ARCHITECTURE
Energy from the Sun
By Yasha Husain
February 3, 2013
Truth be told, all energy is solar. Following is a blueprint of how to do solar energy in America creating a robust, localized system that still stretches from coast to coast.
Begin with a national grid that is minimalist and a flexible structure that can take and leave local energy sources, that contribute to one stable energy pool with capacity for constant and directional power, locally.
Local energy sources should include the following:
Solar farms: For example, small, medium and large-sized concave, aluminum, reflecting farms attached to a central power source of PV and salt (that stores energy - an idea carried out commercially, initially, by the Spanish). Single installations of many curved reflecting mirrors organized squarely on what look like large-sized satellite dishes that can be mounted on top of buildings or on earth (an idea spawned in Israel). Minimal PV for enhancement of centralized power. Possible ceramic reflectors situated along an earthen floor, an out-of-the-box idea, attached to a central power source.
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An American Reconstruction Department
By Yasha Husain
December 29, 2012
A logical next step for the Obama Administration and its efforts to triumph against the challenges of the 21st century, is, strategically speaking, the creation of an American Reconstruction Department, a Franklin Roosevelt-type initiative.
All wings of the proposed Reconstruction effort, listed below, would be carried out concurrently by diverse teams of experts, the heads of which meet bi-monthly. Expenditures will come chiefly from already distributed, or budgeted, dollars, in exception of R&D and special projects, e.g. pilot projects, including ones that meet the needs of poor, underserved or polluted communities.
For each wing of the department, there will be three "well-schooled" and "well-rounded" experts with a specialty in their field area, be it, for clean energy, wind, solar or geothermal. Each will be a holistic, which also implies, global, thinker, in their own right, but above them will still be a world-class expert, who is firstly a holistic and global thinker, whose job it is to arrive at the most common sense energy solutions for localities, regions and the nation, with the rest of his or her team, or panel, and the nation.
The panel of the Clean Energy wing would,
for example, work in coordination with the Department of Energy. It would have a specially appointed person to work with think tanks, and the media, to get the word out of the progress of the Department. The panel member's closest relationships would be to Congress, as selected Congress members would be asked to help write legislation, and all of Congress would act as constant liaison between the nation's people and the Reconstruction Department.
The head of the Reconstruction Department may be a residing Senator or Congressperson.
In light of climate change and the international economy, domestic and world affairs would largely be tackled with the follow-through of an American Reconstruction Department.
The idea for the Department comes not only from Roosevelt's defeat of the Great Depression, but from Japan, which in the wake of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and in response to its environmental demands, instituted a nationwide, regional and community-based reconstruction effort, according to Habitat for Humanity, which ran a special ad about Japan in Bloomberg Businessweek (Oct. 22-28, 2012).
It's true that after the 2008 financial crisis has wound down, Obama's in earnest planning stage is finally upon us. No better time, then, to start the ambitious goal setting, based on a long range vision, with a centralized department, with outreach capacity to communities across the nation, and world.
The logical next step in the Obama Administration's efforts to promote change is an American Reconstruction Department, that could be replicated internationally, its various wings:
1. Celebrating the Family and Perfect Love
2. Emergent Education, Adapting to 21st Century Needs, Including Job Creation
3. The Role of Faith in Culture
4. Exchanging Nonviolence
5. Guideposts: Sharing the Wisdom of All Time
6. Harnessing the Creative Potential Utilizing “Perfect Knowledge” (Self-realization)
7. On the Nature of Competition: Holistic Competition
8. On the Role of Science: Holistic Science
9. Holistic Farming
10. Helping Hands for the Poor
11. Developing Cognitive and Behavioral Health Advancements, Thinking Out-of-the-Box
12. Integrative, Holistic Medicine
13. Sound Design Materials
14. Graduated Engineering
15. Architecture and Design
16. Rail and Vehicular Design and Transfer
17. Clean Energy Projects
18. Remediation
19. Environmental Monitoring
20. Technology Transfer
21. Realigning Military and Intelligence to Carry Out More Diplomatic Missions
22. Mixing of Economies
23. Cross Cultural Exchange for the Continuation of Cultural Heritage
24. Global Participation
25. Development
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Another Way to Build
By Yasha Husain
August 2007
There are some things that can't be sold, but must be taught, shared and utilized, among them are ideas that can lift humankind out of its current conundrum. Superadobe architecture is one of them.
