A PhD student used shredded baby diapers in a prototype Indonesian house; 27% of its non-structural concrete blocks contained diaper waste, totaling about 3,700 poundsAn extraordinary house in Indonesia has creatively utilized nearly 3,700 pounds of discarded diapers. This unique construction method incor...
02 Sep, 2026, 01.40 PM IST
RMIT engineers mixed 1% recycled cigarette butts into fired-clay bricks, and the bricks matched standard strength while cutting firing energy by 10%In Melbourne, engineers are pioneering a groundbreaking technique to integrate discarded cigarette butts into building bricks. This eco-fri...
02 Sep, 2026, 01.30 PM IST
No concrete, only boulders: Just 2 hours from Bengaluru, this 2,400 sq ft forest farmstay is built with natural stone, mud blocks, wood and clayLocated in Shoolagiri, this remarkable farmstay near Bengaluru blends natural boulders into its architecture, encouraging an eco-conscious ...
02 Sep, 2026, 01.04 PM IST
In 2019, RMIT researchers fired clay bricks mixed with treated sewage sludge; a 25% biosolids batch cut firing energy by 48.6% while passing strength testsResearchers are exploring ways to recycle sewage sludge into building materials. Mixing biosolids into clay significantly cuts the energy n...
31 Aug, 2026, 02.32 PM IST
In a 2025 study, researchers fired clay bricks with 10% eggshell powder; thermal conductivity was 50% lower than in untreated bricksInnovators are integrating eggshell waste into fired clay bricks, effectively reducing heat transfer in building structures. By using a 10%...
31 Aug, 2026, 02.27 PM IST
In Maine, engineers turn about 1 million scrap tires a year into lightweight highway fill; the shredded rubber stabilizes embankments built on weak marine clayInnovatively transforming shredded tyres into construction materials for highway embankments, Maine tackled substantial waste tyre pileup w...
31 Aug, 2026, 02.25 PM IST
In 2023, researchers modeled fluid-filled microchannel windows; computer simulations estimated the liquid system could cut building energy use by 43 percentResearchers are developing innovative liquid windows that can control heat and light transmission. These tunable windows could potentially ...
30 Aug, 2026, 01.50 PM IST
In 2025, Czech researchers reported 2024 summer tests of green facades; one Holešovice site recorded 6.4K lower mean radiant temperature than a white wallGreen facades play a significant role in regulating outdoor thermal conditions, although their effectiveness can significantly differ. A co...
29 Aug, 2026, 03.00 PM IST
In a 2011 Las Vegas test, a 15.24-cm wet roof pond lowered indoor peak operative temperature by about 8.5°C versus the outdoor maximumIn the summer of 2011, a groundbreaking building in Las Vegas experimented with roof pond cooling. Results indicated that wet roof ponds ef...
29 Aug, 2026, 02.20 PM IST
UAE has turned desert sand into construction bricks using a new eco-friendly method developed by scientists that doesn't need additional heat to harden and could reduce cement importsResearchers in the UAE have developed construction bricks using abundant desert sand and alkali-activated binders instead of conventional P...
28 Aug, 2026, 03.35 PM IST
In 1971, liquefied clay swallowed dozens of homes in a Quebec village and killed 31 people; the surviving population was permanently relocatedFifty years ago, a massive landslide devastated Saint-Jean-Vianney, Quebec, engulfing homes and claiming lives. Unstable soil, saturated by...
28 Aug, 2026, 12.05 AM IST
Four bottles were found by archaeologists buried beneath former slave quarters in Virginia. The direction they pointed offered an intriguing clueDuring renovations at Arlington House, construction workers stumbled upon four glass bottles hidden beneath the floor. After investigation ...
27 Aug, 2026, 07.43 PM IST
Hindalco commissions India’s first Superfine PPT ATH plant in KarnatakaHindalco Industries has commissioned India's first Superfine PPT ATH manufacturing plant. This new facility at Belagavi will meet domestic ...
27 Aug, 2026, 11.50 AM IST
MIT built a three-layer passive cooling panel of aerogel, hydrogel and reflective material; tests cooled it 9.3°C below ambient and suggested up to 40% longer food storage in humid conditionsResearchers have created a passive cooling system that uses natural processes. This innovative device cools significantly below ambient air...
26 Aug, 2026, 03.20 PM IST
In 1997, Carnegie and Russian scientists turned sulfur into a superconductor at 93 GPa. 29 years later, the discovery still helps physicists understand materials that can conduct electricity without resistanceSulfur is an ordinary element, familiar from minerals, volcanic deposits and industrial materials. Yet under extreme pressure, it can behav...
25 Aug, 2026, 06.30 PM IST
Why is aluminium foil wrapped around cryogenic tanks? Reflective layers help reduce radiant heat that can warm super-cold liquidsIn cryogenic tanks, thin reflective layers are essential for preventing heat transfer. The use of aluminum foil, known for its low emissivi...
18 Aug, 2026, 02.20 PM IST
India, maybe enter the Bronze age?A statue in Korba, Chhattisgarh, revealed as cement painted bronze, not solid metal. Heavy rains exposed this discrepancy, leading to an of...
17 Aug, 2026, 11.46 PM IST