Who says sustainable architecture is boring?

Vol au-dessus de La Seine Musicale from Département des Hauts-de-Seine on Vimeo.

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If you come from a busy, crowded city, you’re probably used to inefficiencies – a sluggish train system, trash-ridden sidewalks and an ever-present stench that you unfortunately have gotten used to. However, not all cities are like that – in fact, there are metropolitan sustainable cities around the world (and in the US) that have got their business in order.

With plenty of greenery, bike paths, efficient subway systems and high air quality, the following 5 sustainable cities from around the world are sure to inspire you to make a change in your own community, or hit the road and move elsewhere.

1. Portland, Oregon

Portland stands as a green model for the rest of the nation, so much so that it became subject of numerous parodies on IFC’s show “Portlandia”. Since 1990, its per capita carbon emissions dropped 26 percent and it uses 20 percent more renewable energy than the national average. It was the first city to ban plastic bags and it was ranked as the number 1 most bikeable city in the U.S., with more than 200 miles of dedicated bike lanes. The Business Insider posted a fun infographic, detailing just how eco-friendly Portland is.

2. Vancouver, Canada

Hoping to be the greenest city in the world by 2020, Vancouver is an environmental-friendly powerhouse. It surpasses the world in its use of hydroelectric power, comprising 90 percent of its total supply. It has some 248 miles worth of bike lanes and is the lowest per capita carbon emissions compared to any other major city on the continent. By 2020, the city hopes to reduce emission by another 33 percent, implement strict green building codes and improve energy efficiency of the existing structures by 20 percent. The city also hopes to have electric vehicles account for 15 percent of total vehicle sales by 2020.

3. Oslo, Norway

Oslo is a global eco-pioneer. Over two-thirds of the city is covered by protected forest, waterways and agricultural land. The city hopes to slash its carbon emissions by 50 percent until 2030 and be carbon neutral by 2050. Oslo has an “eco-certification” program that employs 43,000 people, aims to install intelligent lighting and convert bio-methane from waste to power mass transit and heating. The city also has an extensive network of bike and car-sharing programs and is equipped with some 400 charging stations for electric vehicles – some 1,700 electric vehicles are on Oslo’s roads. Electric vehicle drivers also benefit, receiving free parking, toll immunity and access to public transportation lanes. Some 80 percent of the city’s heating system is fueled by renewable energy and Oslo aims to reach 100 percent in the coming years.

4. Curitiba, Brazil

Deemed one of the best places in Brazil to live, Curitiba is lauded for its conservation efforts. Since the 1970s, it has been on a path that has sought to protect green spaces and a clean environment. Once having only one square meter of green space per person, Curitiba now boasts 52 square meters of green space per person. Some 1.5 million trees have been planted in the city and more than 28 parks and forests installed. Its efficient fast train serve is used by about 2.3 million people per day. Approximately 90 percent of residents recycle two-thirds of their garbage per day and a program is in place that allows people to swap trash for transit tokens or fresh produce.

5. Copenhagen, Denmark

With more than one-third of the Copenhagen’s 1.2 million residents cycling to work each day on some 217 miles of dedicated bike lanes, it is no wonder the city is drawing attention from environmental enthusiasts. Officials are hoping that by 2015, 50 percent of residents will be cycling. To achieve this, the city is closing down major roads and replacing them with another 43 miles of bike lanes.

Denmark is known to have the largest wind turbine industry in the world and supplies 19 percent of the country with its power needs. By 2025, the city hopes to be carbon neutral and has implemented a mandatory green roof policy to achieve this. Under this policy, all new developments are required to bring in some vegetation into building designs. Additionally, so-called “pocket parks” are being created around the city so that by 2015, for 90 percent of residents, it will take less than 15 minutes to reach a green space.

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A sampling of contemporary architectural gems from around the world.

Great buildings have the power to break convention, defy logic, and inspire visions of the future. Here, we celebrate thirty marvels of modern architecture, from the classic Le Corbusier (Frank Lloyd Wright) to mind-boggling inflated plastic biomes. These gems encompass a wide range of structures, from individual homes, to art museums, to skyscrapers that extend high into the sky. One can only wonder what will result from a greater focus on green building practices in the future.

