More than perhaps any other material, cement is the glue that holds the globalized world together—especially our cities. But producing it requires huge amounts of fossil fuels, and the industry is responsible for up to 8% of global greenhouse-gas emissions, according to a 2023 study in Nature.
Efforts to tackle the issue have historically centered on things like fuel and efficiency. But some companies have another option, which could be a win-win for the climate and the cement industry: creating carbon-negative building materials by storing excess carbon dioxide in concrete.
Paebbl captures carbon from the atmosphere and combines it with ground olivine rock to create a rock powder or slurry. That can be used as an inert industrial filler or ingredient in building materials like concrete. The process, known as accelerated mineralization, can be done within an hour and potentially bring the carbon footprint of concrete down by up to 70%, says Paebbl’s co-CEO Andreas Saari. In nature, that process can take centuries.
“Not only are you storing carbon, but you are also substituting some of the [kiln-made] clinker which is the big carbon emitter in concrete,” he says. “It doesn’t require a high temperature to make; it gives off heat, which we can recapture and use as energy.”
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Paebbl produces 200 kg to 300 kg of product each day at its pilot plant in Rotterdam, where it is also building a demonstration plant. By 2030, it aims to have three commercial-scale plants operational across Europe and North America.
Other companies are storing carbon directly in concrete. CarbonCure injects carbon dioxide into fresh concrete during mixing. Once injected, the gas undergoes mineralization, permanently binding to the concrete. By using this form of concrete, companies can reduce their emissions by 3% to 5%. CarbonCure estimates it has saved around 450,000 metric tons of CO2 to date.
One major roadblock in scaling up technologies like these is getting past prescriptive specifications in codes and regulations. Building codes are being updated to allow for newer forms of lower-emissions concrete. And in the U.S., the Federal Buy Clean Initiative has led to the specification of more than $2 billion for the procurement of lower-carbon construction materials, including cement, for federally funded projects. And companies like Paebbl and CarbonCure also see an economic incentive for their technology by selling credits for the carbon stored in construction materials.
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For now, it is “a bridge solution,” Saari says. “We need to find a way to store billions of tons of CO2. Where can we find a permanent home for that? Construction material is there.”
The once-popular DNA-testing site will also halt work on therapies it was developing.
Last year, the company said hackers had managed to gain access to personal information of millions of its users.
23andMe’s share price has fallen by more than 70% this year, as its co-founder and chief executive Anne Wojcicki tries to turn the business around.
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The company said it expects to incur one-off costs of $12m (£9.3m), including severance pay, for the plan that will result in savings of $35m.
“We are taking these difficult but necessary actions as we restructure 23andMe and focus on the long-term success of our core consumer business and research partnerships,” Ms Wojcicki said.
The company also said it is considering what to do with the therapies it had in development, including licensing or selling them.
23andMe is a giant of the growing ancestor-tracing industry. It offers genetic testing from DNA, with ancestry breakdown and personalised health insights.
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In December last year, 23andMe confirmed that hackers had accessed details of about 6.9 million of its users.
In some cases this included family trees, birth years and geographic locations, the company said. But the stolen data did not include DNA records, it said.
Its customers included famous names, from rapper Snoop Dogg to multi-billionaire investor Warren Buffett.
LAW firm Harcus Parker is revisiting the UK’s costliest consumer scandal with the belief that lenders owe a further £18 billion in compensation for a new PPI claim.
The first court hearing for its claim will take place in October and, if successful, Harcus Parker expects the average claimant to receive between £2,500 and £3,000 in compensation. In some extreme cases, customers might receive up to £10,000.
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You could be eligible for compensationCredit: Alamy
PPI – an abbreviation of Payment Protection Insurance – was a form of cover sold alongside credit cards, mortgages, loans and other lending.
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It promised to cover the cost of your borrowing if you lost access to your regular income – for example, if you fell ill or were made redundant.
Depending on the policy, it could cover the entire cost of the credit or just a set number of repayments.
Like other forms of insurance, these policies were bought by paying a premium.
Lenders would either add the cost of the premiums to your credit or make it payable through a separate fee.
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PPI was first sold in the 1970s, according to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the industry watchdog.
But it was in the 1990s and 2000s when the largest number of policies were sold.
In 2009, the sale of single-premium PPI policies was banned.
How was PPI mis-sold?
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PPI is one of the UK’s costliest consumer scandalCredit: Getty – Contributor
Check your eligibility for PPI compensation for free
When it was legal to sell PPI, most of these policies were mis-sold.
Lenders would often add the price of this cover to their customers’ credit without informing them.
