A survey of construction industry professionals in the UK has found that uncontrolled value engineering and poor workmanship present the biggest risks to the built environment. The study was commissioned by the British Board of Agrément (BBA), a major UK body for issuing certificates for... View full entry
As the world heats up and sea levels rise, communities in the U.S. could spend more than $400 billion on seawalls to try to hold the ocean back over the next couple of decades. But there’s a catch: Building a seawall in one area can often mean that flooding gets even worse in another neighborhood or city nearby. — Fast Company
A new paper from The Natural Capital Project at Stanford University that examines how seawalls might impact California's Bay Area was published this spring, adding to a slate of similar scholarship surrounding seawalls that have cropped up in recent years. Other efforts have seen a... View full entry
The European Commission, acting on behalf of the European Union, has unveiled details of the “European Green Deal,” with the ambitious aim of making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. To achieve this, all 27 EU Member States will pledge to reduce emissions by at least 55% by... View full entry
A former shopping center near downtown Los Angeles is getting a makeover thanks to an innovative new design that promises to take CLT building to brand new levels. LEVER Architecture is bringing mass timber construction to LA's Chinatown with a sizeable new office building that will add four new... View full entry
Increased climate change issues have greatly influenced changes in architecture and design approaches. So how can homes, commercial buildings, and land exude better sustainability practices? This week Archinect highlights nine firms that specialize in sustainable design measures to help improve... View full entry
The Architects Foundation has announced the recipients for four of its scholarship programs aimed at supporting future leaders in equity, diversity, and sustainability in the architecture profession. A philanthropic partner of the American Institute of Architects, the Architects Foundation has... View full entry
The World Architecture Festival Awards (WAFX Award) has announced 12 project initiatives that aim to address "some of the world’s most pressing challenges." The 2021 awards program celebrates project proposals from across the world tackling today’s global issues, ranging from pandemic control... View full entry
Following almost two years of work-from-home orders, businesses and governments are seeking to bring employees back to traditional workplaces. While working from home will continue to form part of many businesses’ employment structures in the long term, a separate question lingers over... View full entry
A team of researchers at Northeastern University has created a sustainable material that can cool buildings without the need for conventional AC systems. Led by associate professor Yi Zheng from the university’s College of Engineering, the team has developed a “cooling paper” made from... View full entry
Plans for Shanghai’s latest corporate project have been unveiled this week, adding a giant allusion to food production in the form of a swirling tree-covered building that will add a rural feel to the city’s rapidly growing Lingang section. MVDRV’s design for Lankuaikei... View full entry
A new scientific paper has warned of the looming environmental and social consequences of the world’s appetite for sand. The study, headed by Aurora Torres at Michigan State University’s fisheries and wildlife school, notes that the global demand for sand and gravel is set to double by... View full entry
Decarbonising the construction industry is something in which Oslo wants to lead the world. And it's with good reason. At present, the construction sector alone is responsible for more than 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The impact of construction is even more evident when looking at CO2 emissions from energy use – with the sector contributing 38% of the world's emissions. — BBC News
Matthew Keegan explores how cities like Oslo, Helsinki and Copenhagen are working to clean up one of the world's most high-emission industries. View full entry
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has partnered with Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope in releasing a new report titled Business Opportunities & Sustainability Trends Amidst a Pandemic, studying the impact of COVID-19 on design firm business conditions. The report, which is freely available via... View full entry
The cases against concrete and its environmental impacts are prevalent in the AEC community. As a result, numerous attempts and research initiatives have been made to help mitigate the material's environmental impact. Research from firms like Snøhetta and their net-zero concrete to companies like... View full entry
Now in its fifth edition, the CAB Student Ideas Competition, hosted by the Chicago Architecture Biennial (CAB), encourages middle and high school students to explore design in their immediate built environment. The competition invited students to discover how "design can play a role in... View full entry
