My Earth Hour 2012

My Earth Hour this year was a good one. Just as the clock starts to countdown, my kids got ready and all geared up to really support the Earth Hour event this year. Both of them reminded me many times as to what to switched off and shut down before it starts. Last few years in fact I was the one who told them but this year it was the other way round :)

Good that they really understand the meaning of it and we actually went beyond the hours in the dark with just their homemade lanterns around. It was a fun filled two hours for them with taking photos and eating their noodles in very dim lights from their lanterns. 

A great moment to spend some quality time with my kids minus the tv, radio, games and computers especially facebook...watching them growing up every minute! To me, it seems it was just not too long ago when they were still babies. Time indeed passes by very fast!

A few of the Greenest Buildings of 2011...

Swarovski Headquarters - Lake Zurich, Switzerland

Located on the eastern shore of the Lake Zurich in Switzerland, the transparent building houses some 500 staff of crystal manufacturer Swarovski. The low-energy, horseshoe-shaped structure uses water from the nearby lake for heating and cooling.

Casa Locarno - Locarno, Switzerland

Overlooking Lago Maggiore in Switzerland, Casa Locarno was designed by Designyougo and insulated to low energy standards. Instead of using conventional heating, solar collectors on the roof provide energy for the low temperature under-floor heating, as well as for hot water during most months of the year.

Velodrome - London, United Kingdom

Sitting at the north of London's Olympic Park, the Velodrome will open its doors this summer to welcome thousands of track cycling fans during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Designed by Hopkins Architects and built to be lightweight and efficient to reflect the design of a bicycle, it is is one of the most sustainable Olympic Park venues. Strategically positioned roof lights allow the use of abundant daylight, while openings in the venue's external timber cladding help to achieve natural ventilation.