Crumb rubber: a legacy investigation

Sustainability Matters

October 14, 2020

Main Roads WA is working with the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) and Tyre Stewardship Australia to validate the use of recycling asphalt pavement that contains crumb rubber. In Western Australia crumb rubber consumption has doubled in the past two years, from between 800–1000 tonnes to nearly 2000 tonnes. Alongside the movement to use a variety of recycled materials in asphalt, road base and

...

The Path To Net Zero-Ready Buildings

Intengine | the engine for good

October 8, 2020

DEMANDING MORE FROM BUILDING ENERGY EFFICIENCE Released in a recent National Energy Board of Canada report, British Columbia’s commercial and residential buildings in 2015 released a staggering 7.3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, representing 12% of the total GHG emissions produced in the province. However, the Province of BC is committed to fostering sustainable

...

Funding boost for NZ circular economy research

Sustainability Matters

October 8, 2020

Engineering Professor Kim Pickering has been awarded $10.9 million in Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Endeavour funding to explore a circular economy concept created for the Aotearoa New Zealand context — shaped by the philosophies and values of both founding cultures: Ma?ori and European. ?miomio Aotearoa — a circular economy for the wellbeing of New Zealand is a

...

Cement-free concrete farewells corrosion and fatbergs

Sustainability Matters

September 28, 2020

Sewage systems around the world are plagued by concrete corrosion and fatbergs, leading to costly and disruptive maintenance. But an eco-friendly zero-cement concrete developed by researchers at RMIT University could hold the solution. Led by Dr Rajeev Roychand, the research team created a concrete that eliminates free lime — a chemical compound that promotes corrosion and fatbergs. The research

...

Plans to cool down Western Sydney

Sustainability Matters

September 27, 2020

A newly released report demonstrates that innovative design and planning can reduce temperatures in Sydney’s Western Parkland City by up to 4.6 degrees. Conducted by Sydney Water, in partnership with leading architects, engineers and urban designers, the Urban Typology and Stormwater Management report shows that retaining stormwater in the natural landscape, coupled with innovative planning

...

Butts to bricks: recycling cigarette waste

Sustainability Matters

September 20, 2020

Researchers at RMIT University have developed an industry step-by-step implementation plan to transform cigarette butts into bricks. The plan, published in a special issue of the journal Materials, shows how cigarette butts can be collected and recycled on an industrial scale. Every year, across the globe, more than 6 trillion cigarettes are produced, resulting in 1.2 million tonnes of toxic waste

...

City of Melbourne looks to build a more sustainable city

Sustainability Matters

September 15, 2020

In a bid to lower energy and water bills and create a more sustainable and resilient city, councillors in the City of Melbourne will consider proposed changes to the planning scheme to deliver more sustainable buildings. Environment Portfolio Chair Cr Cathy Oke said encouraging investment in sustainable and energy-efficient buildings will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support economic

...

Built to Last: The Case for Durable Design

GreenBiz Group

September 10, 2020

Built to Last: The Case for Durable Design What are the implications of building long-lasting, durable products, and what opportunities arise from keeping products in service? "They don't build things like they used to..." This age-old lament seems aptly fit for our era of single-use disposables and planned obsolescence. For the nostalgic, the quality conscious and the

...

In Appalachia, he’s helping former miners dig into new opportunities

Grist News

August 21, 2020

Brandon Dennison is on a mission to save West Virginia’s economy while preserving its unique history.

Why the District of Columbia is a leader in energy efficiency

GreenBiz Group

August 19, 2020

Why the District of Columbia is a leader in energy efficiency Catherine Nabukalu Wed, 08/19/2020 - 01:30 One of my favorite sessions from VERGE 2019 was a presentation by Amory Lovins on the expanding energy efficiency cornucopia. Among several things, he discussed the vital benefit of energy efficiency in working toward environmental sustainability through emissions reductions without

...