Startup Solarbox London turns phone booths into quick-charge stations [BD+C's 2014 Great Solutions Report]

Consider the forlorn phone booth. About 8,000 of London’s famous red telephone boxes sit unused in warehouses, orphans of the digital age. But obsolescence is often the mother of adaptive reuse. In October, a startup called Solarbox London, founded by London School of Economics graduates Harold Craston and Kirstey Kenney (in photo), opened its first Solarbox. The converted phone booth is now a charging station for mobile devices—tablets, cameras, and, yes, smartphones. Who says irony is dead?

The green-painted Solarbox is powered by a 150-watt solar panel on its roof. Inside the box are mini/micro USB and iPhone chargers that can produce a 20% battery boost in 10 minutes. The company is experimenting with supercapacitors that would speed up the charging process.

Charging is free to the public. In its first few days, the Solarbox averaged more than 85 customers a day. The station can handle 100 charges a day. Solarbox London is covering its costs with in-kiosk advertising. The company won a £5,000-prize from London Mayor Boris Johnson’s 2014 Low Carbon Entrepreneur competition, with additional funding from Siemens and UnLtd, a foundation that supports social entrepreneurs.

The plan is to open a second Solarbox in January.

Read about more innovations from BD+C's 2014 Great Solutions Report.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has unveiled a new medical education building, Roper Hall. Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM) and Flad Architects, the UNC School of Medicine’s new building intends to train new generations of physicians through dynamic and active modes of learning.

Sustainability | May 10, 2024

Perkins&Will’s first ESG report discloses operational performance data across key metrics

Perkins&Will recently released its first ESG report that discloses the firm’s operational performance data across key metrics and assesses its strengths and opportunities.

MFPRO+ News | May 10, 2024

HUD strengthens flood protection rules for new and rebuilt residential buildings

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued more stringent flood protection requirements for new and rebuilt homes that are developed with, or financed with, federal funds. The rule strengthens standards by increasing elevations and flood-proofing requirements of new properties in areas at risk of flooding.

Government Buildings | May 10, 2024

New federal buildings must be all-electric by 2030

A new Biden Administration rule bans the use of fossil fuels in new federal buildings beginning in 2030. The announcement came despite longstanding opposition to the rule by the natural gas industry.

Sustainable Development | May 10, 2024

Nature as the city: Why it’s time for a new framework to guide development

NBBJ leaders Jonathan Ward and Margaret Montgomery explore five inspirational ideas they are actively integrating into projects to ensure more healthy, natural cities.

Mass Timber | May 8, 2024

Portland's Timberview VIII mass timber multifamily development will offer more than 100 affordable units

An eight-story, 72,000-sf mass timber apartment building in Portland, Ore., topped out this winter and will soon offer over 100 affordable units. The structure is the tallest affordable housing mass timber building and the first Type IV-C affordable housing building in the city.

Architects | May 8, 2024

Ivan O’Garro, AIA joins LEO A DALY as a vice president

Integrated design firm LEO A DALY welcomes Ivan O’Garro, AIA, as a vice president and managing principal of its Atlanta studio.

K-12 Schools | May 7, 2024

World's first K-12 school to achieve both LEED for Schools Platinum and WELL Platinum

A new K-12 school in Washington, D.C., is the first school in the world to achieve both LEED for Schools Platinum and WELL Platinum, according to its architect, Perkins Eastman. The John Lewis Elementary School is also the first school in the District of Columbia designed to achieve net-zero energy (NZE).