(above) Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles

Stone Container Building and Cloud Gate, Chicago

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain

Gare do Oriente, Lisbon, Portugal

CCTV Headquarters, Beijing, China

Space Needle, Seattle, Washington

Casa Mila, Barcelona, Spain

Fallingwater House, Mill Run, Pennsylvania

Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE

Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, Qatar

Reichstag, Berlin, Germany

Esplanade, Singapore

Turning Torso, Malmo, Sweden

Empire State Building, New York, USA

Centre Pompidou, Paris, France

Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia

Notre Dame du Haut, Ronchamp, France

Jewish Museum, Berlin, Germany

Auditorio Ibirapuera, Sao Paolo, Brazil

Eden Project, Cornwall, England

Bruder Klaus Kapelle, Wachendorf, Germany

Yokohama International Port Terminal, Yokohama, Japan

Villa Savoye, Poissy, France

Tancici Dum, Prague, Czech Republic

Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Library of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt

Burj Al Arab, Dubai, UAE

Phaeno Science Center, Wolfsburg, Germany

30 St. Mary Axe, London, England

Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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The post 30 Photos of the World’s Most Uniquely Designed Buildings appeared first on EcoSalon.

If you’ve got a lake house, count yourself a sitting duck for company.

In the summertime, there is nothing more coveted than a summer lake house to escape from the heat, the traffic and to commune with nature. But why not up the ante with a sustainably designed lake house? We found six that catered to our varied need for serenity, silence and superior design in times of summer chaos.

Envision yourself in one of these if you don’t have one of your own.

Designed by architect Todd Saunders of Saunders Architecture, this boat-inspired home is cozy and minimalist. Moreover, it flawlessly melds interior and exterior deck space in what looks like one broad, lovely, clean stroke from the roof to the dock of the bay.

Don’t let the grandness fool you. This modern lake house in Omena, Michigan is a fully sustainable LEED Gold certified home. Conceptually, the house was built with the idea that everything should be worked with and used as a tool, meaning the builders took energy and material use into account, as well as the trajectory of the sun and wind.

This eco house (called the Cliff House) in the Muskoka Lakes area of northern Ontario is off the hook, and off the grid. Designed by Altius Architecture, the house has breathtaking views care of floor-to-ceiling glass walls and the natural wood floors keep it homey. As mentioned, it operates off the grid and also features solar hot water and photovoltaic solar panels and clean-burning fireplaces.

The Clingstone House, made entirely from timber, is well over a century old. Today, it is owned by architect Henry Wood and has been re-vamped with modern eco technology including roof-mounted solar panels and a wind turbine to generate electricity. It also has rainwater-recycling, seawater-filtration systems, and composting toilets.

Stone Creek Camp on the eastern shore of Flathead Lake in Bigfork, Montana is more of a lakeside complex than modest getaway. The property, designed by Andersson Wise Architects, covers more than 15 acres and includes a cabin that dates back to the 1940s, which was preserved and renovated. It now has a main residence, a lodge, guest house, large dock and lots of green features. Constructed mostly from local materials, the main residence features an energy efficient sod green roof. Radiant floor heating heats the rooms and high performance windows reduce heat dispersion.

This naturally luxe cottage was designed by BjarkoSerra Architects. Located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, what is most appealing about this lakefront house is that it blends so seamlessly into its natural environs. Moreover, while building this rustic getaway, not a single tree was cut or disrupted.

Images: One of Those American Girls; Saunders Architecture; BusyBoo; Design Stories; Trendir; Live Green; Bjarkoserra

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For an exhaustive look at optimizing energy use, look no further than self-professed “green geek” Catherine Mohr:

Robotics engineer Catherine Mohr is tired of enviros “long on moral authority and short on data.” She’s got a smart TED talk clip about the greenest options for (a) wiping up a yogurt spill and (b) building a house. The point in each case is that the best option is often not what you’d expect.

Continue reading the full story over at Grist.

Image: billhr

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