Welcome to a pivotal conversation on the future of our built world. The concrete industry, indispensable for modern infrastructure, is facing an urgent mandate: reconcile its foundational role (pun) with its role as a source of environmental pollution. The scale of the emissions are staggering - if global concrete manufacturing were a country it would be the 3rd largest emitter, behind only China and the US (!). The good news is that with this a motivation the global concrete industry is now rethinking its entire lifecycle.
In this episode, host Kristof sits down with John Mead, one of the founders of Solid Carbon to talk about efforts to transform concrete from a carbon emitter into a "net carbon sink. By converting waste carbon materials, wood being one, into a mass of solid carbon through pyrolysis and then using this carbon sink in a durable material through concrete we are making a huge impact in an industry that needs to make some powerful shifts in the years ahead.
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Welcome to a pivotal conversation on the future of our built world. The concrete industry, indispensable for modern infrastructure, is facing an urgent mandate: reconcile its foundational role (pun) with its role as a source of environmental pollution. The scale of the emissions are staggering - if global concrete manufacturing were a country it would be the 3rd largest emitter, behind only China and the US (!). The good news is that with this a motivation the global concrete industry is now rethinking its entire lifecycle.
In this episode, host Kristof sits down with John Mead, one of the founders of Solid Carbon to talk about efforts to transform concrete from a carbon emitter into a "net carbon sink. By converting waste carbon materials, wood being one, into a mass of solid carbon through pyrolysis and then using this carbon sink in a durable material through concrete we are making a huge impact in an industry that needs to make some powerful shifts in the years ahead.
Empowering the practice of architecture to achieve consistent, predictable, positive impacts on human well-being and planetary health is perhaps one of the most pressing topics in the AEC today. Starting with a review of the history of the search for Bioclimatic Law, this conversation with Dr Bill Braham, FAIA is an invitation to architects to reclaim their power.
Bioclimatic Law is the relationship between architecture and life. In practice “life” is more narrowly defined by architecture as “comfort” or “comfort, health and well-being”. At its core bioclimatic design asks “What are the climate opportunities?”. The basic principle is to start with a clear understanding of the ambient climate and map those inputs to the design of the building - its massing, orientation, enclosure systems, and window sizes, locations, and shading devices. Beyond these truly passive methods, there are always active systems involved in maintaining a balance between heat flowing into the building and heat sources within the building.
Our buildings mediate between the external climate and our lives. From a thermal perspective, actively managing the enclosure can lead to comfortable indoor conditions 60-80% of the time in most climates. From a well being perspective, as the external climate becomes more unpredictable and severe we have an opportunity to improve the quality of the lived experience of the buildings we deliver to ourselves to protect and shelter us. Join Kristof as he and Bill enjoy a thoughtful, wide-ranging discussion about the role of architecture in society and the role of buildings as extensions of our lives and goals.
Big picture, we also want to thank you for being listeners who, in our increasingly soundbite world, appreciate the depth, breadth and subtlety of conversations like this. We’re happy that you’re noticing and valuing that we “go there” in these idea exchanges. Please keep your emails and comments coming.
The Building Science Podcast
Welcome to a pivotal conversation on the future of our built world. The concrete industry, indispensable for modern infrastructure, is facing an urgent mandate: reconcile its foundational role (pun) with its role as a source of environmental pollution. The scale of the emissions are staggering - if global concrete manufacturing were a country it would be the 3rd largest emitter, behind only China and the US (!). The good news is that with this a motivation the global concrete industry is now rethinking its entire lifecycle.
In this episode, host Kristof sits down with John Mead, one of the founders of Solid Carbon to talk about efforts to transform concrete from a carbon emitter into a "net carbon sink. By converting waste carbon materials, wood being one, into a mass of solid carbon through pyrolysis and then using this carbon sink in a durable material through concrete we are making a huge impact in an industry that needs to make some powerful shifts in the years ahead.
