Innovative building ideas are increasingly revolutionizing the ways that we create both our homes and office spaces. Recognizing that we need to save the environment and decrease overall building costs, governments and individuals are coming up with new ideas to help us conserve energy and use materials more efficiently.

Among the leaders in technological advancement and development, Dubai has one problem that it constantly has to battle, which is the desert heat. This means that they have had to come up with creative ways to keep their buildings cool. The O-14 is one that displays an ingenious way of doing this, even winning many architectural prizes for its unique and workable design. It has been built with a space that is 1m wide, between its façade and glass windows. The façade is made of an extremely fluid concrete and houses 1000 circular openings. Along with the space, this design cools the entire building down by allowing hot air to rise and cool air to enter.

Earthquakes are one of the most destructive natural disasters, and each one can cause an unimaginable amount of damage to buildings and high fatality levels. Basing their concept on the idea of semi-detachable bases for buildings, Japanese engineers have designed a building foundation which can levitate it on a cushion of air to avoid the damage that an earthquake can cause. When the building’s sensors pick up an earthquake’s seismic activity they trigger an air compressor to release air between the building and its foundation. This air pocket lifts the structure off the ground protecting it from the earthquake’s direct hit. After the danger has passed, the compressor will turn itself off and release the air so that the building is once again resting on solid ground.

Insulation is very important in colder climates and when done efficiently can keep the entire building warm and save a substantial amount on energy bills. Insulation has been developed using a combination of mushrooms and hemp fibers to create a cheaper, sturdy, environmentally-friendly product that can be used in both commercial and residential buildings for amazing results.

Experiencing the outdoors, while warm and cozy indoors, is a dream for many people. The beauty of the colder seasons is normally lost because people are hibernating, in an effort to avoid the extreme temperatures. Removable glass wall technology enables building owners to view the wonders of nature while relaxing inside. They can also be taken out to allow for welcoming the outdoors in, especially when the weather is warmer.

It is widely known that solar panels are one of the best ways of conserving energy, but until now, they have posed a problem because of the fact that they cannot be removed from the building once they have been installed. The introduction of removable solar panels fixes this problem, as they are easily transferred from one building to another allowing for maximum energy efficiency regardless of where the owner might be.