It's official: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is bringing its globe-trotting adventure to PlayStation 5. If you've been waiting for the Xbox release to make the jump, now's your chance to preorder a physical copy of the game to add in to your PS5 library. There are two editions available to preorder right now a Standard Edition for $69.99 and a Premium Edition for $99.99 with a release date of April 17. You can learn more about each of the editions below, including what bonuses they come with.Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Standard Edition)Out April 17, 2025Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Standard Edition PlayStation 5$69.99 at AmazonWalmart - $69.99Best Buy - $69.99GameStop - $69.99Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Premium Edition)Out April 17, 2025Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Premium Edition PlayStation 5$99.99 at AmazonBest Buy - $99.99GameStop - $99.99Target - $99.99The Premium Edition of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle comes with some nice extras alongside the main game, including The Order of Giants Story DLC (which will be available once it's released), a digital artbook, and Indy's Temple of Doom Outfit alongside two day early access to the game.Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Preorder BonusNo matter which version of the game you decide to preorder, you'll get some fun bonuses to enjoy. The preorder bonus is called The Last Crusade Pack, which comes with the Traveling Suit Outfit and Lion Tamer Whip that are featured in The Last Crusade. You can get a good look at those items below.Indiana Jones and the Great Circle TrailerPlayWhat Is Indiana Jones and the Great Circle?Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, following Indy on a global adventure to uncover the mysteries of the Great Circle. Our review from IGN's Luke Reilly had a lot of praise for it: "With a host of gorgeous and lavishly detailed levels, satisfying combat hinged on jawbreaking haymakers, and a focus on slow-paced exploration, platforming, and puzzle solving (interspersed with a handful of high-voltage action scenes), The Great Circle is an irresistible and immersive global treasure hunt for Indy fans whove felt underserved by the likes of The Dial of Destiny and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."More Preorder GuidesIf you're itching to preorder some more exciting games coming out this year, we're here to help. Have a look through the preorder guides below to start building up your physical library, from Death Stranding 2 to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4.Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

Given that Charlie Coxs work as Matt Murdock on Daredevil: Born Again, as well as Robert Pattinsons turn as Bruce Wayne in The Batman, it might be easy to understand why Ben Affleck recently announced that hes done with the superhero genre. Afflecks two outings in the world of tights and capes, in 2003s Daredevil and later the Zack Snyder 2010s era of the DC Universe, were largely met with critical and audience division.Anyone just focusing on Daredevil or Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice might therefore think that Afflecks retirement from superheroes is no great loss. Thats especially true in light of Afflecks undeniably great performances outside the genre, such as the insincere, possible wife-killer in Gone Girl or as an alcoholic basketball coach in The Way Back. Affleck excels at playing bone deep exhaustion and is able to retain an innate likability and humor even when hes trying hard to be indifferent.Granted, those skills dont immediately lend themselves to superhero stories, with their emphasis on power and victory. However, there are several roles about a hero in retirement, his best days behind him, that would have benefitted immensely from what Affleck brings to the screen. One might point out that Affleck came near it, too, in the Snyderverse, which drew heavily from The Dark Knight Returns and Kingdom Come. But both of those are, ultimately, about Batman dragging his battered body back into the fight, and always coming out victorious. He is a traditional hero once again.No, the better Affleck Batman role would ask him to stay out of the fight, to grouch from the sidelines while still charming audiences. The superhero role he might have always been meant to play was as Bruce Wayne in Batman Beyond.A spin-off of the beloved Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond takes place 40 years in the future. An aged Bruce Wayne has long since retired, a victim of his outdated methods and deteriorating health. However, he happens to meet a teenager named Terry McGinnis, who learns about Bruces secret cave. After his father is murdered, Terry steals the Batsuit and pursues his own sense of justice. Seeing himself in