BITUBLOCK: Building blocks made from compressed rubbish!

If we told you there was a sustainable substitute for concrete you’d probably say rubbish!… and you would be right. The dream of a resource-saving, emissions-reducing replacement for concrete is becoming a reality in the form of BituBlock - made from post-consumer waste. Dr. John Forth of the University of Leeds is behind the revolutionary process that turns rubbish into a strong, less-energy intensive structural material that is poised to make concrete obsolete.



BituBlock is a high-performance product that is about six times stronger than traditional concrete block. It’s made by mixing waste products like recycled glass, metal slag, sewage sludge and incinerator ash with a sticky binder called bitumen, also used in road paving. The mixture is compacted in a mold and heat-cured, which oxidizes and hardens the bitumen.

While high recycled content is a vital part of sustainable construction, BituBlock’s landfill diverted ingredients are just part of what makes it so groundbreaking. Concrete is the most widely-used construction material with over ten billion tons produced annually. About 7% of global CO2 emissions come from concrete production. The primary source of CO2 emissions generated by concrete manufacturing is Portland cement, responsible for 74% to 81% of total CO2 emissions. In BituBlock, the bitumen binder replaces the Portland cement.

Structurally superior, BituBlock is gaining commercial interest and the project team, which also includes Dr. Salah Zoorob from the University of Nottingham, expects BituBlock to be market ready in just 3-5 years. Plans are also underway to develop ‘Vegeblock’ using waste vegetable oil.


Thankyou: http://www.inhabitat.com

Spiral Glass Staircase

Some time after 5 p.m. workers at the Shinsaibashi retail store removed the black plastic that had been covering the front window, revealing for the first time the design of the spiral glass staircase--it was worth the wait!
The store itself runs left-to-right in the building, instead of front-to-back as is usual. As you look into the store, the entrance is angled inward, and you have an excellent view of the glass staircase to the left, and the store off to the right. The regular "home," "pro" and other sections are on the ground floor, and presumably the Genius Bar, Internet cafe and "kids" section is on the second level. The point-of-sale counter is at the far-right, or rear, of the store.
Ah, the glass staircase! It has 24 glass treadles, or steps, angled into a 270-degree near-circle. It begins from a two-step-up, stone platform, angles left, and then joins up with a 10-foot long glass bridge before reaching the second floor. The most compelling part of the staircase, perhaps, are the huge, glass side panels for the interior and exterior wall of the stairs, which is a visual and design marvel. You'll find yourself wondering they were made, and how they was transported to the store for installation without breaking. When you done pondering that, try to comprehend that the stairway is suspended over space--there's nothing below the steps or stairs holding them up. Initially you don't realize it until you see "nothing" below the stairs! Then you gaze upward and notice that there are several thin, silver rods running from the staircase to the ceiling, which apparently support the weight of the stairs.
It's difficult to see in the photos of the glass bridge, but the siding for the second floor actually mimics the G5 design--thousands of small holes drilled in metal siding. I believe this design was also used at the San Francisco store.
Interestingly, the front windows aren't fitted with the floor or ceiling hardware to support Apple's standard window displays. It appears that the long side-window will serve to display Apple graphics, while the front windows will be clear of obstructions to showcase the store and the staircase.
Overall, the store design is an incredible use of space, and provides a spectacular--and inviting--view into the store. How any passerby could ignore the stairs, and the attraction of walking up those stairs to the second floor is beyond me! There's no doubt that it will be a crowd creator for the store!