Month: April 2024

Eastman

Swedish medical technology company CYTO365 and Eastman worked together to create a new medical component for infusion therapy that lowers patient risk.

CYTO365’s founder and CEO Micael Törnblom noticed that, with current infusion treatment, medical professionals could unintentionally mix incompatible drugs during infusion therapy. To help prevent that, the company developed RondelO™, a turn valve with multiple inlets that stops unintentional mixing. It can connect six drugs, which are given one at a time with flushing fluids in between.

This turn valve is considered revolutionary because it supports back-to-back drug infusion through the same device. But the CYTO365 team knew it would need durable, safe material that supports accurate molding and is crystal clear.

The CYTO365 team met Eastman business development manager Theo Wuebbels in 2019 at a medical technology trade fair. Having liked what they saw and heard, CYTO365 leaders turned to him and Eastman for help. Eastman’s technical support team incorporated Eastman Tritan™ copolyester, which helped create an accurate mold without cracks.

“We want to support medical professionals through safe and reliable medical equipment,” Törnblom said. “But to help them, the material must be lipid-resistant and crack-free to oncology drugs, so we needed a copolyester and innovation partner we could trust. That’s why we chose Eastman.”

Eastman performed simulation testing for material degradation and mold filling with Tritan. The technical support team worked with CYTO365 to identify a mold-drying process.

“One of Eastman’s greatest strengths is our hands-on, collaborative approach to personalized solutions,” Wuebbels said. “Our technical support team worked directly with CYTO365. We were involved from an early phase of product development to align on design, material selection and tool development. We evaluated their exact needs and even shortened their time to market with a device that was safe and durable.”

RondelO became commercially available to IV manufacturers in 2023. The design includes a visual and haptic “click” position for each drug for easy identification. It is available in two-, four- and six-port options.

“Tritan really lives up to both our expectations and our customers’ expectations,” Törnblom said. “RondelO can be the physical barrier we intended for infusion therapy, and Tritan has helped us make it a trusted device for medical professionals. The precision this copolyester brings to our device is truly innovative and revolutionary.”

Originally published on about.bnef.com

The world’s largest economies have made limited progress in boosting their decarbonization policies over the past year – a red flag for climate action as the urgency of the crisis ramps up.

In the fourth annual edition of BloombergNEF’s G-20 Zero-Carbon Policy Scoreboard, the members of this group scored, on average, just 49% – a paltry 1 percentage point rise from 2023.

The European Union, UK and US retained the top spots. But these high scorers failed to improve their performance from last year, in fact seeing an average decline of 1 percentage point. As developed economies responsible for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions, they should lead by example, in particular to encourage emerging markets to follow suit.

Top scorers lost points for policy delays, abrupt changes and weakened regulations

The EU and UK held on to the top five places in BNEF’s latest ranking thanks to their provision of incentives for low-carbon solutions and increasingly stringent regulations to disincentivize emission-intensive technologies.

However, these leaders, as well as the US, saw their total score decrease. In some cases, they scrapped low-carbon programs like Germany’s purchase subsidies for electric vehicles, slowed progress on the ground such as renewables build, or faced other challenges including political and industry opposition, and red tape.

They especially lost points for increasing uncertainty among consumers, industry and investors. This was due to insufficient or delayed information on new policies, ending programs earlier than expected, and weakening low-carbon regulations or deadlines.

Developed economies should lead by example, but large emerging markets need to up their game

The dividing line of economic wealth persists. In general, developed economies have more and better low-carbon support than emerging markets. Members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development scored, on average, a total of 57% in BNEF’s latest assessment, compared with 37% for non-OECD economies.

To limit global warming to 1.5C, it will be especially important for developed economies to take the lead by implementing increasingly ambitious regulations and mandates on emissions-intensive technologies and practices. But it will be equally important for large emerging markets to make progress, and developed countries can support policymakers there. Accounting for 43% of the world’s emissions, the ‘BRICS’ – Brazil, Russia, India, mainland China and South Africa – have an average policy score of 42%.

Policymakers can take action in the near term to kickstart momentum

All G-20 markets need more support in ‘harder-to-abate’ sectors where cleaner options are limited or very costly, especially industry, buildings and agriculture. Their policy regimes averaged 57% for clean power support and 51% for road transport – where economic low-carbon solutions are more readily available – compared with 41% for the other sectors evaluated in BNEF’s Scoreboard. These hard-to-abate areas need a mix of incentives and regulations, especially to build up demand and ensure any required infrastructure is built.

There are concrete actions that policymakers can take in the short to medium term. With overall momentum having stalled, governments across the G-20 need to rapidly introduce more and better low-carbon policy support if the world is to reach net zero by mid-century and achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The BNEF Policy Scoreboard scored each G-20 member out of 100% based on the volume of government support implemented to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the robustness of these programs and the policy-making process, and metrics to gauge whether they are starting to drive change on the ground.

