Constructive Voices
Sustainability
Articles and podcasts about Sustainability in the built environment
SustainabilitySmart water solutions contribute to low-carbon agenda in the Hunter
A two-year contract extension signed between Veolia and Hunter Water is set to secure more than just high-quality water services for the region. As the country’s leading water experts, Veolia will deploy solutions involving innovative technology to deliver against enhanced wastewater targets and generate the highest-quality water the Lower Hunter has seen. While nurturing the […]
admin · 9/21/2021
ArchitectureEpisode 13: How Women Can Create Sustainable Change, Especially in Light of the IPCC Report
What’s on in Episode 13? In Episode Thirteen, Henry McDonald interviews two women who are leading lights when it comes to creating sustainable change within the construction industry, especially in light of the IPCC Report of August 2021. Check out the 1-minute trailer for Episode Thirteen https://youtu.be/7s6h3KROSHc Emma Nicholson, B.A, MSc, FCIOB, FIEMA, FWES, […]
Jackie De Burca · 9/20/2021
Construction NewsTwo more visionary leaders elected to UKGBC’s Board of Trustees at today’s AGM
<p>UKGBC confirms appointment of Chris Oglesby and Estelle Bailey to its Board of Trustees.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ukgbc.org/news/two-more-visionary-leaders-elected-to-ukgbcs-board-of-trustees-at-todays-agm/">Two more visionary leaders elected to UKGBC’s Board of Trustees at today’s AGM</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ukgbc.org">UKGBC - UK Green Building Council</a>.</p>
admin · 9/16/2021
SustainabilityHeliostat technology shifts sunlight to the streets below
The glittering golden jewel that crowns Billbergia’s 39-storey tower at Rhodes Central in Sydney’s Inner West is much more than an eye-catching architectural feature. The 27-m-high structure that crowns the building is a piece of world-leading technology that could place Australia firmly at the forefront of solar-related innovation. The heliostat — from ‘helios’ meaning ‘sun’ […]
admin · 9/16/2021
Construction NewsWorldGBC Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment expands scope to include embodied carbon
<p>Today, WorldGBC announces an update to the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment (the Commitment), expanding its scope to recognise enhanced leadership action in tackling embodied carbon emissions from the building and construction […]</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ukgbc.org/news/worldgbc-net-zero-carbon-buildings-commitment-expands-scope-to-include-embodied-carbon/">WorldGBC Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment expands scope to include embodied carbon</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ukgbc.org">UKGBC - UK Green Building Council</a>.</p>
admin · 9/15/2021
Construction NewsDefining Reuse: Why adopting ISO definitions will help encourage circularity
<p>Rachel Hoolahan from Orms answers the question 'what is reuse?' and explains the role it can have in a sustainable built environment. </p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ukgbc.org/news/defining-reuse-why-adopting-iso-definitions-will-help-encourage-circularity/">Defining Reuse: Why adopting ISO definitions will help encourage circularity</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ukgbc.org">UKGBC - UK Green Building Council</a>.</p>
admin · 9/13/2021
Net ZeroQld's full-size electric bus powered by 100% solar
The transport sector accounts for 18.9% of Australia’s carbon emissions, so expanding the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is one of the most effective ways to lower these emissions. Global e-mobility leader and bus operator Transdev has now risen to the task, placing what is claimed to be Australia’s first 100% sustainably powered full-size electric […]
admin · 9/9/2021
SustainabilityProgram to help councils supercharge climate action
The Cities Power Partnership and Ironbark Sustainability have joined forces to launch an Australian program that will enable local governments to make evidence-based decisions when investing in emissions reduction projects. The pilot program uses the Cities Activity Database (CAD), Ironbark Sustainability’s tool, that categorises data from about 13,000 climate activities from more than 800 cities […]
admin · 9/9/2021
Construction NewsSmall Developers, Net Gain and Planning with Biodiversity in Mind
<p>Oliver Lewis from Joe’s Blooms discusses how we can move forward to balance the government’s ‘Net Gain’ planning policy and smaller developer’s needs.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ukgbc.org/news/small-developers-net-gain-biodiversity/">Small Developers, Net Gain and Planning with Biodiversity in Mind</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ukgbc.org">UKGBC - UK Green Building Council</a>.</p>
admin · 9/8/2021
Construction NewsSELECT MD Alan Wilson says construction industry needs ‘certainty and momentum’ if it’s to meet the low-carbon challenge
The Managing Director of SELECT, Scotland’s largest construction trade association, says “certainty and momentum” are the key ingredients if the industry is to successfully build on the outcome of the upcoming COP26 summit. Alan Wilson says it’s essential for the good work to continue after world leaders have left the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on 12th November. […]
admin · 9/8/2021
Australia Built EnvironmentAustralia must reach net zero emissions: ATSE
Ahead of the COP26 Climate Change Summit in November, the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) calls on the federal government to commit to and announce immediate and decisive action to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. Having considered the scientific evidence, and the urgency called for in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change […]
admin · 9/5/2021
SustainabilityHarvesting biomass from wastewater recycling
Environmental health experts at Flinders University are advancing research into a highly sustainable wastewater recycling program by developing a cost-effective way to harvest microalgal biomass for use in biofuels and other applications. The high-rate algal pond (HRAP) model, recycling wastewater at two regional South Australian locations at Kingston-on-Murray and Peterborough, uses algae and bacteria to […]
admin · 9/1/2021
Construction NewsNet Zero Carbon, a huge retrofit and Salix funding: An Introduction to the Wolfson College Decarbonisation Process
