GREEN ADVANCES IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Construction materials have a large environmental footprint, cement and steel can account for 16% of annual CO2 emissions worldwide. With growth and booming construction, the number of buildings in the world is expected to double by 2060! (embed video linked here). So? That’s the same as rebuilding New York City every month for the next 40 years.
Transparent wood? Wait, that’s wood!?!
A piece of “glass” made from wood. Source (USDA Forest Service)
Wood is five times more thermally efficient than glass and offers superior strength and durability against shattering. Researchers have developed a method to enhance balsa wood's properties by treating it in an oxidizing bath and injecting it with an energy-absorbing polyvinyl alcohol, rendering it transparent.
For more details, check out this article from the USDA Forest Service!
Zero-carbon cement you can grow?
Concrete used more than any other material in the world besides water, requires roughly 500 lbs. of cement per cubic yard of concrete. However, each pound of cement emits about 0.9 lbs of CO2 when manufactured, contributing as much as 8% of global emissions. Researchers seek greener alternatives for concrete. A handful of companies are growing cement using bacteria to mimic limestone or coral growth! These cement-making bacteria could build the cities of the future. These companies are leading the way with zero-carbon, bio-cements that are as strong, if not stronger, than traditional Portland cement.