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The News 04/12/2025

Floating Houses Amsterdam – Dutch Floating Houses Against Climate Change

The Netherlands is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, with about a third of its area lying below sea level and the rest regularly at risk of flooding. As sea levels are forecast to continue to rise and extreme rains increase, the government is not only strengthening dikes and tidal culverts, but also testing new adaptation models. Floating housing in Amsterdam – typically the Waterbuurt and Schoonschip districts – is seen as "urban laboratories" for a new way of living: not only fighting floods, but actively living with water. In parallel with climate pressures, Amsterdam faces a shortage of housing and scarce land funds. The expansion of the city to the water helps solve two problems at the same time: increasing the supply of housing without encroaching on more land, and at the same time testing an urban model that is able to adapt to flooding and sea level rise.

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The News 04/12/2025

Floating Houses Amsterdam – Dutch Floating Houses Against Climate Change

The News 20/11/2025

Kampung Admiralty Singapore: Tropical Green Architecture and Lessons for Vietnam's Cities

Kampung Admiralty - the project that won the "Building of the Year 2018" award at the World Architecture Festival - is a clear demonstration of smart tropical green architecture. With a three-storey "club sandwich" design, a natural ventilation system that saves 13% of cooling energy, and a 125% greening rate, this project opens up many valuable lessons for Vietnamese urban projects in the context of climate change.

The News 10/11/2025

Tropical Modern Villa Architecture – A Unique Impression in Urban Vietnam

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of urban life, many Vietnamese families are looking for a different living space – where they can enjoy modernity without being far from nature. Tropical Modern villa architecture is the perfect answer to this need. Not only an aesthetic trend, this is also a smart design philosophy, harmoniously combining technology, local materials and Vietnam's typical tropical climate.

The News 25/10/2025

Hemp-lime (hempcrete): From hemp to green building materials

Hemp-lime (hempcrete) is a non-load-bearing covering material consisting of a hemp wood core (hemp shiv/hurd) combined with a lime-based adhesive, outstanding for its insulation – moisture conditioning – indoor environmental durability; in particular, IRC 2024 – Appendix BL has established a normative line applicable to low-rise housing, strengthening the technical-legal feasibility of this biomaterial.

New Material 19/10/2025

New Generation Green Material: Biochar Concrete

What if concrete could store instead of emit carbon? From rice husks and wood humus to coffee grounds, biochar is moving from agriculture to construction sites, turning by-products into functional grains for cement matrices. Biochar concrete is therefore considered a "new generation candidate": both reducing the carbon footprint of the life cycle and refining the microstructure to optimize performance – as long as the right dosage – is used.

The News 11/10/2025

Bahrain World Trade Center: Advanced Structure and Sustainable Design Principles – A Modern Architectural Icon

Amid rapid urbanization and global climate change, architecture is not only construction but also the art of harmonizing people, the environment, and technology. The Bahrain World Trade Center (BWTC)—the iconic twin towers in Manama, Bahrain—is a vivid testament to this fusion. Completed in 2008, BWTC is not only the tallest building in Bahrain (240 meters) but also the first building in the world to integrate wind turbines into its primary structure, supplying renewable energy to itself [1]. This article explores the BWTC’s structural system and design principles, examining how it overcomes the challenges of a desert environment to become a convincing sustainable model for future cities. Through an academic lens, we will see that BWTC is not merely a building but a declaration of architectural creativity.

The News 04/10/2025

Transparent Wood – A Future Material to Replace Glass in Green Architecture

As buildings move toward net zero architecture and glare free daylighting, traditional glass façades reveal limitations: high thermal conductivity (~0.9–1.0 W/m·K), susceptibility to glare, and shattering on impact. In this context, transparent wood (TW) is emerging as a multifunctional bio based material: it offers high light transmission yet strong diffusion (high haze) to prevent glare, lower thermal conductivity than glass, and tough, non shattering failure. Recent reviews in Energy & Buildings (2025) and Cellulose (2023) regard TW as a candidate for next generation windows and skylights in energy efficient buildings. [1]

