Environment and Sustainability

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) last week sounded the alarm that global temperatures may temporarily surpass 1.5 C of warming within the next five years. It has been indicated that global warming of this amount would have “far-reaching repercussions for health, food security, water management and the environment.” The change is fuelled by heat-trapping greenhouse gases and the naturally occurring El Niño event.

Tidal stream power has the potential to deliver 11% of the UK’s current annual electricity and play a significant role in the government’s drive for net-zero, according to new research.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is implementing a new approach to the inspection of historic properties in response to the effects of climate change. A programme of tactile condition surveys on over 200 properties will assess the extent of deterioration of high-level masonry and ensure public safety against the risk of potentially unstable building fabric. It will mean that access to some properties will be restricted to enable surveys to be conducted.

Researchers have secured funding to discover the “true cost” of waste on Scottish construction sites in a bid to get contractors to change their working practice.

Biodegradable integrated circuits are being developed by a team at Glasgow University in GEOPIC, a project that aims to stem the growing problem of electronic waste.

Leaks of a highly potent greenhouse gas from electricity infrastructure could be tackled by metal sprays, according to the National Grid.

Two tidal energy technology developers have secured a space in a promising tidal energy site that could provide power for up to 10,000 homes per year. The site, off the coast of Holy Island in Anglesey, will host tidal turbines developed by Scottish firm Nova Innovation and French firm Sabella.

The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) has launched its new Sustainability Hub giving chemical engineers access to a suite of new on-demand training courses and knowledge resources.

Leading aerospace companies including Airbus and Safran Landing Systems are working with a consortium led by the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) on a new project aiming to offer a major sustainability boost, along with cost and lead time savings, across critical component manufacturing through a combination of forging, forming and additive manufacturing.

An international study involving Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has shown the potential for using capillary heat exchangers for heat pumps in the shallows of the seabed, with the potential to provide homes with an infinite supply of heating.

CIBSE, as part of the Energy Efficiency Infrastructure Group (EEIG), has called on the UK Government to support a long-term, revenue-neutral Energy Saving Stamp Duty Incentive, to encourage homeowners to future-proof their homes against high energy bills.