Recycled bricks: Decarbonising the Construction Industry

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The embodied carbon of K-Briqs is less than 5% of that of standard bricks

 

Scottish firm Kenoteq has developed recycled brick tech — called K-Briq — to reduce the carbon footprint of the construction industry.  The company aims to reduce the carbon footprint of construction materials and address the issue of construction waste, which accounts for about 40% of the world’s waste.  Brick manufacturing also accounts for 2.7 per cent of global carbon emissions.

About K-Briq: K-Briqs — made from plasterboard, brick, mortar, rubble, and stone — have a carbon footprint of less than 5% compared to that of standard bricks, Kenoteq’s head of business development Lucy Black said, this is achieved by recycling materials destined for landfills, reducing the need for energy and carbon-intensive raw material extraction and mining.

What’s next? The bricks are currently certified for interior use, with the company in the final stages of securing certification for external applications in the UK, Europe, and the US. The company also supplied bricks for the Dubai Holding exhibition space at COP28 and held meetings at the summit to drum up interest in the region.

Source: Enterprise

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Mortgage Rates Falling

UK mortgage rates have fallen, with the lowest five-year fixed rate dropping below 4% for the first time since April 2024.

Nationwide Building Society is leading the charge, offering a 3.99% five-year fix and cutting other fixed deals by up to 0.25 percentage points.

This follows similar moves by other major lenders, driven by competition and hopes of falling interest rates. The drop in rates could save borrowers hundreds of pounds a month, providing relief for those facing higher repayments as they come off old deals.

While fixed rates are declining, Nationwide has increased the margin on some of its variable rate tracker deals.

The Bank of England’s next interest rate decision in August could see the base rate cut, potentially leading to further reductions in mortgage rates. However, some economists predict that the Bank of England may not cut rates until September.

Rachel Springall, finance expert at Moneyfactscompare.co.uk, said:

“Mortgage rates could fall further, but it is difficult to tell how quickly and by what margins.

“Typically, a brand with a large presence in the market that cuts rates can encourage other lenders to review their rates to compete, so as the lowest five-year rates have edged closer to 4% from some of the biggest high street brands (Halifax, Lloyds Bank, Barclays Mortgage, NatWest), the market did appear on course to reveal a sub-4% deal.

“Borrowers sitting on the fence may remain patient for a little while longer. However, on the flip side, those who feel this might now be their chance could see if they can lock into a deal early, as some lenders will let borrowers do this from three to six months in advance.

“Those waiting for the Bank of England to cut base rate may be crossing their fingers for August, but this has split opinions among economists who are now pointing towards September at the earliest due to stubborn service inflation.”

Source: Scottish Construction Now

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Austrailia Trials Modular to Meet Housing Targets

A pre-fabricated modular home (Facebook/Chris Minns)

Austrailian Premier Chris Minns announced ‘an important milestone in our work to utilise nontraditional methods of delivering more homes sooner’.  Pre-built modular homes will be trialled in New South Wales to boost social housing, as research shows new-home construction targets will not be met.

Sites in Wollongong and Lake Macquarie have been selected to trial modular social homes under a state government trial to speed up the delivery of new homes.

The government is still working through regulatory barriers for modular housing, which has not been rolled out at scale before.

The homes – previously used as temporary accommodation – are constructed using prefabricated modules made off-site to speed up the building process by 20% compared with traditional methods. Housing costs and availability were putting pressure on people in NSW and the state needed to use “nontraditional methods” to deliver homes sooner, the premier, Chris Minns, said on Monday.

“We are pulling every lever we can to tackle the housing crisis,” he said.

The housing and homelessness minister, Rose Jackson, said the trial was a step towards revolutionising public housing delivery.

“Leveraging modern construction methods will help us provide sustainable, quality housing faster for the people that need it most,” she said.

The government was working with the state’s building commission on standards for offsite manufacturing of homes.

