Innovation mostly focuses on producing more environmentally friendly materials for construction. By improving existing materials or creating new ones, the goal is to reduce dependency on materials produced from fossil fuels and other natural resources. While it is evident that new construction may utilize novel materials to produce a more sustainable built environment, heritage building can also benefit sustainability. When preserving or repairing heritage buildings, the building industry may consider using novel materials to lessen their environmental effect. Using biological organisms to create materials is known as biofacture, and it is one of the most renowned study disciplines in this area. Understanding the capacities of organisms such as algae and fungus can help make alternatives to commonly used materials carbon neutral or even negative. Other programs are looking at new methods to employ previously untapped but easily available resources including desert sand, dirt, and demolition trash.
Let us dive into a few examples of innovative and biodegradable materials and technologies.
Bio-Integrated wall tiles / Indus
Indus is a biologically built wall created by computer algorithms using ceramic scaffolds containing microalgae for dirty water bioremediation. In a system of interconnecting modular tiles, vein-like channels are pressed into clay, inspired by the architectural shape of leaves, whose surfaces equally transport water, and filled with a seaweed-based hydrogel containing microalgae.
Computational fluid models optimise water distribution across the structure, allowing for more efficient algae-wastewater interaction. As wastewater passes over the tiles, the microalgae, which can be active for months, remove heavy metals such as cadmium. The reusable tiles may be removed one at a time to be cleaned and replaced with new hydrogel.
Mycelium
The Belgian group Bento and philosopher Vinciane Despret worked together to curate the Belgium Pavilion’s 2023 project at this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale. The installation was made using Mycelium panels. A mushroom mycelium is a network of fungal threads (hyphae) that may develop underground, forming an amazing root-like structure that serves as a fungus’ vegetative portion. This living network promotes soil health, interacts symbiotically with most plant species, and provides food for a variety of creatures, including insects. Mycelium has grown in prominence as a result of recent projects that have investigated its marvels, however, its application is still confined to temporary pavilions or installations. Mycelium is the fungus’s vegetative portion, composed of hundreds of interwoven threads formed by the spores that, when dried, form an extremely strong substance. When coupled with agricultural waste in moulds, the fungal culture produces organic bricks that may be utilized in building and eventually degrade and return to the carbon cycle.
Bioplastics (Soybean)
We now need to discover cleaner, biodegradable alternatives and cut back on our usage of plastic since it ends up in our rivers and oceans. Bioplastics degrade significantly quicker than synthetic plastic—at the same pace as paper—and generate biomass. One of the primary elements is soy-based glue, which helps to minimize carbon dioxide emissions and the usage of the carcinogenic pollutant formaldehyde while also needing substantially lower manufacturing
temperatures. Although soy bioplastics have so far been restricted to disposable food containers and bin bags, additional study indicates that biodegradable plastics may be used in buildings in the future.
Corn waste into wall finishes
CornWall®, created by StoneCycling, is a wall-finishing substance derived from plant biomass, primarily the cores of regionally produced corn cobs. This organic waste is abundantly accessible and is often fermented, burned as biomass, or converted into simple organic waste. Looking ahead, there is enormous potential beyond its current use in interior walls and furniture covering.CornWall® may also be modified in terms of colour, texture, and size, making it ideal for custom projects and campaigning for personalized sustainable solutions. It marks a watershed point in the advancement of sustainable construction materials. Its creative features, devotion to circularity, and growth possibilities not only reshape the building landscape but also demonstrate a conscientious approach to architecture and design.
Regenaritive Bio-concrete / TU Delft
Due to the possibility of water seeping through, cracks and fractures might jeopardize the
mechanical properties of concrete. By incorporating microorganisms into its composition, TU Delft is creating a concrete prototype that has the ability to repair and regenerate small cracks. When water-activated bacteria are added to the concrete from the start, they feed on the calcium lactate in the mix to form limestone, a substance that may be used to fix minor holes and fractures.
Innovative and sustainable construction technologies:
Green Concrete
Green concrete, also known as sustainable or eco-friendly concrete, is a building material designed to reduce the environmental effect of concrete manufacturing and use. Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as fly ash, slag, or silica fume can substitute some of the cement used in traditional concrete, reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with cement manufacture. Furthermore, the use of recycled materials, such as broken glass or recycled aggregate, minimizes the requirement for virgin resources while diverting trash from landfills. It can provide the same structural integrity as traditional concrete, making it an excellent alternative for environmentally conscious construction methods and projects.
Green Insulation
Located in Michigan, RetroFoam is a frontrunner in the development of environmentally friendly insulating products. In place of conventional foams derived from petroleum, they have created foam insulation solutions manufactured from renewable soybean oil. The insulation made of SoyFoam has superior thermal qualities, is biodegradable, and causes the least amount of environmental damage. Their approach demonstrates a dedication to sustainable construction technology and a reduction in dependency on fossil fuels.
3D Printing
In the sustainable building technologies industry, 3D printing may help decrease material waste, speed up manufacturing, and increase design flexibility. Emerging enterprises are using this technology to pioneer breakthrough eco-friendly construction solutions. These ideas include the use of concrete printing and additive manufacturing to create ecologically friendly building materials. They also include the development of bigger 3D printers capable of creating complete building constructions. These printers also enable the on-site manufacture of building components, enabling for the development of complex forms and designs in the sustainable construction technologies industry. Some 3D printers even employ self-healing materials to mend damage.
Above mentioned are a few examples of Biodegradable materials and sustainable and innovative technologies amongst many other strategies. Architects are carefully considering the use of these materials and technologies as it is the need of the hour and also since the next generation is opting for more sustainable living and environment. The pressing need to limit environmental effects has propelled sustainability to the forefront of the building sector. Thanks to recent technology developments, it is now possible to gather important data on emissions and ecological variables, which forces building businesses to give priority to sustainability.
References:
- Eduardo Souza “Turning Corn Waste Into an Innovative Bio-Based Material” (2023). Biodegradable Building materials [Online]. (Published on 12 Dec 2023). Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/1010712/turning-corn-waste-into-an-innovative-bio-based-material-cornwall-r?ad_source=search&ad_medium=search_result_articles [Accessed on 5 April 2024].
- Maria Cristina Florian “10 Start-ups Creating Innovative and Sustainable Building Materials, from Mycelium Bricks to Water Purifying Tiles” (2022). Biodegradable Building materials [Online]. (Published on 06 Nov 2022). Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/988017/mushroom-mycelium-bricks-and-water-purifying-tiles-10-innovative-and-sustainable-building-materials [Accessed on 5 April 2024].
- Forough Farhadi “Top 24 sustainable construction technologies in 2024” (2023). Biodegradable Building materials and sustainable and innovative technologies [Online]. (Published on 17 Dec 2023). Available at: https://neuroject.com/sustainable-construction-technologies/#21_Green_Insulation [Accessed on 6 April 2024].
- Katayoon Moslemi “11 Innovative construction materials-2024” (2024). Biodegradable Building materials and sustainable and innovative technologies [Online]. (Published on 10 Jan 2024). Available at: https://neuroject.com/construction-materials-2/ [Accessed on 6 April 2024].
