Culture

Zero Waste Week, held annually on the first Monday of September, is a global campaign to reduce landfill waste, preserve resources, and protect the environment. This year, STO Building Group’s Sustainability team joined the movement with a special three-part Building Conversations podcast series exploring material circularity in the AEC industry.

From design through demolition, our teams are working with partners across the U.S. to reduce waste, repurpose materials, and push the industry toward a more circular future. Hosted by Jennifer Taranto, STOBG’s Vice President of Sustainability, each episode features conversations with clients, designers, and manufacturers on what’s working, what’s changing, and how to build a zero-waste mindset from the ground up.

Digital Classics

The AEC industry is ever evolving. In the search for more sustainable solutions in construction, mass timber continues to take hold. As a central feature of a building’s aesthetic—and perhaps of the owner’s commitment to environmental stewardship—mass timber is notable and noticeable, and is actively challenging traditional building methods. Is it the next step in improving the built world?

Construction robots have been around since the 1960s. In the 1970s and 1980s, Japanese companies such as the Shimizu Corporation, Obayashi Corporation, and Takenaka Corporation created robots and remote-controlled machines for excavating, material handling, concrete placing, finishing, fireproofing, earthworks, rebar placing, and other construction tasks. However, the overall robotization of the industry has been slow.