A comprehensive executive summary of the report can be found here.

About BloombergNEF

BloombergNEF (BNEF) is a strategic research provider covering global commodity markets and the disruptive technologies driving the transition to a low-carbon economy. Our expert coverage assesses pathways for the power, transport, industry, buildings and agriculture sectors to adapt to the energy transition. We help commodity trading, corporate strategy, finance and policy professionals navigate change and generate opportunities.

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Originally published on Built From Scratch

The Home Depot has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as 2024 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence. This underscores the company’s unwavering commitment to energy efficiency and environmental stewardship.

The ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Awards celebrate businesses and organizations that prioritize energy efficiency and environmental protection through initiatives like promoting and selling ENERGY STAR certified products. The Sustained Excellence Award is the highest honor among ENERGY STAR Awards, presented to partners who have consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership and innovation in energy efficiency.

As a leading retailer, The Home Depot has demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment in this regard. “We are thrilled to be recognized as an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence,” said Candace Rodriguez, senior director of sustainability at The Home Depot. “Thank you ENERGY STAR for recognizing our dedication to environmental stewardship and helping our customers make energy-efficient product choices.”

Learn more about The Home Depot’s commitment to sustainability by visiting our Eco Actions website or by reviewing the latest ESG report.

Convinced of the urgency to advance the cause of sustainable construction in the face of climate challenges, demographic changes, and the need to protect resources, Saint-Gobain launched the Sustainable Construction Observatory in 2023. Today, this Observatory has released the second edition of its Sustainable Construction Barometer1, a study conducted by the CSA research institute, to better understand the perceptions of key stakeholders and the levers to be activated to accelerate the development of sustainable construction in the United States and around the world. 

Benoit Bazin, Chief Executive Officer of Saint-Gobain: “The Sustainable Construction Barometer is intended to be a decision-making tool for all stakeholders in the sector, so that we can gain a better understanding of local sustainable construction issues and move from reflection to concrete action, in order to build a sustainable future for generations to come.”

Mark Rayfield, President & Chief Executive Officer of Saint-Gobain North America: “The 2024 Sustainable Construction Barometer is an important guide for every member of the building industry to better understand the perceptions and ideas key stakeholders hold toward sustainable construction. With 96% of US respondents believing the implementation of more sustainable construction is a high priority, we must all work together to continue moving the industry forward, and the data presented in the Barometer will help us do that.”

A broader survey to accelerate sustainable construction

Initiated last year in 10 countries, the Sustainable Construction Barometer is now based on a quantitative survey of professionals, students, elected representatives, and association members in 22 countries, including the United States. This provides a more detailed understanding of local and global issues, measures progress, and helps to identify areas of action to advance the crucial subject of sustainable construction as a strategic and essential response to major contemporary issues: climate change, resources constraints, and rapid urbanization accelerated by demographic pressure.

Four key findings emerge from this 2024 Barometer:

Perceptions of sustainable construction remain stable, and the environmental viewpoint of respondents remains unchanged. The aspect of occupant well-being remains poorly recognized and valued.
 A shared sense of urgency exists among respondents, but there is a need for better awareness and cooperation.
 We must all work to ensure our stakeholders are better informed, better trained, and committed.
 Any implementation of sustainable construction will only be effective if it matches local realities.

Worldwide, 95% of respondents agree that the implementation of more sustainable construction is an important or priority issue.

This degree of urgency is clearly shared by all players, regardless of geographic region. At the same time, the understanding of sustainable construction often seems limited to environmental issues. Its definition is still largely associated with “green construction”: directly linked to the energy efficiency of buildings (42%) and to achieving carbon neutrality in construction (33%). The notions of resilience and occupant comfort are considered more secondary. The only exception is Türkiye, where sustainable construction is perceived more in terms of the well-being of inhabitants, at 25% versus 14% for the global average.

Awareness of sustainable construction is high but varies depending on the respondent: While 87% of those questioned said they were familiar with sustainable construction, 20% of elected representatives surveyed said they had never heard of the concept. 

Overall, awareness of sustainable construction worldwide is high: 87% of those questioned said they were familiar with sustainable construction, up +5 points from last year2. 68% of respondents claim to be sufficiently informed, but educational efforts are still needed, particularly among elected representatives. Most stakeholders in all countries (87%) agree that we need to go further in terms of sustainable construction, even if the aspiration for the status quo is growing (9%, +4 points compared to Barometer 20232).

