Information about the program is found at:  Building Energy and Resource Management program

image courtesy of Epuramat

A single unit measuring 20 feet in length can purify all the water for a large hotel, he said, or a village of 200 to 1,000 people. The key is that the device operates on no, or almost no, energy. The only energy that is required is the energy to pump the water to the top of the thing. If the unit is beneath the incoming water stream, the water can flow in and purify itself through gravity.

read the full article in:  Greentech Media

learn more about Epuramat’s Box4Water

If designers, architects, engineers, general contractors, energy auditors, land use planners and policy makers are able to access services that use vast sets of dynamic, complex and otherwise un-integrated data on the cloud for pennies a minute, think of the massive impact this could have on buildings, infrastructure, land use and urban design and policy-making.

The Sustainability Potential of Cloud Computing: Smarter Design · Environmental Leader · Green Business, Sustainable Business, and Green Strategy News for Corporate Sustainability Executives.

Upcoming Green Building Events in British Columbia.

Is the design kind: considerate and considered?; compassionate to life?; conducive to comfort?; tolerant of differences?; humane?; recognizing the oneness of life (wholistic thinking)?; reflecting kinship with all life?

Is the design true: sound?; trustworthy?; genuine?; faithfully reflecting the intent?; consistent with the reality of its context?; verifiable? worthy of existing?

Is the design necessary? absolutely essential?; indispensable? needed? economical?; worthwhile?; beneficial?; meaningful?;

Here’s an opportunity, certainly necessary, obviously in need of true, sound, and empathetic design:

photo courtesy of:

http://www.openarchitecturenetwork.org/

What is the Open Architecture Network?

The Open Architecture Network is an online, open source community dedicated to improving living conditions through innovative and sustainable design. Here designers of all persuasions can:

• Share their ideas, designs and plans
• View and review designs posted by others
• Collaborate with each other, people in other professions and community leaders to address specific design challenges
• Manage design projects from concept to implementation
• Communicate easily amongst team members
• Protect their intellectual property rights using the Creative Commons “some rights reserved” licensing system and be shielded from unwarranted liability
• Build a more sustainable future

Haiti A ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) is currently being mobilised with two SRT members from the USA and one from the UK leading the response.

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean island of Haiti at close to 2200 GMT on Tuesday, January 12. Initial reports state that hundreds of people are feared dead while thousands of people have been left homeless.

read more at shelterbox-website.

unfolded earth/ one ocean map

Clever folds in a globe give new perspectives on Earth – tech – 10 December 2009 – New Scientist.

FLOW FORM FROM FLOWFORM.NET NEW ZEALAND

REGARD FLOW- Things that flow: Water, Blood, Air, Traffic, Pedestrians, Architecture, Sound, Music, Light, Wind, Electricity, Electromagnetic Energy, Energy, Movement, Dance, Snow, Glaciers, Stone, Populations, Migrations, Cash, Economies, Wealth, Sap, Sand, Clay, Radiation, Heat, Coolness, Oceans, Rivers, Cells, Clothing, Transportation, Knowledge, Song, Birds, Flight, Color, Landscapes, Consciousness, Memory, Language, Paths, Roads, Currents, Fragrances, Oil, Chemicals, Sunlight, Silt, Soils, Bacteria, Viruses, Information, Inventions, Innovation, Minerals, Philosophy, Ideas, Movements, Revolutions, Electrons, Creativity, Materials, Products, Resources, Sewage, Landfills, Suburbs, Wildlife Corridors, Glass, Aluminum, Steel, Attention, Sight, Hearing, Touch, Continents, Constellations, Galaxies, Beards, Bark, Magma, Affection….

The maintenance and creation of water features of all kinds in our environment is of vital importance. Even though water supplies are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain, public consciousness regarding water’s value and preciousness is in need of a boost. It is especially important to develop water features which are designed in water’s own terms, that is in terms of flowing pulsing movements over intimately caressed surfaces. This in itself should make us more aware of this element’s extraordinary qualities in the forming and upholding of our environment. As we enhance our understanding so do we learn to value it in new ways and take greater responsibility for its use in everyday life.

READ MORE FROM A.JOHN WILKES

VIEW FROM SEMIAHMOO SITE TOWARDS WHITE ROCK

The City of Surrey is hosting an  open to all ideas competition for five centres in Surrey: “Shifting towards Sustainable Suburbs”

Map of Surrey’s Historic Neighbourhoods

visit the Surrey Townshift site

Local Sailors transport Community Supported Agriculture grain from Creston, BC to Nelson, BC:

Sailing Route along Kootenay Lake

visit the Deconstructing Dinner site, replete with articles, audio clips, and lots of photographs