Terry, Bruce agrees to train and support the kid as the next Batman.Batman Beyond ran for 52 episodes across three seasons and has continued in various animated movies and comic books, achieving its own cult status. It is exactly the type of story that would fit in James Gunns vision of the DC Universe, one in which fan favorites such as Creature Commandos and Booster Gold get attention. And its exactly the type of caped role that Affleck should have played.By this point, grouchy and secluded versions of Bruce Wayne are common to the big screen. Christian Bales Bruce began The Dark Knight Rises as a recluse, having apparently hidden in his house for seven years. In The Batman, Pattinsons Wayne shuns the spotlight, ignoring even his companys business. And Affleck himself portrayed Bruce Wayne as a man who had temporarily given up his masked identity, only returning when Superman arrived on the scene.The Bruce Wayne of Batman Beyond is totally different though. This Bruce Wayne has been retired for 20 years. Alfred is long since dead. Robin was kidnapped and tortured beyond recognition by the Joker. His only acquaintance is Barbara Gordon, the one-time Batgirl and current police commissioner who has left him in the past, embittered. Hes completely alone and not used to being around people until a man very much like himself arrives.This type of Bruce Wayne would have given Affleck room to be completely unpleasant and an irredeemable grouch to an almost laughable degree. But it also would have called on him to show surprising warmth, to win over the audience, even if he doesnt seem to want us on his side. Affleck could play the older Bruce as the same big and abrasive supporting personality he portrayed in Air and The Last Duel. And as he did in those movies, he would still charm us with his infectious personality.Of course were saying all of this right when Afflecks saying again today that hes done with superheroes. And of course theres no Batman Beyond movie currently on the books. But given that Affleck is currently 52, the same age as Bruce at the time of his retirement (and a very important number for DC), theres still plenty of time for him to change his mind and decide to return to the world of superheroes again the grouchier the better.

Apple has already launched five new products this year, but the company has much more in store for users. In addition to major software changes like iOS 19s redesign, there are 15+ new Apple products in the pipeline that were expecting to launch before the year ends. Heres everything thats coming.iPhone 17 familyAfter years of fairly iterative iPhone updates, this years iPhone 17 lineup is set to elicit a lot more hype. The Plus model is out, replaced by a new iPhone Air, and theres even potential for a rebranding of the Pro Max to give us the first iPhone Ultra.iPhone 17: ProMotion for the first time, better selfie camera, more.iPhone 17 Air: Radically thin, futuristic look but some compromises.iPhone 17 Pro: Upgraded camera system, memory, and A19 Pro chip.iPhone 17 Pro Max: Thicker for even more battery, and reduced display cutout.M5 Macs and iPadsApple has already launched two new iPads and two new Macs this year, but theres more on the way, including the debut of the first products with an M5 chip.New Mac Pro: M3 Ultra like the recent Mac Studio, and slim chance of a redesigned case.M5 MacBook Pro: First product with M5, plus M5 Pro and M5 Max options.M5 iPad Pro: Rumors are minimal aside from M5 chip, but perhaps Apples C1 modem is coming.Big wearables upgrades for AirPods and Apple WatchApples lineup of wearables is expected to get some strong updates this fall, largely due to the arrival of much-anticipated new versions of AirPods Pro and Apple Watch Ultra.AirPods Pro 3: Upgraded noise cancellation, heart-rate monitoring, and new H3 processor.Apple Watch Ultra 3: 5G RedCap, hypertension sensors, satellite features.Apple Watch Series 11: Same design, high blood pressure detection.Apple Watch SE 3: Updated S-class chip, more modern than existing SE.Apple Home productsApple has big ambitions for the smart home, and well start to see its new plans materialize with a brand new Home product plus updates to existing favorites.HomePad: Smart home command center running homeOS.New Apple TV 4K: Likely Apple Intelligence capable, with upgraded A-class chip.HomePod mini 2: New Wi-Fi modem, enhanced compatibility with other Home products.Everything else from AppleWhat else is left? Just a couple key revisions for some of Apples rarely updated products.AirTag 2: New Ultra Wideband chip with improved range, plus stronger privacy features.Studio Display 2: Same 27-inch size, but with MiniLED technology and likely camera improvements.What other new Apple products could launch this year?There are strong rumors indicating the entire list of new products above should launch this year, or very shortly afterwards. But are there any other launch possibilities?A couple wildcards include updates to two of Apples most expensive products:Vision Pro Pro Display XDRRumors about a new Vision Pro are all over the place, but at least one reliable supply chain source believes an M5 Vision Pro update is coming late this year or in early 2026.Similarly, beyond its Studio Display 2, reports indicate Apple may also be preparing a Pro Display XDR 2 for later this year or shortly thereafter.In any case, with the many Apple products outlined above expected to launch this year, it should make for an especially exciting year for new hardware.Which of this years new Apple products are you planning to buy? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Apple has officially announced WWDC 2025. The event will kick off on June 9 and run through June 13 at Apple Park in California. In a press release announcing WWDC 2025, Apple says:Apple today announced it will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) online from June 9 to 13, 2025. Developers and students will also have the opportunity to celebrate in person during a special event at Apple Park on June 9.Available for free to all developers, WWDC25 will spotlight the latest advancements in Apple software. As part of Apples ongoing commitment to supporting developers, the conference will provide them with unique access to Apple experts, as well as insight into new tools, frameworks, and features.The format for WWDC 2025 appears to be the same as the past several years. Apple says the event will be entirely online and free for developers. There will, however, be an in-person special event at Apple Park on June 9. Space for that in-person event is limited, and details on how to apply to attend can be found on the WWDC25 website. At WWDC, Apple teases that it will spotlight the latest advancements in Apple software. Susan Prescott, Apples vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations: Were excited to mark another incredible year of WWDC with our global developer community. We cant wait to share the latest tools and technologies that will empower developers and help them continue to innovate.WWDC 2025: iOS 19 and moreApple will unveil its next round of operating systems at WWDC in June. This includes: iOS 19iPadOS 19visionOS 3tvOS 19macOS 16watchOS 12According to rumors, iOS 19 will be one of the most dramatic software overhauls in Apples history. The update will reportedly refresh the design of icons, menus, apps, windows, and more. It will also simplify how users navigate and control their devices. Bloomberg says the update will be the biggest revamp since iOS 7 in 2013.macOS 16 is also reportedly set to get a major redesign refresh this year, along with iPadOS 19. Apple aims to unify its design language across platforms to make the experience more consistent for users. Find more details about what to expect fromiOS 19 in our dedicated guide. What are you most excited to see at WWDC 2025? Let us know in the comments. My favorite iPhone accessories: Follow Chance:Threads,Bluesky,Instagram, andMastodon.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used to think that sharing classified information in insecure channels was a fireable offense until he got caught doing it himself.Following the stunning revelation fromThe Atlantic's editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg that he'd been added to a national security adviser groupchat on Signal,CNN has unearthed instances when Hegseth went off on former secretary of state Hillary Clinton for using a private email server for official communications and deleting the evidence after the fact."People have gone to jail for 1/100th of what even 1/1,000th of what Hillary Clinton did," Hegseth, then a regular fixture onFox News, opined on the right-wing network just ahead of the presidential election in November 2016.This was around the time, if you recall, when "lock her up!" became a regular rallying cry at Donald Trump's campaign events. To Hegseth, Trump, and their ilk, Clinton discussing official matters on her own server which was, we should add, an egregious breach that may well have cost her that election was enough to inspire bloodthirsty chants.Less than a year later, the conservative talking head was still beating the drums of justice."She is a corrupt politician," Hegseth said on Fox in September 2017, "who reinforced that narrative through her reckless actions."The GOP isn't known for its sensitivity to hypocrisy. As such, several others in the groupchat created by national security adviser Mike Waltz and to which Goldberg was inadvertently added seemed to have no issue with planning a Yemeni bombing campaign on a commercial app, despite it likely being a violation of the Espionage Act."Bidens sitting National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan sent Top Secret messages to Hillary Clintons private account," Waltz