Over 1,000 tornadoes touch ground in the US every year, leaving a path of devastation as they scatter people’s lives across the countryside. This year has seen the deadliest tornado season since 1953. Already, 519 People have lost their lives and billions of dollars of damage was caused as twisters ripped through parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri. The magnitude of the devastation has people questioning current building practices and looking for alternatives. Many are turning to ICFs to provide protection from extreme weather conditions. Read more

Investigating the Benefits of Green Roofs and Roof Gardens

The return of the roof garden heralds a new era of greening our urban spaces. Studies espousing the virtues of greenery and fresh air have encouraged many to find environmentally friendly uses for dead roof space. Green roofs and roof gardens offer environmental benefits and save costs for building owners.

In addition to their aesthetic appeal, green roofs and roof gardens reduce the heat absorption of the building. If a significant number of roofs are greened, they can reduce the heat island effects of cities. For example, the temperature of Tokyo can be reduced by 0.11 to 0.84 degrees Celsius if half of the rooftops were green. This would result in a savings of $1.2 million a day in energy used to cool buildings in the city. Green roofs capture rain water and reduce run off so storm water drains are better able to cope in times of high rainfall. They improve the air quality and filter smog and pollution from cars and factories. Plants absorb sound and reduce noise pollution. They offer aesthetic appeal and enhance biodiversity. Read more

If the world consumed natural resources at the same rate as the UK, it would take three planets with the same resources as the earth to sustain such a lifestyle. The WWF has initiated the One Planet Living® program which would realise the dream of living sustainably. Sustainable living requires the inhabitants of the earth to use only the amount of resources that one planet can provide and to rehabilitate damaged environments. Sustainability is the balancing of environmental concerns with socio-economic factors. The program has a ten pronged approach that addresses everything from sustainable water resources to renewable energies. It is this approach that inspired the ambitions of the Olympic committee. John Armitt, ODA Chairman, said: ‘From the outset of the project, the Olympic Park has set new standards in sustainability, including the delivery of lightweight venues, the recycling or reuse of waste materials, using concrete with a high recycled content, and delivering materials by rail or water. We have achieved new standards for a project of this size and scale and have raised the bar for the industry.’ Read more

Passive strategy classroom designs create sustainable, healthy environments for students

“Preparing our children to be good environmental citizens is some of the most important work any of us can do. Its work that will serve future generations and, quite literally, sustain our world,” said US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on announcing the creation of a new incentive for schools to adopt environmentally friendly building practices.

The Department of Education has added a new color ribbon to its retinue of school awards. The Blue Ribbon Award currently goes to schools who display academic improvement, and now the Green Ribbon will be awarded to sustainable schools. Schools will compete for the award in the arenas of: Read more