IKEA aktiv The new “aktiv” house by ideabox has all you love about IKEA…with no assembly required. While this pre-fab home is not tiny, it’s under 1,000 square feet and is designed with open, airy living in mind. The 745 square feet aktiv was created by ideabox and IKEA designers from Portland, Ore., built with contemporary corrugated steel and fiber cement and is delivered with everything (except furniture) included. The one-bedroom, one-bath home comes with all of the closets, cabinets, countertops and flooring installed. Both the kitchen and the bathroom contain IKEA appliances which includes an induction cooktop and convection oven, a counter depth refrigerator and dishwasher, a two sink vanity and a front load washer and dryer. Buyers can select their own wall and floor colors and, of course, they can fill it with IKEA furniture. The aktiv is just over 53 feet long and about 14 feet wide with sliding glass doors. Photos courtesy of IKEA and ideabox
Electric Camper: Tiny Geometric House on Wheels Not only is this highly unusual-looking vehicle a hand-made camper – it runs on electricity. Built from plywood, fiberglass, epoxy resin, bicycle parts and an electric motor, ‘Golden Gate’ by San Francisco artist Jay Nelson is reminiscent of all of those amazing hand-crafted house trucks from the 1970s, but with a very modern power source. The tiny camper measures just 96″x54″x64″, making it just large enough inside to lay down on the bed platform. By day, that platform also serves as the driver’s seat. The Golden Gate is better equipped than you might expect, with a sink, stove, cooler, storage compartments and even a toilet. While its top speed of 20mph and lack of headlights doesn’t exactly make it ideal for traveling long distances, it’s easy to envision owning a tiny house like this for use as a swanky home base for camping.
Pen/stylus made from MAGNETS. POLAR PEN - Modular Tool by Andrew Gardner This modular pen will inspire you at work, school or home. If you enjoy tinkering with things or are fascinated with the power of magnets, then this product is for you. We have found many fun and functional ways of using the POLAR Pen and we are really excited to see what you will come up with. Polar comes in two high quality finishes: Pure Silver, purer than sterling (product will tarnish if left unused, any silver polish will restore finish) and 24 Karat Gold, an elegant deep yellow. Using the silver and gold magnets POLAR lends itself very well to the concept of modular customization; the ability to transform a standard product into something different and unique. Magnets Components There are four unique components excluding the magnets: Cap, Clip, Tip and Stylus. Rubber Components Stylus rubber tip - The stylus tip has been sourced from a leader in stylus tip technology. Silicone rubber tip protector - This component gets inserted into the top magnet in the cap. Features/Tuturials
Composting Toilets: All You Ever Wanted To Know Many people have a lot of misconceptions when they hear the words “composting toilets”. Immediately they think “outhouse” or imagine a hole in the ground. Yucky, smelly, and a little drafty. Well, the composting toilets of 100 years ago (the outhouse) and the composting toilets of today are completely different creatures. Today’s composting toilets are sleek, efficient, and entirely odor-free. The Facts On Our Waste Courtesy of EPA.gov According to the Environmental Protection Agency, septic tanks are a big cause of groundwater pollution. You’ve probably never really thought about it, but where does all that water go, anyway? Well, septic tanks are designed to have a “leach field” or “drain field” around them. Most septic tanks are 1,000 gallons or larger. At the bottom is the sludge layer. At the top is the scum layer (no I did NOT make up these terms, that’s really what it’s called). In the middle of those two yucky layers is the wastewater that gets drained out. Courtesy of Envirolet.com
Do-It-Yourself Downsizing Vancouver Entrepreneurs: RentMoola Renting instead of buying property is becoming a harsh reality for a lot of Vancouverites. After all, not everyone can afford paying $55 million in cash for a condo. When you rent, there is a lot of paperwork involved, 12 post-dated cheques is usually part of the package. 1. RentMoola is a mobile and online payment network in partnership with Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express that allows renters and condo owners to pay rent, condo fees and other payments with their favourite rewards credit cards. CEO and Co founder Patrick Postrehovksy was living in Shanghai paying his rent with cash. 2. We have no direct competitors in Canada but several in the US which is a market we are aggressively expending into. 3. For the most part we’ve stayed away from the Vancouver startup scene but have built a dream team of advisors, half of which are from Vancouver. 4. People ask us why there is a service fee? 5. We’re solving three main problems: 6. 7. Any of the Vancouver Canucks. 8. 1. 2.