tweeted in 2023, around the time Trump was indicted for keeping classified documents in boxes at his residence. "And what did DOJ do about it? Not a damn thing."Along with being oxymoronic, that statement is incorrect. Not only was Clinton investigated by the FBI for her alleged mishandling of official communications she was called out by then-director Jim Comey over it just before the election, which is probably why she lost.As Goldberg noted in his stunning piece about the groupchat that Waltz added him to, Hegseth and the other cabinet-level officials in that text chain could, technically, claim that they declassified the bombing plans and other intelligence matters they discussed. The legal expertsThe Atlantic spoke to noted, however, that that excuse doesn't hold much weight because those sensitive matters were still discussed on an unauthorized platform and in front of a journalist, which could technically constitute a leak.Clinton, meanwhile, responded in kind to the entire debacle in a post on X."You've got to be kidding me," the former presidential candidate tweeted.Share This Article

Position TitleRemote Operations Coordinator at The Garage ChicagoLocation: Remote (Global)About Us: At The Garage Chicago, were more than just a gym. We are a thriving community of athletes, driven by performance, passion, and a relentless commitment to pushing the limits. As one brand with multiple services, we cater to every aspect of our members fitness journeys from Group Training at both The Garage and The Apartment, to personalized Personal Training and action-packed events. We are here to inspire, empower, and help athletes of all levels reach new heights.Now, we need someone truly exceptional to join our operations team. Could that be you? If youre a dynamic, energetic person who thrives in fast-paced environments and loves creating seamless experiences for others, youre going to love working with us. This isnt just a job its an opportunity to make a lasting impact, and have fun doing it!Role Overview: As our Remote Operations Coordinator, you will be the backbone of our day-to-day operations, ensuring everything runs like clockwork. Youll be on the frontlines, helping our athletes and supporting our incredible team. Your role will be vital in keeping our community happy, ensuring that each interaction is as smooth and positive as possible. From responding to athlete messages online with top-tier customer service to managing class schedules and even handling payroll we need someone who is as enthusiastic about delivering outstanding service as we are about fitness.What Youll Be Doing- Provide World-Class Customer Service: Be the first point of contact for our athletes, responding to emails, messages, and inquiries promptly and with a personal touch. Help solve problems, answer questions, and create a welcoming atmosphere that makes every athlete feel like family. Youll be the heartbeat of our communication ensuring every message, email, or interaction with an athlete is handled with the exceptional service they expect from us.- Operational Support: Provide backup for our personal training sessions, group training classes, and events anything that keeps us running smoothly like Membership Cancellations & Inquiries: Handle cancellation requests with grace and empathy, ensuring members feel heard and respected while providing smooth and professional service.- Payroll Processing: Work with our finance team to keep everything running smoothly with payroll ensuring everyone from coaches to staff is paid accurately and on time.- Scheduling & Coordination: Oversee our class schedules, managing any reschedules, cancellations, or changes. Keep things running smoothly across The Garage and The Apartment to ensure theres never a dull moment!- Organize & Maintain Records: Keep our member database organized and up-to-date no one likes chaos, and youre here to keep it all in check.Team Coordination and support: Facilitate clear communication between our remote and in-house teams to be the glue that holds the team together. Were all one family at The Garage, and youll help make sure everyone stays connected.What Were Looking For:- Passionate Experience: You have 2+ years of experience in operations, administration, or a customer-facing role, ideally in the fitness or wellness industry.- Fitness Management Software Experience: Youve worked with Mariana Tek or similar fitness management systems (like MindBody or Glofox). You understand how to use the platform for class bookings, membership management, reporting, and payroll.- Customer Service Rockstar: You thrive on making people feel welcome and valued. You know how to go above and beyond to create a positive, supportive, and energetic experience for everyone- Organized & Efficient: Youve got a natural ability to manage multiple tasks without breaking a sweat, and your attention to detail is second to none.