Building a better future

This discussion paper says the antidote to fears about resources is what's known as material efficiency; that's making the things we want, but with less material.

The researchers say we could use half as much cement in buildings, for instance, if we designed and built them with more time and care. We don't do it now because labour's dear and materials are cheap. We could drastically reduce steel in cars, if governments deterred the trend towards bigger, more powerful vehicles.

The researchers say material efficiency is vital for tackling climate change, too. For the UK, for instance, to generate clean energy so materials are produced in current quantities, would need the equivalent of a four-fold increase in nuclear power or a...

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A recent research report suggests that we should be more efficient and economical in how we use materials for building. We could do more with less if we took the time to think projects through and to consider the environmental consequences....a good lesson for many things in life.