Vancouver models much of its urban planning on the principle of eco-density, a term developed largely by City Councillor Suzanne Anton. There was no better place for us to interview Suzanne than at the Coopers Pointe on the waterfront looking across toward the Olympic Village. While in Vancouver, we wanted not only to cover the Olympic architecture but to grasp the essence of a city which is reputed for its very low ecological footprint per capita. It is no coincidence, I believe, that William Rees and Mathis Wackernagel developed the concept of an ecological footprint at The University of British Columbia.

The Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics evoked a sense of awe in Carla D'Errico, freelance writer of travel and architecture, who gives her response to the ceremony in an interview below. In short, the artistic directors David Atkins and Ignatius Jones deserve the highest esteem for their spectacular video arts show. In addition, while the Olympic torch may seem to be of little consequence when it comes to sustainability, the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Torch that kicked off the ceremonies on Friday night is actually a remarkable example of green ingenuity.

Green-focused schools are popping up across the country, from New York City to California. The Green School in Brooklyn, who call themselves the sustainaBULLS, states the following goals for their green educational core values:

• Sustainable Self - Individuals in the school community are given the opportunity to develop their individual interests. Importance is placed on individual growth and physical and emotional health of all students.
• Sustainable Relationships - Meaningful relationships among students, parents, teachers, school administration and key members of the community are developed through advisory, community work, internships and peer education.
• Sustainable Community - All members of the school work to develop a learning community that promotes academic excellence, democratic decision making and individual responsibility.
• Sustainable Society - Students have the opportunity to explore careers that promote a healthy society through internships and apprenticeships.

Annie Leonard, an activist and filmmaker from Seattle, Washington, finally got fed up with observing how her trash, whether recycled or dumped, completed a linear waste disposal system. So, Annie asked herself:

Hmm, if we continue to follow the waste process of extraction, production, distribution, consumption, disposal, we will most certainly deplete society of all of its natural resources that took billions of years to create underneath Earth's crust.

Leonard created a program that includes a website, blog, video, and data to support her efforts to stop the current Story of Stuff we experience in the U.S. and abroad today.

Technology Inspiration: The Tesla Model S

My favourite architect, Le Corbusier, was inspired by modes of transportation in the 20's as he created the genius project Villa Savoy, a home located north of Paris. Le Corbusier used his knowledge of industrial technology, which he learned from the French engineer August Penret, to create what he believed was a type of Utopian architecture. The gist: technology was his inspiration.

Last year, a studio at Harvard University worked on developing Utopian architectural styles based on an innovative BMW car called GINA. Frank Barkow of Barkow Liebinger led the studio in such a way that the students studied first its technologies. The most remarkable aspect of the GINA is the fact that its exterior skin moves and changes to adapt to its environment.

If you have an opportunity to attend the 2010 NAHB International Builders' Show in Las Vegas this year, please make sure to stop by the Portland Cement Association's (PCA) booth. Rightly so, they are promoting the 40 different ways concrete can be used to build sustainable homes.

PCA's press release states, "Recent research by McGraw-Hill indicates that 70 percent of buyers would be inclined to purchase a green home versus a conventional home in a down market.  With new techniques and products introduced at what seems like a daily basis, builders can rely on concrete for straightforward solutions for today’s green building demands."

If in Vegas, stop by booth #N2431 for more information. Registration for new attendees is only $100 for full registration. Don't forget to tell us about your experience.