Imperial College London has teamed up with graduate-founded biomaterials company Ponda to launch a range of sustainable university-branded clothing, demonstrating how ideas developed through engineering education can become commercial products. The collaboration will see Imperial-branded apparel insulated with BioPuff®, a plant-based material developed by Bristol-based … [Read more...] about Imperial design engineering alumni launch sustainable clothing collaboration
Sustainability
Researchers urge lifecycle approach to home retrofits
Home retrofit drive could create future e-waste problem, researchers warn. The UK's push to make homes more energy efficient could create a new waste problem if low-carbon technologies aren't designed with their full lifespan in mind, researchers have warned. Heat pumps, solar panels and home battery systems are expected to play a major role in helping the UK cut carbon … [Read more...] about Researchers urge lifecycle approach to home retrofits
JLR unveils new circular concept vehicle designed to drive down carbon footprint
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has unveiled a new concept demonstrator vehicle that showcases the company’s latest progress in circular design, low‑carbon engineering and next‑generation material innovation. JLR’s engineering and industrial operations teams have collaborated with more than 40 Tier 1 and raw material suppliers to create 49 more sustainable automotive components by … [Read more...] about JLR unveils new circular concept vehicle designed to drive down carbon footprint
Computer model could enable bridges and buildings that use less material
Researchers at MIT have developed an approach for generating more buildable structures, bridging the gap between optimised design and real-world construction. A technique called topology optimisation can design structures that reduce the amount of material used, in some cases by as much as 90 per cent, which would represent a multi-gigatonne reduction in construction-related … [Read more...] about Computer model could enable bridges and buildings that use less material
Staple-like particles reveal new path to strong materials
A team of engineers and materials scientists in the Paul M Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering at University of Colorado Boulder is exploring a new class of materials that’s built on interlocking particles. Their inspiration comes from the behaviour of tightly packed balls of office staples. Try to pull the ball apart and the tangled metal resists like a solid object, … [Read more...] about Staple-like particles reveal new path to strong materials