Concrete
Helping solve concrete's biggest problem
Concrete production reportedly makes up eight per cent of our global carbon emissions worldwide. In 2020 we used 14 billion cubic metres of concrete according the Global Cement and Concrete… Audio
'We need a building ministry': doco reveals high-rise horrors
A new documentary by building experts John Gray and Roger Levie has uncovered the shocking state of apartment buildings around New Zealand. Entitled A Living Hell: Apartment Disasters. Roger is with… Audio
Latest global crisis: Running out of sand
Sand is the most extracted solid material in the world with 50 billion tonnes mined a year, used for everything from roads and buildings to mobile phones - and we’re running out. Investigative… Audio
Cracking the concrete code: what the Romans knew
The ancient Romans mastered the recipe for concrete more than 2000 years ago and despite the ravages of time and seawater, many of the structures they built still stand today. University of Utah… Audio
Ply in the sky: wooden buildings on the rise
High rise wooden buildings are economic to build, environmentally friendly and much more earthquake resilient than traditional building systems based on concrete and steel, an industry player says. Audio, Gallery
Chris Moller: houses and designs
Kim Hill talks to Wellington architect and urbanist Chris Moller, who is the presenter of the television programme Grand Designs New Zealand which is just starting its second series. Audio
The problem with concrete
At nearly 19 hundred years old the Pantheon in Rome is the world's oldest concrete structure, and there's no sign of it falling down any time soon - why then do modern buildings have lifespans… Audio
Concrete suppliers struggling to keep up with demand
Auckland's construction boom has left concrete suppliers struggling to keep up. Audio
Auckland building boom has concrete suppliers scrambling
Builders are waiting for weeks to get concrete as Auckland's building boom pushes up demand by 20 percent.
Building Better Flexi Bridges
Low-damage precast concrete bridges featuring flexible steel tendons and energy dissipators that act as fuses are being tested at Canterbury University Audio
Building Better Flexi Bridges
Low-damage precast concrete bridges featuring flexible steel tendons and energy dissipators that act as fuses are being tested at Canterbury University
AudioNZ History
Gavin McLean is a senior historian for the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. He discusses our structural relationship with cement and concrete. Audio
Cement plant closing in Westport
It's been confirmed 120 jobs will go when Westport's Holcim concrete plant closes in 2016. Audio
Stuff Matters
Mark Miodownik is a Professor of Materials Science at University College London. His book 'Stuff Matters' explores the materials, like concrete and steel, that shape our man-made world. Audio
Air-purifying concrete
A new type of concrete developed in the Netherlands has unique anti-pollutant properties. Professor Jos Brouwers explains how. Audio
Skyscrapers
High-rise buildings wouldn't have got off the ground if it wasn't for inventions like concrete and elevators. Audio