The News 27/09/2025

Flood-Free City: The Secret of the Fushougou System

Urban flooding is one of the greatest challenges of the modern era, when sudden and unpredictable rainstorms can paralyze entire cities. Few would imagine that over a thousand years ago, people had already discovered a sustainable solution: the Fushougou drainage system in the ancient city of Ganzhou, Jiangxi. Built during the Northern Song dynasty, this project remains effective to this day, protecting the city from floods—even during historic deluges. The story of Fushougou is not only a testament to ancient engineering but also a valuable reference for today’s cities seeking answers to water and flooding problems.

The News 20/09/2025

Carbon-Negative Concrete Technology: The Future of Environmentally Friendly Building Materials

The construction industry is currently facing immense pressure to reduce carbon emissions, as concrete is not only one of the most widely used materials but also a major source of CO₂ due to its reliance on Portland cement. In response, Shimizu Corporation has conducted extensive research to develop sustainable material solutions aimed at achieving carbon neutrality. One of the most remarkable outcomes is carbon-negative concrete, which partially replaces cement and aggregates with biochar. This biochar is produced from sawdust through a carbonization process and has the unique ability to retain a significant amount of carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere through natural decomposition or combustion. Thanks to this property, carbon-negative concrete not only maintains the necessary mechanical strength for construction but also directly contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This innovation is considered a promising step that opens new directions for the advancement of green construction in Japan and worldwide.

The News 13/09/2025

Smart Walls with Integrated Fire-Sensing Technology: A Proactive Safety Solution for Modern Buildings

In the context of rapid urban development, the risk of fire in high-rise buildings, shopping malls, hospitals, and smart homes remains a serious threat. Traditional fire protection solutions are predominantly passive, focusing only on preventing flames from spreading and lacking sufficient early-warning capabilities. This limitation often results in delayed responses to fire incidents, leading to severe losses in both human life and property. Addressing this challenge, smart walls with integrated fire sensors have emerged as a breakthrough innovation, offering a proactive approach to building safety. Unlike conventional fire-resistant walls, these advanced walls not only provide thermal insulation and fire resistance but also integrate temperature, smoke, and pressure sensors combined with IoT technologies to continuously monitor environmental conditions. At the first signs of fire, the system can instantly detect anomalies, send alerts to a central control unit or mobile devices, and activate additional safety mechanisms such as water mist suppression or smoke extraction fans. By transforming passive barriers into “intelligent fire guardians,” this technology enhances building protection, increases the chances of timely evacuation, and minimizes potential damages. With its ability to turn ordinary walls into active safety components, smart fire-sensing walls represent a proactive solution that contributes significantly to the development of modern, sustainable, and resilient buildings.

The News 27/08/2025

Temperature Control in Mass Concrete: Solutions & Lessons from the Hoover Dam

In mass concrete construction, the heat of hydration has always been a “hidden variable” that troubles many engineers and contractors. When cement reacts with water, an enormous amount of heat is generated and trapped inside the massive concrete body. Without proper control, excessive temperatures and the temperature gradient between the core and the surface can cause dangerous thermal cracks, threatening both the durability and safety of the structure. This challenge is not just theoretical—it has been marked in history with a classic lesson: the Hoover Dam (USA), one of the greatest concrete megastructures of the 20th century. Containing millions of cubic meters of concrete, the dam would have taken hundreds of years to cool naturally. Engineers had to devise unprecedented solutions: segmenting the mass, actively cooling it through a network of circulating cold-water pipes, and applying a combination of innovative measures to bring the concrete temperature down to safe levels.

