SCIENCE & STUDIES

FasRaP – How A Stick Wrap Can Extend The Lifespan of Concrete

Concrete pillars wrapped in "it" were able to take on an extra load of 80%

16 April 2019 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: 2019, Featured, SCIENCE & STUDIES

In the near future, it probably becomes easier to repair and prolong the lifespan of existing structures by protecting its concrete pillars by wrapping them with a stick wrap.

The innovative technology called FasRaP or Fast Wrapping Fibre Reinforced Polymer was developed by the engineers and scientists at Nanyang Technological University Singapore, and companies Prostruct Consulting Pte Ltd, and JTC through a joint venture.

Urban cities will find this ready-to-stick wrap extremely useful when rehabilitating infrastructures like bridges and buildings which are debilitating due to age.

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Readily available glass fibers are used at creating FasRaP. However, a unique proprietary resin, which the materials scientists at NTU developed, was added to it serving as the wrap’s adhesive.

Using FasRaP can save both the company and workers valuable effort and time. The resin glue can be pre-applied in factories since it will not harden unless exposed directly to light. It can then be packed into a roll of ready-to-stick wrap just like double-sided tapes.

Saving Manpower

“Our invention allows companies to save on manpower costs, increase efficiency and make structural reinforcement much easier to execute. This will help them to meet future building standards and prolong the life of older buildings and structures as Singapore and other urban cities age,” said Assoc Prof Ng Kee Woei, lead project investigator from NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering.

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Once on the production site, it can be instantly applied on pillars and walls. It is possible to complete the entire job by just three workers. On the other hand, the available FRPs out there on the market today requires at least six people to install since standard resins must be applied manually on-site.

In addition, prefabrication of FasRaP with the resin in factories means that its conditions are closely observed and managed to ensure the quality is consistent, which is not in the case for resins manually applied on site.

Various tests showed that FasRaP is just as powerful as conventional FRPs. It also showed that concrete pillars wrapped in it were able to take on an extra load of 80% as opposed to bare ones without any sort of support.

According to the Group Director of Engineering at JTC, Mr. Calvin Chung, they combined their experience of engineering with the research expertise at NTU, and the understanding of Prostruct in the industry so that they “can address real challenges faced by the construction industry such as manpower constraints and quality control.”

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>>>News Outlets Misinterpret US Bird-Building Collision Study – But the Problem is Real

News Outlets Misinterpret US Bird-Building Collision Study – But the Problem is Real

11 April 2019 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: 2019, Featured, SCIENCE & STUDIES

A sensational news story stating that up to a billion birds die in collisions with skyscrapers in the US every year recently made headlines and has been repeated around the world. However, the reality, though not as shocking as the headline, is nevertheless of concern.

The false impression that high-rise towers slaughter birds by the billion comes from casual reading of a study finding that between 365 and 988 million birds die in building collisions in the US.

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But what the reports failed to note was that the finding points to high-rises as presenting the lowest threat to passing birdlife. Instead, low rises and residential homes produced the largest amount of avian casualties, with high-rise towers killing less than one percent of the total.

Bird Migration Poses Added Risk

However, although high rises may not be nearly as deadly to birds as the headlines declared, there’s no doubt that the mere existence of buildings poses a threat to many species. Regretfully, some of these may be rare or threatened as the US study found. Five species with vulnerable conservation status were found to represent a disproportionate amount of building collisions.

At the same time, the researchers warn that many of the data sets studied were accumulated during migratory seasons and that new data covering other times of the year would provide more accurate results.

It is true the birds are drawn to cities during their migrations. Ornithologists explain that many diurnal species prefer to carry out nocturnal migration flights, and that they will be drawn to the bright lights of cities, potentially leading flocks through airspace that’s crowded with buildings.

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A separate study found that local songbirds might make “flight calls” when they are exposed to light at night, luring flocks in migration towards built-up areas.

