Net zero buildings, which are buildings that produce as much energy as they use, are gaining popularity throughout the world. The earth has a lot of energy to share with us, but actually harnessing that energy is a science that’s still developing. When people are willing to invest in energy manufacturing technologies, scientists gain what is otherwise unattainable inside a laboratory, real world examples in real world situations.
Read moreGE Will No Longer Make CFL Lightbulbs
Photo by Katy Warner, CC BY SA 2.0
Compact Fluorescent (CFL) lightbulbs had a good run in our new-ish energy saving world, but one gigantic company is going to stop making them, in favor of LEDs. In a series of breakup letters written to CFLs and love letters to LED bulbs, GE announced that it would stop making CFLs in 2016. CFL bulbs are notorious for taking a while to brighten up a room and their signature ice cream cone swirl shape isn’t great for aesthetics. They’re also filled with mercury, which make them tricky to get rid of.
Read moreCould Bamboo Replace Steel in Reinforced Concrete?
Steel has had a foothold on the construction industry for roughly 100 years, because it’s high in strength and aids in the tensile strength of concrete. But is it the best material for reinforcing concrete? Swiss architect Dirk Hebel doesn’t think so.
Read moreThis Company is Literally Growing Bricks Like Plants
Green building is not just a trend anymore, it is making huge impacts all across the construction industry, whether by government regulation or market shifts. According to the US Green Building Council, the Green Construction Industry will account for 1/3 of all construction projects by the year 2018. That’s certainly something to pay attention to. But it’s not just building practices that are affected by green building trends, products are affected, as well. A startup company in Raleigh, North Carolina has a solution for the high carbon dioxide emissions created by firing bricks in kilns: growing them in a plant with bacteria and water.
Read moreScientists Create First Fire Proof Self-Compacting Concrete
Photo credit: Luke Bisby, The University of Edinburgh
Self-compacting concrete, which does not need to be vibrated to become fully compacted, has many advantages on a job site, such as lower overall costs, faster construction times, no need for a concrete vibrator, and thinner concrete sections. One of the major disadvantages of this type of concrete, however, is that it’s notoriously poor in regards to fire resistance. Traditional concrete solves the fire resistance problem by adding polypropylene (PP) fiber, which allow the concrete structure to stay intact when it comes in contact with fire.
Read moreCould Roads Made Out of Recycled Plastic be Superior to Asphalt?
The two major issues with asphalt roadways are their lifespan and their vulnerability to weather and temperature. The optimum lifespan of an asphalt road is about 25 years and that is dependent on a large variety of factors. In the Northern United States, this lifespan could substantially less, 15 to 20 years. One of the largest frustrations with our current road systems is the time it takes to build and resurface roadways. Many of the solutions proposed are costly and un-sustainable.
Read moreWorld’s First Zero Energy Hotel Will Operate Without Electric Air Conditioning
Air conditioning uses a lot of energy, which is undoubtedly why your father was always yelling about somebody messing with the thermostat when you were younger. The problem is, though, that now that we have it and expect it in every building, we can’t live without it. One 80 year old designer and engineer believes he has solved the energy consumption problem and a hotel in Amsterdam will be using his design to create the World’s first Zero-Energy hotel.
Read moreResearchers Testing How Self-Healing Concrete Holds Up to Real World Conditions
Cardiff School of Engineering
Concrete is great. It’s strong, it’s got a long life, but then, it cracks and everyone is bummed out. Cracking is not only an eyesore, but it leads to structural issues and leaks, among other issues. Back in May, we wrote about a concrete additive that would allow the concrete to “heal” its own cracks and it’s got researchers pretty excited about the possibilities.
Read moreHere’s What The Construction Industry Could Look Like 30 Years in the Future
The 30 year mark for predictions made by the movie Back to the Future has come and gone, which has sparked a lot of speculation as to what the next 30 years will look like on Earth. Though we didn’t get everything that the movie had promised, the amount of technological advances that have already been made obsolete by newer and better technology is nothing short of amazing.
Read moreNorth America’s Tallest Wood Building to Be Built in Quebec
The Origine Condominium Complex. Rendering courtesy of Nordic Structures
Buildings have been made with wood for thousands of years, but those buildings rarely make it above a couple stories high. Due to building codes and requirements, non-combustible materials like concrete and steel are required to be used in most commercial buildings. Typical timber buildings, like many North American houses will easily burn in the right conditions, but more and more projects are using cross-laminated timber (CLT) which has excellent non-combustion properties
Read more