In the 21st century, people are seriously concerned about the ecology of the planet. Germany has completely abandoned nuclear energy. Various eco-projects are being opened and developed everywhere, covering: the biosphere, industry, agriculture, economy and society. A variety of international environmental projects are aimed at preserving and restoring natural resources, teaching competent waste management, and increasing environmental awareness. New business trends are emerging that are specifically related to the IVF prefix.
In the article, I will try to highlight the essence and relevance of the most significant international environmental initiatives.
International environmental projects
Ecology in Europe
Europe has made its contribution to environmental protection by launching successful environmental projects using renewable energy sources.
- Denmark and Scotland are on average 60–75% supplied with energy from wind turbines.
- In Portugal, energy is generated through waste treatment plants.
An interesting environmental project for a high-speed freight route is being implemented in Sweden. Heavy-duty “electric vehicles” are powered by electricity from the contact network while driving.
Villa of a businessman from India, with an area of 700 sq.m. From design to implementation.
This is a luxurious two-story house made of laminated veneer lumber and built in a picturesque location among green mountains and hills.
Despite the impressive scale of the building, it looks light and elegant thanks to the universal shape of the structure, large glazing area and graceful supporting pillars of the terrace. October 28, 2021
11 environmental initiatives of the world's megacities
Large cities are more often faced with problems of waste disposal and reduction of harmful emissions. Below are examples of environmental projects that allow megacities to reduce the anthropogenic load on the environment.
Oslo: Smart lights and energy from waste
Smart lights on the streets of the Norwegian capital, responding to weather and crowds, have reduced energy consumption and cut emissions. “Energy from waste” is a “telling” name for an environmental project that envisages recycling more than 70% of waste.
New York: Styrofoam banned
Virtually non-degradable polystyrene foam is not suitable for recycling. The eco project, launched in New York, introduces an official ban on the use of packaging made from this material.
The Hague: eco-taxi and smart building heating system
Residents and guests of this city in the Netherlands can use the services of electric vehicles - “green taxis”, which appeared as a result of the implementation of a project on an environmental theme. The city hall's environmentally friendly heating and air conditioning is provided by a geothermal system using water from underground sources.
Tokyo: efficient plumbing and underground bicycle parking
Modernization of the city's water supply and drainage system helped reduce water losses by half. The environmental project, implemented in the form of underground parking, allows you to place about 200 bicycles, freeing up space on the street.
Paris: futuristic landscaping plan and solar panels on the Eiffel Tower
Smart City, a project on the theme of “urban ecology”, being implemented in Paris, involves the use of innovative technologies. "Vertical gardens" will improve air quality and beautify the city. Wind generators have already been installed on the Eiffel Tower, and it is planned to install 4 solar panels.
London: green project is the energy of footpaths
The program involves converting unused metro lines into bicycle and pedestrian paths. Pedestrians, in the process of moving along a path covered with a special coating, generate energy.
Hong Kong: green fuel discounts
Many eco-projects effectively use financial instruments to protect the environment. Hong Kong authorities are offering benefits to ships that switch to environmentally friendly fuel.
Singapore: green development for leasing
Singapore authorities subsidize environmental projects related to residential development. Under this scheme, the construction of houses is being implemented in the city of Pungol.
Curitiba: garbage for food
Garbage is a huge problem for big cities, and social-ecological technologies help to cope with it. The authorities of the Brazilian city of Curitaba, who offered coupons in exchange for garbage that entitle them to benefits, have practically cleared the city of waste.
Vancouver: Water Energy and Green Building Code
The lowest level of harmful emissions into the atmosphere among large cities belongs to Vancouver, a leader in the use of water energy. The building code adopted in the city assumes the implementation of only environmentally friendly projects.
Copenhagen: green roof policy
In order to “zero out” carbon emissions, the city authorities adopted a “green roof law” regulating the inclusion of greenery in the design of a building.