<p>Bill Watts, Senior Partner at Max Fordham, writes about the Net Zero Carbon and retrofitting case study at Wolfson College, Oxford. </p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ukgbc.org/news/max-fordham-wolfson-college-retrofit%e2%80%af/">Net Zero Carbon, a huge retrofit and Salix funding: An Introduction to the Wolfson College Decarbonisation Process </a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ukgbc.org">UKGBC - UK Green Building Council</a>.</p>
admin · 9/1/2021
ArchitectureUAE / Wetland Wins the Golden Lion for Best National Participation at the 2021 Venice Biennale
<p>The <a href="https://www.labiennale.org/en/architecture/2021/united-arab-emirates?utm_medium=website&utm_source=archdaily.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Arab Emirates</a> has won the <a href="/tag/golden-lion">Golden Lion</a> for Best National Participation at the 2021 Venice Biennale, with its contribution entitled <a href="https://www.archdaily.com/925543/ibda-design-to-curate-the-uae-pavilion-at-the-2020-venice-biennale" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wetland</a> curated by <a href="https://www.archdaily.com/tag/wael-al-awar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wael Al Awar</a> and <a href="https://www.archdaily.com/tag/kenichi-teramoto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kenichi Teramoto</a>. Selected by a jury that consists of <a class="c-link" href="https://www.archdaily.com/tag/kazuyo-sejima" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Kazuyo Sejima</a> (president-Japan), <a class="c-link" href="https://www.archdaily.com/tag/sandra-barclay" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Sandra Barclay</a> (Peru), Lamia Joreige (Lebanon), <a class="c-link" href="https://www.archdaily.com/tag/lesley-lokko" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Lesley Lokko</a> (Ghana-Scotland), and <a class="c-link" href="https://www.archdaily.com/tag/luca-molinari" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Luca Molinari</a> (Italy), the winning contribution at the <a href="https://www.archdaily.com/tag/venice-biennale-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">17th Venice Architecture Biennale</a> explores the local geography of the <a class="c-link" href="https://www.archdaily.com/tag/uae" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-sk="tooltip_parent">United Arab Emirates</a> to find alternatives to cement, one of the key emitters of the world's carbon dioxide.</p>
admin · 8/30/2021
Environment‘Everything is changing’: the struggle for food as Malawi’s Lake Chilwa shrinks
<p>The livelihoods of 1.5 million people are at risk as the lake’s occasional dry spells occur ever more frequently<br><br>• All photographs by Dennis Lupenga/WaterAid</p><p>There was a time when the vast Lake Chilwa almost disappeared. In 2012 it had been extremely hot in southern Malawi, with little rain to fill the rivers that ran into the lake.</p><p>“Many fishermen were forced to scramble for land near the lake banks, while others had to migrate to the city,” says Alfred Samuel. “We could barely feed our children because the lake could not provide enough fish, or water for rice growing.”</p><p>An aerial view of the bed of Lake Chilwa, now covered in grass, last October</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/aug/30/everything-is-changing-struggle-for-food-as-malawis-lake-chilwa-shrinks">Continue reading...</a>
admin · 8/30/2021
Construction NewsSika launches total green roofing package
Market leading roofing manufacturer, Sika, has launched a complete Green Roof package, supplying both the high performance roof waterproofing system and the green roof system, all backed by its trusted technical and application support. Specifiers can now go to Sika’s roofing experts for the full spectrum of roofing technologies, from hot melt structural waterproofing and […]
admin · 8/27/2021
Construction NewsGlobal Women in Construction Virtual Event 3rd to 4th November 2021 - Registration from 8th September
We are excited to announce the first-ever Global Women in Construction Virtual Event from 3rd to 4th November 2021. Global Women in Construction Virtual Event 3rd to 4th November 2021 In partnership with CCR Magazine, we will bring you some excellent speakers and topics for the first edition of Global Women in Construction. Karalynn Cromeens, […]
Jackie De Burca · 8/26/2021
ArchitectureEpisode Eleven: Gavin Tonnet of utecture on city-changing urban renewal projects and transformational virtual pre-construction technology. Pete The Builder talks about The Tool Revolution
Henry McDonald interviews Gavin Tonnet of utecture about city-changing urban renewal projects and transformational virtual pre-construction technology. Who is Gavin Tonnet? Gavin is a recognised expert and leader in the property space having created and led businesses for Mirvac, Leighton, Stockland and Japanese giant, Sekisui House. He was responsible for many significant city-changing urban renewal […]
Gavin Tonnet · 8/25/2021
Construction NewsUKGBC opens applications for Cost-Benefit Review of Nature-Based Solutions Task Group
<p>The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has today opened applications for a new Task Group to shape content for a cost-benefit review of nature-based solutions.</p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ukgbc.org/news/ukgbc-opens-applications-for-cost-benefit-review-of-nature-based-solutions-task-group/">UKGBC opens applications for Cost Benefit Review of Nature-Based Solutions Task Group</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ukgbc.org">UKGBC - UK Green Building Council</a>.</p>
admin · 8/24/2021
Construction NewsThe Importance of Retrofitting in Advancing Net Zero
<p>Architect and UKGBC Sustainability Consultant Antonia Khayatt discusses retrofitting and the Build Upon2 programme. </p> <p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ukgbc.org/news/the-importance-of-retrofitting-in-advancing-net-zero/">The Importance of Retrofitting in Advancing Net Zero</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ukgbc.org">UKGBC - UK Green Building Council</a>.</p>
admin · 8/23/2021
InterviewsInterview with Emma Nicholson, B.A, MSc, FCIOB, FIEMA, FWES, CEnv, FAPM, the Founding Director of Women in Sustainable Construction and Property
Jackie De BurcaSo I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Emma Nicholson. Emma, you’re a woman in construction with many letters after your name. Can you tell us what they mean and who you are professionally? In 2010, you became a Charter Environmentalist Emma NicholsonHi Jackie. Yes, of course. So I have 23 years […]
Jackie De Burca · 8/18/2021