 

The Wollongong MP, Paul Scully, said:

“Modular and modern methods of construction are used to produce award-winning architecturally designed homes in a timely and efficient manner, so it makes sense to trial this approach to construction as part of the Minns government’s commitment to build more social housing.”

Research from Oxford Economics Australia on Monday predicted more than one in five of the 1.2m dwellings the nation is trying to build over the next five years will not be completed.

Meanwhile business groups, universities and unions that were part of the Housing Now! alliance called for the appointment of a coordinator general to drive the delivery of new homes in NSW.

The role would direct government agencies to resolve planning challenges, reassess major, unapproved housing projects in a bid to resolve issues and guide government on infrastructure investment.

“A dedicated housing coordinator would cut through swathes of red tape, compel government agencies to address issues and inform cabinet on how to progress major housing projects stuck in the planning system,” said David Borger, the Housing Now! chair.

The recommendation was one of 10 the alliance made in its 2024 policy platform launched on Monday.

Other policies included rezoning to allow housing to be constructed at places of worship, alternative planning pathways for university accommodation, and better security for renters with an end to no-grounds evictions.

Borger was scheduled to appear before a parliamentary inquiry into a proposal to develop the Rosehill racecourse in Sydney’s west into a mini-city of up to 25,000 homes.

The inquiry, chaired by the opposition housing spokesperson, Scott Farlow, will examine what role the government played and the associated impacts on transport infrastructure and the horse-racing industry.

 

Source: The Guardian

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STA Says Timber is the Way

In response to the King’s speech the Structural Timber Association (STA) is calling on the new government to prioritise more sustainable building technologies, primarily offsite timber frame.

In her first speech as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves outlined a number of new plans that will aid the government in delivering 1.5 million homes over the next five years. These include reinstating mandatory housing targets for Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) and opening a consultation on a new approach to planning before the end of the month. However, there is one factor that Ms Reeves failed to consider: net zero. If the same amount of attention currently given to the climate crisis continues, eventually we might not have a suitable place to build new homes.

According to the latest government figures the UK’s built environment is responsible for 25% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. With this in mind, STA have claimed developers and housebuilders must switch the materials they’re using for greener alternatives – particularly timber. The company have claimed there is existing capacity in the established structural timber manufacturing sector of 120 members to double timber frame manufacturing output to achieve 100,000 homes per annum.

What’s more, the STA remarked that this contribution of 33% of the government’s target would be a huge step forward.

‘The STA whole-heartedly supports The Chancellor’s ambitious plans for housing growth, but we must emphasise that simply building more houses is not enough; we must embrace a fundamental change in the way we build our homes. As a clean technology that offers lower carbon than other building materials, automated offsite manufacture for better quality and shorter construction times, structural timber is the quickest way to bring about this change,’ said Andrew Carpenter, chief executive officer at the STA.

‘The structural timber industry has the capacity and capable to support the new Government in building 300,000 homes a year. With increased automation in offsite manufacture, the structural timber sector can deliver both higher volumes and better quality.’

‘Indeed, many of the major housebuilders are already recognising that we’ve reached a tipping point within the industry, with companies including Vistry, Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Developments, Cala Homes and Avant Homes seeing the benefits of building in offsite timber frame,’ Carpenter added. ‘Our industry requires clear actionable policies, policies that put MMC and Carbon Reduction, and therefore structural timber, at the forefront of supporting government in the delivery of their housing goals. The policies put in place now will have a significant impact on the UK’s ability to deliver housing targets, great places to live and reducing carbon to achieve net zero. This will be the legacy for decades to come.’

Source: NewStart Magazine

 

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Dutch Data Centres with an eye to water conservation

 

The Dutch Data Center Association (DDA) and H2oVortex proudly present their latest whitepaper, highlighting groundbreaking advancements in sustainable water usage for data centres. As global digital infrastructure continues to expand, data centres are increasingly crucial, operating 24/7 to power our digital society. However, the energy-intensive nature of cooling systems poses significant environmental challenges, particularly concerning water and energy consumption.

