building

Rising Seas Will Erase Cities

December 18, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

According to new research, climate-driven sea level rise could affect three times more people by 2050 than previously thought. This sobering assessment means some of the world’s great coastal cities, including Bangkok, Shanghai, Mumbai, Basra, Alexandria, and Ho Chi Minh City, could be in big trouble.

Scientists have always relied on land elevation data to determine the effects of sea level rise over large areas. But standard elevation measurements using satellites struggle to differentiate the true ground level from the tops of trees or buildings. The authors of the paper developed a more accurate way to calculate land elevation by using artificial intelligence to determine the error rate and to correct for it. The new findings revealed that 150 million people – three times more than previously thought – are now living on land that is projected to be below the high-tide line by the middle of this century.

Eight Asian nations – China, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Japan – account for about 70% of the people living on at-risk land.

More than 20 million people in Vietnam, including much of Ho Chi Minh City, live on land that will be inundated by 2050. In Thailand, more than 10% of its citizens, including much of Bangkok, currently live on land imperiled by projected sea level rise.

This new research was produced by Climate Central, a New Jersey-based science organization, and was recently published in the journal Nature Communications.

Sea level rise is clearly not just an environmental problem. It’s a humanitarian crisis.

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New elevation data triple estimates of global vulnerability to sea-level rise and coastal flooding

Rising Seas Will Erase More Cities by 2050, New Research Shows

Photo, posted December 18, 2009, courtesy of Misko via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Bees And Plastic

July 17, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Wild bees in Argentina have recently been found to be constructing nests entirely made of flimsy plastic material left on farms and scientists don’t know why.

In 2017 and 2018, researchers at Argentina’s National Agricultural Technology Institute built wooden, artificial nests for wild bees. These bee species burrow into nests to individually lay larvae rather than having a large hive with queens and workers. The artificial nests provide hollow openings that bees generally fill with cut leaves, twigs, and mud.

Sixty-three wooden nests were constructed and three were found lined entirely with plastic. The bees carefully cut bits of plastic in the shape and size of fingernails and arranged them in an overlapping pattern in their nests. The plastic seems to have come from plastic bags or films, which have a similar texture to the leaves bees ordinarily use to line their nests. And, in fact, leaves were readily available to the bees making use of plastic.

This is the first time that bees have been seen making nests entirely out of plastic, but for years scientists have known bees were incorporating plastic into their building materials. Research is needed to determine the potential impact plastic might have on bees, but the nest building shows that bees are highly adaptive to changing environments.

Plastic often forms a threat to wildlife in the form of microplastics that can be consumed. But there is no evidence that bees are consuming plastic. Some researchers have speculated that the plastic in bees’ nests may form a barrier against common nest issues like mold and parasites.

At this point, it is not clear whether it is a good thing or a bad thing that some bees are choosing plastic over natural materials, but it is certainly interesting.

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Wild bees are building their homes from plastic—and scientists aren’t sure why

Photo, posted December 12, 2014, courtesy of Judy Gallagher via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Mass Timber

June 10, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Mass timber is a type of construction typically characterized by the use of large solid wood panels for wall, floor, and roof construction. Large structural panels, posts, and beams glued under pressure or nailed together in layers, with the wood’s grain stacked perpendicular for extra strength – are prized as innovative building materials, superior to concrete and steel in many ways. Mass timber has pushed the perceived boundaries of wood construction, leading to building heights and spans that traditionally have required concrete, steel or masonry for structural support. The move to mass timber has become something of a construction revolution and many see it as a significant part of a climate change solution.

The question is just how green is mass timber construction? How sustainable is it in terms of the forest management, logging, manufacture and transportation of wood products involved?

A number of environmental groups are very skeptical. There is not yet comprehensive data on the subject. Only recently have interdisciplinary scientists begun to study the potential climate impacts of the wide use of mass timber.

Despite these questions, the mass timber industry is taking off. Demand for mass timber posts and beams has led to new sawmills opening in the U.S. Northwest and many new jobs for loggers.

The aesthetics and economics of mass timber are both very attractive compared with conventional large-scale construction materials. The real unknowns relate to the environmental impact of its widespread use. If that can take place in a sustainable and environmentally conscientious way, it would be very important in the fight against climate change. Carbon dioxide emissions from the building industry account for more than a third of global emissions, primarily from the concrete and steel industries.

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As Mass Timber Takes Off, How Green Is This New Building Material?

Photo, posted March 19, 2018, courtesy of Freres Lumber Co via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Building For Climate Change

May 13, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

The manifestations of climate change are creating increasingly familiar images: floodwaters rising up house windows, charred buildings in the wake of wildfires, and homes and businesses demolished by storm winds. As these sorts of calamities become ever more common, changes to how houses are built are going to be necessary.

How can homes become more resilient against severe and unpredictable weather?

Research at Carlton University’s Sprott School of Business looks at this issue.

As an example, houses can be framed and finished in certain ways that help protect them from wind and flooding. But such methods are currently only happening in the custom-build fringes of the housing sector. Widespread adoption will require, at the minimum, significant changes to building codes.

Revising building codes is not an easy matter. The codes themselves are highly technical and complex, and beyond that, the process Is often politicized.

Even simple things like hurricane ties, which are small pieces of hardware that prevent a roof from lifting during a severe wind are not now included in building codes. Insurance companies support their use as inexpensive protection for houses. But even though the overall cost is relatively minor, the building industry pushes back at the additional expense.

The need to reduce carbon emissions has created a push for sustainable housing. But the increasingly erratic weather means that houses also need resilience and adaptation. These features will inevitably add costs and incorporating them into building codes requires producing convincing business cases.

The U.S. experienced 394 natural catastrophe events last year costing $225 billion in damage. Finding ways to make homes and businesses more resilient is not just a good idea; it is essential.

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How to Start Weather-Proofing Homes for Unpredictable Weather

Photo, posted June 12, 2008, courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Salt Cocktails Compromise Freshwater

August 1, 2018 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Human activities are exposing US rivers and streams to a cocktail of salts, with consequences for infrastructure and drinking water supplies. Road salt, fertilizers, and mining waste – as well as natural weathering of concrete, rocks, and soils – all contribute to increased salt in waterways. When these different salt compounds combine, their harmful effects can amplify.

World Deforestation

October 14, 2016 By WAMC WEB

Forests are a vital part of biodiversity and are one of the planet’s most important natural repositories for carbon dioxide. They are also continually under attack by multiple forces: more mouths to feed, more wood needed to burn and build with, more paper to manufacture, and more land needed to graze cattle.

[Read more…] about World Deforestation

Reduced Waste From Modular Construction

March 10, 2016 By WAMC WEB

Our nation’s landfills are overflowing and we are constantly seeking ways to reduce the amount of waste that needs to go into them. Usually, we are thinking about food waste, plastics, glass and paper. However, one of the largest sources of waste generation is actually construction and demolition waste. Estimates are that between 25 and 40% of the national solid waste stream comes from these activities and very little of it gets recycled.

Ecology And Designing Future Cities

January 4, 2016 By WAMC WEB

When most people hear the word ‘ecology’ – chances are it conjures up images of scientists working in distant, wild landscapes, such as old growth forests or remote mountain lakes. Increasingly, however, ecological studies are focused on urban and suburban areas.