Dezeen Magazine

Hemp rebar by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

A hemp alternative to steel rebar features in today's Dezeen Agenda newsletter

The latest edition of our Dezeen Agenda newsletter features a hemp alternative to steel rebar, which could avoid the problem of corrosion and cut carbon emissions from construction.

Developed by researchers at the USA's Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the hemp rebar could be used to support concrete structures in the same way as steel and other rebars are today, but with a reduced environmental impact due to both its material makeup and its lifespan.

Currently, steel rebar rusting contributes significantly to the premature decay of structures including bridges, roads, seawalls and buildings.

BIG's design for a Danish neuroscience centre that "mimics" the human brain features in today's Dezeen Agenda newsletter
BIG's design for a neuroscience centre in Denmark that "mimics" the human brain features in today's Dezeen Agenda newsletter

Other stories in this week's newsletter include BIG's design for a neuroscience centre in Denmark that "mimics" the human brain, the news that Frida Escobedo will become the first woman to design a wing at The Met and an opinion piece by Ellen MacArthur, who writes: "The circular economy is needed to get to net-zero emissions."

Dezeen Agenda

Dezeen Agenda is a curated newsletter sent every Tuesday containing the most important news highlights from Dezeen. Read the latest edition of Dezeen Agenda.

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