Julka Krasuska

One of the most known and trendy sustainable solutions are living green walls i.e. vegetation growing on or against a vertical surface. They can be installed inside or outside a building. There are many types of these walls ( e.g. they can be freestanding or attached to the surface ) but they are usually constructed in the same way. Living walls are comprised of plants and attached to a panel. To keep the wall alive, green and luscious you need a drip-irrigation system. Among the biggest advantages of these solutions are improved air quality, noise reduction and increase in property value. It has also been found that proximity of plants can have a positive impact on people’s well-being. Also, simply seeing nature at work can increase job satisfaction. Although they have many benefits living green walls are an expensive option and can be difficult to maintain. It’s also hard to tell how long they can last. For the time being they are one of the most interesting and visually appealing s...

A ‘’Sponge city’’ is a type of city which uses a variety of techniques to deal with excess rainwater. It acts like a sponge and absorbs it. Then the rainwater is transferred into the city’s system of retention e.g. underground retention tanks. Retained water can then be used to clean the streets, water lawns and parks or even flush toilets in administrative buildings. In recent years due to climate change many urban areas have experienced heavy rainfall. Existing stormwater systems are inefficient and cannot cope with such amounts of rain. As a result more and more often we are witnessing flooding, which results in heavy damage to city and private property. Progressing climate change means that we need to prepare for negative weather events in the future. Sponge cities are part of the solution for this. Designers are becoming more aware of the situation and are coming up with new and improved solutions.

In the past several years solar panels have become one of the most common sustainable solutions in residential architecture. Solar systems help derive clean energy from the sun, supplementing traditional energy sources. Installing them reduces greenhouse gas emissions can reduces some energy expenses depending on geographic location. Other advantages include easy and quick installation, low cost of maintenance and durability. Solar panels can last up to 30 years without major repairs and usually require cleaning only once a year. Up until now solar panels have been installed on existing buildings but nowadays a lot of architects incorporate them at the design stage. The biggest challenge remains making solar panels elegant and aesthetically pleasing. Luckily architects have really innovative and creative solutions e.g. a house in Bundeena, Australia. https://www.newhomesource.com/learn/solar-panel-systems-specs-costs-benefits/ https://www.archdaily.com/967776/solar-panels-in-r...