On builders’ Declare movement and how they finally get a brains trust The Fifth Estate - our view News from the front desk, issue 489: In exciting news, it looks like builders and tradies might finally have a way to collaborate and learn from each other. 1
Breathing space and life after climate change Stephen Dark Life in the civilised lane is rule-bound and consumption-driven to the point that it is not unusual for our heartfelt aspirations to run contrary to the promise of modern living.…
Research project to build level playing field for local energy consumers 16 June 2015 BRIEF – A new research project aims to improve the economics of local energy generation for Australian consumers.
Cooling technology: US researchers develop zero energy “airconditioner” Cameron Jewell | 13 February 2017 US researchers have developed a metamaterial they say could be used to help cool buildings without the use of energy or water. The glass-polymer hybrid film, developed by engineers at…
ANU’s space-age breakthrough could make buildings more efficient 6 July 2017 A breakthrough material developed by ANU scientists could not only protect astronauts from dangerous infrared radiation and ultraviolet light, it could be used to keep heat in or out of buildings.
Concrete made from wood. How about that! Willow Aliento | 12 July 2017 Swiss researchers may have found a radical way to make concrete greener, lighter and easier to recycle – by manufacturing it from wood.
How cigarette butts could help make our streets cooler 8 August 2017 The cigarette butts littering the street could soon have a new life within those very streets, thanks to research out of RMIT University.
Would more people buy solar panels if they were green? Cameron Jewell | 16 August 2017 Green solar panels that blend in with nature; red solar panels on a terracotta roof; white solar hidden on a wall. Researchers have discovered a way to turn typically black and blue solar panels a shade of green, and potentially any colour imaginable.
Want better concrete? Just add plastic Katie Camero | 31 October 2017 Concrete infused with plastic can create stronger, more flexible structures, reducing the material’s global carbon footprint and redirecting plastics from landfill, according to a study by MIT students.
How to calculate the wellbeing benefits of plants Willow Aliento | 1 November 2017 How adding plants to walls and roofs can improve indoor environment quality. New research by RMIT and the University of Melbourne has a few of the answers, and an app to help.