Balancing Act of Water and Energy:

Data centers traditionally use large quantities of water for cooling, which can significantly reduce their overall power consumption. However, this reliance on water, especially during hot summer months, necessitates a transition towards more sustainable practices  .

H2oVortex’s Circular Cooling Solution:

The whitepaper introduces a revolutionary approach by H2oVortex, which reduces the water footprint of data centers by up to 40% and cuts water consumption by up to 95%. This solution employs chemical-free, circular cooling water treatment through three key steps: pre-filtration, treatment, and recovery and reuse  .

Alternative Water Sources:

To further enhance sustainability, data centers are encouraged to use non-potable water sources such as surface water, rainwater, and wastewater. Techniques like Activated Filter Media (AFM) and Membrane Prefiltration (MPF) ensure these sources are viable for cooling purposes, significantly reducing the dependency on drinking water  .

Industry Impact and Future Prospects:

The Dutch data center industry, already recognized for its efficiency, is set to lead global standards with these innovations. By integrating such sustainable practices, data centers can mitigate water stress and contribute positively to local ecosystems  .

“Engaging with stakeholders early, adapting systems used in other industries, and ensuring continuous monitoring and maintenance are essential to maintaining water-efficient operations. These combined efforts can help data centers not only avoid contributing to water stress but also become part of the solution“, says Stijn Grove, Managing Director of Dutch Data Center Association.

Mark Boeren, CTO of H2ovortex, added, “Our technology not only conserves water but also enhances operational efficiency, proving that environmental responsibility and business success can go hand in hand.”

 

click here for the white paper

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High-Quality Lighting Solutions from Offices to Retail Spaces

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Transforming Workspaces: High-Quality Lighting Solutions from Offices to Retail Spaces

TRILUX, a leading provider of innovative lighting solutions, is proud to announce the successful culmination of a seven-year collaboration with luxury Polish brand WITTCHEN. This partnership has transformed WITTCHEN’s headquarters, encompassing office spaces, logistics, and warehouse areas, with superior, energy-efficient lighting that enhances working conditions while minimising power consumption. This achievement has also earned WITTCHEN significant energy efficiency certifications.

WITTCHEN, renowned for its exclusive leather clothing, accessories, and suitcases, operates its headquarters and distribution centre from Palmiry, near Warsaw. Committed to creating a comfortable, inspiring workplace and reducing CO2 emissions, WITTCHEN undertook a comprehensive modernisation of its lighting systems, turning to TRILUX for its expertise.

The collaboration commenced in 2017 with TRILUX developing a bespoke lighting concept for WITTCHEN’s new 3,000-square-metre office building and outlet. Prioritising high lighting quality for employee well-being and safety, aesthetic luminaire design and high energy efficiency, TRILUX installed 544 lighting solutions. This included the award-winning SOLVAN FLOW pendant luminaires, enhancing the office’s interior elegance, and 60 CANILO track spotlights, showcasing WITTCHEN’s luxury products in the outlet.

 

Following the successful office project, TRILUX extended its involvement to WITTCHEN’s logistics centre, installing nearly 300 E-LINE NEXT LED continuous line luminaires across the new 8,500-square-metre facility. With an energy efficiency of up to 190 lm/W and a lifespan of 70,000 hours, these lights ensure consistently low operating costs and exceptional lighting quality. For the warehouse refurbishment, TRILUX provided a combination of E-LINE NEXT LED, MIRONA FIT LED high-bay luminaires, and DEVEO FIT LED moisture-proof luminaires, all managed via the TRILUX LIVELINK light management system.

 

“Throughout the various project phases, we consistently addressed challenges and met WITTCHEN’s needs with solutions that offered long-term investment value,” said Marcin Szymanski, Project Manager at TRILUX.