Facilities Management Feature: Green Roofs: A Sustainable Solution for Energy Savings Green Roofs: A Sustainable Solution for Energy Savings As more of our facility benchmarking clients trend toward environmentally sensitive building practices, we see green roofs growing more prevalent on public buildings. Green roofs are said to be energy efficient but how does that claim stand up to benchmarking energy consumption comparisons? In a recent survey, electrical consumption of thirty-three similar facilities was measured. How do green roofs save energy? Secondly, the plants that make up the outside layer of the system protect the inner roof layers from UV rays. Another money-savings benefit is that a green roof significantly reduces storm water by absorbing and retaining rain water. Green roofs are eco-friendly; they attract wildlife to urban areas by providing habitat and reconnecting wildlife corridors. Plant materials are available in: Any of these options are easy to implement. Adding a green roof is a great way to earn compounding LEED credits such as:
Green Egg House Images credit Zhao Kang Rents in Beijing are high, so designer Daihai Fei built himself a wonderful little green home that may well become a new icon for the Tiny House Movement.Tipster Spooky writes: Daihai Fei built his amazing egg-house on a bamboo frame, covered with various insulating materials, and topped with a layer of stitched bag. It looks quite comfy, and it is parked right across the street from where he works so that he saves on time and transit. I am not certain what keeps the water out; burlap bags do not exactly work like shingles. The solar panel is nicely integrated into the roof. More at Oddity CentralMore on Tiny Houses:Tiny Homes: The Next Little ThingTumbleweed Tiny House CompanyIt's a Small House After All Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal September 2, 2012 UPDATE: A prettier version of this comic is now available as a poster! Come see me at the WorldCon dealer's room tomorrow! September 1, 2012 Why hello there, Worldcon.
GFA Heating(Gas Forced Air) Vs. Radiant Heating at HydronicHeating.net One of the biggest questions for homeowners considering hydronic heating systems is how they compare to traditional gas forced air heat. Below you will find a list of the important factors to consider when deciding on a heating system, as well as the where each system excels and lacks. Comfort Providing consistent comfort by way of reliable heating and warmth is the single most important task for your radiant or forced air system. Forced Air - A benefit to forced air is that it has the ability to quickly raise temperatures, whereas hydronic heating can be slow with temperature changes due to the use of thermal mass. Health Health concerns for those who are highly allergic or suffer asthma problems should be considered when picking your heat source. Forced Air – The traditional system has been around for a long time, and modern additions to the system allow for air purifiers and humidifiers, as well as better filters for microscopic organisms pushed through the air. Efficiency Costs
7 Of The World's Best Nano Houses Studio-apartment dwellers may feel reasonably content living a small-scale existence. But if transplanted in the country, how many would opt for a similarly sized house? Driven by a commitment to reduce energy consumption and built space, there’s a growing trend among the eco-conscious to build tiny homes. A new book, Nano House by Phyllis Richardson (Thames & Hudson), gathers 40 of the best-designed examples from around the world--all of which showcase an appreciation for the efficient use of space, materials, and resources. Will they inspire “real housewives” of Beverly Hills to abandon their McMansions, short of a foreclosure notice? Check out the slideshow of 7 houses from the book. Drinking in BC's Beer Identity At the local fest, I solicit brewmaster views on what makes a true West Coast brew. And heroically narrow down my top 10. Tyee photo pool contributor knightbefore_99 has diligently photographed many BC beers over the years. North America's craft beer renaissance may have started right here in B.C. When Spinnaker's Brew Pub opened in Victoria four years later, it's probably safe to say that today's celebrity brewers were still in high school, hoping to score a six-pack of Coors from someone's older brother. These days American brewers get much of the attention, turning out barrel-aged ales, Belgian tripels and cask-fermented brews that reap international awards. But B.C. thrives today too, though with a different style. I had a chance to speak with some local brewers about the craze over craft beers, and where B.C. fits into the whole scheme, at the Great Canadian Beer Festival held in Victoria the first weekend after Labour Day. The general consensus here? No love for the hoppy
Teenager builds tiny home Sixteen-year-old Austin Hay of Santa Rosa, Calif., has been sleeping in a work-in-progress 130 square foot "tiny home" in his parents' backyard for months. The project came about because "like every teenager, I want to move out," says Hay. Hay learned basic construction skills in woodshop during his first two years of high school, and has applied those skills to roughing out a fully functional, self-contained home that sits atop a conventional trailer. He says it's "plenty of space" and hopes to live in the home after college. Showing an unusual level of awareness of the roots of America's current fiscal crisis, Hay said that "I don't think bigger is better — too many chores […] plus, there's no mortgage on it. Hay estimates the total cost for the home is $12,000; most of the materials were acquired at salvage yards.
The Top 3 Free Offline GPS Apps For Android Google Navigation for Android is one of the best map solutions you can get in the palm of your hand, but what if you don’t have a data connection? Whether you’re traveling abroad, using a Wi-Fi-only Android tablet, or just looking to use less data on your phone, you can use one of these map applications to see where you are and get navigation directions. If you start digging through Google Play for offline GPS apps, you’ll find a lot of poor-quality free apps and high-quality apps that cost money. We’ve done the digging for you and found the best free options Google Maps Google Maps has built-in support for offline maps. However, there’s one significant limitation: Only map tiles are downloaded. To download a map area for offline use, launch Google Maps, tap the menu button, and select Make available offline. Zoom and pan around the map with your fingers until the map area you want to use offline is within the square. Google Maps will download the map area for offline use. OsmAnd Navfree