Bridges and infrastructure
Center Street Garage, Berkeley, California, USA
Solar panels for pedestrian crossings in Beijing (Solar Activation of Footbridges for Beijing, Beijing, China)
Lille Langebro Bridge, Copenhagen, Denmark
Covered walkway between two shopping centers in Toronto (CF Eaton Center Bridge, Toronto, Canada)
A multi-level city parking lot for 720 cars that meets modern seismic safety requirements. Project by Marcy Wong Donn Logan Architects
. The designers were faced with the task of reducing the number of turns as much as possible, and it was solved.
Center Street Garage, Berkeley, California, USA.
Conceptual project by German architects Peter Kuczia Architects
. Solar panels can add some color to otherwise unsightly pedestrian bridges (and generate energy to light them, too).
Solar Activation of Footbridges for Beijing.
Solar Activation of Footbridges for Beijing.
Solar Activation of Footbridges for Beijing.
Solar Activation of Footbridges for Beijing.
WilkinsonEyre Project
.
Lille Langebro, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Lille Langebro, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Lille Langebro, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Lille Langebro, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Project by Marcy Wong Donn Logan Architects
.
C. F. Eaton Center Bridge, Toronto, Canada.
C. F. Eaton Center Bridge, Toronto, Canada.
C. F. Eaton Center Bridge, Toronto, Canada.
C. F. Eaton Center Bridge, Toronto, Canada.
Environmental projects in Russia
Environmental projects in Russia
Regional environmental projects in Russia and international environmental projects are aimed at preserving rare species of animals, cleaning up industrial emissions, reforesting, and environmental education.
"In the footsteps of the snow leopard"
The goal of the program is to study and preserve the snow leopard population in the Altai Republic. Regularly conducted scientific expeditions to leopard habitats prevent the destruction of these rare animals by poachers.
"Amphora"
The Amfor air purification system allows you to utilize almost 100% of environmentally harmful gases released during the production process.
New technologies in environmental education
This program, implemented with the support of the Presidential Fund, will contribute to the development and promotion of online courses aimed at deepening knowledge in the field of nature conservation.
Biourna for your beloved pet or person
The ashes of a loved one or beloved pet after cremation, as well as tree seeds or saplings, can be placed in a biourn made from biodegradable materials. After some time, a tree will grow at the burial site.
"Element" "Third Fire"
The name of the environmental project, presented in the form of a performance and installation, is associated with global fires that threaten life on the planet. In 2021, several tens of millions of hectares of forest were destroyed, hundreds of thousands of animals were burned alive.
Field ecological
Continuous environmental education is the goal of this program. The center, located in the Novosibirsk region, provides training in several areas and offers interesting topics for an environmental project.
United World Schools Organization
It appeared in 2008 in Cambodia, and now also operates in Myanmar and Nepal.
Goal: to provide basic education to children from remote and poor regions not covered by public education systems.
United World Schools is a UK-based charity that opens schools in the world's poorest countries, where children do not have access to even a primary education. UWS organizes schools in the most remote and inaccessible regions of each country, where the national education system has not yet reached.
Founder Chris Howarth opened UWS in 2008 after working as a volunteer teacher in Cambodia. Today, UWS schools operate in Cambodia (115 schools and 13,500 students), Myanmar (68 schools and 4,000 students) and Nepal (37 schools and 4,500 students).
In parallel with the opening of schools, the organization is actively recruiting and training teachers from the local population, which, among other things, helps maintain local culture and language. A separate task is women's education: in many villages, school founders have to convince parents to send all their children to study, and not just boys. And while education is the main goal of the UWS, they also have to deal with more utilitarian issues, including providing residents with safe drinking water and training them in basic sanitation and hygiene standards.
Environmental initiatives in Russia and in the world: how to support remotely and in person
International environmental projects cover a wide range of problems and their implementation is impossible without attracting financial and human resources. Below are ready-made environmental projects that need our support.
- The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is dedicated to protecting wild animals. You can purchase a charity certificate or buy gifts on the organization’s website
- The Great Green Wall program aims to green Africa. You can help informationally and financially, or take personal part.
- The Friends of the Earth organization develops and implements international environmental projects. You can support them by becoming a member or donating funds.
