SeaRobotics Delivers 5.7-m USV to NATO
Polythene UK unveil 100% recyclable, carbon positive material
Workhorse USV ships in 20-ft container
Polythene UK, the multi award winning broker of Polythene films and bags, based in Oxfordshire, has today unveiled a new 100% recyclable, carbon positive material, called Polyair.
SeaRobotics Corporation has delivered an Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) in their 5.7-m hull series to the NATO's Center for Marine Research and Experimentation (CMRE). This general purpose USV will be utilized to improve payload capacity and efficiency of the impressive, fully autonomous mine neutralization system developed at CMRE. With over 350kg of payload, the ability to be configured as an allelectric or as a diesel-electric hybrid system and the ability to reach speeds in excess of 5m/sec, the 5.7-m system will excel in numerous applications. Enhancing its role in mine neutralization operations or many other tasks, the system can ship worldwide in a standard 20-ft container. The engineered boat trailer doubles as a shipping cart and allows transport of the exceptionally stable USV at a reduced beam on the road or in a container. The Searobotics product line of USVs includes both 5.7-m and 11-m vessels, both of which can be used in arctic operations. SeaRobotics specializes in smart vessels that are remotely or autonomously operated as well as autonomous ship hull grooming systems. Its clients include major military and commercial organizations, both U.S. and foreign. SeaRobotics' marine survey software interfaces with most data acquisition hardware, software, and sensing systems to produce multispectral, DGPS-stamped data for survey, research, or surveillance efforts. Applications for SeaRobotics vessels range from bathymetric and hydrographic surveys to coastal, harbour, and riverine surveillance. SeaRobotics surface vehicles range from small, modular, man-portable systems to large, longendurance workhorse vehicles survey and surveillance systems.
The new Polyair material is bio-based. Made from sugar cane it’s the process of photosynthesis as the plant grows that makes this product carbon positive. The sugar cane actively captures CO2 from the atmosphere, while at the same time releasing oxygen – making this material not just green, but proactively green. For every 1 tonne of the new Polyair manufactured this means that 2.5 tonnes of CO2 will have been captured from the atmosphere.
Changes needed to 21st Century house design A fundamental review of housing design is needed if the UK is to produce successful low carbon homes of the future, a new guide by the NHBC Foundation advises. With new homes containing more technology than ever before, the housebuilding industry faces unprecedented challenges to build homes that achieve zero carbon performance whilst providing a comfortable and healthy indoor environment. There are concerns that new technology may not be delivering to its full potential and the drive to conserve energy could inadvertently invite other problems such as overheating and poor indoor air quality. The NHBC Foundation guide Designing homes for the 21st Century – lessons for low energy design explores the challenges of designing zero carbon homes and helps identify the processes needed to achieve cost effective and practical design. It finds that current design and procurement practices need to change if these are to be addressed. Neil Smith, Group Research and Innovation Manager, NHBC, said: "The challenges we face in designing homes fit for the 21st Century are clear. We need homes that achieve zero carbon performance whilst providing a comfortable and healthy indoor environment. In recent decades, the design of new homes has adapted to incorporate new features and new technologies through gradual evolution. But there are now questions about whether this is the right approach or whether we need a more fundamental review of housing design. This guide is intended to help designers and house-builders understand the need for holistic design which does not rely on a ‘business as usual approach’ with additional technologies bolted on."
+ For More Information SeaRobotics’ containerized 5.7-m USV to the NATO CMRE
80% of Businesses Don’t Recycle and Don't Care Firms filling landfill sites and resorting to illegal activity to get rid of their rubbish Many businesses have not got the message on recycling and send most, if not all, of their rubbish to landfill, a study by one of the UK's leading waste and recycling experts has found. According to BusinessWaste.co.uk, up to 80% of companies have no green policy in place and do not separate recyclable waste from non-recyclable. Many businesses, the study found, will not even sort paper, food and glass waste, despite the practice being widespread in domestic waste collections. "It reflects very badly upon us as a nation," said BusinessWaste.co.uk Jonathan Ratcliffe, Recycling Manager. "Other countries have forged ahead with commercial recycling, but a high proportion of UK companies seemingly can't be bothered and contribute to the 228m tons of waste we produce every year. Landfill is both wasteful and expensive," said Jonathan, "and businesses are hitting
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www.nhbcfoundation.org/21stCenturyhomes
themselves in the bank balance because of their inability or unwillingness to recycle. It's not a great step implementing a green policy, and it saves money almost from the start. At £72 per ton going to landfill, it soon adds up for companies that don't recycle.” BusinessWaste.co.uk found that the most common things businesses don’t recycling are: Paper and cardboard, Plastics, Electrical waste and old computers, Printer cartridges and Green waste for composting. The survey also found that some companies are prepared to break the law in order to reduce or eliminate their waste-handling costs. "We're well aware that some companies will still flytip in this day-and-age," said Jonathan, "but we've found some smaller businesses prepared to admit that they dispose of their waste at the household tip while posing as a member of the public. It's a dangerous game - companies that breach their waste management duty of care face unlimited fines if they get caught." Fortunately, the government is incentivising green policies and recycling through tax breaks for energy efficiency, and the landfill tax which penalises organisations that do not recycle their waste.