The term ‘green polymer chemistry’ is being used here to describe the production of established thermoplastics and elastomers from renewable sources, including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (PA), epoxy resin and polyurethane.

In April 2011, Investa Property Group and Cogent, a subsidiary of Origin, established a trigeneration facility that reduces the carbon footprints of two commercial buildings in Sydney.

Ford and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company are researching the use of coconut fibre reinforcement for moulded plastic parts to reduce the use of petroleum and make the parts lighter and more natural looking.

Silvio de Denaro* explains why and how the tyre industry is working hard to turn around the current ‘market failure’ in the resource recovery of end-of-life tyres.

Australia has invested $10 billion in six major seawater desalination plants around its coastline in as many years to waterproof its capital cities - at the same time providing a significant boost for renewable energy.

A huge new desalination plant in Lonsdale will provide South Australia with up to 100 billion litres of water each year for decades to come. Adelaide Aqua (a consortium of four Companies, United Utilities, Acciona, Abigroup and McConnell Dowell) has been contracted to design, build, operate and maintain the plant for the next 20 years.

On the outskirts of Cape Town in South Africa, in a poverty-stricken township known as Cape Flats, sits an environmental centre that is a standard stop on tour itineraries for designers, architects and students of international culture.

Rising energy bills, carbon pricing, and increasing regulation and reporting requirements are challenging business leaders to be more sustainable and accountable at a time of stress and volatility on global markets.

Christchurch in New Zealand is planning to rebuild after the devastating earthquakes that hit the city earlier this year. The Christchurch City Council’s draft Central City Plan (dCCP), released in New Zealand in August, offers a timely case for discussion. This plan outlines a vision for rebuilding the city and while it covers a broad range of aspects for redevelopment, this article reflects on the future of transport in the city.

Governments warned: window to limit global warming closing.

Even with significant over-estimation of the cost of renewable energy, a new report by the Energy Users Association of Australia (EUAA) still shows the cost has been modest, according to the Clean Energy Council.

Shoppers don’t usually give a second thought as they reach into a cooler to grab milk, cheese or prepackaged lunches. Open-front refrigerated display cases, which make up roughly 60% of the refrigerated cases in grocery stores and supermarkets, provide quick access to chilled products such as dairy, meat, fish and produce. While they are popular with shoppers and grocery stores, they’re less popular with electric utilities and others concerned with energy efficiency.

Rising out of the red earth, under the blazing sun of central Australia, a ‘forest’ of solar panels stands against the horizon.

The Hassell-designed Government Services Office development in Dandenong, Victoria, has achieved the highest sustainability rating available from the Green Building Council of Australia.

In an industry known for its voracious use of water and power, Edstein Creative Stone is showing how eco-friendly manufacturing practices respect our environment and save money.