfully cut yesterday, meaning that we are one crucial step closer to capping off and containing the leak. Not everything went smoothly though – read on to see what has officials worried about this still fragile, but momentous progress.
UPDATE: As of last night, technicians were able to go one step further and actually get the containment cap or “top hat” in place. On NBC’s Today Show this morning, BP’s chief operating officer, Doug Suttles, confirmed that oil has started flowing up the pipe from the cap, but that we would have to wait until later in the day to see how much is actually being diverted.
Read the rest of BP Oil Pipe is Cut, “Top Hat” Containment Cap in Placehttp://www.inhabitat.com/wp-admin/ohttp://www.inhabitat.com/wp-admin/options-general.php?page=better_feedptions-general.php?page=better_feed
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Post tags: BP, british petroleum, coast guard, deepwater horizon, Gulf, gulf coast, Gulf oil spill, halliburton, key riser pipe, obama, of mexico, oil spill, oil spill solutions, riser pipe cut
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