Industry

Sustainable buildings should be different depending on where they are in Europe - that's according to the developers of one of the world's greenest office buildings.

A German computer scientist has hit on a new way of modelling objects for films and video games that could create much richer images than current methods achieve, and cost less.

Magnets and nano-sized magnetic particles could help to change the way plastics are sorted for recycling, saving billions of euros in raw material imports, and providing new tools to erode Europe’s mountains of discarded plastic.

Electronic systems are at the heart of new technology, and a partnership between the EU and industry aims to secure Europe's supply. 

Europe’s skies will be cleaner and quieter thanks to a proposed partnership between the EU and industry. During the partnership, technologies will be developed to help cut noise and carbon dioxide emissions from planes by up to 30 %.

From quadruple-glazed windows to planes whose fuselage can be electrically heated, graphene is changing the world.

They charge in seconds and could run your laptop for a month – supercapacitors are coming, and it’s thanks to graphene, one atom-thick sheets of carbon that are revolutionising industry.

Car fuel made from agricultural waste could help cut down carbon usage without taking up land that is used to grow food. It is one innovation that could help the biofuels industry shift up a gear.

Early shoots for the bioeconomy have sprung up through innovative ideas in completely different businesses. And, at the same time, they raise some legislative initiatives.

If the type of patents being filed by Europe’s companies is anything to go by, the economy that will emerge from the financial crisis in Europe may be decidedly green.