- The public organization "Re:forma" popularizes separate waste collection. You can become a participant in the program.
- The collection of funds from individuals and companies for forest regeneration is carried out within the framework of the social project Treeography by a Russian Internet service.
- The charity project “Collector” collects items and recyclable materials for recycling. You can make a donation, participate in the program as a volunteer, or post information on social networks.
- The information project “#RosEco” is engaged in the popularization of an environmentally friendly lifestyle by conducting lectures, master classes, and various events. The program can be supported financially.
- The interregional environmental public organization “Eka” is developing projects on the topic “ecology”.
- “Now So,” a social project on ecology, teaches the basics of careful consumption. The free course offers consumers new rules for living in an accessible form.
Airports and transport centers
Tram stop in Munich (Tram Station Schwabinger Tor)
Ferry Terminal in Richmond, USA (Richmond Ferry Terminal)
Transport hub in Hong Kong
Hong Kong West Kowloon Station
Project Felix Fischer Architekten
.
TRAM SCHWABINGER TOR. Munich, Germany.
TRAM SCHWABINGER TOR. Munich, Germany.
TRAM SCHWABINGER TOR. Munich, Germany.
Designed by Marcy Wong Donn Logan Architects.
RICHMOND FERRY TERMINAL. Richmond, California, USA.
RICHMOND FERRY TERMINAL. Richmond, California, USA.
RICHMOND FERRY TERMINAL. Richmond, California, USA.
Passenger customs control building in a large transport hub built on an artificial island. Project Aedas
in collaboration with
Rogers Stirk Harbor & Partners
.
The Passenger Clearance Building, Hong Kong.
The Passenger Clearance Building, Hong Kong.
The Passenger Clearance Building, Hong Kong.
International architecture firm Aedas
, awarded for the customs control building project, created in collaboration with
Rogers Stirk Harbor & Partners
, received an award in the Airports and Transport Centers category and independently. To do this, it was necessary to build the Kowloon West Station in Hong Kong - high-speed trains from mainland China arrive here.
Hong Kong West Kowloon Station.
Hong Kong West Kowloon Station.
Hong Kong West Kowloon Station.
Hong Kong West Kowloon Station.
Business Initiatives
The company's rating depends on the environmental friendliness of the products produced and services provided. Below are the best environmental projects proposed by businesses.
- Sibur is implementing a large-scale social investment program called “Formula of Good Deeds”, supporting various environmental programs in the regions.
- launched the Share with Us program with plans to switch to 100% recyclable packaging.
- IKEA offers solutions to reduce water and electricity consumption.
- helps restore cedar forests in Siberia, implementing the “Let's Help the Taiga Together” program.
- The Bushe confectionery chain encourages careful consumption by providing discounts under certain conditions.
- The theme of conscious consumption is embodied in products - bags made from old jeans.
- The POLYARUS brand (Russia) uses hard-to-degrade material, which is usually burned in landfills, to produce durable and practical bags.
More and more, the global community agrees that the topic of ecology is coming to the forefront in many areas of life. The future belongs to the eco-industry.
International environmental projects are a real opportunity to jointly preserve and restore natural resources and biological diversity, and protect the environment from technogenic influence.
International School "Letovo"
Opened in 2021 in the Moscow region.
Goal: to provide gifted children from all over Russia with a world-class education and unlock their potential.
A boarding school for capable and motivated children opened two years ago in New Moscow. The creators studied the experience of twenty of the best schools in the world and took all the good things from there: for example, from the British experience - the boarding system (this makes it easier to form a team spirit, and there is no need to waste time on the road), and from the American experience - a huge selection of clubs, sections, student clubs and other non-academic activities.
The school campus is a complex of educational and residential buildings on an area of 60 hectares: a campus for students, houses for teachers and their families, gyms and laboratories, a library and a swimming pool, a pine grove and even its own orchard. Teachers are selected no less carefully than students: children here are taught by the authors of books, programs, courses, and mentors of winners of subject Olympiads.
