Author: Constructech Editors
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…
Getting data from the field into the main computer system can be a problem under good conditions. In the oil patch, good conditions rarely are available. Companies that have been working with oil and gas exploration, extraction, delivery, and refining know the problem well. A major player in this segment, Halliburton Co., is one of the world’s largest providers of products and services to the energy industry. The company works with its customers throughout the lifecycle of the reservoir, from locating hydrocarbons and managing geological data, to drilling and formation evaluation, well construction and completion, and optimizing production throughout the…
Motor vehicles have been powered by a variety of fossil fuels, primarily gasoline, diesel, CNG (compressed natural gas), and propane, and lubricated by fossil-based oils for generations. Alternate mobile energy sources, such as steam, hydrogen, and battery, have had minimal success until the recent push for EV (electric vehicles) in response to the climate change predictions that resulted in the Paris Accords and other actions. Now everyone is aware of the need to eliminate dependency on fossil-based energy. Auto and truck makers worldwide are examining their lines and making the necessary changes to eliminate or minimize the use of the…
Every infrastructure segment operates somewhat differently. Different requirements, regulations, oversight, and data flows are common among utilities and other infrastructure projects. Specific requirements can be addressed best by specific applications design and tested for that segment. For example, Locusview provides a seamless digital workflow for long-cycle construction jobs from design to construction to closeout in the energy utility segment. Locusview is a company known for DCM (digital construction management), specifically for energy infrastructure organizations. After more than two and a half years of product development, large-scale pilots, and collaboration with several large utility organizations, they have released a solution for…
Natural wood comes from trees, of course. The world’s largest tree, a coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) in the heart of Redwood National Park in California, is 380 feet tall. The Hyperion, as it is known, ranks as the tallest tree in the world and is also taller than the tallest man-made wooden building. So far. Wooden buildings are hardly new. Europe’s Neolithic long house, a narrow timber dwelling built in 6000 BCE, is one of the largest buildings constructed during that period, with a capacity of housing around 30 people. Unfortunately, it is known only from remains while the Horyu-ji temple…