The News 22/08/2025

Low-E Glass: Structure, Types, and Technical Specifications (U-value, SHGC, Sound Insulation, Reflectivity)

Have you ever wondered why modern buildings with large glass facades remain cool in the summer yet warm in the winter? The secret lies in Low-E (Low-Emissivity) glass technology. In contemporary construction, glass is no longer just a material for natural lighting but also an essential solution for enhancing a building’s energy efficiency. Low-E glass is coated with an ultra-thin, nearly invisible layer of metal oxide that works “intelligently” to control heat radiation. It allows natural daylight to enter while blocking most infrared and ultraviolet rays that cause heat buildup and potential health risks. Thanks to these properties, this advanced glass not only creates a more comfortable living environment but also significantly reduces heating and cooling costs, while contributing to sustainability and environmental friendliness in modern architecture.

The News 15/08/2025

Distinguishing Natural Quartz and Quartzite – No More Confusion

In the world of natural stone, quartz and quartzite are two names that are often confused—not only because their names sound similar, but also because their appearance shares many similarities. However, they are entirely different materials in terms of origin, structure, and performance characteristics. Quartz is typically an engineered stone, created by combining crushed quartz crystals with resin and additives, while quartzite is a natural stone formed through the metamorphism of quartz-rich sandstone. This difference not only impacts the value of the material but also determines its durability, heat resistance, and suitability for various applications. Understanding how to distinguish between quartz and quartzite will help you choose the right stone for your needs, avoid mistakes, and make the most of your investment.

The News 07/08/2025

Tile Slip Resistance: 4 Globally Accepted Testing Methods (ASTM, ISO, DIN)

In areas with high slip risk—such as bathrooms, swimming pools, public lobbies, or sloped surfaces—selecting tiles with adequate slip resistance is essential. To accurately assess this property, there are currently four widely used testing methods, each aligned with different international standards and suited to specific applications. This article will help you understand each method, how to interpret the results, and how to apply them effectively in real-world scenarios.

The News 01/08/2025

Hinoki Wood in Modern Bathroom Design: A Natural Material for Relaxation Spaces

Hinoki wood (Japanese cypress – Chamaecyparis obtusa) is a precious type of wood native to Japan, known for its light color, fine grain, and pleasant natural aroma. Thanks to its antibacterial, moisture-resistant, and heat-resistant properties, Hinoki has long been used in traditional architecture, such as temples, onsen bathtubs, and especially saunas. With its calming fragrance and exceptional durability, Hinoki is increasingly favored in modern bathroom design, offering a luxurious and serene experience for users.

The News 22/07/2025

Eco-Friendly Paving: Let the Water Flow Through

In the context of rapid urbanization, localized flooding and water pollution are becoming increasingly severe, particularly due to stormwater runoff on impermeable surfaces such as concrete and asphalt. Permeable pavers have emerged as an advanced, environmentally friendly construction material designed to reduce stormwater runoff and filter pollutants at the source. Not only do these pavers allow for rapid water drainage, but they also act as a primary filter that traps dust, heavy metals, and vehicle-related contaminants, thus improving urban environmental quality. This material is a part of the new wave of sustainable construction trends, widely adopted in developed countries but still relatively new in Vietnam.

The News 11/07/2025

Combining Integrated Circuits and Sensors in Bricks: A Smart Architecture Solution

In the era of digital technology and the explosive growth of the Internet of Things (IoT), architecture is no longer merely the art of construction—it has evolved into an intelligent ecosystem, where buildings can sense, analyze, and respond to their environment. One of the most advanced solutions driving breakthroughs in modern construction is the sensor-embedded brick with integrated circuits. This is no longer a passive traditional building material, but rather a “sensing brick,” equipped with internal sensors and processing microchips capable of measuring temperature, humidity, vibration, and impact forces, and wirelessly transmitting data in real-time. The application of this technology in construction not only enhances the ability to monitor structural safety but also unlocks the potential for smart, sustainable, and energy-efficient buildings. This topic aims to clarify the role of integrating sensors and microchips into building bricks, the manufacturing process, and notable practical applications.

The News 03/07/2025

Harm-Free Construction: Mycelium Bricks and a Sustainable Future

The rapid growth of the construction industry has significantly contributed to global resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, the search for environmentally friendly alternative materials has become a critical necessity. One promising direction is the use of mycelium bio bricks, a type of bio composite material that can self grow and bind organic substrates.