Sustainable Design

09/17/2026

Some of our projects are quite small. This basement bulkhead is a great example...

08/26/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DxiooZiPQ/

Injecting carbon dioxide into cement is a growing commercial strategy to store CO₂ and reduce emissions. But until now, no one had directly observed what actually happens chemically when CO₂ meets fresh cement paste.

Using real-time Raman spectroscopy, MIT researchers, led by Associate Professor Admir Masic in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, captured the fleeting chemical reactions for the first time. They discovered a three-stage process where CO₂ temporarily suppresses the paste's alkalinity, creating a distributed silica gel network that ultimately produces a stronger, more uniform microstructure.

The result: CO₂-injected cement achieved 13 percent higher compressive strength at 24 hours compared to conventional mixes.

"Pointing a laser at CO₂-injected cement paste as it hardens allows us to visualize things that haven't been seen before," says Masic. The findings, published in the Journal of the American Ceramic Society, reveal the chemistry behind a technology already attracting commercial interest—and could help optimize it further.

https://news.mit.edu/2026/carbon-dioxide-rewires-how-cement-sets-0611

08/11/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JpAEGbRAE/

Scientists just figured out how to solve plastic pollution and the clean energy crisis at the same time.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge scaled up a solar-powered photoreforming reactor to one full square metre and tested it outdoors under real, variable sunlight for the first time. The panel, built using little more than a common paint sprayer, converts dissolved PET plastic bottles and cellulose into clean hydrogen gas and valuable industrial chemicals. A cobalt and zirconium catalyst is spray-coated onto glass in a process designed for commercial manufacture. The team also completed a first-of-its-kind cost analysis showing a realistic path to viability.

Over 95% of the world's hydrogen still comes from fossil fuels. A sunlight-powered reactor that eats plastic waste and outputs clean fuel could help cut both sources of pollution simultaneously.
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News Source: University of Cambridge, "Scientists demonstrate solar-powered plastic recycling at real-world scale" (June 2026)
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06/21/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18zykBPFhu/

05/18/2026

A great new place in Brattleboro to check out! Reclaimed materials at its finest!

05/08/2026

Don't Miss the 2026 Downtown and Historic Preservation Conference on June 4th

The Downtown & Historic Preservation Conference is Vermont’s go-to gathering for people passionate about vibrant downtowns and preserving the places that make our communities unique. Connect with local leaders, community builders, and advocates at this energizing conference—share ideas, spark inspiration, and walk away with practical strategies to strengthen and revitalize the places we care about most, from housing and adaptive reuse to economic vitality and placemaking.

Learn more and register to attend in St Albans on June 4th: Register Here

Community Development Save the Date: June 4th and 5th, 2026 The Downtown and Historic Preservation Conference brings together a diverse group of stakeholders to network and learn about historic preservation, community planning and downtown revitalization. We are very pleased to announce that this ...