The Whole HOG: June 2012

Water-centric Green Design News

This June we’re finding inspiration in unexpected places, like the toy race car featured in B.U.G. Design powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology.

But we’re also inspired to see how the concepts of rainwater harvesting and stormwater management are moving into the mainstream. The Campus Rainworks Challenge, sponsored by the EPA, is a great illustration of this.

So, if you’re looking for inspiration this summer, you’ve come to the right blog. We also have giveaways and good design (see: Australian beach eco-renovation at Bondi Beach) inside to sweeten the deal.

June 2012: Bondi Beach Restoration in 3-D

QuickDominguez Architects mid-century revitalization in Bondi Beach
Sydney, Australia

Street view of the Bondi Beach property.

Follow the transformation from mid-century brick to 21st century green roof resplendence with QuickDominguez Architects radical eco-update on this Sydney, Australia residence, pictured to the left.  We’re keeping you in the design loop from concept inspiration and initial models to the next phase: 3-D rendering.

 

Rendered in 3-D.

 

 

 

 

 

 

QuickDominguez Architects estimates the projected ground-breaking on 58 Mitchell Street for August of 2012.

The Whole HOG: March 2012

Water-centric Green Design News

Trending (by the numbers) for 2012

The fourth-largest advertising agency on the planet, J. Walter Thompson (JWT) recently released their alphabetized list of 100 things to watch in 2012. Rainwater harvesting comes in at #58, and rooftop farming at #61. Solar gets simpler (#73), and spiking food prices (#74) are also pieces of the trending global puzzle.

Rainwater HOG is on the road to addressing global concerns of 2012, at the intersection of rainwater harvesting and rooftop farming.  QuickDominguez Architects (a new venture for designer and architect Sally Dominguez) is on the scene in Australia with a twelve-HOG, multi-green roof sustainable renovation of a Bondi Beach residence.

Ecobuild, the world’s largest sustainable building conference, is being held in London this month. Find us there, alongside other innovators working to improve building materials and techniques, and to promote sustainable practice like garden-growing, solar energy, and rainwater harvesting (that’s #58, #61, and #73 on the list).

Inside the Financing Sustainable Water Infrastructure report is a call to action. The report is a compelling look at the reality of expanding water scarcity (hello #74 – spiking food prices) and an urgent need to update the United States’ aging water infrastructure.

And finally, veer off-road and into the sand in our B.U.G. Design section, as we get ready to follow Sally on a nine-day road rally through Morocco! She and fellow Australian Samantha Stevens are team 168 in the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles.