Premature Scaling? Number one cause of Startup Failure

Take the money and run (a company)?

Startup Genome released the report. Registration required to download a copy or you can read about it elsewhere at websites like this one.

Taking money too early makes life difficult for any business, but even more so for cleantech. There haven't been many successful cleantech exits for VCs and given how negative some investors are on the sector, one must be very careful indeed. Check out the Don of the Paypal Mafia, Peter Thiel, on VC investing in cleantech.

Prefab Myth, Hype and Reality - 15 page document

Pre.Fab: Myth, Hype Reality

Manufactured Architecture in a Manufactured Landscape

UCL Bartlett School of Architecture staff and alumni have created a steel shelter that explores the shifting relationship between the natural and the artificial. Architectural http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifconsultancy sixteen*(makers) collaborated with German steel manufacturer Stahlbogen GmbH to make the shelter for visitors to Kielder Water and Forest Park in Northumberland.

A 2011 RIBA award winner.




A good video showing the potential of architect-fabricator collaboration.

The Future of the Building Industry - 5 Videos from the CEO of HOK

This is a great series by Patrick MacLeamy, CEO of HOK. In the series he describes the gradual separation of architects and builders -- and the idea of integrated project delivery (IPD) as an idea whose time has come again.



I couldn't embed the second video because this feature was disables on Youtube. you can find it by going to the following link:
Video Two:

Super Greenies - Influencers who can afford green.

Scarborough Research released this free report on wealthy consumers who choose green. It makes for very good reading for those selling green products and services.

Interestingly, the heaviest concentration is on the West Coast - our home territory. I only wish numbers for Vancouver, BC were also included.

Japanese Precut Timber Construction - Digital Fabrication

Precut - Modern Japanese Timber Construction from BAKOKO on Vimeo.

The Arch Daily website included this great video in an article on a beach house prefabricated and then assembled in one day. Great to see another example demonstrating the potential of digital fabrication.

Portland, Oregon and IBM announce Smarter City Interactive Model

IBM and Portland, Oregon announced the 3D city model of Portland. This leverages Portland's reputation as a leading green city and with integrated smart grid/smart city and digital urban planning and city management.

An encouraging development. More media coverage here from the Wall Street Journal, ComputerWorld, and the Digital Manufacturing Report.