Building upon the chemistry that oysters use in miles-long reefs, scientists have found a way to create cement that is stronger and cures faster. Jonathan Wilker, a professor of chemistry in Purdue University’s College of Science has long been interested in formulating new, more sustainable and better materials. “Our lab studies materials that shellfish make,” Wilker … Read more
A small home in Kenya has successfully used insulation panels grown from farm byproducts and fungal mycelium. A homeowner invested roughly 208 US dollars into these innovative mycelium building panels. This shows that affordable wall alternatives are achievable without relying on imported plastics or synthetic foams. Lightweight mycelium building panels can also reduce the number … Read more
If you break open a chicken bone, you won’t find a solid mass of white material inside. Instead, you will see a complex, spongelike network of tiny struts and pillars, and a lot of empty space. It looks fragile, yet that internal structure allows a bird’s wing to withstand high winds while remaining light enough … Read more
Engineers at MIT are using recycled plastic to 3D-print construction-grade beams, trusses, and other structural components that could eventually provide lighter, modular, and more sustainable alternatives to conventional wood-based framing. They have printed four long trusses from recycled plastic, assembled them into a conventional plywood-topped floor frame, and evaluated the structure’s load-bearing capabilities. The printed … Read more
Microalgae‑based architecture is gaining attention as a sustainable design solution for a variety of uses, and the concept could soon become a reality in Western Australia. Amin Mirabbasi, a PhD student at Murdoch University’s Algae Innovation Hub in Australia, has spent three years designing microalgae filled photobioreactors, which can be incorporated into a variety of … Read more
Scientists at the University of Maryland have turned ordinary wood into a material that rivals steel in strength and weighs far less—and it’s already heading to market. What emerged is now called Superwood, a material created by altering natural wood’s internal structure to boost its strength, reduce weight, and improve resilience. The process, developed and tested … Read more