Yale University and UN Unveil Eco Living Module
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UN Environment and Yale University — in collaboration with UN-Habitat — unveiled a new eco-housing module to spark public discussion and new ideas on how sustainable design can provide decent, affordable housing while limiting the overuse of natural resou
Yale University and UN Unveil Eco Living Module
UN Environment and Yale University — in collaboration with UN-Habitat — unveiled a new eco-housing module to spark public discussion and new ideas on how sustainable design can provide decent, affordable housing while limiting the overuse of natural resources and climate change.The 22-square-meter “Tiny House” is fully powered by renewable energy and designed to test the potential for minimizing the use of natural resources such as water.“The Ecological Living Module, unveiled during the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, is constructed primarily from locally-sourced, bio-based renewable materials,” the university reports.“We clearly need more housing, but the key thing is that we also need smarter housing,” said Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment. “The housing sector uses 40% of the planet’s total resources and represents more than one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Making them more efficient will benefit everyone, and it will mean lower bills, too. Innovations like the Ecological Living Module are what we need more of.”“Adequate housing is at the heart of sustainable urbanization,” said Maimunah Mohd Sharif, executive director of UN-Habitat. “The use of proper building materials, better planning, and improved construction techniques can make energy use in buildings more efficient. If adopted widely, this practice can create jobs and prosperity with lower greenhouse gas emissions.”The “Tiny House” has been engineered to operate independently with the help of the module’s built-in systems that include solar energy generation using less than 1% of toxic semiconductor materials, on-site water collection, micro agricultural infrastructure, natural daylighting, plant-based air purification, passive cross-ventilation, and a range of flexible, adaptable components for living and working.“Architecture must address the global housing challenge by integrating critically needed scientific and technical advances in energy, water, and material systems while remaining sensitive to the cultural and aesthetic aspirations of different regions,” commented Deborah Berke, dean of the Yale School of Architecture.UN Environment provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. UN Environment works with governments, the private sector, civil society, and with other UN entities and international organizations across the world.http://www.blouinartinfo.com/ Founder: Louise Blouin Read more
