What will it take to ensure a sustainable supply of copper?

In an article on The Conversation website, Morgan Bazilian, Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Payne Institute, Colorado School of Mines and Adam Charles Simon, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan discuss the concerns about the supply shortage of copper that is needed for so many of … Continue reading What will it take to ensure a sustainable supply of copper? →

Cities are quietly becoming raw‑material hubs

Martin Kuebler writes on the Deutsche Welle website that cities are quietly becoming raw‑material hubs as urban miners turn rubble into a carbon‑saving construction supply chain. Is this true where you live? The people remodelling homes with reclaimed ruins Picking through a crate of reclaimed floor tiles, Micheal Ghyoot pulls out a model with … Continue reading Cities are quietly becoming raw‑material hubs →

Blog by Rose Morrison – The missing piece in Europe’s construction decarbonisation: why equipment electrification needs urgent policy action

Image: Unsplash The transition to a zero-carbon world requires continuous effort. While every country is responsible for establishing its own green regulations, the European Union (EU) has become a leader in decarbonisation. Recent policies have set a high standard for other countries, but the EU’s construction carbon footprint can still improve. People should understand existing … Continue reading Blog by Rose Morrison – The missing piece in Europe’s construction decarbonisation: why equipment electrification needs urgent policy action →

Concrete without the carbon: how new materials could cut construction emissions

Alcina Johnson Sudagar, Research Scientist in Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, writes on The Conversation website about latest developments to reduce cement’s carbon footprint. Cement has a climate problem — here’s how geopolymers with add‑ins like cork could help fix it Concrete is all around you – in the foundation of your home, … Continue reading Concrete without the carbon: how new materials could cut construction emissions →

New report examines sentiments from over 3,500 global professionals in the commercial real estate and construction sectors

James Darley writes on the Energy Digital website about the sustainability report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors RICS. Its sustainability report 2025 examines sentiments from over 3,500 global professionals in the commercial real estate and construction sectors, in order to understand how the climate agenda is shaping trends and practices across the world. … Continue reading New report examines sentiments from over 3,500 global professionals in the commercial real estate and construction sectors →

Energy in Demand News, August 24-25, 2025

Encouragingly, the Financial Times reports that solar power generation in Britain so far this year has surpassed the total for 2024 “as panels are rapidly installed amid favourable weather, underlining renewable energy’s increasing importance to the grid. . . . Some 14.08 terawatt hours of electricity was produced from solar in Great Britain by August … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, August 24-25, 2025 →

A change in the conception of construction can lead to much less waste

The construction industry is one of the largest producers of waste, generating around 2.2 billion tonnes per year globally. More than 90% of construction waste comes from demolition, but waste is also generated on-site – mainly as leftover or broken materials – and during manufacturing. In an article on The Conversation website, José Manuel Cabrero … Continue reading A change in the conception of construction can lead to much less waste →

Energy in Demand News, August 17-18, 2025

It was certainly disappointing that the UN negotiations for a global treaty on plastics pollution collapsed without an agreement. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and a number of other petrostates would not budge from their long-standing refusal to agree measures that address the production of plastic, agreeing only to waste management. It is not clear when negotiations … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, August 17-18, 2025 →

An eco-friendly public housing scheme in Germany using an innovative modular timber construction method

In Tübingen, Germany, TriqBriq is creating eco‑friendly homes from modular wooden blocks made with recycled materials, offering a low‑carbon alternative to concrete. In an article on the Deutsche Welle website, Julia Mielke discusses the scheme. Eco-friendly homes from wooden building blocks A German city is building an eco-friendly public housing scheme using an innovative … Continue reading An eco-friendly public housing scheme in Germany using an innovative modular timber construction method →

Blog by Rose Morrison – Thermal envelope innovations: breaking the R-value ceiling in modern construction

https://unsplash.com/photos/brown-wooden-building-on-green-grass-field-during-daytime-IicTi83wpXA Low-carbon goals should remain critical to the construction industry because they are among the most damaging to the environment. Finding optimisations in thermal envelopes and R-value is critical for setting standards for the future of net-zero buildings. Experts are constantly researching new technologies to boost potential and cut emissions by streamlining energy efficiency. What … Continue reading Blog by Rose Morrison – Thermal envelope innovations: breaking the R-value ceiling in modern construction →