Netherlands: Denmark-based Rockwool has commissioned a fully electric heavy goods vehicle as part of its transport fleet in the Netherlands. In a post to LinkedIn, the producer said that the vehicle will deliver more freight in fewer journeys, with 98% reduced emissions of CO₂. Local logistics partner Kuypers Neer will collaborate in operating the lorry.
US: A team at the University of Colorado Boulder has developed a new silicone gel-based insulation called Mesoporous Optically Clear Heat Insulator (MOCHI). In a paper published in Science, the team reported that MOCHI consists of 90% air in a microscopic porous lattice. A 5mm-thick sheet can effectively block the heat of a flame, while reflecting just 0.2% of its light. This makes the material suitable for use in windows.
Researcher Ivan Smalyukh said "To block heat exchange, you can put a lot of insulation in your walls, but windows need to be transparent. Finding insulators that are transparent is really challenging."
Credit: ©BASF 2026
US: Germany-based BASF has launched WallTite RSB, a reduced-CO2 closed-cell spray polyurethane foam insulation that incorporates recycled and other alternative raw materials. WallTite RSB has pending United States Department of Agriculture BioPreferred certification and is subject to a manufacturer-specific Environmental Product Declaration. The ‘RSB’ in the product’s name stands for recycled, sustainable and bio-based.
Ukraine: The International Finance Corporation has estimated that Ukraine requires US$3.86bn of investments in ‘advanced building materials’ to meet demand during its eventual full reconstruction following the on-going Russian invasion. This is 0.7% of a projected US$500bn over a decade of rebuilding.
Ukraine Business News has reported that the nation requires an additional 6Mm²/yr of precast concrete (projected costs: US$1.5bn), 8Mt/yr of geopolymers (US$1.36bn), 700,000t/yr of basalt wool (US$420m), 100,000t of basalt reinforcement (US$420m), 1Mm³/yr of autoclaved aerated concrete (US$100m), 8Mm²/yr of glazing (US$72m), US$50m of 3D printing construction equipment and 500,000t/yr of hemp concrete (US$20m). All this would generate an estimated 17,000 new jobs.