Bird-Friendly Measures Implemented at Government Level

Defining the extent of the bird-building collision problem may be tricky, but the researchers say it’s important to raise awareness. They hope to see more bird-friendly measures implemented in cities. For instance, in New York State, government buildings must now douse their lights during the night if bird migration is in progress. Using patterned glass or just making lighting dimmer could also help to mitigate the problem.

Thanks to rising awareness of bird-building collisions, a new law, the Bird-Safe Building Act, will require new government buildings to incorporate bird-safe features.

Cities That Address Sustainability Challenges Attractive to International Businesses

Direct correlation between cleaner air and waste water and the amount of foreign investment going into cities

03 April 2019 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: 2019, Featured, SCIENCE & STUDIES

Urban sustainability may be a hot topic, but is there a direct material benefit for cities that make an extra effort? Researchers at the University of Amsterdam Business School say there is. The international business scholars note that air quality improvement measures and good waste water treatment practices appear to make cities more attractive destinations when it comes to foreign direct investment.

Clean Air, Water Boosts Foreign Investment

To arrive at its finding, the team examined seven years of data from 185 Chinese cities to see whether improvements in air quality and waste water treatment appeared to affect foreign direct investment. The research found that there appeared to be a direct correlation between cleaner air and waste water and the amount of foreign investment going into cities.

Figures cited include a $1billion per annum increase in foreign direct investment when a large city like Shanghai achieves significant air quality improvements and potential for as much as $750 million per annum in extra investment for a city like Beijing when waste water treatment percentages rise.

The finding is specifically interesting because it indicates the possibility of a greater commitment to corporate responsibility than in the past. In commentary, the study’s authors refer to a “race to the bottom,” in which multinationals invest in other countries because they hope to be subjected to laxer environmental regulations appearing to be replaced, at least at city level, by a “race to the top,” in which multinationals strive to associate themselves with green cities.

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They postulate that the reasons for this are growing commitment towards employee wellbeing and expat quality of life. Since polluted environments have negative consequences for employees’ mental and physical wellbeing, a pleasanter environment may have positive consequences for both morale and productivity.

There is also considerable pressure from consumers for large companies to clean up their acts. By associating themselves with green cities, international firms enhance their reputations and gain a competitive advantage.

Profit Follows When People and Planet Benefit

By demonstrating the potential economic value of sustainable city management, the team draws attention to the third pillar of sustainability, profit. It is generally believed that when we have many industries, there must necessarily be more pollution. The University of Amsterdam report strives to prove that this is not necessarily the case.

Indeed, by embarking on initiatives that will benefit the environment and society, cities can spark a virtuous cycle in which environmental improvements ignite economic growth which in turn funds further improvements and further foreign investment.

The study calls for policymakers to set and enforce emissions and wastewater regulations and to call for investors to make use of clean energy and wastewater recycling. In addition, city pollution-reduction and clean-up programs should enjoy priority, while companies that go the extra mile in reducing pollution should receive incentives.

Finally, the authors refer to India’s war on pollution headed by Environment Minister, Harsh Vardhan. The country is home to 22 cities that rank amount the world’s 30 worst in terms of air pollution. They remark that if the new policy measures succeed, India’s cities may well become more prosperous as well as becoming healthier places to live.

Europe’s Air Pollution Contributes to Cardiovascular Disease, Reduces Life Expectancy – Study

Mortality rate from ambient air pollution in Europe is 790,000

22 March 2019 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: 2019, Featured, SCIENCE & STUDIES

The European Heart Journal has published a study modeling the effect of air pollution in Europe on cardiovascular health. It finds that air pollution may have a greater effect on mortality from cardiovascular illness than previously believed, but notes that the hazard ratio used allows for a “high degree of uncertainty.”

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Non-Communicable Diseases the Leading Cause of Mortality

World Health Organization figures show that non-communicable diseases account for 71 percent of the world’s deaths. Of these, 31 percent of deaths were the result of cardiovascular disease while the rest can be attributed to cancer, diabetes and lung disease.

