Heidelberg Materials unit Hanson has been certified in ISO 19443, a standard for suppliers involved in nuclear safety, putting Hanson among the first firms certified in the UK. Hanson is working with three delivery teams as the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant is constructed.

The US needs to adopt a national privacy standard for digital data rather than try to ban a particular social media platform like TikTok, write Seb Joseph and Krystal Scanlon. The US is the only country in the developed world without internet protection, which took the European Union four years to adopt.

Placement and compaction of earthen materials is critical to the construction of dams and roadways. How two of the most important standards for these processes evolved and the impacts they've had on civil engineering are examined.

Audits of pet food ingredients and manufacturing follow strict standards that will only get tougher, says Billie Johnson, food safety and regulatory compliance manager at ingredient supplier BHJ USA. Work is underway to develop a synchronized system for audits to ensure all companies are evaluated on the same standard, Johnson said.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology is drawing on artificial intelligence and a century of data to digitally simulate hurricanes and generate maps that can instruct resilient construction guidelines. By reproducing all aspects of hurricane conditions, the simulations "behave like real hurricanes ... to create the data in the maps almost directly," says NIST statistician Adam Pintar.

The Public Utility Commission of Texas is seeking feedback on a proposed reliability standard for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas' power region. Experts say the commonly used 1-in-10 standard, which assumes plans need to be made to anticipate load shedding events once in 10 years, is becoming obsolete as grids become more taxed.

Researchers in Egypt, the UAE and the UK reviewed research on 3D printed concrete and its effects on sustainability. "The research reveals that 3DCP offers significant advantages over conventional construction methods in terms of cost and water consumption, with a potential to save up to 78% and 60% of the associated costs with conventional construction and labor, respectively," researchers wrote.

Moore, Okla., and Joplin, Mo., updated their building codes after experiencing destructive tornadoes, and a Moore official notes that homes built under the city's revised code have sustained less tornado damage than their less-fortified counterparts. However, officials note that focusing on low-cost resiliency measures in code updates is often crucial. Meanwhile, mobile-home standards have been growing stricter, but many such homes lack proper anchoring or are allowed to adhere to obsolete guidelines.

"Lights out" automation that requires no warehouse workers may be available in about 10 years, Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics, posits. Already, buildings are bespoke for Locus' system that integrates other companies' robots, with an induction area surrounded by a pack space -- and some even unloading trucks via robot as well for a totally automated floor.

Get to know your boss and connect with them on a personal level before offering them what may be seen as negative feedback, and if you're a leader receiving such feedback, take a moment to say "thank you," and dig deeper for the nuggets of truth, writes Ken Blanchard, chief spiritual officer of The Ken Blanchard Cos. "Don't let your ego keep you from being your best self or bringing out the best in others," Blanchard writes.

The 2023 Wohlers Report, powered by ASTM International, was recently released -- and double digit growth for AM products and services is predicted in the next year.