- Payroll Know-How: Youve worked with payroll in the past and know how to handle payroll cycles, tax deductions, and compensation with precision and care.- Self-Motivated & Independent: You know how to take initiative, and youre comfortable working remotely while managing your time effectively.Tech-Savvy: Youre comfortable with Google Suite, Microsoft Office, and digital tools that make life easier.Bonus Points If You- Are familiar with Mariana Tek and understand its full functionality, from class schedules to invoicing and payroll. Have experience with other customer service platforms or CRMs like HubSpot or Zoho. Have a true passion for fitness and wellness, and youre excited to be part of a team dedicated to helping athletes thrive. Enjoy working remotely and are adept at collaborating across time zones.Why You Should Join Us:- Flexibility: This is a remote role you can work from anywhere and set your schedule.- Be Part of Something Big: Were a rapidly growing brand with big dreams, and youll play a crucial role in making them happen. Youll make a real difference every day, both to the team and to our athletes- A Culture of Excellence: Were all about supporting each other and achieving greatness together. Join a community that thrives on collaboration and innovation- Incredible Growth Opportunities: As we continue to grow across multiple locations and services, theres no limit to the possibilities for you to grow with us.- Work Hard, Have Fun: We are serious about our work and the athletes we serve, but we also know how to have fun and celebrate our wins as a team.How to Apply Ready to join a team thats all about creating an extraordinary experience for both our athletes and staff? Send us your resume and a cover letter explaining why youre the perfect fit for this role. We want to hear about your passion for fitness, your experience with operations, and why youre excited about working remotely in an amazing and dynamic environment.About The Garage Chicago: At The Garage Chicago, we offer a full spectrum of services, including Group Training, Personal Training, and exclusive events, all designed to help you reach your peak performance. Whether youre in our Garage or Apartment spaces, were here to give you the tools and support you need to crush your goals. Were building a community thats all about hard work, collaboration, and growth and were looking for passionate, dedicated people to help us take it to the next level.Lets create an amazing experience for our members and a seamless operation for our team the best is yet to come. Join us!

What Is AgentFire?AgentFire.com is the #1 rated real estate website platform serving thousands of agents, teams, and brokerages across the US & Canada. Our clients choose from 3 design packages (Ignite, Semi-Custom, and Custom), and we're looking for talented designers to help bring our premium Semi-Custom and Custom websites to life.Our proprietary web builder (Spark Editor) works similarly to leading WordPress builders like Elementor, Divi, and WPBakery, making experience with these (or similar visual builders) a huge plus.We're passionate about great design, seamless user experiences, and exceeding client expectations. Check out our incredible team reviews on Glassdoor:https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/AgentFire-Reviews-E1258957.htmWhat Were Looking For:A skilled, creative web designer experienced in building beautiful, modern WordPress websites. You thrive in structured workflows, handle multiple projects with ease, and consistently deliver outstanding results.The Role:Design stunning real estate websites using our proprietary Spark Editor (similar to Elementor, Divi, WPBakerytraining provided).Work closely with Project Managers to follow project timelines and milestones.Simultaneously manage multiple Semi-Custom and Custom website design projects.Maintain proactive, clear communication and documentation for project updates.Requirements:Location: North America, South America or Europe (to align with our teams).Proven experience building websites in WordPress is required.Familiarity with popular WordPress visual builders (Elementor, Divi, Oxygen) or similar is a huge plus.Strong proficiency in CSS3, SCSS, HTML, and responsive design.Exceptional organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.Compensation & Hours:Hourly Rate: $15$25 USD/hr (based on experience).Hours: 40 hours/week, aligned with EST working hours.Remote: Fully remote.Growth Potential: Excellent opportunities for career growth as we continue to rapidly expand.Software We Use:Project Management: ClickUpCRM: HubSpotCommunication: SlackVirtual Meetings: Google MeetWeb Builder: Spark Editor (Proprietary, similar to Elementor, Divi, WPBakery)------How To Apply:Fill out our application form attached to this job (here's a quick link) please note that you'll be asked to provide examples of websites you've designed!

