Replacing Portland cement with 20% ceramic waste powder could lead to superior and durable concrete for building applications, due to its pozzolanic properties.

Improved stain resistance in polished ceramic tiles may now be possible, according to researchers at the Instituto de Ceramica y Vidrio in Spain. They have introduced an organic fugitive phase during liquid sintering of green tiles to achieve reduced porosity volume with various pore sizes.

Software that may help manufacturers and product designers reduce the costs and CO2 emissions associated with transporting and storing goods across all sectors is said to have been used for the first time by a major UK retailer on beverage packaging.

The new Chairman of the UK’s Construction Products Association, Bill Bolsover, has never been scared to get his hands dirty, which is good as he takes on the post at an uncertain time for the industry. This former miner and concrete plant manager talks to Rupal Mehta about the need for stronger Government backing for a sector that is vital to the UK economy.

Bricks, grown at room temperature from bacteria, sand, and urea, could drastically reduce the construction industry’s carbon footprint, their developer claims, at the American University of Sharjah in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

A technique for carbon profiling, as a solution for quantifying embodied and operational carbon in buildings, has been put forward in a report commissioned by the UK’s Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

Scientists at Universiti Teknologi Mara, Malaysia, have transformed eggshell waste to create recyclable tiles suitable for decoration and design that may provide an alternative to ceramic tiles. The EPoSTi tile is formed of polymer and crushed chicken eggshells.

The UK construction industry has come to a halt, and it has nothing to do with the economy, argues Neil May, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Natural Building Technologies, UK. He says a lack of investment and training has allowed the sector to stagnate, but natural materials may hold the key to a brighter future.

As the industry faces pressure over high energy use in production, ceramic manufacturer, Dudson, UK, has responded with what it claims to be green ceramic tableware in a bid to reduce their carbon footprint.

An advanced high temperature barcoding system that can be easily applied to sanitaryware could significantly reduce manufacturing waste, says ceramic manufacturer Xerital Ltd, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.