Technology Madness

Google Energy Savings Calculator with Halloween Theme

Halloween is around the corner. Google has long been eco-conscious. From tips on how to save energy in data centers, to investments in plug-in cars and batteries and a fleet of PHEVs. Recently Google have created a handy energy saving calculator to help us see how simple steps in/around your house can save few hundreds and prevent scary carbon emission. In addition, Google have also put together a webpage full of tricks to help you save energy and more importantly—your money. I punch in my numbers; here is my result from the bottom of the page: “You can save 7000 pounds of CO2. That’s equivalent to not driving your car for 212 days.”

By estimation, If 80% of us follow just one simple trick (close fireplace flue in winter) we could save over $6 billion a year. So what’s your contribution, I would say what is your commitment to eliminate carbon emission produced from your home?

Via [Google Official blog]

Don’t Miss:

• Visualising energy usage to change habits: Part A - Power Conscience
• Visualising energy usage to change habits: Part B: The Home Joule

Tags: alternative energy, Energy Savings Calculator

Travel between Los Angelis and Seattle in one tank of Compressed AIR

Could the Air Car be the next generation motor vehicle? Could this charming (but looks very retro) car be the starting of ‘death’ count-down for the oil-petroleum guzzler automotive industry in coming days?

Air Car is running exclusively on compressed air, it emits only air - zero pollution. The air car claims to be able to drive 106 miles per gallon which is 170 kilometer per gallon. Now lets say if car has 10 gallon tank, it means you can drive 1060 Miles in one tank of Gas (opppss, sorry, please read AIR, not gas) that is approximately distance between Los Angelis and Seattle. Wow, now this is amazing fuel economy.

It’s NOT a dream or a project on paper but ZPM (http://zeropollutionmotors.us) will begin taking reservations in mid-2009 for US deliveries of our compressed air vehicle in 2010. It is estimated to have a retail price of $17,800USD. A six-seater model is the first Air Car scheduled to enter the US. On top of all cool specs, this car has no keys - just an access card which can be read directly from your pocket. Also, Refilling the car tank will cost $2 (…that is unless the price of air goes up… he he)

Check it out. Watch this you tube video:

Via [popularmechanics.com and blog.sabasearch.com]

Tags: Air Car, Air-Powered Car, compressed air engine, Eco-Friendly Car, Fuel economy, Green Car, Tata Air Car, Zero Pollution Motors

Visualising energy usage to change habits: Part A - Power Conscience

It is proven concept that when you have monitor equipment, you can take corrective action. Like observing your car speedometer prompts you to take corrective action (Break) to reduce the speed and prevent us to get ticket. Similarly, reducing your household’s energy usage is to identify and monitor how much energy you use and take necessary action. Traditionally, energy meters are generally outside of your house and you won’t get a chance to see your energy usage until you receive the bill.

I have come across a few energy monitor products that fit in your living room setting, match with other furniture style and help you to visualize the usage of energy in real time. That allows you to change your energy use habits.

Power Conscience wall lamp, designed by Delroy Dennisur.

This energy monitor is displaying some important information, like you are using 7 watt and $5.50/Hr is expected charge for it. This seems very boring information but designer Delroy Dennisur blends all this information with beautiful slim white box decorated with LEDs in a floral design that light up depending on your consumption. A “Power Conscience” energy monitor is getting sexier by the minute.

As the usage of energy increases, the leaves pictured on the Power Conscience will grow green at low consumption, and turn yellow at moderate level and eventually turn red when you guzzle high energy.

I like the concept of Visualising energy usage. The unit shows the energy consumption but not how much damage if actually does to the environment. It would be nice to see the fact and figures in terms of real impactful information. Like, when you uses ink-jet printing machine, it uses X number of tress. However, Delroy has solved the problem as an interaction designer. The rest is a task for the developers and engineers.

via [hippyshopper] and ecofriends.org

Tags: Electric Bills, Electricity, Energy, Environment, LED, Power Consumption, Visualising energy usage

Architectural wonders: New view every day, Eco-friendly rotating Residential-Commercial tower

United Arab Emirate is gaining widespread global attention: Dubai is experiencing a construction boom, with new buildings going up at a pace that rivals China’s development. Dubai’s growth is exponentially impressive in last few years and its going to supply Architectural wonders in coming years. See Dubai’s wonders here and here.

However, growth and new construction comes with the side effect of pollution and carbon foot prints. But now things are changing, not only they construct with environmental friendly martial and follow safe-eco-practice in construction but continue to contribute the same forever (for building itself and the neighborhood.) Yes, there is new news from Fisher’s Dynamic Architecture firm. New build is going to be energy self-sufficient by sun and wind powered design.

