This mushroom building cleans our air as it grows
The round building looks something like a giant birthday cake coated in spiderwebs. It’s beautiful, yet a bit haunting. Look closer, though, and you’ll realize this structure has nothing but love for its surroundings. Because while materials ranging from concrete to insulation are…
China is bankrolling green energy projects around the world
Perched on the ochre scrub of Argentina’s sunbaked Puna Jujeña plateau, the $400 million Cauchari power station is the world’s highest-altitude solar farm at 13,000 ft (about 4,000 meters) above sea level. In Kenya’s volcano-strewn Rift Valley, a newly…
They may be boring, but building rules could be our climate salvation
You’ve probably never even heard of two of Canada’s more effective provincial and city-scale climate policies—and that’s probably not a bad thing. The BC Energy Step Code and the City of Vancouver’s Zero Emissions Building Plan are both building regulations introduced within the…
Call for submissions – RAIC 2020 Awards
OTTAWA, November 5, 2019 — The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) invites submissions for the Emerging Architectural Practice Award, the Architectural Firm Award, the Prix du XXe Siècle, and the Emerging Architect Award. The RAIC is also calling for nominations for the 2020…
Toronto leads the global trend of mixed-use housing
Almost as if in direct proportion, Toronto’s lack of affordability has coincided with its increasing commuting times making the city the 6th worst city for commuting globally. But more than ever, Toronto architects are making downtown living more attractive with condos…
Construction company Caterpillar wants to mine the moon
Caterpillar, one of the largest construction companies in the world, is aiming for a spot on the lunar surface and plans to adapt their range of autonomous and remote-controlled mining equipment for use in space. NASA previously collaborated with…
Why shouldn’t your kids consider a career in a trade?
Although the price of college is soaring and a four-year degree isn’t the guarantee of financial security it once was, 70% of parents surveyed by the National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) said they wouldn’t advise their child to embark on…
Sidewalk Labs secures conditional nod for Toronto smart city
Google’s Sidewalk Labs unit secured conditional approval to move forward in the process to build a smart city in Toronto after agreeing to develop a smaller area than initially proposed and make concessions on data collection and privacy, the…