New Atlas

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Energy Vault to build grid-level, gravity-fed battery from a tower of concrete blocks

Michael Irving November 8, 2018

With a focus on storing energy from intermittent renewable sources such as wind and solar, Swiss company Energy Vault has just launched an innovative new system that stores potential energy in a huge tower of concrete blocks, which can be “dropped” by a crane to harvest the kinetic energy.

Energy Vault has launched a new grid-level energy storage system that uses concrete blocks, stacked in ...

3D Printing

Robots collaborate on 3D-printing concrete structures

Ben Coxworth October 2, 2018

Although we've already seen 3D printers that can create full-size concrete structures, the huge size of the devices could make them difficult to install at construction sites. Singaporean scientists are developing an alternative, in the form of mobile robots that work together to do the job.

The NTU team with the two robots and the structure that they built

Architecture

Striking Forest House keeps it concreted and classy on wooded coastline

Nick Lavars September 12, 2018

The Forest House on Argentina’s Atlantic coastline takes the use of concrete to the extreme, using it to cover almost every square inch, which actually works to blend in seamlessly with the tones of its wooded surrounds.

The rooftop of the Forest House was designed as a green terrace to boost thermal insulation

3D Printing

US military builds barracks using "world's largest" 3D printer

Adam Williams September 10, 2018

3D-printed construction is portable and inexpensive, and could help build a safe barracks in a shorter time. With this in mind, the US Marine Corps Systems Command recently constructed a prototype concrete barracks in under two days with what it says is the world's largest 3D printer.

US Marine Corps Systems Command used a 3D printer to construct a prototype concrete barracks measuring ...

Architecture

Luxury concrete house takes the sting out of the Indian summer

Adam Williams June 29, 2018

Flxbl Design Consultancy made extensive use of rough-finished concrete with this luxury home in India. Named Private Residence No. 7, it's designed to take some of the sting out of the tropical summer heat with a louvered facade and carefully arranged interior layout that opens up to the outside.

Private Residence No. 7 is nestled among a landscaped garden in a bustling city area

Materials

Coal plant waste helps build environmentally-friendly, cementless concrete

Michael Irving June 18, 2018

To make concrete more environmentally friendly, the industry has been adding by-products from coal-fired power plants, but doing so had its own problems. Now, Rice researchers have developed a new composite binder that requires no cement, and reduce waste from power plants at the same time.

A scanning electron microscope image of fly ash particles, which have been used to make an ...

Materials

Carrots n' beets used to strengthen concrete

Ben Coxworth June 15, 2018

It was back in April that we heard about how scientists had made concrete stronger and more eco-friendly by adding graphene to it. Now, researchers at Lancaster University are reporting that they've achieved even better results using cheaper "nano platelets" derived from root vegetable fibers.

The enhanced concrete contains nano-platelets derived from carrot and beet root fibers

Architecture

Gallery: Modern architecture that highlights the rugged beauty of concrete

Adam Williams June 13, 2018

Concrete is an ubiquitous, often unremarkable, building material but in the right hands, it can be sculpted into truly special architectural works. Join us as we celebrate some of the best recent uses of concrete we've seen.

This stunning house, by KWK Promes, is one of the projects highlighted in our look at ...

Architecture

Stone-shaped 3D-printed rental homes planned for the Netherlands

Adam Williams June 4, 2018

Eindhoven, the Netherlands, looks poised to become something of a 3D-printed architecture boom town. Following the construction of a 3D-printed bridge in the city, a total of five rental homes made using the cutting edge tech are now planned too.

Project Milestone will consist of five 3D-printed houses designed to look like large stones

Architecture

Expansive green-roofed home opens up to the Brazilian countryside

Adam Williams May 30, 2018

This enviable luxury residence in Porto Feliz, São Paulo, Brazil, was designed by Studio MK27's Marcio Kogan, with Lair Reis. It opens up to the outside with operable glazing and is topped by a concrete roof that's covered in greenery and designed to blend in with its landscaped garden.

Planar House is defined by its massive concrete roof, which is covered in greenery