 

 

Modernising the warehouse lighting and implementing a light management system significantly improved lighting quality and reduced electricity consumption by 120 MWh per year. This efficiency led to WITTCHEN receiving Energy Savings Certificates, accelerating the return on investment. Additionally, the reduction in peak power consumption enabled the installation of a dedicated electric vehicle charging station on the company premises for public use.

 

Hubert Pienkowski of WITTCHEN commented,

“As demanding customers, we value the quality of the products and services we receive. In evaluating potential lighting suppliers, TRILUX met our expectations with its product quality, punctual delivery, competitive prices, and technical support.”

CLICK HERE to learn more about TRILUX

 

 

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Solar Farms or Dependence on Putin

 ‘we can’t carry on as we are’, Rachel Reeves insisting that the UK is in dire need of more energy infrastructure

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has a simple message to those who oppose the government’s plans for three new giant solar farms – not building new energy infrastructure will put us “at the mercy” of foreign dictators.

The move, which could power more than 400,000 homes, was welcomed by campaign groups and industry figures, but it is not without its opposition. Both Suffolk and Cambridgeshire County Councils have opposed the Sunnica solar farm scheme on their borders.

Tory West Suffolk MP Nick Timothy told the BBC the decision to green-light the 2,500-acre project was “quite disgraceful and quite arrogant”, arguing it would divide villages and affect a protected Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Asked if she thought people are going to have to “suck it up” and “tolerate things in their local communities that they don’t want” in the interest of growing the economy, Reeves said the new Labour government will have to make “tough decisions”.

“We can’t carry on like we are. We can’t carry on not building energy infrastructure and not building housing,” she told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.

“Because if we carry on like we are, energy bills are going to continue to go through the roof, we’re going to continue to be reliant on Putin and dictators around the world for our basic energy needs. I’m not willing for our country to be at the mercy of dictators in that way.”

Source: Yahoo News

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Drones could support a new UK housing boom

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

by Joshua Krook, David Bossens and Peter Winter

 

The UK’s new Labor government has pledged to build 1.5 million homes during its first term in office. To achieve this, it promises planning reform and the reintroduction of local housing targets. Yet little attention has been given to the role of new technologies.

Drones have the potential to transform the construction industry in the UK. However, our recent study in ACM Journal on Responsible Computing reveals that laws governing commercial drone deployment in the UK remain conflicting, chaotic, and sometimes, contradictory.

A drone, or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), is a remote-controlled flying machine often equipped with a video camera or sensors. In construction, drones can monitor site progress, conduct safety inspections and even lift heavy materials, with some models capable of lifting over 20kg.

This makes them a viable, cheaper and safer alternative to human construction workers for certain tasks. For instance, drones could reduce the incidence of workers falling from heights, the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry. They can also lower the cost of site monitoring at night and perform safety inspections over large areas of land, aiding in the maintenance of energy pipelines and other infrastructure projects.

Despite these advantages, the UK’s drone policy is a patchwork of local bylaws, national legislation, and retained European Union (EU) rules, creating a confusing landscape for companies to navigate.

For example, to operate a 250g drone in a busy urban area, a company must register the drone, undergo pilot training, secure insurance, and obtain operational approval from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). This involves designating a flight plan, conducting risk assessments and completing other administrative steps.

Companies must then consider legislation on privacy, data, harassment (for drones that use cameras), noise and human rights, including the potential redundancy (or reskilling) of human workers.

Specific laws also apply to drones in construction, including lifting regulations, worker health and safety laws, and laws governing the transport of various construction materials and substances. Some of these laws differ on a local, national and international level.

This increases the regulatory burden on construction companies, making it more challenging to operate efficiently. Paperwork for the CAA’s approval process for higher-risk commercial use cases can introduce delays to large-scale construction projects. Currently, there is minimal transparency on which projects get approved or denied, leaving business uncertain about their investments until approval is granted.

New framework

Our study proposes creating a new national framework for commercial drone deployment, encompassing all benefits and risks under a single law. We suggest that certain use cases, particularly in regional areas, be greenlit quickly and by default, even for heavier drones.

