The Latest Technology Advances In Low-Carbon Construction Are Promising

"If there was any doubt that climate change is an enduring part of the business agenda, the increased focus on sustainability by leaders over the past year should put it to rest," says Joe Ucuzoglu, CEO of Deloitte Global.

He's referring to the fact that about two-thirds of the total heating influence of all human-produced greenhouse gases comes from concrete and steel, which account for more than 50% of the embodied carbon footprint in commercial buildings, reports Fast Company.

"We may be witnessing a rapid sea-change in innovative green building materials like mass timber and carbon-negative concrete," he says.

Mass timber, or cross-laminated timber, is engineered by gluing or nailing together sheets of wood in cross-grain patterns and treating them with flame retardants.

It's a renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable choice for low-carbon construction because it reduces the energy, resources, and emission-heavy impacts of producing concrete or steel.

There are other environmental impacts from CLT, but "with proper forestry management, I believe the benefits of replacing steel and concrete with mass timber outweigh the potential downsides," says Tommy Linstroth, founder and CEO of FutureMass, a company that produces CLT and has more than 1,600 projects in the US under its Read the Entire Article


Selected Grant News Headlines

A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.

Philanthropist Tsitsi Masiyiwa P'17 to Receive Honorary Degree

Bryant University in Rhode Island will bestow an honorary degree on one of Africa's most prominent philanthropists during its May Commencement ceremony, the Providence Journal reports. Tsitsi...more

Safe Walking, Biking, and Scootering: Idaho Receives Youth Mobility Grant

"As students become more independent, being able to get where they are going safely is an essential life skill. Our goal is to educate these students so they can get where they are going, safely,...more

Anu Receives Grant from Nsf'S Technology Enhancement for Commercial Partnerships Program

If a $194,197 grant from the National Science Foundation isn't enough to convince you to grow your own food, you're not the only one. An Indiana company has been awarded $9,993 from the second...more

Grants Awarded to Maine Communities to Address Climate Effects and Increase Energy Efficiency

Gov. Janet Mills has announced $5 million in grants to help communities in Maine protect themselves from the effects of climate change. The grants, awarded through the Community Resilience...more

Today'S Mayor Sustainability Series Spotlights Dr. Chip Fletcher

"Climate change is real, and it's going to get worse before it gets better." That's the message from Charles Fletcher, newly appointed special adviser on climate change and resilience for Hawaii,...more

Innovative models like GUDS critical in equipping youth with green skills for climate-resilient ...

Marfaa Naseem is a 22-year-old student of Pakistan's Quaid-i-Azam University, and she's used a US grant to set up a rainwater harvesting and hydroponic farm on her rooftop. The idea came to her...more

Rivne: A Beacon of Sustainability in a Time of Turmoil

The Ukrainian city of Rivne is trying to become the first city in the world to be carbon neutral by 2030, the Guardian reports. According to the Telegraph, Ukraine has been grappling with a lack...more

Media Advisory

The UN will hold its first-ever forum on science, technology, and innovation for sustainable development in May, with the goal of harnessing the "power of science, technology, and innovation to...more

Partnership Opportunities to Transform Food Systems

With the world's ever-growing population and ever-changing eating habits, the world's food supply is in real danger of running out of food, according to a new report from the UN Food and Agriculture...more

Making connections for climate change and mental health

Climate change isn't just bad for humans, it's bad for our mental health as well, according to a new report from Imperial College London. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National...more






Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight



Influencing Social Good Through Retail


When Hannah Davis   traveled to China to teach English, she noticed how Chinese workers and farmers were often sporting olive green army-style shoes. Those shoes served as her inspiration to create her own social enterprise, Bangs Shoes.