NEWS DIGEST JUNE

In this news digest, we head to The Big Apple to see how the city is preparing for extreme weather caused by climate change. We also visit a German house made of recycled materials and demolition waste and explore the immense potential of rooftops as a new multi-layered urban environment.

How New York City is becoming extreme weather-proof

Extreme weather is dominating news headlines and is forcing us to transform our city infrastructure in order to stay safe. New York City has made the impact of climate change a top priority and is determined to offer its people more solid protection for future storms. “We want to ensure our city is ready to face heavy rains and floods”, says New York’s assistant commissioner of infrastructure design Thu-Loan Dinh. “We are building infrastructure to recover quicker and protect our local communities.”

Dinh talked to Construction Dive to explain The Big Apple’s plans to install new water mains, sewers, streets and public plazas which will make coastal areas more resilient and safer. You can read the interview here.
 

Living circular: the house built with recycled materials and demolition waste

It took eight years of stability research and development, but the German company Büscher managed to build a complete house out of 75% recycled construction and demolition waste. Construction of the three-family home with paint-ready prefab elements was done in just three months. Interior walls are made of 100% recycled aggregates, produced with the help of crushing and screening equipment powered by renewable energy.

Büscher, a North-Rhine Westphalia-based company that started out making concrete more than 60 years ago, claims it is the first company to achieve this. And it doesn’t plan to stop there: the company is already looking at the house’s eventual demolition. When that day comes, the inside walls be recycled into new concrete. Read the full story here.
 

Urban rooftops hold the key to a multi-layered city

Architects, developers and urban planners are discovering the huge potential of urban rooftops as a new layer of public space. Representing up to 25% of cities' land area, rooftops can be activated to serve exciting new purposes, ranging from urban farming to social spaces, sports and cultural venues. ArchDaily took a closer look at some of the most inspiring rooftop projects in the world, showing the endless possibilities of this new urban environment. Read on here.