Can Bamboo Construction Replace Timber and Steel?
Bamboo checks many of the boxes of an eco-friendly material, so some researchers are testing the material’s commercial viability in construction
Will Builders Embrace Mushroom-Based Bricks?
Emerging research on fungi’s unique properties as a highly renewable material points to a possible future in construction
Can a New, Zero-Cement Solution Thwart Concrete Sewer Pipe Failure?
Concrete sewer pipes frequently fail in as little as 10 to 20 years. Zero-cement concrete offers a strong, durable, eco-friendly and cost-effective option
Why Construction Has an Inevitable Concrete CO2 Emissions Crisis
The generation of greenhouse gas in concrete production is a major problem. Changes are needed today—and researchers and engineers are pursuing many possibilities
Can 3D Printing With Local Soils Offer a Low-Carbon Alternative to Concrete? Part 2
Without the need for long-distance transportation or carbon-intensive production techniques, one research lab is experimenting with local soils that may offer a greener path forward
The Ancient—And Unusual—Building Material Attempting a Comeback: Hemp
Hempcrete is a bio-composite material that can serve as an alternative to traditional lime, reducing the carbon impact of the resulting concrete mixture while improving its insulator-like and energy-retaining properties
Can 3D Printing With Local Soils Offer A Low-Carbon Alternative to Concrete? Part 1
Without the need for long-distance transportation or carbon-intensive production techniques, one research lab is experimenting with local soils that may offer a greener path forward
Builders Embrace the Rebirth of Wood Through Mass Timber
Mass timber gives an age-old material compelling new advantages for the construction industry
Translucent Wood Could Give Architects A New Design Element
A lab in Stockholm, Sweden, is using nanotechnology to reimagine lighting with a wood composite that’s translucent, load-bearing and an advance in energy efficiency
Soil Construction: Where—And How—Building With Clay Thrives
As concrete’s prevalence continues to pose a danger to the long-term health of the environment, can clay- and soil-based materials serve as a viable option for builders?
What Contractors Should Consider Before Using Nanomaterials
Nanomaterials are becoming increasingly common in construction, but along with the benefits come risks you should discuss with your suppliers
Bringing Building Materials to Life—Literally
Can integrating microorganisms in brick or concrete make the materials self-healing? The Living Materials Laboratory at the University of Colorado aims to find out
Why COVID-19 Sent Lumber Prices on a Wild Ride
Lumber prices tanked—and then rallied—over the summer. Why?
What To Do With Oceanic Waste Plastic? Build Roads
MacRebur has designed a way to use plastics polluting oceans and landfills to build roads, parking lots and driveways
This Caribbean Island Aims to Exemplify ‘Resilience Building’ Amid Climate Change
Dominica offers a model—and opportunity—for construction firms to learn how to build as climate-related events threaten the world’s buildings and infrastructure