Line-of-sight requirements—where operators must maintain a line of sight with their drone at all times—should be relaxed in hazardous areas. This could actually enhance worker safety by allowing drones to operate independently without requiring workers to follow them into dangerous situations.

In addition to humans, the law must also protect flying animals (such as birds and bats) and insects (such as butterflies and bees), especially those that are in danger of extinction.

The environmental impact of drones needs to be carefully evaluated, including the risk of fire if drones are carrying chemicals or other dangerous materials.

The UK government should leverage national scientific and technical expertise to produce how-to guides, compliance manuals, and other tools to expedite the approval process.

These resources would allow best practices to proliferate in the industry. Off-the-shelf flight paths, algorithms and application programming interfaces (APIs)—a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other—should be available for companies to operate in designated zones without lengthy documentation processes.

Basic plans should be made for drone “elevators” to operate internally in construction sites, to lift heavy materials between floors.

Unifying laws

National legislation could streamline all the attempts to mitigate the risk posed by drones into a single unified law. This would address privacy, noise, safety, human rights concerns, and the environment in one go.

This would include noise profiling, to ensure that drones operating in cities meet specific maximum noise levels. It would also encompass clearer guidance for businesses on the uses of drones that were permitted and those that are prohibited. A new drone law for commercial use could also specify technical requirements, safety features, privacy protocols, and cybersecurity measures to keep hackers out.

The current laws governing drone use are based on the notion that a human decides the drone’s trajectory. As AI becomes more integrated into decision making and moves towards full autonomy, some thought will be required about regulating AI itself.

Who will be responsible if a control program does not work as intended? What kind of disclaimers are needed? Another consideration is that AI techniques are based on statistics over limited data. This means that they may never achieve the ISO safety standards that form vital benchmarks for the construction industry.

Integrating drones into the UK’s construction industry could significantly benefit a new housing boom, providing cheaper, safer, and more efficient construction processes. However, the government must embrace this technological revolution and establish a more robust drone policy and regulation to pave the way for future advancements.

 

Source: Techxplore

 

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The Energy Policy Shifts

The newly elected Labour government has laid out its plans to boost clean energy, but questions remain about the future of North Sea oil and gas.

Petroleum production in the waters between the UK and Norway peaked some 20 years ago, with no prospect of getting back to previous highs regardless of government policy. Yet the offshore industry still supports more than 200,000 jobs and adds billions of pounds to the nation’s GDP, giving it serious economic weight even in its twilight years.

A year ago, the Conservative government estimated that out of the 283 then active UK North Sea fields, about 65% will have ceased production by 2030. Then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sought to prolong the industry’s life by handing out fresh drilling licenses, but Labour’s Ed Miliband, the new secretary of state for energy security and net zero, is focused on delivering a “clean power mission” that favors greener alternatives.

What does this policy shift mean for UK oil and gas production, and the nation’s carbon emissions?

License to Drill

Since the 1960s, companies seeking to explore for oil and gas in the UK North Sea have needed a drilling license from the government. To get this, they must bid in an auction for a block, which costs £9,000 ($11,700) whether they get one or not. If successful, they then have the exclusive right to the area for a set amount of time, while paying rent and an annual levy to the government, depending on the size and age of the license.

Since late 2022, when the Conservative government launched the first new licensing round for several years, these drilling permits have been the focus of the debate about the future of the UK’s offshore industry.

Sunak’s government routinely argued that new oil and gas licenses were crucial for UK’s economic and energy stability, offering hundreds of additional blocks and seeking to mandate further annual auctions. The move met with both internal and external opposition, with Tory Member of Parliament Chris Skidmore quitting in protest that the country was backing away from its climate commitments.

The entrance of a Labour government this month brings an end to the Tory plan for annual auctions, but new Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pledge not to revoke existing drilling permits is set to leave intact the dozens of new oil and gas licenses offered by Sunak.

