Something current that will aid me when I go into work next year. I have interest in the sustainability side of things as this is where construction needs to head.
We have first timber multifloor buildings built, however they are still beeing looked at as unsafe due to assumptions that they are less fire-safe and are more often built from eco-certified wood materials just for better eco friendly label that gives nice advertisement. Not sure if this is in any way related though!
Sustainable procurement of materials would be topical. This is the process whereby organizations meet their needs for goods, works, and services (other than consulting services) in a way that achieves value for money on a whole life-cycle basis in terms of generating benefits not only to the organization but also to society and the economy whilst significantly reducing negative impacts on the environment. (Thus, sustainable procurement is driven by a "triple bottom line" of environmental, economic, and social concerns that a procuring organization must fulfill.) And so, you might consider writing about what is meant by sustainability and sustainable procurement in construction (with emphasis on the impact of the construction process on sustainability, the sustainable construction procurement process, and the drivers of and benefits from the application of sustainable procurement principles).