3D printing lunar LEGO bricks to test out building on the moon
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For decades, scientists and space enthusiasts have been fascinated by the idea of building permanent structures on the Moon. Addressing the unique obstacles of building in space has prompted academics to create novel solutions. One such achievement combines Read More...
Sustainable Building in a Changing Climate
“Our house is still on fire. Your inaction is fueling the flames by the hour.” – Greta Thunberg Our house is on fire, so how do we build in the face of disaster? Climate change is both an immediate and impending crisis: Under current conditions, we’re bound for 1000-year floods and Read More...
Onondaga Nation’s fire station brings sustainability and community together
As you probably have noticed by now, here at The Optimist Daily, we are major advocates of sustainable architecture as well as community-building, and we are elated whenever we come across an initiative that combines both. The most recent example that we’ve uncovered involves eco-friendly Read More...
Updated your home? 6 Tips to make your renovation more sustainable
After spending so much time at home over the past year, many people are feeling inspired to improve their spaces with renovations and DIY projects. Sprucing up your home is exciting, but like everything we do, it also has an environmental impact. Today we share six tips from architect Devi Read More...
These water-filled windows can cool and heat buildings more sustainably
Given the thermal shortcomings of glass, windows can significantly undermine the sustainability of a building. Most conventional windows allow heat to escape during cold weather, increasing heating costs, while, during hot weather, they allow sunlight to stream in, thus driving up the use of Read More...
This energy-neutral Dutch school promotes sustainability by design
What better way to teach kids about sustainability than to have them study in a school building that has embraced the concept to the maximum? In the Dutch city of Utrecht, a recently completed primary school has done exactly that. Located in Utrecht, Dutch architecture firm EVA architecten has Read More...
Scientists created a rubber material that can be recycled over and over
Big news from the building industry. Scientists in Australia have created a new kind of rubber material that can be recycled in an almost endless loop, which could lead to a whole array of new sustainable building materials. The rubber polymer is made of sulfur and canola oil, and it has a unique Read More...
New building code paves the way for more sustainable cities
Residential and commercial buildings are responsible for about 40 percent of U.S. energy consumption and GHG emissions. States and cities which approve the new 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) will require new buildings to reduce their overall energy usage by 10 percent compared Read More...
Boston University building the largest carbon-neutral construction in its city
Like many other major cities around the world, Boston aims to become carbon neutral by 2050. To give the city a sustainability boost, Boston University is erecting the city’s largest carbon-neutral, fossil-fuel-free building right on its campus. BU’s new Center for Computing and Data Read More...
How an ancient building material could help slash energy costs in Europe
Many centuries ago, ancient civilizations would produce homes using cob—a mixture of clay-based subsoil with sand, straw, and water. Cob is absolutely a sustainable option for building, but one that doesn’t meet the contemporary standards of architecture. To bring cob up to date, British and Read More...