Among the priority actions to be taken to accelerate the development of sustainable construction, raising public awareness is considered crucial, as is the issue of the perceived cost and competitiveness of materials, and the cooperation of all stakeholders. On the other hand, the role of public initiatives (standards, regulations, aid), although fundamental, remains underestimated. Lastly, energy renovation appears to be a priority in countries with a well-established building stock, compared to countries that prioritize new-build programs to house a growing population.

92% of construction professionals worldwide believe that sustainable construction will make up all or part of their business within the next 5 years.

Architects and engineering firms are at the top of the list of players most often cited for advancing sustainable construction. While building design professionals are credited with 29% of first-intention responses, elected representatives and public institutions follow close behind, with 21% and 20% respectively. Construction professionals feel strongly committed to sustainable construction: 85% say they carry out all or part of their business in this area, and 92% expect to do so within the next five years.

Lack of commitment to sustainable construction is perceived as a discriminating factor. Many professionals (62%, +3 points on 2023) consider their suppliers’ commitment to sustainable construction as a selection criterion. Among elected representatives, the sustainable dimension is a decisive criterion for awarding public contracts: nearly 9 out of 10 consider this criterion to be important.

Finally, among students who perceive the implementation of more sustainable constructions as a priority, 45% say they would not accept a job offer from a company that was not committed to sustainable construction.

And in the United States?

Sustainable construction in the United States is first and foremost a question of recycling materials and energy efficiency. 

In the United States, 85% of respondents are familiar with the concept of sustainable construction (a slight decrease of 2% from 20233), with 50% stating they have a firm understanding. Sustainable construction continues to be defined by how buildings are constructed, and how materials are used and handled. 84% of US respondents most closely associated sustainable construction with the recycling of building materials, while 83% cited building energy efficiency, compared to 70% and 74% worldwide respectively.

North American construction professionals are motivated to move sustainable construction forward, with 79% prepared to take jobs that take sustainable construction into account, regardless of time, material supply or margins. However, more work must be done to educate elected officials and associations as they award contracts and work with construction companies.

Accelerating the pace: levers of action in the United States

US respondents see architects and building engineers as the most legitimate actors to advance sustainable construction in the United States (59% of respondents), aligned with worldwide perceptions (55%). These results constitute a major increase of over 20% from last year when only 34% of US respondents saw architects as major drivers). They are closely followed by private companies in the construction sector (47%). In addition, US respondents are more likely to see elected officials as major contributors to accelerating sustainable construction than their worldwide counterparts (47% compared to 32% worldwide).

For the second consecutive year, making sustainable materials, products, and solutions more competitive is seen as the top priority to advancing sustainable development by US respondents, with 39% citing the action as a major priority. At 37%, renovating existing buildings closely follows, and US stakeholders are much more likely to see this as a top priority compared to their worldwide counterparts (only 20% named it a top priority).

Beyond the Barometer, the work of the Sustainable Construction Observatory

The Sustainable Construction Barometer is just one component of Saint-Gobain’s Sustainable Construction Observatory, which includes Sustainable Construction Talks, international meetings bringing together all players in the sector together to discuss relevant issues, and Constructing a Sustainable Future, a digital magazine. The Observatory will continue to develop in 2024.

In 2023, three Sustainable Construction Talks were organized by the Observatory: the first, in Paris, dedicated to the subject of energy renovation in Europe; the second, during New York City Climate Week, devoted to the challenges of adapting to climate change; and a final in Dubai, during COP28, on the theme of sustainable construction in the Global South. Later this year, Saint-Gobain will again hold a talk at New York City Climate Week and during the International Greenbuild Conference in Philadelphia.

The Observatory’s first findings:

Financing and risk coverage: how can we facilitate investment in sustainable construction and energy renovation, and strengthen the role of the insurance system in adapting to climate change?
 Adaptation and resilience: sustainable construction is still largely viewed in terms of climate change mitigation. But the issue of transition in the sector also involves adaptation and resilience. How can we ensure that adaptation and resilience are better considered, in a context where sustainable construction is still often considered in terms of climate change mitigation?
 Inclusion and accessibility: how can we remove social and economic barriers to sustainable construction and energy renovation?
 Human resources and skills: how can we accelerate knowledge sharing and skills development in the field of sustainable construction?
 Global and local: how can we combine international alignment with local specificities?

The Sustainable Construction Observatory will continue its reflections on these topics and more in 2024 to help bring about solutions and make their deployment a reality.

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group’s commitment is guided by its purpose, “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”.

€47.9 billion in sales in 2023 
160,000 employees, locations in 76 countries 
Committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050

For more information about Saint-Gobain, visit www.saint-gobain.com and follow us on Twitter @saintgobain 

Media Contacts

Peter Clark 
(+1) 603 513-8513

1Survey conducted by the CSA research institute between December 11, 2023 and January 31, 2024, among a sample of 1,760 respondents aged 18 and over from 22 countries – compared with 10 countries last year (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam). The panel of respondents included elected representatives, professionals, students and members of associations involved in construction, building, ecological transition, housing, energy.

