Recent research shows that US rivers are becoming saltier and more alkaline. Salt pollution threatens drinking water supplies and freshwater ecosystems, but there is no broad system for regulating it.
Construction of new dwellings was up 3.1% in January 2018.
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The construction sector works on a bit of a time lag. So there are a bunch of projects underway that were premised on the loose credit of recent years.
The law says that newly built houses should have a six-star energy rating, to help residents afford their heating and cooling bills. But some builders seem to be findings ways around this requirement.
Sand for use in hydraulic fracturing operations at a processing plant in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin in 2011.
AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)
Overuse of sand for construction and industry is harming the environment and fueling violence around the world. Scientists explain why we need international rules to regulate sand mining and use.
With some tweaks to the recipe, cement and concrete can be made kinder to the planet.
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Cement has a huge greenhouse footprint, largely because the chemical process by which it is made releases carbon dioxide. But there are several different ways for cement to green up its act.
It’s not just workers on building sites that will feel the pinch of the construction downturn.
David Maiuz/AAP
The threat of a loss of jobs in the the industries that support construction reveals the problem in relying on building to sustain the economy.
Despite public perception, figures indicate that white collar workers are more likely to be a member of a union than people working in traditionally blue collar professions.
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About 84% of cranes in Australia are used on residential sites, with commercial projects making up 5% of crane activity. Health, education, infrastructure and recreation projects make up the rest.
Helen Anderson, The University of Melbourne; Ian Ramsay, The University of Melbourne; Jasper Hedges, The University of Melbourne et Michelle Welsh, Monash University
A primary focus on prosecuting those who have committed illegal phoenix activities has not been successful.
There has been a rapid increase in the amount of resources tied up in buildings.
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