Geotechnical & Environmental

20 Dec 22

Biomimicry innovations set to transform urban construction

Geotechnical & Environmental

The Ray of Hope Prize from the US Biomimicry Institute is an annual programme that supports the top nature-inspired start-ups whose innovations have the potential to solve critical environmental and social issues. Among the 2022 finalists are two organisations with innovations that can transform urban construction, Mycocyle and Metavoxel, which…

05 Dec 22

‘Time to get serious’ with net-zero homes, UK heating industry tells government

Geotechnical & Environmental

Mike Foster, CEO of the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), has called for full-village trials of heat pumps to be set up to explore the possible heating options available for each home; the likely associated costs of reinforcing the electricity network, and how consumers view the change. In his call,…

28 Nov 22

UK pledges £1bn to insulate middle-income homes

Geotechnical & Environmental

The government's recently announced Eco+ scheme could see hundreds of thousands of homes across the country receive loft and cavity wall insulation, saving consumers around £310 a year, according to the energy secretary. The £1bn scheme will run for three years from Spring 2023 and target households that do not…

24 Nov 22

Exeter tops UK’s greenest city centre list; Glasgow bottom

Geotechnical & Environmental

The study compared the greenness of tree cover, vegetation and the presence of parks – factors that have been linked with positive outcomes for health, the economy, education and crime. Researchers from Flinders University, University of Sheffield, University of Melbourne and Environmental Protection Authority Victoria evaluated urban centres with larger…

08 Nov 22

Net zero buildings: the future of construction?

Geotechnical & Environmental

With humanity scrambling to respond to climate change, countless companies, investors, public sector bodies and national governments have made commitments to achieve ‘net zero’ carbon emissions in the next two or three decades. Net zero is the notion that any greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted through an organisation’s activities must be balanced out through…

19 Oct 22

Smart cities can beat the heat if stakeholders work together

Geotechnical & Environmental

The threat that climate change poses to those living and working in urban areas came to the fore this summer as the UK experienced a record-breaking 40°C heatwave. With warnings from the World Health Organisation that extreme temperature events are set to increase in frequency, duration, and magnitude, it’s crucial…

13 Oct 22

The measure of: Ocean Builders’ SeaPod

Geotechnical & Environmental

Billed as the world’s first eco-restorative floating home, the SeaPod addresses the lack of space in desirable seaside destinations, incorporating advanced green technology to be both sustainable and comfortable. The range includes three models designed by Dutch architect Koen Olthuis: the SeaPod, the EcoPod and a GreenPod engineered for use…

28 Sep 22

Hydrogen could prove inefficient for heating homes, despite government claims

Geotechnical & Environmental

Hydrogen will not have a major role in the future of heating homes across Britain, according to a peer-reviewed analysis of more than two dozen independent studies, published in the academic journal Joule. The research found that using hydrogen in domestic heating is less economic; less efficient; more resource intensive, and…

26 Sep 22

Tackling the hidden risk from building with wood

Geotechnical & Environmental

The UK saw record temperatures this summer, causing widespread wildfires and droughts. This extreme weather could become a regular seasonal occurrence, affecting us all in years to come. Alongside the looming threat from fire, to make matters worse the fire retardants we use to protect building materials often contain dangerous…

23 Sep 22

Climate change puts coastal castles at risk

Geotechnical & Environmental

Conservation charity English Heritage has issued a warning regarding the danger that climate change poses to the survival of several castles on the UK coastline, some of which have stood for hundreds of years. The charity, which manages over 400 historic sites across England, highlighted six castles threatened by coastal…