Building Information Modelling (BIM) can enhance the design of a building, reduce costs and save energy. However, little research has been carried out on its impact on sustainable practices. A US survey illustrates that many practitioners do not see sustainability as a primary application, suggesting that more effort is needed to encourage the integration of ‘green’ design and construction into BIM.

Public authorities in EU Member States are encouraged to purchase more environmentally-friendly goods and services through Green Public Procurement (GPP). A recent survey of purchasing managers in Italy has identified some factors that influence their adoption of this strategy, and suggests that a broad knowledge of GPP is key to its implementation.

Providing information to consumers on the environmental and social impacts of their food purchases could help change their consumption choices, research from Norway suggests. In a psychological study, researchers noted an increase in the number of organic and fair trade products bought per week when participating consumers were informed of the products’ benefits for the environment and the wellbeing of producers.

Simply supplying more scientific information on the environment may not be enough to persuade urban planners to give greater consideration to the environment, suggests new research. The Dutch study suggests that environmental values also need to be made more important to municipal decision makers.

New EU-funded research from Finland has indicated that poor communication between producers of energy-efficient housing technologies and potential house-buyers is a major barrier to sustainable housing. It suggests that government bodies can encourage energy-efficiency innovations not only through regulations but also by improving information flow.

New research identifies important influences on the energy and environmental performance of biofuels made from agricultural crops. Type of land use change, type of biofuel crop and the by-products from the conversion process all influence performance.

In a recent experiment in Norway, electrical appliance stores increased their sales of energy-efficient tumble driers when consumers were made aware of their cheaper lifetime operating costs by shop staff and a new product labelling system.

Green roofs have been proposed to mitigate flooding in urban areas. This study combined field experiments and numerical simulations to investigate the ability of green roofs to absorb rainwater. The authors describe how green roofs can be most effective at mitigating flooding, providing findings which will be important for policy on green infrastructure.

Adding nanoparticles to water in solar collectors, which are used to capture the sun’s energy, can considerably improve their performance, a recent study on nanofluids has found. The energy efficiency of the collector can be increased by up to 76.6% when using water containing 0.1% by volume of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, compared with water alone.

A new oil-spill risk-management system has been developed by researchers, which shows the likely effects of a coastal spill on the environment and economic activities for specific locations. It provides maps of oil-spill risk through a web portal and could help decision makers and emergency-response authorities protect the local environment and businesses through targeted and efficient planning and responses.

Genpact sees over 100 clients closing their financial quarter digitally while others are doubling the pace of adoption of digital transformation.

The international University of California, Riverside-led SpARCS collaboration has discovered four of the most distant clusters of galaxies ever found, as they appeared when the universe was only 4 billion years old. Clusters are rare regions of the universe consisting of hundreds of galaxies containing trillions of stars, as well as hot gas and mysterious dark matter. Spectroscopic observations from the ground using the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii and the Very Large Telescope in Chile confirmed the four candidates to be massive clusters. This sample is now providing the best measurement yet of when and how fast galaxy clusters stop forming stars in the early Universe.

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The EU Waste Framework Directive aims to recycle or recover materially 70% of non-hazardous construction and demolition waste by 2020. This study evaluated the performance of the Finnish waste management system against this target. The results showed that the system generates environmental benefits and is profitable, but has not reached the 70% target. The researchers suggest ways the target could be met and recommend region-specific recycling objectives in the EU.

A team of Italian scientists has published a study highlighting the important role of intersectoral linkages and eco-innovations in shaping industry’s environmental performance (a measure of its ability to meet environmental targets and objectives) across Europe. The research indicates that eco-innovation can produce positive effects, both directly (in the sector where it is developed) and indirectly (in linked sectors at home and abroad). These insights are relevant to corporate and policy governance strategies aimed at maximising the environmental and economic potential of novel green technologies.

New research has compared life cycle environmental impacts of new petrol and diesel cars and highlighted options for improvement. It indicates that the greatest improvements are achievable through more efficient power trains and lightweight cars. However, these technological solutions come at a financial cost whereas other improvement options, such as behavioural changes, provide a win-win solution.

Residents living near a busy railway line in Strasbourg were found by researchers to have reduced cognitive function compared to residents in quieter areas, which may be the result of long-term exposure to night-time noise. Psychological tests suggested that they had not adapted to the noise over the years, and they did not become less affected with time.

A recent study has investigated how the relationships between a company’s owners, managers and boards of directors may influence its environmental performance. The findings indicate that environmental performance is higher in companies with powerful CEOs, who are also chairpersons on their board of directors.

Informing consumers about their energy use and giving advice on how it can be improved can result in lower public energy consumption, new research suggests. However, if such information campaigns are based solely on monetary savings they are not effective, the study concludes.

