6 Energy-Saving Portable Electric Space Heaters

article from treehugger.com 

6 Energy-Saving Portable Electric Space Heaters

1. Dyson’s AM04

Looking more like an alien communication console as imagined by a 1950's sci-fi writer (see photo above), the Dyson entry in the market, as you might imagine, is not at all affordable. At least compared to most of the other options. But Consumer Reports praises its efficiency and design, and gives it the top mark in its category.

So if you want a piece of abstract sculpture that has novel attributes and pitch-perfect performance, this is the one for you. See the Dyson site for specs, and for extra fun, read them in the voice of James Dyson. (Dyson’s AM04, $400)

2. DeLonghi Compact Ceramic Electric Heater

This affordable ceramic electric heater offers great eco-performance in addition to nice versatility. It has a smart eco-energy function which reduces energy usage by 40 percent by selecting the ideal power level based on the user's set temperature and current room temperature. It comes with an adjustable electronic thermostat, 24-hour digital timer and multiple heat settings.

It also provides air filtration with a removable dust filter, and can be used without heat as a summer fan as well. (DeLonghi Compact Ceramic Electric Heater, $40)

3. Vornado DVTH

Voted "Best Overall" by Good Housekeeping, Vornado's energy efficient heaters differ from traditional space heaters because of their "unique vortex action" (their words, not ours) which disburses heat evenly throughout the room, hastening the process and requiring less power.

The DVTH has digital controls and uses automatic climate control, plus safety features and a cool-to-the-touch exterior. (Vornado DVTH, $130)

4. Holmes HFH436

The parent company of Holmes also owns Sunbeam, Patton, Coleman, and Bionaire, meaning it has nearly 40 percent of the U.S. space-heater market, meaning it knows its space heaters -- which is why this affordable model scores so well in reviews.

Among other features, this petit heater has a pre-heat timer so that you can warm a cold bathroom before your presence is required. (Holmes HFH436, $40)

5. Lasko 6462 Full Circle Ceramic Heater

Lasko/Promo image

This 25-inch tall tower of a heater sweeps warmth around in a full 360-degree radius to quickly warm a whole room. It ranked in second in its category at Consumer Reports, and aside from its mod design, it has a list of handy features, such as remote control, an easy-to-clean filter, and a number of safety components. (Lasko 6462 Full Circle Ceramic Heater, $60)

6. Ambia Ach-120 Portable Two Zone Ceramic Heater

This hot little number is really kind of brilliant. At first glance it looks like a stereo, and with good reason. It has two heater modules that can be used together like a conventional heater, or they can be separated to direct heat toward two separate places up to 6-feet apart.

One near the feet and one on the desk? One each for two people? One for your front, one for your back? Anyway you split them, heating in stereo is awesome. (Ambia Ach-120 Portable Two Zone Ceramic Heater, $59

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LED bulb turns into flashlight

Clever LED bulb turns into flashlight when needed

LED bulbs are rapidly becoming mainstream, with prices going down and quality/performance going up. In fact, some cities are replacing over a hundreds of thousands of street lamps with LED models to save energy, increase safety, and reduce maintenance costs.

But that's not all the technology is good for. LEDs use so little power that it's possible to put a battery in the bulb and turn it into a flashlight when power is out. That's what designer Lin Guohui did, and his bulb (which you can see above) is sold by the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA).

Works and recharges in any standard E27 or E25 screw-in light fitting. When fully charged, extend the telescopic handle and use it as a flashlight up to 4 hours. It uses just 6 watts of power to produce light equivalent to a 40W incandescent bulb. The LEDs will last up to 60,000 hours. Charge minimum 5 hours.

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Charge your laptop with Pedal Power, and burn calories while you work

We have standing desks to improve our posture and circulation. We have treadmill desks to keep us a little more fit while typing away at our laptops. Pedal Power now wants us to have a workstation where we cycle not only to stay fit but also to power the device we're using for work.

