Author: Constructech Editors
Sparks and arcs can cause serious injury and, in drought conditions, major wildfires. In 2018, the Camp Fire destroyed most of the town of Paradise, California, resulted in 85 civilian fatalities and destroyed more than 18,800 structures. PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric) confessed that the utility’s crumbling electrical grid was responsible for the spark that ignited the blaze that also drove PG&E into bankruptcy. We’ve all experienced sparks generated by AC electric wires crossing and touching. Arc flashes are similar, an electrical accident that creates a dangerous, high-temperature explosion. An arc flash results from an arc fault caused by electricity discharging…
The connected building is not a fantasy, it’s a reality. But the integrated building is still a way off, it seems. To connect intelligent devices requires interoperability among those devices where proprietary protocols are the enemy and universality is a goal. Many manufacturers provide connected devices that are only compatible within one brand’s platform. For example, a consumer may purchase a connected washer and dryer from Brand A and benefit from features like notifications that alert the user when their wash or dry cycle is complete. Unfortunately, these notifications can only be enabled via Brand A’s platform. Interoperability enables consumers to…
It’s here, it’s there, it’s everywhere. Single-use plastics are the largest subset of plastics found in landfills and among the most challenging to recycle. The U.S. DOE (Dept. of Energy) reports that plastic production accounts for more than 3% of total U.S. energy consumption and uses roughly the same amount of oil around the world as the aviation industry. Yet, less than 10% of plastics are currently recycled, most of which are “downcycled,” or repurposed into low-value products. In 2021, the DOE began an investment of up to $14.5 million for research and development to cut waste and reduce the…
The outbreak of COVID-19 acted as a restraint on the non-residential construction market in 2020 as supply chains were disrupted due to trade restrictions and construction activities were affected due to lockdowns imposed by governments globally. As many governments restricted the movement of goods across countries and locally, companies had to halt construction activities due to lack of equipment and raw material. According to a report by TBRC (The Business Research Co.), Asia Pacific was the largest region in the global nonresidential building construction market, accounting for 42.4% of the total in 2021. It was followed by North America, Western Europe, and then…
One of the thrilling acts under the circus big top was the big cats, lions, and tigers, being put through obstacle courses like they were trained dogs. Jump, run, climb, go through hoops, and stand on barrels. The audience loved it. But not enough to make them continue. Five years ago, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus closed after falling ticket sales. In 2023, “The Greatest Show on Earth” is coming back, but there won’t be any animal acts. The nostalgia of watching the big cats on YouTube isn’t the same as seeing them live. But there are…
The COVID-19 pandemic created major disruption across all industries. Lockdowns, remote work, isolation and quarantine, social distancing, and masking, all hit at once. For more than two years, people were adapting and adopting new methods of doing what was possible in a world that seemed impossible. And as the country comes out of the depths of the pandemic, the old normal is being replaced in many places with the term a “new normal.” This new normal, a hybrid of old practices and responses to the COVID crisis, has almost immediately been hit by economic factors that are testing the validity…
We’ve heard the estimates for years now: Global cement production accounts for 7% of annual GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions. This figure comes in large part through the burning of quarried limestone. What if that number could be brought down, way down, to almost zero? Concrete is one of the most common building materials, a staple of construction around the world. It starts as a mixture of water and portland cement, which forms a paste to which materials such as sand, gravel, or crushed stone are added. The paste binds the aggregates together, and the mixture hardens into concrete. Academic researchers…
That the most populous state, with a strong “car culture,” can be both the most polluting and the most aggressive in countering pollution might seem implausible but California is trying to achieve that goal. With several top-rated universities and national laboratories working on the topic, technology-based companies are taking the results and developing real-world method to match the theory with reality. For example, LLNL (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) scientists have identified a suite of technologies to help California become carbon neutral – and ultimately carbon negative – by 2045. A thorough assessment of the advanced carbon reduction technologies now available,…
Perhaps more than anyone else, former President Jimmy Carter made Habitat for Humanity a familiar name. Seen swinging a hammer, climbing ladders, and speaking out for the cause, Carter evoked the meaning of volunteer. At 97, Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, are still involved with Habitat for Humanity, both as an active builder volunteer and a fundraiser. Habitat for Humanity has groups all over the country and outside of the U.S. In Canada, for example, Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex, is partnering with the University of Windsor and nidus3D, a 3D construction printing firm, on the nation’s first permitted 3D printed residential…
Smart energy products and services, renewables, and electric vehicles are gaining traction with consumers. After a few years of slow growth, major change is coming to the energy space. An increased awareness of clean energy solutions, convergence between security and energy services, and an enormous influx of funding from the government will help drive adoption further in the future. As evidence of these changes, Parks Associates research “Smart Energy at Home: Renewable, Responsive, Resilient” cites ADT and Brinks merger and partnership activity that positioned these established home security providers as a channel for home solar solutions, with fellow-security player Vivint…