In May, North Sea Transition Authority completed the final tranche of the 33rd oil and gas licensing round, which opened in late 2022, offering companies 31 permits. That followed 27 licenses offered in October and 24 in January.

After the change of government, only a “handful” of applications from the 33rd round have yet to be decided, according to the NSTA.

Windfall Tax

Sunak’s government imposed a windfall tax, called the Energy Profits Levy, on the North Sea oil and gas industry in May 2022 as companies’ earnings surged alongside fuel prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Labour pledged to extend the levy until the end of the current parliament and increase the rate from 35% to 38%, bringing the total headline rate of tax on oil and gas profits to 78%.

The party also vowed to tighten up the rules around investment allowances that companies can offset against their tax bills, which it described as “unjustifiably generous.” It estimated these changes would raise a further £1.2 billion in annual revenue from the industry.

North Sea Production

Assuming the Labour government sticks to its licensing pledge, what does the future of UK oil and gas production look like?

Even if the new licenses are drilled and result in discoveries that are commercially viable for development, they would only serve to slightly slow the North Sea’s long decline. UK production would remain at just a small fraction of its peak.

UK Energy Security

The UK accounts for 0.7% of global oil production and 0.8% of natural gas, according to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, an international watchdog. The country’s output has little influence over major benchmarks such as Brent or West Texas Intermediate crude, so it will remain at the mercy of swings in international energy prices regardless of how much can be squeezed out of the North Sea in its final years.

When it comes to energy security, the impact would also be minimal. About three quarters of UK energy comes from oil and gas, 40% of which is currently imported, according to Offshore Energies UK.

Carbon Emissions

Supporters of greater restrictions on North Sea oil and gas licenses argue that it would set an important example to the rest of the world, securing the UK’s place at the spearhead of emissions reductions.

“An end to UK exploration would send a clear signal to investors and consumers that the UK is committed to the 1.5C global temperature goal,” said the Climate Change Committee, a think tank.

But with countries like China emitting carbon at rate as much as 30 times greater than the UK, an end to North Sea drilling would make little real difference to the pace of global warming. It could even lead to more emissions if the UK replaced domestic production with more carbon-intensive imports, such as liquefied natural gas.

“Evidence on new UK oil and gas production is not clear-cut,” according to the Climate Change Committee. “The UK will continue to be a net importer of fossil fuels for the foreseeable future, implying there may be emissions advantages to UK production replacing imports.”

Source: Energy Connects

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Combating Construction Insolvencies

 

Government needs to improve access to funding to combat rising construction insolvencies

In June 2024, the number of registered company insolvencies in England and Wales was 2,361, 16% higher than in May 2024 (2,040) and 17% higher than the same month in the previous year. Company insolvency numbers also remained much higher than levels seen during the Covid-19 pandemic and between 2014 and 2019.

The construction industry experienced the highest number of insolvencies in the 12 months to May 2024, reaching a total of 4,287.

Commenting on the latest construction insolvency statistics Kelly Boorman, national head of construction at RSM UK, said:

‘As expected, the construction industry maintained the highest number of insolvencies above any other industry in the 12 months to May 2024. Funding is still tight for construction businesses, with added cost pressures due to geopolitical uncertainty in the run up to the General Election. Although inflation is showing signs of easing, businesses are still facing additional financial challenges including high interest rates, payment terms stretching the supply chain, as well as accumulated debt and falling cashflows from legacy contracts.’

‘However, with the new government’s commitment to ‘get Britain building’ for economic growth through the reintroduction of mandatory housing targets and planning reform, there needs to be focus on supporting distressed businesses and protecting labour. Government needs to reform payment terms and access to funding, especially for smaller and newer businesses, who would really benefit from continued improvements in payment practices. This would help to create fairer trading environments, with access to funding enabling innovation and efficiency, ensuring government delivers on its plans to accelerate housebuilding with 1.5m new homes over the next five years.

Source: RSM
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