In some cases, lenders lied and told customers PPI was compulsory.
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In other examples, some people were sold a policy they were never eligible to claim under.
Around 65 million PPI policies were sold in the UK, and this resulted in banks paying out around £38 billion in compensation to their customers.
This makes it the UK’s costliest consumer scandal – and Harcus Parker believes there are a further six million customers who remain uncompensated.
Can I still make a claim?
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The PPI scandal kicked off after the the sale of single-premium PPI policies was banned in 2009.
To bring the scandal to a close, the FCA set a deadline of 29 August 2019 for consumers to lodge their PPI compensation claims.
Now that the FCA’s scheme has closed, it is necessary for customers to bring their claims through the courts.
Why is the PPI scandal being looked at again?
PPI was a profitable product for most banks and lenders.
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So, they often incentivised their employees to sell these policies by offering decent commissions, with Harcus Parker stating that some lenders were earning around 75% of the price of the policy.
In other words, for every pound you paid for PPI, your lender was taking 75p in commission.
Since this wasn’t made clear to customers at the time of purchasing their PPI, the law firm believes they should be compensated.
The banks and credit cards took advantage of their position to secretly profiteer behind your back. This money should be repaid
Spokesperson at Harcus Parker
“For a start, this new claim is easy to understand.
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“The banks and credit cards took advantage of their position to secretly profiteer behind your back. This money should be repaid,” said a spokesperson at Harcus Parker.
To challenge this claim, Harcus Parker is launching a group litigation.
This means it’s representing as many eligible claimants as possible under one challenge to resolve the common issues between them.
This should make processing these claims easier than reviewing the same issues thousands of times.
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So far, over a million people have visited this page, and over 300,000 have joined Harcus Parker’s group litigation.
We are hoping that this group’s legal action will put an end to PPI claims once-and-for-all in a simple and civilised manner
Damon ParkerSenior partner at Harcus Parker
“We are hoping that this group’s legal action will put an end to PPI claims once-and-for-all in a simple and civilised manner,” said Damon Parker, senior partner at Harcus Parker.
Martin Lewis, consumer champion and founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, previously said in a podcast that generally he’s against using claims handling firms.
But in this instance, he thinks it’s too complicated for people to handle themselves.
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How this is linked to the Plevin case?
The legal challenge is closely linked to the Plevin case in 2014.
You can read more about this case here, but in essence, it ruled in favour of the claimant Susan Plevin against her lender Paragon Personal Finance under the Consumer Credit Act.
She argued she was not properly informed that 72% of her PPI policy was used for commission.
Did I have PPI and how do I make a claim?
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Over half a million people made PPI claims in the first half of this year as the August deadline loomed.Credit: Alamy
Join Harcus Parker’s legal challenge
One of the easiest ways to find out if you had PPI, and if you’re eligible for compensation, is to use Harcus Parker’s website.
The form takes less than 60 seconds to complete and, if you are eligible, you’ll be added to the group claim automatically.
To make your eligibility check as quick as possible, make sure you have your relevant documents at hand.
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This includes any evidence of the credit agreement you believe had PPI.
Acceptable documents include a credit agreement or statement showing that you paid PPI premiums.
If you don’t have these documents, you can still check your eligibility with Harcus Parker.
Instead, it’ll reach out to your lender for further details – which may take some time.
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The “no win, no fee” agreement with Harcus Parker
Harcus Parker’s group litigation works on a “no win, no fee” model.
In other words, if the challenge fails, and you don’t earn any compensation, you won’t be charged any fees by the law firm.
It’s only if it successfully wins back compensation that you’ll pay the company a fee for its services.
This stands at 35% of your compensation plus VAT.
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How do I know if I’m eligible for PPI compensation?
According to Harcus Parker, you may be eligible to claim for PPI compensation if:
I won’t be alone in my disappointment reading the news that the European gas industry has just walked away from an agreement to provide retraining and support for the transition of hundreds of thousands of workers into clean energy jobs (Report, October 29).
We really can’t afford this type of delay. In offshore wind alone, estimates from trade body GWEC suggest our global industry needs nearly 600,000 skilled technicians by 2027. It expects more than 240,000 of this number will be new recruits to offshore wind. Everyone in the energy sector knows that, to fill such an immediate demand, many of these workers will have to come from oil and gas, as they already have the applicable skills and expertise.
So, if the big oil and gas companies won’t support the transition of their own workers, who will? Offshore wind companies like mine are doing all we can to build the workforce our industry needs, but if skilled workers remain locked in oil and gas roles without the support to move across, plugging the workforce gap will be near impossible.
