design

The five main goals of ecological design

The first goal is to harmonize with the site. Real estate folks like to say, "location, location, location," and the same is really true in ecological design: understanding the topography, the microclimate, the vegetation and the ecosysystems that are at work at a place and really trying to put those into action.

Our second goal, which is somewhat ironic as architects, is to build as little as possible. And that, for us, is being as space efficient as we can. The simple answer is to build less house.

The third goal is that buildings should be able to heat and cool themselves and generate their own electricity.

The fourth goal is to maximize resource efficiency: understanding where materials come from, and what the resources are behind them, and also integrating natural building systems such as straw bale, rammed earth, cob or adobe where appropriate.

And then, the final goal is to show that ecological design can be beautiful and bring it to the mainstream.

(Want to read more of David Arkin's thoughts on ecological design? Check out his interview at Treehugger!)
image Edward Caldwell

Funding help for a green business

Greetings to everyone. I am the creator of a new concept business called Celtic Quest Cafe. Currently we have everything set but have run into a funding problem and I am asking for your or anyone's assistance. But before I do let me tell you a little about CQC and what it's all about.

Celtic Quest Cafe is a one of a kind cafe. We have taken the past 3 years to research and locate the most unique vendors and Eco friendly vendors that we could find. Once you enter CQC you will find that all our tables, chairs, couches and a lot of our decor are recycled items. The paint and floor staining are all made from soy based products and Eco friendly. All of our cleaning materials are made from plant based products and biodegradable. The cups, napkins, to-go sandwich containers, bags all the way down to the stir stix are 100% biodegradable and compostable within 45 days.

We encourage all of our patrons to recycle their trash before they leave the cafe. Therefore you will notice in one section of the cafe several containers to dispose of your waste before you leave. One of those "waste" containers will be for the compostable cups etc used in CQC. Those materials will then be put into our compost bins (along with any compostable waste created in the cafe like the coffee grounds) to create a rich fertile Organic soil! Which we will then donate some to the community gardens and some will be sold in the cafe per lbs.

We will be located on Kirkwood Avenue, in Downtown Bloomington. The café will be known for over 20 flavors of coffee (rotated in and out on a regular basis); Espresso based drinks, Teas, Tisanes (the largest selection of Teas and Tisanes in any coffee shop in Bloomington), Smoothies, Bubble Teas and coffee based products. In addition, light snacks, freshly made soups and sandwiches will be offered to accompany the coffee based products. There will be a small retail section of the café dedicated to imported Irish snack and gift items. Irish/Celtic music will be played for ambiance and we will provide free wireless Internet access for patrons to attract locals, professionals and students in the nearby areas and across Bloomington. The mission of the Cafe is to provide high quality products and service in a warm, unique and inviting environment. All while being the only environmentally friendly Irish café in Bloomington.

Several times a month we will invite local Irish musicians to come and showcase their talent for all to enjoy. We also plan to invite Environmental speakers and Leaders to come and help educate everyone on what they can do to help improve their own little section of planet Earth.

Now back to our issue with funding. Celtic Quest Cafe needs YOUR help! I was asked recently by several people if they could donate money to help during CQC's funding crunch. Well good news to everyone!! I've teamed up with PayPal so that anyone can make a donation to help
make CQC become the fantastic Eco Irish cafe that we all know, love and want to
open!! Thank you all so much!! BTW you don't need to live here to donate. Donations
are accepted from anyone and everyone!! Please visit our website to learn more about the donation process! http://www.celticquestcafe.com


Which Design Firm the Best, How to Choose Designing Company?

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Starting from scratch, small business developed from a small-sized company into a medium-sized firm; therefore the writer think that design firms should understand thoroughly how the medium-sized and small-sized firm are operated firstly, then able to serve for the medium-sized and small-sized company and think in the interests of them about their development to provide every client with first-class image design service that they expect and trust.

In the aspect of advertising services, besides exquisite logo Design, the writer think that design company should also professionalize in Website Design, Brochure Design, business card Design companies, Packing Design, Poster Design company, Book cover Design, Reticule Design, Software Interface Design studio, CD Design, company Publicity Video advertising services, etc.
Excellent advertising companies should possess three conditions: knowledge, experience, and imagination. Only the combination of Knowledge, experience and imagination can excellent advertisements be created. Depending on many years’ experience in artistic designing, consulting and oversea marketing of original art design studio’s advertising services should blaze a new trail in the visual effect, give an aftertaste of artistic charm and emphasize commercial effect of advertisements as well.

In the aspect of marketing advertising, the writer think that design firm should focus on providing clients with high quality and professional advertisement services in the domains like the strategic planning of brand development, popularizing and integrating of marketing advertising, planning and system design of company, and its brand and product image. Owning a professional advertisement team of elites in this CIS field and insisting in proceeding from the angle of marketing advertising, advertising firms should make overall plans for every advertising project with insightful freightless and strategic thought, integrate management science, internet advertising strategies and visual aesthetics, and utilize marketing investigation and research and brand consulting mode to provide clients with effective resolution of brand, implement characteristic image-forging project, and designing company should be also good at integrating the aforementioned CIS domains to provide clients with comprehensive brand-forging and marketing, and helping enterprises to forge distinctive brands.