This is not a new concept by any stretch, but the Pedal Power team have an enthusiasm behind bringing pedal power into our daily lives that can't be denied. "There are a billion bicycles in the world today -- nearly one in every home. One day, we hope to see every household charging phones, processing food, and pumping water with pedal power," states the team. And why not? If you can pedal, why not use that instead of electricity from the wall when you can? This work station is intended to be converted to any use -- not just for desk work on your laptop but for anything you might want to accomplish.

As this video shows, the design not only works for charging laptops but for many other devices, from air compressors to log splitters to blenders and butter churns

http://vimeo.com/77471306

Considering how much time I spend on a laptop, and how much time I spend outside walking and jogging to counter the ill effects of spending so much time on a laptop, I'd definitely consider bringing this thing into my home. Apparently I'm not alone -- Pedal Power has launched a Kickstarter campaignthat is already half way to its funding goal after just a few days of going live.

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IKEA'S Latest Housing Solar-Powered Design

Flatpack solar-powered refugee housing is IKEA's latest design

A team of IKEA designers have taken on a challenge a little different from their usual fun with flatpack philosophy. To aid the thousands of refugees who can live in tent camps for a dozen years, IKEA set out to design a more durable and permanent dwelling.

The result, prosaically named the refugee housing unit (RHU) is a lightweight building with two doors, solar power to provide energy for nighttime lighting, a cover that absorbs heat during the day and emits it back during chilly nights, and 18 square meters of living space.

The RHU is not cheap to manufacture - the cost is more than US $7,000 - at least not yet. But it is fairly easy to transport. IKEA's RHUs come in flatpack boxes and are supposed to be assembled in half a day - though some camp dwellers say it takes closer to all day.

Many camp tents can succumb quickly to harsh desert-like climates like those in refugee camps in the Sudan and Ethiopia within six months, but IKEA RHUs are build to last at least three years.

The roof panels of the IKEA housing units are pretty much the same rugged plastic used in Porta-Potty construction, placed atop a steel pole frame. The house siding is a new polymer called Rhulite that lets in light during the day but doesn't show shadows when lit from within at night.

The single solar panel that ships with the housing unit will light a lamp as well as power a single USB outlet.

According to the UN's Refugee Housing Agency about 3.5 million people live in refugee tents worldwide.

Once the RHUs are tested in Ethiopia IKEA hopes to start mass production and reduce current cost.

READ MORE AT Treehugger.com

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A Bus that goes where you want it to

The newest in city mobility: a bus that goes where you want it to

Kutsuplus is a new service getting going in the streets of Helsinki, Finland's capitol and largest city.

Instead of buses plying a set schedule, Kutsuplus is a more personalized service implemented by the Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL): users register and set up a trip 'wallet', then choose pick up and destination spots based on city addresses or pre-existing stops.

Like other private taxi or pick up services, Kutsuplus is made to allow users a bit more flexibility in city traveling but with a lower price point. Through a smart phone app, a user can set a departure time just minutes in the future. The app issues a ticket after withdrawing money from the wallet, and draws a walking map to the departure stop

The heart of Kutsuplus is an algorithm that determines the most direct route for passengers' requested rides and groups together passengers going in the same general direction.

Similar to taxis, the ride price is calculated on a set fee plus per kilometer charge. So for a Kutsuplus ride of three kilometers, the charge would be Euro 3.5 for the base price plus Euro 1.35 for the three kilometers. This is more than a bus ride (which average about 2 - 4 Euros) but less than a taxi.

Ten Kutsuplus buses are currently trawling the streets of Helsinki, with 35 more planned for the near future. During the pilot project, the buses will run from 7.30 a.m. until 6.30 p.m.

The best part of Kutsuplus is that you can predetermine your route instead of the status quo with public transport, which is trying to fit your individual destination to a pre-existing route. Kutsuplus is another way for city dwellers to have mobility options without having to own a car.

The system's mini buses accommodate 9 passengers, and space is available for baby strollers. There's also free wifi onboard

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