A team of NASA rocket scientists is developing autonomous underwater robots able to go where humans cannot, deep beneath Antarctica’s giant ice shelves.
The robots’ task is to better understand how rapidly ice is melting — and how quickly that could cause catastrophic sea level rise.
In March, scientists from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory lowered a cylindrical robot into the icy waters of the Beaufort Sea north of Alaska to gather data at 100 feet deep. It was the first step in the “IceNode” project.
The ultimate aim is to release a fleet of these robots in Antarctica, which will latch on to the ice and capture data over long periods in one of the most inaccessible places on Earth.
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📸: NASA
Schneider Electric has struck a landmark deal with Climeworks to support direct air capture technology, underpinning long-term carbon removal strategies. While targeted at corporate emissions, the technology directly links to embodied carbon in materials and future approaches to whole life carbon accounting in construction. For developers under pressure to achieve net zero whole life carbon in projects, advances like this signal a maturing market for permanent carbon removal that will influence material sourcing and sustainable construction finance.
The University of Derby has launched the Institute of Carbonomics, dedicated to addressing whole life carbon and embodied carbon for sectors including construction. This research hub is expected to guide builders, contractors, and suppliers through rigorous Whole Life Carbon Assessment and lifecycle assessment methodologies. By aligning academic expertise with industry needs, it will help construction firms manage Scope 3 emissions, refine sustainable building design, and integrate life cycle thinking in construction at scale.
London’s investment market is showing growing interest in greener portfolios, with carbon intensity beginning to decline across major holdings. This shift signals capital alignment towards environmental sustainability in construction and sustainable building practices. For developers advancing low carbon design, green infrastructure, and net zero carbon buildings, investor appetite could translate into greater access to funding, provided schemes demonstrate credible circular construction strategies and low embodied carbon materials.
At the local level, concerns are rising after Kent County Council withdrew its climate emergency declaration. This decision comes at a time when sustainable urban development and carbon neutral construction are seen as critical to regional planning. Lack of local policy support complicates efforts to lower the carbon footprint of construction and integrate eco-design for buildings, threatening to slow the transition towards renewable building materials, eco-friendly construction, and low carbon building practices in housing and infrastructure upgrades.
Gresham House’s acquisition of SUSI Partners has expanded its renewable energy and infrastructure portfolio to over £10 billion. This consolidation positions it as a significant investor in low carbon construction materials and green building products. For contractors and design teams pursuing sustainable architecture and resource efficiency in construction, stronger financial backing could accelerate the adoption of lifecycle assessment frameworks, environmental product declarations (EPDs), and sustainable material specification across global supply chains.
The debate on Heathrow expansion remains a broader climate concern, highlighting the need for consistency in national infrastructure planning. Large-scale projects face increasing scrutiny over their environmental impact of construction and their compatibility with carbon footprint reduction targets. For the built environment sector, this reinforces pressure to deliver low-impact construction aligned with breeam v7 standards, ensuring projects contribute effectively to decarbonising the built environment while demonstrating building lifecycle performance that supports long-term sustainability goals.
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