In customer service aspects, advertisement Designing firm should offer high-quality customer service after sales reached. Concerning the actual demands and requests of customers, they should provide All-round consultation, support and help, in order to make customers use their information products in a more enjoyable way. Designing firms are deeply aware of that customer service plays a very important role in building image of company and brand, as well as promoting the satisfaction of products and services. Design company and advertising company of advertising services and designing, work with advertising agencies, design studio, agency and companies. Considerate customer service must show their concern of customers respectfully.

In Web Design aspects, the writer thinks that website design company should own the ability to supply their clients with elegant homepage design, web page designs and website design service in high quality.

Above is a little suggestion about how to service medium-small sized enterprise for advertising designing companies, hope that it’s helpful for medium-small sized company to choose the right advertising company and design firm. You may keep this article as reference whatever you’re looking for Chinese design company, American design firms, offshore advertising firm, Beijing web design firm, Dalian model company, Shanghai website designs company, logo design firm, packing designing studio, brochure design company, etc.


Limit material wastage through 3D design

This video shows a small pavilion I designed and build last year at Staten Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen. I was limited to use 1 kilometer of laths, so I decided to design the structure using a 3D modeling program, which allowed me to carefully to control the amount material. In the end all that was left was a small bag of wood, equal to less than 0,5% wast!


Flower and Clean Air Month

When gardens burst forth with bloom, nostalgia unexpectedly creeps into my experience. It is triggered by the sweet-scent of blooming flowers, a garden activity or the sight of prospering plants shared by another gardener. For, I am reminded when I see plants in bloom that were transplanted from the gardens of my mother, grandmother or elderly aunts.

I enjoy sitting outside in a garden space, smelling the sweet-scent of blooming flowers, listening to the hum of visiting bees, and reminiscing of a gardening era presently labeled heritage. Still, while ‘living green’ texture, color and fragrance should be enjoyed, it is more important that each of us understand its life-supporting role.

The month of May is designated both national flower and clean air month, a time to celebrate the beauty and health of ‘living green’; but were you aware of this connection? Research conducted by Virginia’s land grant university Virginia Tech identifies each 50 by 50 square foot space whether planted with turf or other plant material or a mid to large size tree to annually provide the air quality for a family of four.

My colleague Alex X. Niemiera, Extension Horticulturist for the department of Horticulture at Virginia Tech, has further identified landscaping to significantly influence perceived property value. In fact, the value of landscaping appears to range dependent upon location: 5.5 percent (Louisiana) to 11.4 percent (South Carolina). In other words, a home valued at $150,000 with no landscape (lawn only) could be worth $8,250 to $19,050 more with a sophisticated landscape that includes color and large plants.

So, whether your motivation is to recapture an era of yesterday or contribute to air quality or insure the value of your real-estate, invest in eco-landscaping. In my newly published book, From Eco-weak to Eco-chic: landscape green (http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/from-eco-weak-to-eco-chic-lan...), I emphasize eco-landscape concepts. In honor of national Flower Month, I want to spotlight a flowering shrub, 'Limelight' Hardy Hydrangea, http://www.provenwinners.com/plants/detail.cfm?photoID=7687. Not only have I found this shrub to work-well but provide ongoing seasonal interest. It jump-starts spring with unique bright chartreuse blooms. From mid-summer to fall, the blooms hold a refreshing color; and before frost, become tinged with pink. Then, during winter, the blooms extend the gardening season as dry fluffy puffs.

Although ‘Limelight’ hydrangea is not in the category of plants that make me reminisce, when seasonal cool, gray skies and shorten-days of winter begin, I look out my home-office window and am reminded by its dried blooms of the promise of spring. And, perhaps, some day because of its seasonal beauty, this shrub will trigger nostalgia for my grandchildren. So, my question to you is “Are you participating in activities that celebrate the beauty and health of ‘living green’?” For, landscapes should not simply be aesthetically pleasing but offset the carbon atmosphere that plagues urban environments.

To acquire a ‘free’ garden design that features 'Limelight' Hardy Hydrangea or to share comments, ideas or strategies on this or similar topics, contact me. Together, let’s identify column topics that enable awareness of ‘living green’, create a legacy of eco-healthy spaces.


"Green Financing" for start up businesses

Well to make a long question "short". I have been working on getting financing for my Eco Friendly cafe for the past 2 years. Every bank I approach has denied my loan request because I am a start up business. I have proven through my exhaustive research, in my business plan that just such a business would thrive in Bloomington Indiana. I have a proposed location that is being built and the developer is going for LEED certification (the location of the building is in the downtown Bloomington area next to Indiana University).

What I need to find out is if there are any places out there that I can acquire a business loan based on the "green" aspect of my cafe. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated in this. The location that I am interested in will be finished by summer of 2010. So I have a little time, but I really want to get this going ASAP!!

Sincerely,

Chip Hartleroad

Celtic Quest Cafe

www.myspace.com/celticquestcafe

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