2Trend calculated on the basis of the 9 countries common to both editions of the survey (2023 and 2024).

3Trend calculated on the basis of the 9 countries common to both editions of the survey (2023 and 2024). 

The Ohio affiliate of the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), in partnership with KeyBank, honored 38 high school students across Ohio at the 2024 Aspirations in Computing awards on Saturday, April 20th in Columbus, Ohio. These students, which included one national winner, were recognized for their leadership and involvement in technology, robotics, and applied science, along with their academic success and plans for post-secondary education. Two STEM teachers were honored as well with an educator award.

For the past ten years, the Ohio Aspirations in Computing awards have been sponsored by KeyBank. All award recipients along with their families and educators were invited to join this year’s event, which featured a panel of professionals discussing the Future of Data, Robotics & AI. All shared insight into their career paths, education, and personal growth in STEM.

“KeyBank has a long history of supporting students who are interested in pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, and math,” said Amy Brady, KeyBank Chief Information Officer. “We congratulate this year’s award winners and are proud to recognize the achievements and talents of these outstanding students. They are future problem solvers and the skills they are developing today will help solve the challenges of tomorrow.”

Since 2007, NCWIT has inducted more than 10,000 young women into the Aspirations in Computing community and is helping to usher these women into technology careers. The NCWIT Aspirations in Computing program is a talent development initiative designed to increase female participation in technology careers by providing encouragement, visibility, community, leadership opportunities, scholarships, and internships to aspiring technically inclined young women. NCWIT offers both national and local affiliate competitions to generate support and visibility for women’s participation in communities nationwide.

For information on the national program please visit www.aspirations.org

2024 National Winner

Ella Witalec – Laurel School

2024 National Honorable Mentions

Harshita Ganga – William Mason High School
Chahak Gupta – Solon High School
Marlene Natividad Trinidad – Columbus Downtown HS
Saanvi Pandala – Olentangy High School
Ramya Rajan – William Mason High School
Sosena Tefera – Anderson High School

2024 Ohio Affiliate Award Winners

Joy Fan – Solon High School
Harshita Ganga – William Mason High School
Chahak Gupt – Solon High School
Riya Hegde – Western Reserve Academy
Marlene Natividad Trinidad – Columbus Downtown HS
Hong Bao Tran Nguyen – Solon High School
Saanvi Padala – Olentangy High School
Vaishnavi Rachuri – Dublin Jerome HS
Ramya Rajan – William Mason High School
Manya Tandon – Westlake High School
Sosena Tefera – Anderson High School
Zaynah Wahab – Solon High School
Ella Witalec – Laurel School
Julia Zhu – Hathaway Brown School
Mahee Shah – Hathaway Brown School

2024 Ohio Affiliate Honorable Mentions

Laasya Acharya – William Mason High School
Meghana Boda – Olentangy High School
Audrey Malcuit – Padua Franciscan High School
Emily McCord – Metro Early College High School
Vaishali Ramakrishnan – Dublin Jerome High School
Lillian Robey – Dayton Regional Stem School
Maria Tracy – Saint Joseph Academy
Kaovya Vel – Westlake High School
Eva Winchester – St. Ursula Academy

2024 Ohio Affiliate Rising Stars 

Hasaean Araia – Columbus Downtown HS
Shivani Arulselvan – Padua Franciscan HS
Ravia Bhullar – Nordonia High School
Mridhini Chintakindi – Dublin Jerome HS
Penelope Covey – Stow-Munroe Falls HS
Naomi Franciscus – Canal Winchester HS
Oni Hairston – Nordonia High School
Harman Kaur – Dayton Regional Stem School
Claire Line – Homeschool
Imanga Lufungulo – Notre Dame Academy
Mackenzie Minute – Padua Franciscan High School
Haasini Sanisetty – Hathaway Brown School
Maggie Smith – Padua Franciscan HS
Saira Williams – Worthington Christian High School

2024 Ohio Educator Winner 

Joe Morel – Padua Franciscan High School

2024 Ohio Educator Honorable Mention

Haley Richards – Dublin Emerald Campus

About NCWIT

NCWIT is a non-profit community that convenes, equips, and unites more than 1,240 change leader organizations to increase the influence and meaningful participation of girls and women from every community – at the intersections of race, ethnicity, class, age, sexual orientation, and disability status – in the influential field of computing, particularly in terms of innovation and development.

About KeyCorp/KeyBank 

KeyCorp’s roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $187 billion at March 31, 2024.

Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.