Environment Archives – Page 5 of 6

Marsa 2050

By Dr Rebecca Dalli Gonzi

From improving life quality to solar panels that decrease temperature, researchers at the Department of Environmental Design in the Faculty for the Built Environment (University of Malta) have come up with some ingenious ideas to strengthen modern building design. Natasha Padfield learns more.

airflow alternative energy built environment special focus Computational Fluid Dynamics Daniel Micallef Department of Environmental Design energy efficiency Environment faculty for the built environment green technology malta mathematical modelling natasha padfield offshore technology renewable energy solar energy solar panel university of malta UoM wind engineering wind turbine

A Patchwork Mediterranean: Knitting It Together

The Mediterranean is surrounded by over 20 countries each of which claim ownership over its nearby sea. To try and prevent over fishing and other pressures, many countries have set up protected areas. Jessica Edwards talks to Prof. Patrick J. Schembri who leads the Marine Ecology Research Group (Department of Biology) to find out how all of these areas are being linked to protect the Mediterranean Sea from the threats it faces.

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Magnets, Spinning Nuclei, and Light

An NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectrometer is a vital machine for the organic chemist. Using its powerful magnet the type, number of atoms, and how they are connected can be figured out. This is key for understanding the structure of organic chemicals such as drugs, pharmaceuticals, and those used in chemical computers.

#research 2015 chemistry david magri Environment Giovanna Boscia green chemistry nature nmr nuclear magnetic resonance organic chemistry Robert M. Borg toolkit UM university of malta UV light

Mecon

Mecon is an ongoing research project for the 2015 edition of the IASS EXPO, themed Future Visions which is to be held in Amsterdam between June and August 2015. The project is to design and build a structurally innovative, deployable pavilion in a bid to celebrate Future Visions in the field of engineering design and innovation. Mecon is the solution created by a team of five recently graduated architects.

#research #science Alex Torpiano chemistry Dion Buhagiar edward duca engineering Environment Future Visions IASS EXPO Joseph Grima Mecon SITC student technology think Think Magazine Think Website UM University university of malta

Green Roof Malta

In Malta, buildings cover one third of the Island, leaving greenery in the dirt track. Green roofs are one way to bring plants back to urban areas with loads of benefits. Antoine Gatt, who manages the LifeMedGreenRoof project at the University of Malta, tells us more.

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Cleaning Contaminated Land with Plants

Carmen Sanchez Garcia

Soil sustains wildlife, landscapes, crops, forests, and air and water quality. Our survival and development depends on soil. However, a large amount of metals is being released daily into the environment through household waste, agricultural practices, and industrial activity.

Soil acts as a ‘sink’ for pollution, and depending on the soil’s chemical conditions, metals may persist there for long periods of time, posing a risk for humans and ecosystems. Maltese soils have a high concentration of lead, zinc, and copper. At high concentrations, these metals are harmful to many forms of life and can lead to a host of diseases including cancer. Carmen Sanchez Garcia (supervised by Dr Anthony Sacco) studied how to reduce the level of these metals in Maltese soils using plants instead of conventional methods.Continue reading