In the world of invention, innovation and design, very little goes to waste. And in today’s ideas-hungry world, the achievements of decades past are all ripe for reimagination.

As one of her final acts as Prime Minister, Theresa May , announced that she will be signing into law a pledge to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 . This would make Britain the first member of the G7 to make such a commitment official.

Whether you are arriving to or departing from Helsinki Airport, the first thing you notice is the glass around you and the characteristic Finnish design.

When you hear Uffizi, Accademia and David what do you think about? Florence, for sure. For its old history, breathtaking painting, sculpture, and architecture.

Today´s liberalised markets are focused on short-term return on capital, but energy infrastructure planning should be driven by the objective of climate protection.

Door locks that open with fingerprints, networked security cameras, smart light bulbs, smart washing machines: technology is transforming our homes, turning the tech dreams of yesterday into the reality of today.

There is no such thing as a perfect energy efficient process. The second law of thermodynamics states that all energy generating processes produce heat as a by-product.

Some modern systems are now using sustainable heating sources, like waste heat from power plants . Could this approach contribute to fight climate change? We report from Western Turkey where the city of Soma is taking a new approach to increase energy efficiency in a residential area.

Building with wood, straw, and hemp. Biobased materials are seeing ever more use in the construction sector, which needs to become more sustainable as it is one of the major sources of soil, air and water pollution.

Thirty-one apartment buildings comprising 140,000 m 2 of floor space: Europe’s most ambitious energy-saving renovation project is transforming Torrelago, a residential district of Valladolid in central Spain.

  In the suburbs of Valladolid, a city in central Spain, a district is at the forefront of Europe's energy transition.

Some 15.4 % of the EU population reported that they live in dwellings with a leaking roof, damp walls, floors or foundations, rot in the window frames or the floor. And some 8.7 % are unable to keep their home warm enough.

Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is a major part of the fourth industrial revolution and it will transform the construction sector, according to Zoubeir Lafhaj , an expert in the future of construction, from the graduate engineering school École Centrale de Lille, in France.

Spain is known as a land of sun and heat. But even here there are regions that have to face icy winter temperatures. In Valladolid , in the north of the country, many of the almost 300,000 inhabitants are in poorly isolated buildings built in the 1960s.

From 21 to 25  May the EU Green Week is exploring ways to accelerate sustainable urban transformation.

The green building phenomenon in Latin America has taken off. Bio-based aggregates have started penetrating the construction sector’s market, and the development of eco-friendly renewable products has increased the use of bio-based polymers in the construction industry, as a recent study shows.

Local governments in Europe are notoriously risk averse, city council officials and industry leaders won’t hesitate to tell you.

Bristol is at the forefront of high-tech innovation in the UK, named European green capital in 2015. But it is also the second least affordable major British city housing-wise only after London.

When temperatures are low, the temptation to take long, scalding showers and turn electric heaters to the maximum is high. And not knowing how much energy we spend, when we unthinkingly do these activities, makes it difficult for us to decrease our consumption.

Home sweet home. Houses are supposed to be our nest, a shelter from the world outside. But how healthy are European homes? Nowadays most of our time is spent indoors, often at home, one reason being the current shift to “desk jobs”.