The Department of Energy announced $39 million in awards for 18 projects that are developing technologies to transform buildings into net carbon storage structures.
Several of the awards are targeted for alternative concrete and cement materials as part of DOE’s drive to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment. “There’s huge, untapped potential in reimagining building materials and construction techniques as carbon sinks,” Jennifer M. Granholm, DOE secretary, said in a press release.
Other projects funded by the DOE include:
- Development of “living” wood with the strength of steel, a self-healing capability, and combined carbon-sequestering benefits from wood and microbes by Purdue University.
- Development of a composite panel containing bio-derived natural fibers that exhibit excellent mechanical and functional properties while maintaining a carbon-negative footprint by SkyNano LLC.
- Design of a carbon-negative, medium-size building structure using a high-performance floor system with maximized surface area for carbon absorption that uses a novel carbon absorbing concrete mixture as a building material at the University of Pennsylvania.
The DOE awards are intended to help meet the goal of net zero emissions by 2050 outlined in an executive order signed by President Biden last year to make the federal government carbon neutral. The program aims for a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Construction unemployment rises to 17.1% as another 64,000 construction workers are laid off in September
The national unemployment rate for the construction industry rose to 17.1 percent as another 64,000 construction workers lost their jobs in September, according to an analysis of new employment data released today. With 80 percent of layoffs occurring in nonresidential construction, Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America, said the decline in nonresidential construction has eclipsed housing’s problems.
| Aug 11, 2010
CHPS debuts high-performance building products database
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) made a new tool available to product manufacturers to help customers identify building products that contribute to sustainable, healthy, built environments. The tool is an online, searchable database where manufacturers can list products that have met certain environmental or health standards ranging from recycled content to materials that contribute to improved indoor air quality.
| Aug 11, 2010
ICC launches green construction code initiative for commercial buildings
The International Code Council has launched its International Green Construction Code (IGCC) initiative, which will aim to reduce energy usage and the carbon footprint of commercial buildings.Entitled “IGCC: Safe and Sustainable By the Book,” the initiative is committed to develop a model code focused on new and existing commercial buildings. It will focus on building design and performance.
| Aug 11, 2010
Green Building Initiative launches two certification programs for green building professionals
The Green Building Initiative® (GBI), one of the nation’s leading green building organizations and exclusive provider of the Green Globes green building certification in the United States, today announced the availability of two new personnel certification programs for green building practitioners: Green Globes Professional (GGP) and Green Globes Assessor (GGA).
| Aug 11, 2010
Construction employment declines in 49 states & D.C. in September compared to last year
Construction employment again declined in large numbers in all but one state this September compared to last year according to an analysis of new state-by-state employment figures released today by the federal government.
| Aug 11, 2010
Gilbane, Manhattan Construction top BD+C's ranking of the nation's 50 largest K-12 school contractors
A ranking of the Top 50 K-12 School Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
29 Great Solutions for the AEC Industry
AEC firms are hotbeds of invention and innovation to meet client needs in today's highly competitive environment. The editors of Building Design+Construction are pleased to present 29 "Great Solutions" to some of the most complex problems and issues facing Building Teams today. Our solutions cover eight key areas: Design, BIM + IT, Collaboration, Healthcare, Products, Technology, Business Management, and Green Building.