The tower is going to be twirling around the tall shaft. Rotation of each building block around the shaft is going to contribute in energy production for the building and neighbors. Its construction is set to begin this month! The Dynamic Architecture building has been appropriately named Rotating Tower as the floors would be rotating around an inner-tall shaft. It will be continually in motion, changing shape and giving residents the ability to choose a new view at the touch of a button. Beyond doubt, every day is a new day! Guaranteed! The external view of the building would constantly change as each floor rotates separately giving a new view of the building as it turns. According to architect, David Fisher, the building is going to be strong and flexible enough to disaster like, earthquakes as each floor rotates separately.

Must see Youtube video: The first World Dynamic Architecture in DuBai project

Via [bdonline and AnkitSruti blog] and huffingtonpost.com at Dubai’s Skyscraper and 2Modern.com

Extra reading:
Architect David Fisher profile: here

Dubious Dubai Museum

Japan’s Plan For World’s Tallest Building

Tags: David Fisher, Dubai, Dubai Dynamic Tower, Dubai Skyscraper, Dynamic Architecture, Dynamic Tower, Modern marvel, Moving Skyscraper, Moving Skyscraper Photos, Swirling Skyscraper, Swirling Skyscraper Photos, Swirling Skyscraper Video

Reduce the global warming with few clicks.

On this World Environment day, if you don’t want to go out and plant a tree (yard work) but at least you can promote tree planting using unique search engine www.ecocho.us which promises to plan a tree for every 1000 searches made. This will help to offset tons of greenhouse gases. Ecocho.us is using yahoo search technology for search engine.

Simarly, Ecoogler, the ecological search engine, has created quite a bit of buzz with the same theme. They promise to help reforesting trees and safeguard water resources in the Amazon region, which constitute today one fourth of the fresh water reserves of our planet. Ecoogler is using Yahoo technology. However, it’s worth noting that some people believe that Ecoogler is a fake, as you can read on Digg. Ecoogler says that you get same results (as Yahoo) and help the non-profit association Aquaverde founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2002. Ecoogler promises to grow a tree pre 10,000 searches.

One of the reader on treehugger.com is not so happy about this standards.

1 tree for 10,000 searches doesn’t seem that generous to me. A comparable search engine that uses google, offers 1 penny to a non-profit of your choosing. Even if I did a 100 searches a day, which seems somewhat high, it would take 100 days to plant a single tree. I know there are other programs which will plant many more trees for an equivalent effort.

Obviously I like the idea but I think Ecoogler missed the mark. Also switching to the yahoo engine is not a plus for me, if they had kept using the google engine I could switch my habit much more easily. As it stands now I think there are much better alternatives.
- Eniryt Manaen

Via [TreeHugger.com and ecoogle.com and ecocho blog]

Tags: Amazon, deforestation, ecocho.us, Ecoogler, global warming

Conference Bike turns corporate meetings into a funride

I have seen many companies trying may weird type of things for team building events, ranging from group cooking class to wine/beer testing events. Recently I was in one of the boring party at local brewery. I also notice that less people are attending such company wide meeting at some boring place. Employee with children will attend if picnic is set up at corn field or apple picking farm.

To add a twist in the long conference party ideas, Conference Bike is nice idea for arranging conference. Especially when team members like to sweat a bit. The Dutch Bicycle Company has created a Conference Bike, which promises to be the sure-fire ice-breaker in corporate and/or social environment. (and corporate bosses and executive look like children in a park) CoBi-7 retails for $12,750 in the States while the 5-seater model sells for $8,750. The 400lb bike measures 2.5m L x 1.8m W x 1.4m H and can run upto 1o mph speed.

In case you’re wondering how this bike would be useful in scenarios other than a corporate set up, let me tell you, the two models of the bike, CoBi-5 (good for 5 persons) and CoBi-7 (good for 7 persons) are already being used to employees on the Amazon.com campus in California, Google.com campus in Mountain View CA, as a tour bike in Berlin, and as a corporate team-building tool in London and other major cities.

You tube video about Conference Bike:

Google Employee Riding Conference bike:

Via [Conference Bike and Seven-Person Conference Bicycle and cobi and trend watch and beyondsatire.us]

Extra reading: A Tasty Team Building Exercise

Technorati Tags: Conference Bike, CoBi-5 and CoBi-7, Eric Staller, environmentally-friendly vehicles, Lifestyle

Del.icio.us Tags: Conference Bike, CoBi-5 and CoBi-7, Eric Staller, environmentally-friendly vehicles, Lifestyle

Similar reading:

• BBQ-Donut: Innovative eco-friendly leisure water craft
• Topless meetings for team focus?
• 9 tips for running more productive meetings
• Email and meetings
• More Meeting Effectiveness Ideas
• Ultimate Meeting/Convention Knowledge/Tactics

Tags: Conference Bike, corporate meeting