Lucy Roper’s weekly Built Environment blog: Inspiration and innovation

Posted on: 2019-03-13

Each week, UCEM Information Governance Manager, Lucy Roper points us in the direction of interesting stories from the Built Environment.

Having looked at reasons to be cheerful last week, Lucy wonders aloud if the reasons given proved inspirational and dedicates this week’s edition to inspiration and innovation in the Built Environment…

Experience the Built Environment

From inspiring apprentices to brave candour and a pioneering alumna to a Royal visitor, last week’s activity based on nationwide initiatives, plus the visit of HRH The Prince of Wales to our office in Reading saw a barrage of activity on our social media channels and website.

To look at all the activity which took place to mark the triumvirate of National Apprenticeship Week, University Mental Health Day and International Women’s Day, visit UCEM’s blog section. If any of our coverage inspired you to maybe embark on a career within the Built Environment or take on a professional qualification to enhance your career, then why not add our concise ‘Why choose UCEM?’ webpage to your reading list and see if a degree with us might be right for you.

Alternatively, or additionally, why not explore a construction site up close? Open Doors is just a few days away and offers a fantastic first-hand opportunity to see what working in construction is all about.

Innovation in concrete

Think concrete is dull? Think again. Construction Manager’s article on five of the latest concrete innovations provides a revealing insight into the complex world of this robust material.

Spirit (levels) in the sky

New London Architecture has declared 2019 the Year of the Tall Building. Tourists, get ready to crane your necks some more to take in the best of the capital’s architecture!

SolarVille

Not content with fuelling the rise of flat-pack furniture and tempting customers to try out its meatballs, Ikea has landed on an idea to make communities’ energy self-sufficient.

The Swedish giant has unveiled SolarVille – a scale model of a neighbourhood – to demonstrate how solar power could revolutionise the world’s access to electricity.

Recycling plastic in construction

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) reports that the mass extraction of sand for construction could make way for plastic in India.

The country has a problem with plastic waste, while sand dredging has virtually been eliminated as a practice, meaning this possible solution could kill two birds with one stone. Fingers crossed this sustainable practice gains some traction!

For more from Lucy, take a look at the latest edition of Knowledge Foundations.