Another Comparison of Environmental Rating Systems

It took a question by a friend on BREEAM that made me do a search on the subject. Was surprised to find there was another system that I hadn’t heard of called Estidama Pearls which has grown out of Abu … Continue reading

Looking at Green Buildings

The first line of this article echoes my opinion of the LEED ratings: “Building green is not about building structures that use lots of materials and energy, and then fixing them so that they become a little more efficient.” The … Continue reading

Virus Masquerading as Home Planning Software

If you’ve received an email supposedly from IKEA telling you about a fantastic new and free Home Planning Software, please note that it is (surprise, surprise!) a virus. Ralph Grabowski of WorldCAD Access received just such a mail and has … Continue reading

Lakhs and Crores using Open Office

In an earlier post I talked about a formula that could be used in Ooo Calc or MS Excel to group numbers according to the Indian system of lakhs and crores. Now, Open Office 3.x has the possibility built into … Continue reading

Jobs

This page is for those who are looking to work at bT Square Peg Designs. Requirements are (in no particular order): A love for nature & the environment A desire to make a positive difference Plain old common sense Basic … Continue reading

Website Dedicated to Intellicad Users

Trying to bring users of different flavours of IntelliCAD together to interact about all things IntelliCAD, Deelip Menezes has launched IntelliCAD.net. The intention is to: Use the forums to ask and offer help. Post on the IntelliCAD.net network blog. Create … Continue reading

Download GDL Cookbook 4 [PDF]

A couple of months ago, I was telling you about a free download of David Nicholson-Cole’s “GDL Cookbook 3” and saying how I was looking forward to the updated version. Well it’s out and it’s a free download as well. … Continue reading

Sintex Biodigester for Sewage

Found an article at Sustainable Design Update (the site seems to have disappeared) about Sintex Industries making a prefabricated biogas digester which turns waste and garbage into cooking fuel. Nothing new about the technology but constructing a tank has always … Continue reading

Greenwashing in Architecture

I’ve been watching the much-talked-about Antilia building on Altamount Road come up these last few months and other than the architects, nobody seems to know what exactly is so green about it (apart from vegetation hanging over the side). Like … Continue reading

Two Ways to Treat Urban Sewage

Just a few days ago, a friend of mine emailed an article from the NY Times talking about Orange County in California treating their sewage and then piping it back into people’s taps. Conceptually, it’s the correct thing to do … Continue reading