Specifile is a fully searchable, online database of South African building products, suppliers and manufacturers.

A beer bottle that doubles as a brick

Upcycling is a 21st century term, coined by Cradle to Cradle authors William McDonough and Michael Braungart, but the idea of turning waste into useful products came to life brilliantly in 1963 with the Heineken WOBO (world bottle). Envisioned by beer brewer Alfred Heineken and designed by Dutch architect John Habraken, the “brick that holds beer” was ahead of its ecodesign time, letting beer lovers and builders alike drink and design all in one sitting...

Source: Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

IBM's 'building whisperer' sees retrofit boom

America's skyscrapers, many built before World War Two, are showing their age. IBM's "building whisperer," Dave Bartlett, believes many of these buildings could use a diet. Bartlett, who leads IBM's smarter building initiative, is known as the "building whisperer" because he views buildings as living organisms, an approach that can help identify problems and suggest cost-effective ways of making buildings healthier and more energy-efficient.

Source: Reuters

New project for cities launched

A new infrastructure programme to transform the country's cities was officially launched on Friday, 11 May. Officiating at the event in Kempton Park, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Richard Baloyi said the objective was to turn major cities into sustainable human settlements. Another aim was to integrate public transport with urban planning. 

Source: Engineering News

Abandoned food factory to be transformed into zero-energy vertical farm

It may not look like much on the outside, but over the next few years a former food factory in Chicago is going to be turned into a lean, mean, food growing machine. Located in an industrial area in southeast Chicago, The Plant was once the home of Peer Foods - but it's set to become the city's first vertical farm. The transformation is already underway and over the next few years, the factory will become a zero-energy, food business incubator, research facility, education space, and working urban farm. Plant Chicago is already growing greens and mushrooms and will soon start brewing beer and kombucha and raising tilapia in a sustainable system with zero waste.

Source: Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

Take off for St Helena

An island of contrasts, from wind-eroded desert to soft pastures and lush, vegetation-filled valleys, St Helena Island is set to get a new airport that will dramatically change its face from one of the most isolated inhabited islands in the world. Currently attracting only about 2 000 tourists annually, St Helena has now seen construction begin on its new airport – following the signing of a contract between the British government and South African construction firm Basil Read.

Source: IOL