OpenAI has released a new image generator thats designed less for typical surrealist AI art and more for highly controllable and practical creation of visualsa sign that OpenAI thinks its tools are ready for use in fields like advertising and graphic design. The image generator, which is now part of the companys GPT-4o model, was promised by OpenAI last May but wasnt released. Requests for generated images on ChatGPT were filled by an older image generator called DALL-E. OpenAI has been tweaking the new model since then and will now release it over the coming weeks to all tiers of users starting today, replacing the older one. The new model makes progress on technical issues that have plagued AI image generators for years. While most have been great at creating fantastical images or realistic deepfakes, theyve been terrible at something called binding, which refers to the ability to identify certain objects correctly and put them in their proper place (like a sign that says hot dogs properly placed above a food cart, not somewhere else in the image). It was only a few years ago that models started to succeed at things like Put the red cube on top of the blue cube, a feature that is essential for any creative professional use of AI. Generators also struggle with text generation, typically creating distorted jumbles of letter shapes that look more like captchas than readable text. Example images from OpenAI show progress here. The model is able to generate 12 discrete graphics within a single imagelike a cat emoji or a lightning boltand place them in proper order. Another shows four cocktails accompanied by recipe cards with accurate, legible text. More images show comic strips with text bubbles, mock advertisements, and instructional diagrams. The model also allows you to upload images to be modified, and it will be available in the video generator Sora as well as in GPT-4o. Its a new tool for communication, says Gabe Goh, the lead designer on the generator at OpenAI. Kenji Hata, a researcher at OpenAI who also worked on the tool, puts it a different way: I think the whole idea is that were going away from, like, beautiful art. It can still do that, he clarifies, but it will do more useful things too. You can actually make images work for you, he says, and not just just look at them. Its a clear sign that OpenAI is positioning the tool to be used more by creative professionals: think graphic designers, ad agencies, social media managers, or illustrators. But in entering this domain, OpenAI has two paths, both difficult. One, it can target the skilled professionals who have long used programs like Adobe Photoshop, which is also investing heavily in AI tools that can fill images with generative AI. Adobe really has a stranglehold on this market, and theyre moving fast enough that I dont know how compelling it is for people to switch, says David Raskino, the cofounder and chief technical officer of Irreverent Labs, which works on AI video generation. The second option is to target casual designers who have flocked to tools like Canva (which has also been investing in AI). This is an audience that may not have ever needed technically demanding software like Photoshop but would use more casual design tools to create visuals. To succeed here, OpenAI would have to lure people away from platforms built for design in hopes that the speed and quality of its own image generator would make the switch worth it (at least for part of the design process). Its also possible the tool will simply be used as many image generators are now: to create quick visuals that are good enough to accompany social media posts. But with OpenAI planning massive investments, including participation in the $500 billion Stargate project to build new data centers at unprecedented scale, its hard to imagine that the image generator wont play some ambitious moneymaking role. Regardless, the fact that OpenAIs new image generator has pushed through notable technical hurdles has raised the bar for other AI companies. Clearing those hurdles likely required lots of very specific data, Raskino says, like millions of images in which text is properly displayed at lots of different angles and orientations. Now competing image generators will have to match those achievements to keep up. The pace of innovation should increase here, Raskino says.

