After recently raising $20 million in private equity investment, Tel Aviv–based co-working startup Mindspace is poised to enter the U.S. shared-workspace market with locations in San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Founded four years ago, Mindspace currently offers rentable co-working space in Germany, the U.K., and Poland. According to TechCrunch, Mindspace aims to set itself apart by using distinct design elements and offering copious amenities like cleaning services, stocked kitchens, fitness facilities, technical support systems, and more. [TechCrunch]
A team of researchers from the University of Delaware published findings this week on a new 3D-printed smart-glass prototype that switches from clear to reflective when liquid is released in an internal chamber if the material. They predict that the new product could be applied to buildings for improved energy efficiency or to cars for temperature regulation. [The Optical Society]
President Trump signed a bill into law on Tuesday that acknowledges the negative effects of climate change. [ARCHITECT]
Danish architecture firm Een Til Een has developed the world's first Biological House using materials such as tomato stems, soybeans, seaweed, flax, and straw. The house highlights the possibilities of building habitable structures out of alternative materials. [ARCHITECT]
Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory have identified a new water-bearing compound material that enables superfast charging and stable operations, and could replace the graphite anode often used in lithium-ion batteries. [Argonne National Laboratory]
Recent advancements in LED technology have enabled the use of lasers in more lighting applications, from the precise short-throw illumination of building façades to long-range automobile headlights. [Architectural Lighting]
Lord Aeck Sargent and the Miller Hull Partnership are working with Georgia Tech and Kendeda Fund to invigorate green design and construction in the Southeast U.S. The 37,000-square-foot Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Deisign is pursuing Living Building certification. [ARCHITECT]
