Researchers from RMIT University have shown how fired-clay bricks made with cigarette butts can save energy and help solve a global littering problem. [ + ]

Retrofitting New Zealand's commercial buildings to use less fossil fuel-generated energy could save enough energy to power many homes on the South Island. [ + ]

Over the last 10 years, Sydney Markets has been more effectively and efficiently managing its waste streams, with around 5000 tonnes of organic waste now diverted from landfill every year. [ + ]

In selecting the most efficient wastewater pump, do managers of assets just look for the pump with the best hydraulic efficiency? If so, they may not be winning the pump efficiency game. [ + ]

Origin Energy's Solar as a Service allows companies to enjoy the benefits of low-cost solar energy without having to make a capital investment in a solar system. [ + ]

Dr José Carlos Rubio has created a light-emitting cement that has a life span of 100 years. By absorbing solar energy and returning it to the environment, the material will be able to light roads, highways and bicycle lanes without the need for electricity. [ + ]

The introduction of NEXTracker's solar solution to the DeGrussa Gold and Copper Mine has paved the way for one of the largest integrated solar installations in the country, providing peak power load to an essential local business. [ + ]

Physicists have demonstrated a new artificial material, or metamaterial, that glows in an unusual way when heated. The findings could drive a revolution in the development of cells that convert radiated heat into electricity, known as thermophotovoltaic cells. [ + ]

A drone fitted with a thermal camera, designed to monitor buildings' energy efficiency, is being developed by students at the University of Strathclyde. [ + ]

Port Melbourne Football Club Sporting and Community Facility, in Victoria, Australia, was awarded Sustainability category winner at the 2015 National Australian Timber Design Awards. k20 Architecture delivered the project, including materials and labour, to promote locally sourced and manufactured materials. [ + ]

Tyre recycler Green Distillation Technologies (GDT) was recently faced with the challenge of handling extra-large 'off the road' (OTR) tyres used by heavy-duty mining dump trucks, large agricultural tractors and road-making equipment. [ + ]

St George's Barangaroo branch has become the first bank branch and the first retail fit-out in Australia to achieve a 6 Star Green Star rating — the highest rating possible. [ + ]

GMK Logistics recently opened a new distribution centre at Gregory Hills, NSW. The company was specific that the facility's lighting needed to meet the required lighting levels in the most energy-efficient manner. [ + ]

Researchers have used a non-toxic, biodegradable chemical process to 'dissolve' waste wool and unwanted woollen products. The technique produces a high-value protein called keratin and other by-products with potential applications in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and even animal feed markets. [ + ]

OCS, Auckland Airport and the Ministry of Primary Industries have developed an innovative way of re-using processed aircraft cabin waste, with an average of 695 kg of waste recycled every day. [ + ]