Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley have developed a 3D-printed, polymer lattice to strengthen concrete. Publishing their findings in Materials and Design, the researchers created 3D printed octet, polymer lattices before filling them with high-performance concrete. Using compression tests and four-point bending, the researchers found their composite construction method allowed concrete, which is innately brittle, to exhibit more ductility. Not only does the lattice act as an internal truss that prevents the concrete from cracking, it also reduces the amount of concrete needed—and thus its carbon impact—because it takes up more volume than steel rebar. “The reaction that produces cement inherently produces CO2,” explained Hayden Taylor, a Berkeley assistant professor of mechanical engineering and the corresponding author, in a university press release. Furthermore, “there is a conceivable route toward polymers that are net carbon-neutral or even potentially carbon-negative through the use of biopolymers, recycling, and renewable energy sources.” [UC Berkeley]
With global temperatures rising, researchers from International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis are investigating sustainable solutions for staying cool. In a study published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, researchers describe a global phase-out of hydrofluorocarbons, as specified by the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, could result in electricity savings and a reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions. Knowing that manufacturers favor HFCs—commo cooling agents in refrigeration and air conditioning—over ozone-depleting substances, the study examines the impacts that adhering to the Kigali Amendment might have on the environment. In another IIASA study, researchers describe their development of an alternative cooling method altogether, examining the potential of seawater air conditioning (SWAC). Published in Energy Efficiency, the study proposes an approach dubbed high-velocity SWAC that "allows a twofold increase in the speed of inlet pipeline seawater and cooling load of the plant." [IIASA HFCs and IIASA SWAC]
After releasing a generative-design tool prototype last year, Google-owned Sidewalk Labs has officially launched Delve, a digital product that utilizes machine learning to help optimize neighborhood planning. According to a Medium post by Sidewalk Labs, architects can deploy Delve at several points in the design process. Development teams can use the tool to help "exceed their project economic goals while improving quality-of-life outcomes for residents and businesses." Delve's features include automated rankings of its generated outcomes so users can easily isolate the highest-performing design; high-fidelity designs that can allocate individual residential units and report daylight access; integrated financial models that run precise cost estimates; and built-in utility models with infrastructure energy estimates. [Sidewalk Labs]
The New York Times to developed a list of the 25 most influential pieces of protest art created since World War II. The list includes the current state of the Robert E. Lee Statue in Richmond, Va., and “Triple-Chaser” by Forensic Architecture (2019), explores the definition of protest art and impacts it can have on present and future society. [The New York Times]
Exton, Pa.–based software company Bentley Systems has announced the 19 winners of its 2020 Year in Infrastructure Awards selected from more than 400 nominated projects. Bentley announced the winners in a virtual ceremony, naming projects that exemplified the "extraordinary work of Bentley users advancing design, construction, and operations of infrastructure throughout the world," according to a company press release. [ARCHITECT]
AIA has released its newest scope of services document for sustainability consultants, which supports sustainable objectives for buildings. [ARCHITECT]
ARCHITECT contributor Michael Caton, AIA, gained unique insight into the operations of tech companies in his former role as WeWork's architecture discipline manager. From his experience, he believes that architects should not only view buildings as projects, but also as products to stay relevant and competitive in the future. [ARCHITECT]
