Sustainability

Researchers in Switzerland have found a way to dramatically cut cement’s carbon footprint by redesigning its recipe. Their system simulates thousands of ingredient combinations, pinpointing those that keep cement strong while emitting far less carbon dioxide in seconds. The cement industry produces around eight percent of global CO2 emissions – more than the entire aviation … [Read more...] about AI can create climate-friendly cement recipes in seconds

New research at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand into hybrid timber–steel construction could help make housing cheaper and safer. Led by associate professor Anthony Abu, the research team hopes to resolve fire safety concerns that have so far restricted the wider adoption of hybrid timber buildings. ‘We believe our research programme can remove the fire-safety … [Read more...] about New study to explore fire safety in hybrid timber–steel buildings

The Lower Thames Crossing has revealed the winner of its low-carbon footbridge contest. According to National Highways, the winning design, from Arup and Seán Harrington Architects, has set a new benchmark for sustainable design that could be used on the new road and replicated across roads countrywide. The winning design beat 32 other entries, which were judged on their … [Read more...] about Winner of low-carbon footbridge design contest announced

A Johns Hopkins civil engineer has developed a computational tool that predicts how fire affects structures, leading to more resilient designs and enhanced public safety. As wildfires threaten densely populated areas worldwide with increasing frequency and intensity, Thomas Gernay, an associate professor in civil and systems engineering at Johns Hopkins University is … [Read more...] about Fire-safety engineering delivers lifesaving value