It’s all well and good promising support for further “conversation” and “alternative avenues”, but we have big 2030 renewables targets that will soon be just five years away. To transition hundreds of thousands of workers, we don’t have years to waste on more discussion. We need immediate, tangible action from the oil and gas industry on the “just transition” it keeps promising its workers.
Millets in Burgess Hill, West Sussex will not be rebranded and is set to close permanently in January.
Millets stocks big-name brands, including the likes of Berghaus, The North Face and Jack Wolfskin.
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As of November 11, the retailer operates 67 branches across the UK.
The rebranding of the three stores to Go Outdoors sites indicates that JD Outdoors, the owner of Millets, is prioritising the expansion of its sister brand.
Founded in Sheffield in 1998, the company has swiftly risen to become one of the most recognised names in the outdoor retail market.
There are now 96 Go Outdoors sites across the county.
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Like Millets, GO Outdoors offers everything needed for camping trips and other outdoor activities, stocking the same big brands.
HISTORY OF MILLETS
MILLETS, a staple in the outdoor clothing and equipment market, has a rich history dating back to its founding in 1893.
Originally established in Southampton, the store began as a drapery business before evolving to specialise in camping and outdoor gear.
Over the decades, Millets expanded its product range to include various outdoor clothing, footwear, and equipment, catering to adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts.
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In the mid-20th century, the brand gained popularity for its quality products and reliable customer service, leading to the opening of numerous stores across the UK.
Millets became synonymous with outdoor exploration, from camping and hiking to mountaineering and beyond.
In 1986, it formed Millets Leisure plc.
This became the Outdoor Group in 1996 with 158 stores, which was bought by Blacks Leisure plc in 1999.
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In recent years, Millets has continued to adapt to the changing retail landscape, embracing online shopping while maintaining a strong high street presence.
Despite facing challenges in the competitive market, the brand remains a go-to destination for outdoor gear and is known for its commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.
Today, Millets is part of the JD Sports Fashion plc group.
However, unlike Millets, GO Outdoors offers a Membership Card, which grants access to unbeatable prices across various departments. The card can be purchased online or in-store for just £5 a year.
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It can be purchased online or in-store for just £5 a year.
With the membership card, customers can access exclusive discounts and a price match guarantee, ensuring they always receive the best deal.
Lee Bagnall, CEO of JD Outdoors, said: “We always aim to provide the best possible experience for our customers, so by converting these stores to a GO Express, customers will be able to benefit from the GO Outdoors loyalty programme, which offers exclusive and more affordable prices for members.”
Homebase the big sale and its legacy
HIGH STREET WOES
Retailers have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
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High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past two years, and more are coming.
Although there were some big-name losses from the high street, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bust before 2022, the centre said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.
Alongside Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it collapsed, 2023’s biggest failures included Paperchase, Cath Kidston, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.
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However, The Centre for Retail Research said that most store closures relate to companies trying to reorganise and cut costs rather than the business failing.
Why are retailers closing shops?
EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre’s decline.
The Sun’s business editor Ashley Armstrong explains why so many retailers are shutting their doors.
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In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping.
Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open. In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed.
The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing.
Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns.
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Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead.
Boss Stuart Machin recently said that when it relocated a tired store in Chesterfield to a new big store in a retail park half a mile away, its sales in the area rose by 103 per cent.
In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Wilko, Debenhams Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Paperchase to name a few.
What’s increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online.
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They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places.
Combining contemporary and antique pieces in a space can present a challenge. While the fusion of different styles and periods can add interest and personality, there are a few guidelines I follow in order to get the best results. For furniture, I often gravitate towards classical designs by contemporary makers, where comfort is cleverly concealed within traditionally elegant forms, whereas treasured antiques and found pieces collected over the years are the key to an authentic sense of individual style.
Here are my suggestions for decorating the sitting room at this Grade II* Listed Victorian property in the New Forest, where the palette of neutral tones and parquet flooring provides a backdrop for the layering of old and new.
Lighting
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We love using a sculptural pendant light as a way to accentuate ceiling height and provide interest. Paolo Moschino’s Elena Ceiling Light is a favourite of my interior design company, Murudé. Shown here in white plaster, it is also available with a bronze verdigris finish which provides a timeless, aged effect.
Table and floor lamps are an opportunity to incorporate antique designs; Dorian Caffot de Fawes has a lovely selection of elegant pieces to choose from, such as this mid-20th century Swedish brass telescopic reading lamp, on a tripod base. I always opt for a linen shade as it diffuses light, reducing any harsh glare and providing a softer ambience.
