37 h. ago Inspired by elephant ears, new wall design could help buildings stay cool and cut energy use

Drawing inspiration from the venous ears of jackrabbits and elephants, Drexel University researchers have come up with a new approach to passive heating and cooling that could one day make buildings more energy efficient. Their concept, recently published in the Journal of Building Engineering, embeds a vascular network within cement-based building materials that, when filled with paraffin-based material, can help passively regulate the surface temperature of walls, floors and ceilings.

Politics

68 h. ago Energy Department Announces Pilot Program to Build Advanced U.S. Nuclear Fuel Lines and End Foreign Dependence

Energy Department Announces Pilot Program to Build Advanced U.S. Nuclear Fuel Lines and End Foreign Dependence  Department of Energy (.gov)

Politics

7 d. ago Modeling shows geothermal and borehole thermal energy storage can reliably heat buildings in extreme cold

New energy storage research from NREL, a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory, has demonstrated a way to store and reuse heat underground to meet the heating demands of cold regions like Alaska.

Politics

2 w. ago In Europe, Economists See a Chance to Rise on the Global Stage

Central bankers who gathered in Portugal this week focused on ways that Europe could improve its competitiveness with the United States and China.

Politics

2 w. ago A Special ‘Climate’ Visa? People in Tuvalu Are Applying Fast.

Nearly half the citizens of the tiny Pacific Island nation have already applied in a lottery for Australian visas amid an existential threat from global warming and sea-level rise.

Politics

3 w. ago Sustainable cooling film could slash building energy use by 20% amid rising global temperatures

An international team of scientists has developed a biodegradable material that could slash global energy consumption without using any electricity, according to a new study published today.

Science

3 w. ago Clean energy tax credits help build a brighter, more affordable future for Alaska

Clean energy tax credits help build a brighter, more affordable future for Alaska  Alaska Beacon

Politics

4 w. ago Wheat straw, a farming byproduct, could soon insulate your home

Traditional forms of thermal insulation used to regulate temperatures in homes and commercial buildings are often energy-intensive to manufacture, resulting in significant greenhouse gas emissions.

Politics