News — buildings

How to keep buildings cool without air conditioning – according to an expert in sustainable design Matt Hinsta/Flickr., CC BY-NC-ND Aurore Julien, University of East London The warmer it gets, the more people crank up the air conditioning (AC). In fact, AC is booming in nations across the world: it’s predicted that around two thirds of the world’s households could have an air conditioner by 2050, and the demand for energy to cool buildings will triple. But unless the energy comes from renewable sources, all that added demand will generate more greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming –...

Ditch ground floors to protect buildings from tsunamis, study suggests Research carried out at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) has suggested that sacrificing the ground floors of buildings may be the best way to protect them from tsunamis. PhD student Davide Wüthrich conducted a number of experiments using the Swiss university’s Laboratory of Hydraulic Constructions (LCH). A small metal box with numerous openings was used to simulate a building with multiple windows and doors. The box was placed in a 15.5m canal that could replicate tsunamis and storm surges. Wüthrich carried out over 350 different experiments in the test...