One of the greatest challenges facing environmental policymakers is encouraging people to behave more sustainably. A recent study explores how 'nudging' people to make environmentally friendly choices, together with providing information, can be a successful combination for achieving behavioural change.

The Internet consumers are becoming more aware of their personal data and 82 per cent users have tried to remove private information from websites or social media channels, according to a report by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky.

Digital marketing is a particularly strong capability for Indian companies, according to the new global study by Infosys Knowledge Institute.

Geodiversity describes the diversity of the non-biological parts of the natural world such as rocks, soils, landforms and the processes which shape them over time. New research on how geodiversity information has been used to examine or inform conservation policy has been explored through eight different case studies. The research shows the variety and utility of geodiversity information to support biodiversity protection, both now and in the future.

Free-flowing rivers (FFRs) support a complex, dynamic and diverse range of global ecosystems, and provide important economic and societal services. However, infrastructure built to use these services — most notably 2.8 million dams worldwide — has caused many rivers to become fragmented and disconnected, affecting river biodiversity and ecosystem services. This study constructed a global information system with which to map the fine-scale dynamics and fragmentation of FFRs and to determine how human pressures affect the world’s river systems.

The public places a high value on the use of scientific information, especially regarding climate change, in the management of groundwater resources, a case study in Finland indicates. This suggests that incorporating scientific research into management policies is likely to have the support of stakeholders in the region.

Microplastics, polymer-based particles of less than five millimetres in size, have become an archetypal sign of anthropogenic waste and environmental pollution. This German study explores how microplastics in soil affect plants, screening the potential effects of six different microplastics on the soil environment, plant traits and function using a terrestrial plant-soil model based on the spring onion (Allium fistulosum). The researchers find that plants react strongly to microplastic exposure, with significant changes observed in the physical parameters of soil, plant root and leaf traits and plant biomass.

I like to think of geometric transformations of images (stretching, shrinking, rotating, etc.) by starting with the geometric transformations of points. You could think of a geometric point transformation as just moving a point from one location to another, like this:... read more >>

Today I decided to revisit a topic I covered a few years ago: loading discrete signals in a simulation.... read more >>

Myke fixes problems, Grey automates his to-do list, and they both discuss hiring people.

The Kings Langley Players continues its 95th anniversary celebrations with a popular black comedy.

CULPEPER — The Virginia Department of Transportation invites the public to attend a citizen information meeting to learn about the upcoming project...

Two schools will celebrate the 50th anniversary of an annual concert with the first performance of opera in St Albans Cathedral.

A Watford orchestra will be joined by the leader of the BBC Concert Orchestra for a concert later this month.

The Virginia Department of Transportation will hold a Citizen Information Meeting concerning improvements to the intersection of Route 262 (Woodrow Wilson Parkway) and Route 613 (Spring Hill Road) in Augusta County. The meeting will take place from 4 to 6 p.m., Thursday, November 8 in the South Board Room of the Augusta County Government Center, 18 Government Center Lane, Verona, VA 24482. VDOT will make a brief presentation at 4:15 p.m.

BP is coming under criticism for buying 'gulf oil spill' search advertising on Google. Will the company's attempt to redirect online traffic backfire?

As the Vienna Chamber Orchestra performs Mendelssohn, a dog saunters up to enjoy the show.

An 18-year-old pizza delivery driver surprises a family in Detroit by playing piano for them.

Aiming to help eradicate the 'performance dinosaur' otherwise known as the standard American home, Bensonwood launches an affordable green prefab offshoot dubbe

The Brock Environmental Center's 'regenerative' design is key to its AIA recognition — it generates 80 percent more energy than it uses.

Mercury is not just hellishly hot but apparently covered in brimstone. A vast part of the planet is covered with dried lava – enough to bury the state of Tex

New analysis of basalt rock formations on the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. reveals the possibility of cleaner coal.

Millennials have grown up with gadgets, yet they are more likely than older adults to say that a lot of important info is not available on the Internet.

Here are some fascinatingly odd ways that frost, ice and snow can appear. Here are some fascinatingly odd ways frost, ice and snow can appear.

Contaminated sites being used to house wind farms, solar arrays and geothermal power plants.

A study from UC Berkeley reveals that information stimulates our dopamine-producing reward system — just like food and money.

A new study suggests a serious expression could go a long way toward getting some serious work done.

Osprey Falls at Yellowstone National Park is starting to freeze as this video shows.

Balanced Carbs for Peak Performance

The former vice president has a new video project that he hopes can be a response to attacks from the fossil fuel industry.

･ First introduction for a geothermal power plant ･ Enhancing the operation and performance of power generating facilities in close cooperation with customers

Gefion has disagreed with the decision, as the regulator points to issues with one of the provider's reinsurance contracts.