Artwork
I love textural artworks and wall hangings. These, combined with decorative antique frames and carefully chosen linen mounts, add a rich, tactile quality. Take the artwork of Antonio Bellotti, for example — his pieces have a depth achieved through mixed media techniques, and can be complemented by a frame from an antique market.
Materials Matter
The adage of quality over quantity is hard to dispute. Investing in quality materials ensures that the furniture in your home will age well. Materials such as oak or curiously-grained burr wood, heavyweight linen and brass all grow more interesting with age.
For side tables I rely on Forest to Home which offers a selection of solid plinths and tables that embrace the natural characteristics and textures of wood. The simple form of the Tetbury side table is offset by the cracks and grooves of the oak from which it’s made.
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Merging Styles
A blend of new and found pieces helps create a unique space. To balance out a classically styled sofa I would incorporate armchairs with a more contemporary form.
It is important for furniture in our projects to be both comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. I like to use shapes that are wide and deep, such as this Karu armchair by Dagmar in a Sahara colourway. The plush sheepskin and generous proportions offer an inviting spot to sit and unwind.
Finishing Touches
Finishing touches are the making of a home. Avoid buying all your decorative pieces from the same place, as this can lead to a collection that merely reflects current trends. Instead, let it be a process where you display objects, vessels and art that have been amassed over the years, with the intention to continuously evolve and shape the space alongside your own interests. M.A.H gallery offers an exceptional curation of objects, artwork, and sculpture, showcasing the best work of both emerging and established artists. Sway Ceramics’ Poppy 01 would make an interesting addition to any sideboard.
The New Forest property is on sale for offers in excess of £8mn through Knight Frank
Photography: Knight Frank; Paolo Moschino; Dorian Caffot de Fawes; Ben Anders; Forest to Home/Alexander J Collins Photography; Dagmar; The House by M.A.H
MILLIONS of households could slash their energy bills if they understand how a simple radiator setting works.
Adjusting the numbered valves on the ends of your radiators could save a fortune this winter.
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The Sun spoke to Rob Nezard, plumber and managing director of UKRadiators.com, to find out exactly what those numbers on our radiator valves really mean
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The average household can save up to £180 a year if they have thermostatic valves fitted on all their radiators
Rob said: “TRVs have clever mechanisms, sometimes using liquid or wax, that will shut off the flow of hot water to an individual radiator when the room temperature is at its desired level.
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“Installing thermostatic radiator valves is like having a boiler thermostat control in every room without interacting with the boiler directly.
“The numbers on the TRV typically range from 1 to 5 or 6, and most also have a frost symbol – this indicates that the TRV is in frost protection mode.”
The bizarre reason my smart meter won’t work & I miss out on cheaper bills
This crucial function prevents pipes and radiators in unused rooms from freezing, thereby protecting your heating system and home.
If the room is cold, the TRV will sense this and allow more hot water to enter the radiator to heat it quickly.
As the room warms, the TRV will restrict the hot water flow to maintain the desired temperature.
When the room temperature drops, the TRV will again allow more hot water in, repeating the cycle.
Rob said that the number settings on a TRV roughly correspond to the room temperatures below:
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0 = 0°C (off)
✱ = 5°C (usually shown as a snowflake or full stop symbol)
1 = 12°C
2 = 16°C
3 = 20°C
4 = 24°C
5 = 28°C
6 = 32°C
Rob added: “TRVs give you total control of your heating, meaning you don’t need to heat rooms you aren’t using, and they are designed to switch off when they reach the right temperature.
“Savings are estimated at between £55 and £180 per year for a typical three-bed semi.”
How much can you save with TRVs
THE average household can save up to £180 a year if they have thermostatic radiator valves fitted on all their radiators, according to Energy Saving Trust.
Valves can be picked up for less than £8 and they’re easy to replace yourself if some of yours are not working.
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Households can also get their hands on smart TRVs, which can be controlled via an app, but these are more expensive, with prices starting at £39 from Screwfix.
What numbers should I set my TRVs to?
During the winter months, Rob recommends that households to set their TRV to 2 or 3 in smaller rooms.
Those going away this winter should keep their radiator TRV on the lowest setting so that the radiators will come on for a short while if the temperature drops below 7°C.
However, Rob warned against turning your TRVs to five.
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This is because you are telling the boiler not to stop letting hot water into the radiator until the room reaches a very high temperature (around 30°C).
Households should only have TRVs on five or their maximum setting in rooms requiring short and sharp heat.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
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British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
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The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill, and some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
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