In Europe, 45 percent of deaths are caused by cardiovascular disease. We know that there are many risk factors involved, but the authors of the new study believe that environmental factors that contribute to heart disease, including air pollution, are being underestimated in current Global Burden of Disease (GED) estimates.

Medical Experts Warn of Particulate Pollution Hazard

The Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health estimates that nine million unnecessary deaths are caused by unhealthy environmental conditions and attributes half of the problem to air pollution.

Very fine particulate pollutants smaller than 2.5 µm in diameter are the primary concern as a mounting body of evidence points towards these pollutants as contributors to heart disease and death.

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Using statistical models, the new research points towards cardiovascular disease caused by air pollution as reducing average life expectancy in Europe by as much as two years. This would mean that in total, air pollution contributes to approximately 790,000 people in Europe annually.

The study estimates that of these, mortality will be as a result of:

Lung cancer: 7 percent
COPD: 6 percent
Pneumonia: 7 percent
Stroke: 8 percent
Ischemic heart disease: 40 percent
Other non-communicable diseases: 37 percent

Air Quality Standards Inadequate

The study’s authors note that EU air quality standards call for an average air quality limit of 25 µg/m³ – more than double the 10 µg/m³ level suggested by the World Health Organization – and even this figure will not reduce the hazard ratio below 1.

In fact, the EU air quality standard promulgated in 2015 is far laxer than that of the US, where the annual average limit is 12 µg/m³ and Australia and Canada, which both have standards in line with, or more stringent than, the 10 µg/m³ WHO recommendation. Both countries also have concrete plans to improve air quality still further.

In addition, there are areas in Europe where pollution levels exceed the already-lax air quality standard significantly. Europe, says the report, must urgently prioritize clean air for the sake of human health.

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Cleaner Air in the EU is Achievable

The goal of cleaner air will not be impossible to reach. Europe is already moving away from fossil fuels, and although it’s no panacea, cutting out their use would increase average life expectancy by 1 to 1.4 years.

Thus, moving to renewable energy will have immense health benefits and may even have a greater impact on reduced mortality than the reduction in cigarettes smoking achieved in recent decades.

Exciting Surveys Published In Middle East Mega City Infrastructure Report 2019

The survey looks at the ways in which the Middle East is adopting smart technology and how it plans to do so in the future

17 February 2019 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: 2019, Featured, SCIENCE & STUDIES

The annual Middle East Mega City Infrastructure Report views the future of the region’s infrastructure from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Sustainability is key, but financing presents the greatest challenge. And that, says IQPC Middle East Managing Director, Ayusha Tyagi, brings with it challenges, including the need to structure project financing and incorporate automation and IoT into infrastructure.

What technologies will be most in demand? Which solutions are still being sought, and what challenges await? The survey looks at the ways in which the Middle East is adopting smart technology and how it plans to do so in the future.

The Survey and its Participants

The report is based on a survey which was sent to leading figures from government, educational, and private organizations and provides a breakdown of the areas of interest, organization type, and geographical area represented. Areas of interest represented included housing, ports, and roads infrastructure.

Subject-matter experts from countries outside the Middle East may have represented a minority of respondents, but the leavening of international thought leaders adds a third-party perspective to the on-the-ground observations of government representatives, local contractors, and academics who participated.

Download the Middle East Mega City Infrastructure Annual Report 2019 for full insights on the challenges, innovations and technologies required to drive #megacity #infrastructure projects in the #MiddleEast: https://t.co/Hq1T2ZOXSR pic.twitter.com/8lRxBVU2OC
— IQPC Middle East (@iqpcmena) 16 February 2019

Housing and Residential Development Challenges

The majority of survey participants said that sustainability and affordability were the two greatest challenges in bringing smart technologies to housing and residential development.

However, they are quick to point out that the two characteristics need not be mutually exclusive. Indeed, the contrary may be true. Since sustainable housing has a smaller resource footprint, it is logical it will prove more cost-effective, at least in the long run.

