This beautiful eco-school protects students from harsh desert heat
In the north-western Indian city of Jaisalmer, female literacy ranks below 40 percent. The staff at a new, sustainable school located in the nearby Thar desert, aims to change that. Students in the region often have to brave scorching temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) to Read More...
Architects transform old wine silos into apartments to minimize resources
Breathing new life into old things is one of the best ways we humans can reduce the number of resources extracted from the environment. A new development in Amsterdam did just that by creatively repurposing former industrial wine silos into residential buildings. Beyond reusing the obsolete silos, Read More...
Small brick hospital in Bangladesh wins world's best building
This year, the recipient of the renowned Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) international prize for the world’s best building is a small brick hospital situated in rural Bangladesh. The architect, director of Urbana Kashef Chowdhury, managed to create a functional yet elegant Read More...
These sustainably powered homes can raise families out of poverty
Finding and sharing positive ways to tackle the world’s challenges is our favorite activity at The Optimist Daily, so it’s no surprise that we are especially excited about BillionBricks and Architecture Brio’s PowerHyde solar homes, as they tackle both the global housing issue and the climate Read More...
Floating communities can help us rise to the challenge of climate change
It’s no secret—climate change is already upon us, and we have no choice but to adapt to it if we want to survive. While some regions of the world combat increasingly dangerous wildfires or droughts, other places, like the Netherlands, must learn to live with worsening floods while dealing with Read More...
Sustainable renovation tips from an interior designer
If you’re thinking of giving your interior space a facelift before heading into the winter season but want to go about it in the most eco-friendly way possible, Toronto-based interior designer Rebecca Hay has some inspirational home design ideas that prioritize style and sustainability. Reduce, Read More...
Amsterdam's underwater bike garage will also improve aquatic habitats
The Netherlands is a country that is home to more bikes than people, which explains why city train stations have more than half a million bicycle parking spots, including the largest single garage in the entire world located in Utrecht. Even so, cyclists often struggle to find a spot to park Read More...
This MINI concept takes sustainable car manufacturing to a whole new level
As circularity slowly expands across industries, car companies are beginning to explore sustainable design as the new standard. Emblematic of that is the MINI Strip — a one-off car that resulted from a collaboration between two British brands, fashion designer Paul Smith and automotive marque Read More...
These circular eco-friendly companies are inspired by nature
What is good design? Iconic works of architecture and technology, such as Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes or an iPhone might come to mind first, but when it comes down to it, nothing can beat the evolutionary process of nature that has been refined for millennia. In nature, energy and materials Read More...
Sustainable aircraft design helps to reduce fuel consumption by 70%
The moniker “frequent flyer” used to evoke a certain sense of luxury and adventure, but these days as humanity strives for sustainability, the label provokes unfavorable thoughts of fossil fuels and carbon emissions. Pressured by the escalating climate crisis, the commercial airline industry Read More...