The first zero emission home has been designed and unveiled in the UK. The article describes the two bedroom home featuring solar panels, a biomass boiler and water efficiency devices such as rainwater harvesting. Although the building price has been quoted at 40% more than standard homes, the price decreases when more are built and the home will generate its own energy. Kingspan, the company responsible for the design describes another benefit of this home is the contribution of energy to the National Grid when occupants are away on holiday. According to the article in BBC news, the design unveiled at the Offsite 2007 exhibition in Watford, meets rules to be applied in 2016 that aim to make UK homes more energy-efficient. In turn creating a model for what is possible in the future.

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Cool Hunting always inspires with their imaginative posts on culture. The Hurriquake is truly an inventive, inexpensive and inspired nail.
So much so, that it was awarded innovation of the year by Popular Science. The bottom section is circled with angled barbs that resist pulling out
in wind gusts up to 170 mph. The “ring shank” stops halfway up to
leave the middle of the nail, which endures the most punishment during
an earthquake, at its maximum thickness and strength. The blade-like
facets of the nail’s twisted top—the spiral shank—keep planks from
wobbling, which weakens a joint. And the HurriQuake’s head is 25
percent larger than average to better resist counter-sinking and
pulling through. And - It costs only about $15 more to build a
2000 square foot house using HurriQuakes. Huge idea accomplished in a small package.

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