HEADLINES ARCHIVE
Nepal Rebuilding Cost Could Exceed $10 billion
The cost to rebuild Nepal after its most devastating earthquake in eight decades on April 25 will exceed $10 billion and take years, Finance Minister Ram S. Mahat says.
Assessing Flood Risk Proves to Be a Complex Problem
A team from the University of Adelaide's school of civil, environmental and mining engineering has unveiled findings that shed light on the issue of flood risk in the latest issue of Nature Climate Change.
Dubai Seeks to Cut Carbon Emissions with Rules Aimed at Cement
Dubai mandates the use of green cement in constructing new buildings that protects the environment and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Embedded Sensors Could Help Diagnose Building Faults
Researchers at Michigan State University College of Engineering are working with technology known as substrate computing.
"Smart" Facades Engineered to Save Energy
Many glass-fronted office buildings are energy intensive, requiring extensive heating in winter and cooling in summer to ensure comfortable temperatures for the building's occupants.
Grant Awarded to Examine Advanced Manufacturing in Construction Supply Chain
BRE is part of consortium awarded a £22m grant from the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) to look at advanced manufacturing in the construction supply chain.
UK Research Program Tackles Built Environment Resilience
The BRE Trust announces a three-year funding program to improve the resilience of buildings and infrastructure to the growing threats of flooding, wind damage and overheating associated with climate change.
Flood-Related Guidance Development for Water Resource Practitioners
This article provides context and a high-level overview of a CSA Group document that provides specific guidance on the derivation, interpretation and use of IDF information: “Development, interpretation and use of rainfall intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) information: Guideline for Canadian water resources practitioners (second edition)”, CSA Group, 2010 (v1), 2012 (v2).
DOE Seeks Comments on Assessing Building Energy Code Cost-Effectiveness
Directed by statute to provide technical assistance to states to support the implementation of model building energy codes, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) conducts national and state-level analysis to assess the cost-effectiveness of building energy codes and proposed changes.
Plant Cell Structure Could Improve Renewable Materials
An advance in the understanding of wood has led to an increased potential for using plants in renewable materials, energy and building construction.
China to Finance Bulk of $2 billion Iran-Pakistan Pipeline
China will reportedly finance a $2bn, 1682km natural gas pipeline from Iran to Pakistan.
Anchor Rod on Bay Bridge May Have Snapped: News Report
Engineers working for the California Department of Transportation are reported to have found evidence that one of the 25-foot-long rods that anchor the new Bay Bridge eastern span’s tower may have snapped after it was installed.
Improved Traffic Signal Management Could Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions
A study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology says that better programming of a city's traffic light could reduce delays, improve efficiency and reduce vehicle emissions.
Construction Costs Driven Lower by Falling Oil and Commodity Prices
Construction costs fell in March, according to IHS and the Procurement Executives Group (PEG). The headline current IHS PEG Engineering and Construction Cost Index (ECCI) registered 44.7 in March, a slight uptick from February’s record low, but still considerably below a neutral reading.
Flood Resistant Design and Construction Standard Receives Update
Standard ASCE/SEI 24-14, Flood Resistant Design and Construction, updates and replaces the previous Standard, ASCE/SEI 24-05. It provides essential guidance on design and construction to structural engineers, design professionals, code officials, floodplain managers and building owners.
Global Water Use May Outstrip Supply by Mid-century, Spur Innovation
Population growth could cause global demand for water to outpace supply by mid-century if current levels of consumption continue. But it would not be the first time this has happened, a Duke University study finds.
Water System Retrofit to Withstand Quakes Could Cost Billions, Los Angeles Utility Says
Retrofitting Los Angeles, Calif.’s, water infrastructure to better withstand a major earthquake could cost up to $15 billion over the next 20 years, the city's water engineers say in a report released March 23.
Membranes Deliver Clean Water More Efficiently
Researchers from the Melbourne School of Engineering at the University of Melbourne, in conjunction with Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, have developed new membranes or micro-filters that are expected to clean water in a more energy efficient manner using layer-by-layer polymer assembly.
Smart Sensors Hit the Road
Engineering360 looks at how electronics sensors are playing a role in monitoring U.S. infrastructure.
BRE Global and UL Environment Recognize Product Declarations
Built environment certification body BRE Global and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Environment, a research and standards body that supports businesses and manufacturers to be more sustainable.