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Ralph Horne

Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor, Research & Innovation, College of Design & Social Context, RMIT University, RMIT University
Ralph Horne is the Deputy PVC, Research and Innovation for the College of Design and Social Context at RMIT University. He supports research performance through the development of new and existing research Groups and Centres, mentoring future research leaders, and providing strategic leadership in support of research activity across the College.
Ralph enjoys a wide network of industry partnerships. He has acted as Chief Investigator in over 100 industry-linked research projects across the built environment, urban sustainability and social change since 2005. He has also held the following current and recent relevant non-academic roles:

2014–present: Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor, Research & Innovation, RMIT University
2010–2013: Director, Green Building Council of Australia.
2008–2012: Council member, Built Environment Industry Innovation Council, Commonwealth Government, Australia.
2005–2012: Director, Centre for Design, RMIT University, Australia.

Soft plastics, glass bins and bans on compostable liners: will Victoria’s new recycling proposal be a step forward?

Aug 06, 2024 22:51 pm UTC| Business

In recent years, the question of what to do with our household waste has become more pressing. In 2018, China stopped accepting many types of recyclable plastic waste from Australia. Four years later, Australias main soft...

Why knock down all public housing towers when retrofit can sometimes be better?

May 24, 2024 10:26 am UTC| Insights & Views Real Estate

The Victorian government is planning Australias largest urban renewal project. The plan is to knock down and rebuild 44 large public housing towers in Melbourne. The government says these towers, built in the 1960s and...

1 in 4 households struggle to pay power bills. Here are 5 ways to tackle hidden energy poverty

May 02, 2023 15:29 pm UTC| Economy

One in four Australian households are finding it hard to pay their gas and electricity bills. As winter looms, energy price rises will make it even harder. Cold homes and disconnections resulting from energy poverty...

We need a 'lemon law' to make all the homes we buy and rent more energy-efficient

Apr 27, 2023 08:17 am UTC| Insights & Views Real Estate

A long-awaited increase in energy-efficiency requirements for new homes is part of revised Australian construction standards taking effect on May 1. All new homes must achieve a minimum 7-star whole-of-home energy rating...

We can't keep putting apartment residents' waste in the too hard basket

Mar 04, 2023 12:16 pm UTC| Insights & Views

The harsh realities of managing the waste we produce are in the news: councils shunning new glass bins, more plastic being produced per person in the world and Sydney bins overflowing. And the growth in apartment living in...

Stimulus that retrofits housing can reduce energy bills and inequity too

Jun 04, 2020 12:19 pm UTC| Economy

Stay-at-home orders and the economic crisis have increased the burden of energy costs on lower-income Australians. Poor housing quality and unequal access to home energy efficiency are hurting our most vulnerable...

Economy

Trump Administration Targets Mortgage-Backed Securities to Ease Housing Affordability Crunch

The Trump administration has launched a new effort to support the U.S. housing market by stepping into mortgage-backed securities (MBS) purchases, aiming to counterbalance the Federal Reserves ongoing reduction of such...

G7 Finance Ministers to Meet in Washington on Critical Minerals Supply Chains

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has announced that Australia and several other countries will participate in a meeting of finance ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies in Washington on Monday,...

Stocks Hit Record Highs as Jobs Data Supports Fed Rate Cut Outlook

Global stock markets surged to fresh record highs on Friday as investors reacted positively to a U.S. jobs report that showed slower-than-expected employment growth in December, reinforcing expectations that the Federal...

Wall Street Hits Record Highs as Jobs Data Signals Resilient U.S. Economy

U.S. stock markets finished at record levels on Friday as investors digested a mixed December jobs report that still pointed to underlying economic strength. The SP 500 closed at a fresh all-time high, reinforcing optimism...

U.S. Treasury Says It Can Handle Potential Tariff Refunds if Supreme Court Rules Against Trump

The U.S. Treasury has sufficient funds to cover any potential tariff refunds if the Supreme Court rules against President Donald Trumps use of emergency powers to impose broad tariffs, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said...

Politics

Russia Fires Oreshnik Hypersonic Missile Near NATO Border in Escalation of Ukraine War

Russia launched a powerful Oreshnik hypersonic missile overnight at a target in western Ukraine near the border with NATO-member Poland, sharply escalating tensions and raising alarm across Europe. Ukrainian officials and...

U.S. Seizes Olina Tanker as Crackdown on Venezuelan Oil Exports Intensifies

The United States has seized the oil tanker Olina in the Caribbean, marking the fifth vessel targeted in recent weeks as Washington escalates efforts to enforce sanctions and curb Venezuelan oil exports. U.S. officials...

Trump Warns Iran as Nationwide Protests Intensify and Internet Is Shut Down

U.S. President Donald Trump issued a fresh warning to Irans leadership as anti-government protests spread across the country and authorities imposed an internet blackout to suppress unrest. Videos circulating online showed...

New York Sues Trump Administration Over Offshore Wind Project Freeze Impacting Clean Energy Goals

New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed lawsuits against the Trump administration over its decision to suspend construction on two major offshore wind projects that the state says are critical to powering 1...

Trump Says U.S. Must Control Greenland to Counter Russia and China

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States needs to own Greenland in order to prevent Russia or China from potentially occupying the strategically important Arctic territory in the future. Speaking...

Science

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Technology

Supreme Court to Hear Cisco Appeal on Alien Tort Statute and Human Rights Liability

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal by Cisco Systems that could significantly reshape how American companies are held liable for alleged human rights abuses committed overseas. The case centers on the scope...

FCC Approves Expansion of SpaceX Starlink Network With 7,500 New Satellites

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved SpaceXs request to deploy an additional 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites, marking a major step forward in the companys mission to expand global...

xAI Cash Burn Highlights the High Cost of Competing in Generative AI

Elon Musks artificial intelligence startup, xAI, is rapidly emerging as a major player in the generative AI race, but new reports highlight the enormous financial costs behind that ambition. According to Bloomberg News,...

Nvidia Appoints Former Google Executive Alison Wagonfeld as First Chief Marketing Officer

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) has taken a significant step in strengthening its leadership team by appointing a senior Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) executive as its first-ever Chief Marketing Officer, signaling a strategic move as the...

EU Orders Elon Musk’s X to Preserve Grok AI Data Amid Probe Into Illegal Content

The European Commission has ordered Elon Musks social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to retain all internal documents and data related to its built-in artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, until the end of...