One billion homes could be created from the world's plastic waste.The Othalo project will create demonstrator homes for Kenya, Cameroon and Senegal.160 million affordable homes are needed in sub-Saharan Africa alone. Using one of the world's problems to solve another is the philosophy behind a Norwegian start-up's mission to develop affordable housing from 100% recycled plastic. Since 1950, more than nine billion tonnes of plastic have been produ...

Cement is vital in the construction industry, being the glue that holds concrete together.But cement production accounts for around 8% of global CO₂ emissions.Low-carbon alternatives are available and could help to revolutionize the way we build cities to mitigate against climate change. August 22 is Earth Overshoot Day, which marks the date when humanity's demand for ecological resources in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that ...

Emissions from buildings and the construction industry are reducing the chance of reaching the Paris Agreement targets.In 2019, these emissions hit an all-time high.GlobalABC's new Buildings Climate Tracker also showed the annual rate of progress on decarbonising buildings is slowing down. Planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions from buildings and construction are jeopardising global goals to keep devastating climate change at bay, a U.N.-backed ...

What is the most common form of human infrastructure in the world? It may well be the fence. Recent estimates suggest that the total length of all fencing around the globe is 10 times greater than the total length of roads. If our planet's fences were stretched end to end, they would likely bridge the distance from Earth to the Sun multiple times. On every continent, from cities to rural areas and from ancient to modern times, humans have built f...

Cement is vital in the construction industry, being the glue that holds concrete together.But cement production accounts for around 8% of global CO₂ emissions.Low-carbon alternatives are available and could help to revolutionize the way we build cities to mitigate against climate change. August 22 is Earth Overshoot Day, which marks the date when humanity's demand for ecological resources in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that ...

Although the coronavirus pandemic has dominated recent headlines, climate change hasn't gone away. Many experts are calling for a "green" economic recovery that directs investments into low-carbon energy sources and technologies. Buildings account for 40% of total energy consumption in the U.S., compared to 32% for industry and 28% for transportation. States and cities with ambitious climate action plans are working to reduce emissions from the b...

As high-rise cities grow upwards and outwards, increasing numbers of birds die by crashing into glass buildings each year. And of course many others break beaks, wings and legs or suffer other physical harm. But we can help eradicate the danger by good design. Most research into building-related bird deaths has been done in the United States and Canada, where cities such as Toronto and New York City are located on bird migration paths. In New Yor...