The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) named Washington, D.C., the world's first LEED Platinum City for successfully achieving "sustainability and resiliency goals," according to a press release by the organization. At an event held in the city's Dunbar High School—the country's highest-rated LEED-certified school—Mayor Muriel Bowser accepted the honor from the USGBC's president and CEO, Mahesh Ramanujam. Learn More
Software developer Autodesk has sweetened the deal for subscribers to its Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Collection by adding six programs to the collection, with no increase in price for subscribers. Learn More
American technology company Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) has taken preliminary steps in building India's first Hyperloop train—a magnetically-levitated transportation system first pitched by South African entrepreneur Elon Musk—by signing a memorandum of understanding with the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board, a governance group. Learn More
A team of MIT scientists led by researcher Charles Forsberg of the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering recently published findings that suggest firebricks—clay bricks that can withstand heat exceeding 2,912 degrees F—could be used to store energy from renewable sources such as solar and wind power, leveling the cost of electricity from alternative sources. Learn More
A team from Foster + Partners' California office, in conjunction with architectural fabricator Branch Technology, received the first place prize for the final level of the Structural Member Competition (Phase 2) portion of NASA's 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge. The competition to develop a sustainable, 3D-printed habitat on Marsbegan in 2015. It concluded its second phase Aug. 23 to 26 at the Caterpillar Edwards Demonstration & Learning Center in Edwards, Ill. Learn More
Sustainable-furniture start-up Pentatonic is releasing a new collection that is made entirely from re-purposed trash. Learn More