Open to organisations operating in the built environment or technology spaces including not for profits and academia the contest seeks innovative, scalable concepts which could help decarbonise affordable housing from construction through to operation, across the value chain.The annual PropTech Innovation Challenge aims to promote innovation across the built environment sector. Submissions may cover hardware, software or business models and all entries will be evaluated by the jury on the grounds of potential impact, innovation and likelihood of adoption.Lisette van Doorn, chief executive of ULI Europe said: Adequate and affordable housing is fundamental to a citys competitiveness, citizens quality of life, and to ensure vibrant, inclusive and diverse places. Trying to achieve this while respecting our planetary boundaries, provides additional challenges with decarbonisation potentially enlarging an already existing social divide.AdvertisementThis years PropTech Innovation Challenge presents an important and much needed opportunity for us to identify innovative, imaginative, and out-of-the-box solutions, enabling the industry to collectively accelerate the provision and upgrade of affordable housing within planetary boundaries.Urban Land Institute is the worlds oldest and largest network of cross-disciplinary real estate and land use experts.Previous winners of the annual PropTech Innovation Challenge include Switzerlands Optiml, which uses AI to support building decarbonisation and Spains EFFIC which specialises in energy-efficient residential refurbishment.The contest features two phases with the first featuring eight regional competitions spanning across Europe. Regional winners will be eligible to enter the contests pan European Grand Final this autumn.The overall winner will be announced at a climate change summit in Paris in November. All finalists will receive a one-year associate ULI membership.AdvertisementCompetition detailsProject title PropTech Innovation Challenge 2025Client ULI EuropeContract value TbcFirst round deadline 30 June 2025Restrictions Submissions are welcome from both ULI members and non-members, and organisations can include not-for-profit, for profit and academic/research labs operating in applicable European marketsMore information https://europe.uli.org/councils/young-leaders/young-leaders-proptech-innovation-challenge-pic/

Reducing the carbon footprint of construction involves the replacement of concrete and steel with timber. Thats a given. But, for the Fire and Rescue Services (FRS), the implications of this change are complex and far reaching. Yes wood burns, but the challenges stem from how it burns, how it loses strength under the action of heat, where it is in the building, whats attached to it, how it is used to form walls, ceilings and floors and, moreover, whether the fire service has sufficient resourcing, training and funding to be effective in this new era of public sector cuts.To enable and future-proof the greater use of timber, architects have a crucial role in strengthening overall building resilience through design. The phrase hope for the best, prepare for the worst seems apposite and, in future, when citing the FRS in building applications, architects might now have to court the intervention they would be seeking in the event of a fire by designing in features that will support the safety and effectiveness of the FRS.A good place to start is the Mass Timber Insurance Playbook, freely downloadable from the website of the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products. This provides a framework for designers of timber buildings to work to with the objective of ensuring not only that the delivered building supports FRS operations, but is insurable.AdvertisementThe Playbook promotes early and ongoing engagement with all stakeholders, including FRS, and promotes measures designed to keep the fire small, support safe access and building stability and resource firefighting operations by options that might include:Giving attention to fire service vehicle access and water provisionInstalling fire sprinklersDesigning to ensure the structure is built of non-combustible materials (concrete and steel), with dominant timber use in floor-plate infillSelecting to use non-combustible materials (concrete) in key areas such as in the building cores, ground floor and (eg) alternating floor platesProviding dry and wet risers (internal firefighting water supplies)It might seem counterintuitive but, by improving resilience, each of these measures helps to enable greater use of timber. So why is such an approach necessary when designing largely timber buildings?There are various reasons for this, including the fact that wood will be replacing materials that last significantly longer in a fire, the fact that several timber construction methods create combustible voids and that wood can smoulder for hours, or even days, often giving few signs of its presence.Unless these material and detailing differences arent specifically ameliorated by the architect, the risk is that fires will be more prevalent, larger and harder to tackle, with potentially less of the building remaining afterwards.Other factors involved in the transition to a net zero future energy generation and storage systems, and lithium battery-powered bikes and scooters, to name but a few may also compound the situation, changing not only the statistical likelihood of ignition but the aggressiveness of these fire-initiating events.AdvertisementIt will take just one or two significant fires in timber or largely timber buildings to destroy the reputation of construction methods that are much needed to save the planet. Theres a lot at stake.Dr James Glockling is the current chair of BSI FSH/16 Hazards to life from fire and a visiting professor at the University of Central Lancashire 2025-03-25will hurstcomment and share