Emissions-reduction advice issued for core building materials

The Institution of Structural Engineers has released guidance on concrete, steel and timber.

The three papers set out its position on using concrete, steel and timber to reduce greenhouse gases on a global scale, offering guidance on how emissions can be reduced through design and specification.

The institution says that when specifying structural materials, decisions can often be narrow, and while emissions are reduced at a project level, they can be inadvertently increased elsewhere.

It has undertaken cross-industry research on constrained materials, including the use of ground granulated blast furnace slag in concrete and ferrous scrap in steel production.

The institute highlights that the papers do not address other sustainability concerns, such as human rights or biodiversity, nor do they advocate for the use of one material over another in specific contexts. 

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Constructing a better future

Will Arnold, Head of Climate Action at the Institution of Structural Engineers, talks about the role construction materials play in climate and ecological breakdown, and proposes the next steps for a sustainable built environment.

Self-healing construction materials

Researchers at Cardiff University, UK, explain how construction materials can come alive and repair themselves without external intervention.