The school does not have a uniform schedule and classes: students create their own curriculum depending on their educational goals and where they plan to go after school. The first half of the day is occupied by compulsory subjects (their composition depends on the profile chosen by the child), the second by non-academic courses, which the student completely chooses himself.
Education at the school is bilingual, and each graduate can receive not only a Russian certificate, but also an international diploma.
Tuition is paid, but most of it is covered by funds that the school raises itself - scholarships are formed from charitable donations. The school also has an endowment - an endowment fund. The money from there goes to the development of the entire project.
How to create your own startup
To open your own business, you first need to think carefully about the idea, which must be original. You can view options on popular startup exchanges. Next, you should develop a business plan describing the project, market entry and promotion options.
After this, the birth of the project begins, regardless of the number of developers. Even if the idea is not fully implemented, it is necessary to convey the basics to people. It is important to generate interest in a service or product, which will significantly increase the likelihood of finding an investor.
Only after the start of financing is it possible to continue - bringing the project to the world market. Success awaits only those startups who can come up with a really good idea.
Community centers
Xiafu Activity Center, New Taipei City, Taiwan
Project by IMO Architecture + Design & JC Cheng + Associates
.
XIAFU ACTIVITY CENTER. New Taipei City, Taiwan.
XIAFU ACTIVITY CENTER. New Taipei City, Taiwan.
XIAFU ACTIVITY CENTER. New Taipei City, Taiwan.
XIAFU ACTIVITY CENTER. New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Hotels
Island resort in Norway. Version 2.0 (Manshausen 2.0 Island Resort, Nordskot/Steigen, Norway)
Renovation of the island resort of Manhausen, opened in 2015. Project Stinessen Arkitektur
.
Manshausen 2.0 Island Resort, Nordskot/Steigen, Norway.
Manshausen 2.0 Island Resort, Nordskot/Steigen, Norway.
Manshausen 2.0 Island Resort, Nordskot/Steigen, Norway.
All category winning projects: https://www.internationalarchitectureawards.com/award-category.html?cat=8
Foundation
You will need a smaller base, but it should be of higher quality. It must withstand the weight of two tiers along with the furniture without collapsing or sinking into the ground. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the type of soil, the terrain features of the site, the specific climate, the area’s exposure to heavy rainfall and other factors. Construction of the foundation is the most important task; if you make a mistake, the house will eventually become distorted or completely collapse.
Layout
It is important to properly divide housing into zones so that people do not feel discomfort later. There is a typical design option when the first floor is occupied by kitchens, dining rooms, living rooms, storage rooms and guest bathrooms, and sometimes a garage is added. The second one has a bedroom, a study, and less often you can find a games room or a gym. Sometimes an attic or basement is additionally placed.
This is only the most common method, but you can plan the space at your discretion. But it is better to use the help of professional builders to avoid mistakes and not waste money on poor-quality construction.
Community centers
Reconstruction of the Albert Schweitzer Community Center in Dammarie-les-Lys, France
Amphitheater in China (Stone Nest Amphitheatre, China)
Previously unremarkable building transformed by Mobile Architectural Office
.
Albert Schweitzer Community Center in Dammarie-les-Lys.
Albert Schweitzer Community Center in Dammarie-les-Lys.
Albert Schweitzer Community Center in Dammarie-les-Lys.
Albert Schweitzer Community Center in Dammarie-les-Lys.
A wonderful example of transforming a previously uncomfortable space. Unused for decades, a large pit in Shandong province has become the center of public life. Project 3andwich Design / He Wei Studio
.
Shi Wozi (Stone Nest).
Shi Wozi (Stone Nest).
Shi Wozi (Stone Nest).
Shi Wozi (Stone Nest).
Mixed-use buildings
Building in New Orleans, USA (Julia Street mixed-use development, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA)
"Valley" - building in Amsterdam (Valley, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Institute of Quantum Research in Wuxi, China
Project by Trahan Architects
, the implementation of which is planned for 2024.
JULIA STREET MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT.
Project MVRDV
could be implemented as early as 2021.
Valley, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Project Shanghai United Design Group Co., Ltd.