The Next Big Thing

Nearly half the respondents said they thought “smart” homes, cities, and communities would be the next major trend in new infrastructure. Commentators see smart automation and smart homes as a factor that will redefine the way we experience our living spaces and our cities.

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Port authorities and roads infrastructure experts are also looking at smart mobility, blockchain, and other data-based elements as tools to help them achieve their vision as providers of world-class infrastructure.

Widely-Used Solutions

When asked about solutions that respondents planned to apply to current or upcoming projects, sustainable material choices topped the list. But with air conditioning a major energy consumer in the Middle East, energy-efficient HVAC is a close second. Notably, our “next big thing,” smart automation, gets a look-in here as number three on the list of desirable solutions already being implemented.

Middle East Mega City solutions to implement — (Middle East Mega City Infrastructure Annual Report 2019)

To view the detailed report, click here.

Greatest Challenges

With IoT and smart automation from home to community and city level having been identified as a desirable solution, the challenge of finding suitable technology partners rears its head. The technology applied in smart cities must be scalable and each element needs to integrate into a larger ecosystem.

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For new projects to get off the ground, funding must be raised, and the more ambitious and costly the project, the greater the challenge in persuading funders to provide financial support. Respondents rated financing as the second-greatest challenge cities face when embarking on sustainable infrastructure projects.

Port authorities also identified technological challenges and the need for training as being a priority. Many Middle Eastern ports are striving to gain a greater share of shipping by introducing the latest digitization and automation, and although overcapacity is the next-greatest on the list of port-related challenges, it’s worth remembering that several large port upgrade projects in the Middle East have only recently been commissioned.

Roads infrastructure projects, however, are most often plagued by project delays with respondents citing unreliable contractors, material choices and design issues as accounting for most late completions.

What’s Changing?

The survey results show a knock-on effect as one changing paradigm impacts on the next. Sustainability got the most votes as the big innovation that will change future cities – but to enable that, we need technology – smart technology.

Of course, all this tech is going to gather a lot of data, so big data makes an appearance on the list of expected innovations, while the next logical step once you have data being used to run cities and make decisions is to make sure that data is safe and secure.

The Outlook for Renewable Energy

Renewable energy has been making inroads into the Middle Eastern energy mix in recent years with large solar parks being constructed and commissioned in several countries. However, obstacles to the adoption of renewable energy do exist. As always, obtaining funding may not be easy, and with much of the existing infrastructure in need of upgrades before readiness can be achieved, the cost is likely to be much higher than it may superficially seem.

Coming Soon

When asked to identify elements that will be incorporated into current or future projects, most respondents agreed that smart water and energy use and improved waste management were on the cards. However, one respondent criticized the questionnaire design, pointing out that other items listed, such as emissions monitoring and solar panels were components forming part of the two central themes.

Megacities of the Future: Shaped by Technology

When asked if technological elements like robotics, big data, and automation would have an impact on the Middle Eastern cities of the future, 85 percent of respondents responded that they would.

What may surprise some readers is that 15 percent of respondents said they would not. However, the Middle East is by no means a homogenous region and what is feasible in one area may not be feasible in another. No breakdown of results by geographical area was included and no motivation for the minority opinion that technology would not be widely adopted in city management, housing and infrastructure was given.

Megacity Infrastructure Week to Zero in on Trends in April

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The Middle East Mega City Infrastructure report was compiled and published by the Mega City Infrastructure Week, an event that will showcase new developments and technologies in infrastructure and city management. The event takes place from 16 to 17 April in Dubai.

The event itself will feature over 50 hours of conferences, a Mega City Challenge in which selected students will present innovations that could contribute to the cities of tomorrow, an opportunity for start-ups to showcase promising new ventures, exhibition halls, networking opportunities and more.

Without doubt, content will be influenced by the survey results, and decision makers can expect to find the latest innovations and ideas under the spotlight during the two-day event.