Green building could be on the brink of a revolution in
materials following the development of biomass masonry which can be grown using
bacterial cultures or repair itself when damaged.
Two award-winning entries in the inaugural Cradle to Cradle
Product Innovation Challenge, the results of which were announced in New York
City last November, exemplify what could soon emerge as a key, transformative
trend in the field of sustainable construction.
Green building start-up bioMason has developed a method for
“growing” bricks via the use of bacterial colonies, thus dispensing with the
need for energy-intensive manufacturing processes.
The bacteria secrete a natural adhesive which is similar to
the material produced by coral formations. This material serves to bind sand
particles together in a brick which is sturdy enough for use in the construction
of residential housing.
In addition to dispensing with the need for high-intensive
kiln firing – a process which accounts for 40 per cent of the cost of masonry,
the biomass bricks make use of raw materials as cheap and commonplace as salt
and yeast extracts, and are capable of recycling waste products such as urea.
Another winning participant in the Cradle to Cradle
challenge, Ecovative, has developed a biomass insulating material consisting of
foam-like fungal colonies.
The key ingredient of the material is a rapid growth species
of fungus called mycelium, leavened with agricultural waste products such as
seed husks and stalks.
The adaptable nature of the fungus means it can be grown
inside molds or the cavities of existing wall structures, or sprayed onto the
surface of walls as a form of a foam.
The mycelium provides a sturdy insulating material which
possesses the added advantages of being fire resistant, non-toxic and fully
biodegradable.
The next major step for biomass green building materials is
the development of a concrete which is capable of organic self-healing, thus
reducing the need for expensive repairs.
The Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands is
working on the incorporation of bacteria into concrete to confer the material
with the extraordinary ability to repair itself when it sustains modest damage
or wear. The bacteria produces calcium carbonate – akin to mineral limestone,
as a waste product, which can fill in the cracks or holes that so readily beset
concrete structures.
Not only does this self-healing propensity obviate the need
for expensive and time-consuming repair work, it can also significantly reduce
the cost of concrete structures by enabling engineers to dispense with steel
reinforcement, which is usually required to prevent cracks from becoming too
large.
Source: Sourceable.net
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