With respect to the five world records referenced in the preceding post (linked above), it is pertinent to note that, strictly speaking, three additional milestones merit recognition. In particular, a book published in 2012 represents the first work worldwide in the field of civil engineering to systematically address the toxicity of building materials. In a similar vein, a book published in 2013, also indexed in Scopus, constitutes the first comprehensive study on the life cycle assessment of building materials. Furthermore, in 2018 a third volume was published, once again representing a global first in the field, addressing the sequestration of carbon dioxide in construction materials. Additionally, it is appropriate to highlight another significant milestone (the ninth), as the first edition of this book has emerged as the most cited worldwide in its field among books indexed in the Scopus database. The second edition is scheduled for publication by the end of the current year.
PS - It should be obvious, yet apparently needs to be stated: over the past decades, books have grown ever more essential as vessels of enduring knowledge, while science has been engulfed in a chaotic and relentless flood of fragmented—and in far too many cases, meaningless—publications (Pan et al., 2018; Chu & Evans, 2021) https://pacheco-torgal.blogspot.com/2021/10/the-deluge-of-papers-is-obstructing_13.html It is therefore imperative to pause, take stock, and rigorously evaluate what has genuinely been achieved, before yet more time, effort, and resources are wasted chasing the futile illusion of reinventing the wheel.