WUXI INSTITUTE OF QUANTUM STUDIES.
WUXI INSTITUTE OF QUANTUM STUDIES.
WUXI INSTITUTE OF QUANTUM STUDIES.
WUXI INSTITUTE OF QUANTUM STUDIES.
All category winning projects: https://www.internationalarchitectureawards.com/award-category.html?cat=10
Restoration/Renovation
Former carriage depot, now a cultural center (Wagenhallen, Stuttgart, Germany)
The transformation of a 19th century depot into an Art Center of the 21st century took place according to the project of Atelier Brückner GmbH
.
Wagenhallen, Stuttgart, Germany.
Wagenhallen, Stuttgart, Germany.
Wagenhallen, Stuttgart, Germany.
All category winning projects: https://www.internationalarchitectureawards.com/award-category.html?cat=26
Public spaces
Path through a bamboo forest, China (Zhuhai National Park, Chishui, Guizhou Province, China)
Park architecture designed by West-line Studio
.
Zhuhai National Park, Chishui, Guizhou Province, China.
Zhuhai National Park, Chishui, Guizhou Province, China.
Zhuhai National Park, Chishui, Guizhou Province, China.
Zhuhai National Park, Chishui, Guizhou Province, China.
All category winning projects: https://www.internationalarchitectureawards.com/award-category.html?cat=33
Minuses
- The base must be strong and reliable, because it must withstand more weight. For this purpose, a concrete strip foundation is erected, and its cost is higher than others.
- A ladder will be required, and the construction technology will become much more complicated. Sometimes people don't want to build it because it creates unnecessary danger for children. But this problem can be solved very easily if you make children’s ones in the first one, and leave the second one for adults. Moreover, now builders know how to draw up a competent drawing and carefully calculate the parameters.
- A sophisticated communication systems plan is needed. It is necessary to lay additional water supply, supply sewerage, and install special circulation equipment for normal heating.
- Working on the top floor will require the installation of scaffolding for lifting materials and convenient work.
- It will be necessary to buy a lot of insulation for the walls, as the wind load will increase.
Museums and cultural centers
Pavilion in the Sculpture Park in Texas, USA (Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park at Laguna Gloria, Austin, Texas)
Tai Chi Theater, China (Impression Tai Chi Theatre, Chenjiagou, China)
The Statue of Liberty Museum, Liberty Island, New York Harbor, USA
Project by Trahan Architects
.
Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park.
Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park.
Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park.
Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park.
Project Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University Co., Ltd.
Impression Tai Chi Theatre.
Impression Tai Chi Theatre.
The old Statue of Liberty Museum was closed after the September 11 attacks due to security concerns. The infrastructure upgrade of Liberty Island in New York Harbor was carried out under the FXCollaborative
.
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY MUSEUM.
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY MUSEUM.
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY MUSEUM.
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY MUSEUM.
All category winning projects: https://www.internationalarchitectureawards.com/award-category.html?cat=13
Religious buildings
Mosque in Riyadh (King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Grand Mosque, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
Even a relatively low building can stand out among skyscrapers. Project Omrania
.
KAFD GRAND MOSQUE.
KAFD GRAND MOSQUE.
KAFD GRAND MOSQUE.
KAFD GRAND MOSQUE.
All category winning projects: https://www.internationalarchitectureawards.com/award-category.html?cat=17
Urbanism and landscape architecture
Park in Slovenia (Koper Central Park, Koper, Slovenia)
Project ENOTA
.
Koper Central Park, Koper, Slovenia.
Koper Central Park, Koper, Slovenia.
Koper Central Park, Koper, Slovenia.
Koper Central Park, Koper, Slovenia.
Stairs
The design of a staircase complex is the most labor-intensive, as it requires careful consideration of parameters. Firstly, it is necessary to ensure that it takes up as little space as possible and is not built to the detriment of the area of other rooms. Secondly, each room, and therefore the staircase, has its own characteristics, and suitable materials must be selected for different types of steps, railings, and fastenings. With a professional approach, it can also become a piece of furniture.
