Infrastructure

The expected rise in sea levels is one of the most feared effects of climate change, along with the accumulation of extreme weather events. The warming of the earth by half a degree caused the oceans to rise by 20 centimetres during the last century. This may not seem much when you look at your own front door - but for coastal inhabitants and island states the search for solutions is becoming more urgent. Floating cities could be one of them.

Modern local transport concepts want to combine environmental compatibility and comfort - because it is clear: Only what is comfortable is used. For example, the citizens of Erftstadt are to switch from cars to bicycles for short distances. In addition to well thought-out routing, special attention will be paid to the surface of the new two-wheel paths. This is where Elastopave makes the difference. 

Our cities are becoming smarter, one of the front runners being Copenhagen. Steen Savery Trojaborg, CEO of DISSING+WEITLING architects, reports on how the spirit of the city is coloring his work – and influencing it internationally as well.

One of the biggest challenges facing our cities includes creating suitably adapted, modern, and above all sustainable infrastructure. Because sidewalks, parking areas, and pedestrian zones make a big contribution to inhabitants’ well-being. Precisely for this, there is now the material to match.

Our energy needs are constantly growing. To meet them reliably and resource-efficiently, we have to go new ways. New gas fields at ever greater depths extend even beyond the Arctic Circle. The Polarled gas pipeline taps previously inaccessible gas fields.

Wherever power is mainly distributed via overhead lines, outages caused by storms are by no means rare. Innovative materials are capable of making important infrastructure elements stronger – as demonstrated by utility poles in China made of the composite Elastolit®.

Bridge refurbishment is urgently required in many places – but closures for building work puts pressure on the surrounding infrastructure. A current project in Luxemburg shows that there is an alternative.

Dikes protect Germany’s coasts and river banks – a task made more difficult by the predicted rise in the sea level. A revetment of Elastocoast® can strengthen existing coastal protection.

Chesapeake Bay in the State of Maryland is part of one of the United States’ biggest river deltas. Some 10 million people live in the hinterland of these ecologically sensitive coasts. The area is particularly exposed to the effects of gales, waves, tides and storms – all of them key contributors to erosion and destruction of the shoreline.

Extreme natural events will increase significantly worldwide: Storms, floods, and earthquakes often cause serious damage. BASF’s Disaster Durable Solutions^TM bundle applications to protect buildings and infrastructure.

Hangzhou is situated in an area prone to heavy rainfall and flooding. Basic infrastructure isn’t always up to par with the requirements while at the same time more and more surfaces are being sealed due to Hangzhou’s breathtaking growth rate. Using Elastopave, officials set themselves the goal of waterproofing their city.