Sustainable concrete is nowadays one of the biggest challenges in the construction industry. Performance-based specifications for concrete can materially help meet this new challenge while supporting the concept of “sustainable construction”. Concrete can be found in almost every building structure, be it a pavement, a bridge, a house, a tunnel or a dam. Scholars nowadays are researching the best balanced mix in concrete in order to diminish its environmental impact, especially the cement component which is known for its high carbon emissions. This paper describes concrete durability and outlines what project specifications will significantly influence concrete performance, including its environmental impacts. The paper argues that, despite the sustainability of concrete, concerted efforts on the part of scientists and engineers are still necessary to improve the design of concrete in order to ensure their expected sustainable quality and reliability.

Durable, renewable, and affordable are the three characteristics of the adobe brick, one of the widely used construction material in human civilization, but is always neglected. Traditionally, price has been the foremost consideration when comparing similar materials or materials designated for the same function. That is why by the post-war period, the concrete was adopted as a universal building material in response of the massive housing demand. The intergovernmental concerns never took into consideration both the sustainability factor and the cultural one, not until the 1990s when research on climate change expanded and the sustainable development took an important place in the different academic cross fields: engineering, biology, technology and architecture. The main focus by then was the reduction the CO₂ gas emissions emitted by the building sector which is now approximately 30% of the global energy-related. Researchers are focusing on creating a completely new green eco-material an alternative to the concrete, but in this paper, I will demonstrate why is it worth to reinvigorate centuries-old eco-construction material. Adobe bricks are currently the best choice to built affordable housings in response to the chronicle demand. Not only they have a track record that makes their thermal mass performance easier to evaluate, but also they can last 400 years or more when properly maintained. Comparatively, new technologies require testing over time to determine their long-range effectiveness.

For more than a year and a half, educators and students have been navigating the stormy seas of remote teaching-learning. After months of the coronavirus epidem For more than a year and a half, educators and students have been navigating the stormy seas of remote teaching-learning. After months of the coronavirus epidem

The objectives of this research are twofold, firstly, to analyse how departments of art and art practitioners are integrated within academia, and to scrutinise this coexistence, by focusing on emerging issues due to the nature of Art as “specific knowledge” thus, an assessment of its eventual mismatch within the generic framework of a traditional academic context. Consequently, this article exposes both frictions and dilemmas witnessed, as well as elaborates on the specificities of the Art knowledge and associated visual creativity and thinking. The study used qualitative analysis to explore the topic of the integration of art departments within academic settings. In this article, ten Visual Art students from three Brazilian universities are interviewed between May and August of 2022 about their perspectives on their studies and whether they advocate artistic research. The results shed light on how artistic practice is viewed as research and demonstrate how the traditional research outcome affects art students in their art production, academic and artistic identities, and perceptions and expectations.

This interview with visual artist Darel Carey explores his deep interest in optical perception and spatial illusions. He discusses how simple lines can generate complex planes and immersive environments, often producing a compelling sense of depth. He draws connections between op art and natural patterns, influenced by cosmology and psychology. Darel’s work epitomizes this movement, manipulating lines and space to challenge the viewer's perception and create dynamic, shifting visual experiences. Through this dialogue, Darel provides insight into his artistic philosophy and the broader implications of his work for understanding perception and reality.