Superadobe is a sustainable earth architecture that's earthquake- and fire-resistant, able to withstand strong winds and rains, and very inexpensive to build. It might have been used as a nontoxic alternative to the trailers the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) used in New Orleans, and it has been used in other emergency situations around the world, including in Iran and Pakistan.
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A Call to Adopt Earth Architecture
By Yasha Husain
March 2007
Behind the sad images and stories of horrible loss associated with natural disasters, there's a reason for hope.
Well-developed architectural designs called Superadobe exist to be utilized to build homes, office buildings and schools that would minimize the scale of damage incurred when natural disasters happen.
Developed by the Iranian-American architect Nader Khalili, Superadobe earth architectures can be used to build homes for the wealthy who seek non-toxic environments, the destitute who seek safe shelter, people in need of emergency housing, and refugees of war-torn regions.
Khalili once ran a successful practice building modern, steel-frame structures until he closed his offices in Tehran and Los Angeles in 1975 to begin experimenting with earthen structures. He dreamed of building homes that would withstand strong winds, heavy rains, and powerful earthquakes, and be suitable for people worldwide, in particular, for the rural poor in his country.
"Every man and woman should be able to build a home for his or her family, using the earth under their feet, and integrating some features of modern technology to make their homes resistant to fire, flood, hurricane, earthquake and other disasters," Khalili's quoted on his Institute's webpage as saying.
In the mid-1970s, with a clear goal in mind, he set out to use only the four basic elements, earth, water, air, and fire, to empower people to build homes that could survive Earth's sometimes violent impacts.
For five years he traveled through the desert of Iran on his motorcycle, investigating old architectures and occasionally sleeping in mud huts and adobe homes, or under the stars. He discovered how kilns in the desert that had been fired during their functional lives remained standing through the centuries, and as a result soon came to combine the ancient principles behind dome-shaped adobe huts and the firing of bricks in kilns, or ceramics.
The resultant architectural form, only the first of several advanced earthen forms developed by Khalili, was coined Geltaften, it involves the firing of an adobe home in order to stabilize a structure.
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*Articles not yet posted will be available soon.
His father's legacy: Colyer House seeks historic status on national registry
By Yasha Husain
First appeared in The Sunday Gazette (Schenectady, NY)
December 16, 2007
Voluntary Green Building Is Starting To Get Noticed
First appeared in Glens Falls Business Journal
February 2004
Major U.S. markets are usually reluctant to make changes when what's selling isn't broke, especially if there's no pressure to do so. In which case, when the green building movement began to grow in the early 1990s promoting a new building philosophy that is sensible and environmentally-conscious, not many builders or buyers took note.
However, a decade later, increasing numbers of political and industrial leaders are acknowledging the value of green building for the environment, health reasons, and the economy. And recent government rulings that endorse and / or mandate builders to build green, combined with green building tax credits for builders and buyers, are beginning to affect the marketplace.
Though the majority of green building regulations are voluntary, government officials have begun pointing to green building certification rating systems and directing state builders to meet the standards. Governor Pataki did this in June 2001 when he announced Executive Order 111, which directs government entities, and encourages all builders, to comply with green building regulations. The Order identifies The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority as the organization responsible for drafting up-to-date guidelines for New York State builders to meet the new standards. NYSERDA also assists in administering statewide programs, and provides technical and financial assistance to people interested in green building.
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Astro Architects: Designing Our Future in Space
by Yasha Melanie Husain
Published at Space.com
November 17, 2000
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Space-Friendly Architecture: Meet Nader Khalili
by Yasha Melanie Husain
Published at Space.com
November 17, 2000
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