flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Lab-grown bricks offer potential low-carbon building material

Lab-grown bricks offer potential low-carbon building material

Prototype uses bacteria to grow a brick in a mold.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | September 30, 2022
Grow Bricks
Courtesy Pexels.

A team of students at the University of Waterloo in Canada have developed a process to grow bricks using bacteria.

The process, which works at room temperature, offers a new low-carbon way to fabricate bricks. The brick-growing process starts by introducing bacteria to a nutrient broth.

Recycled sand or demolition waste can be mixed in to create the Bio-Brick. The result is a product that is as strong and affordable as bricks traditionally used in construction sites today and can easily be grown onsite for any project, the product’s developers say.

The technology, still in the prototype phase, was named a runner-up for the James Dyson Award.
 

Related Stories

Healthcare Facilities | Feb 18, 2021

The Weekly show, Feb 18, 2021: What patients want from healthcare facilities, and Post-COVID retail trends

This week on The Weekly show, BD+C editors speak with AEC industry leaders from JLL and Landini Associates about what patients want from healthcare facilities, based on JLL's recent survey of 4,015 patients, and making online sales work for a retail sector recovery.

Multifamily Housing | Feb 10, 2021

The Weekly show, Feb 11, 2021: Advances in fire protection engineering, and installing EV ports in multifamily housing

This week on The Weekly show, BD+C editors speak with AEC industry leaders from Bozzuto Management Company and Goldman Copeland about advice on installing EV ports in multifamily housing, and advances in fire protection engineering.

Healthcare Facilities | Feb 5, 2021

Healthcare design in a post-COVID world

COVID-19’s spread exposed cracks in the healthcare sector, but also opportunities in this sector for AEC firms.

Building Owners | Feb 4, 2021

The Weekly show, Feb 4, 2021: The rise of healthy buildings and human performance

This week on The Weekly show, BD+C editors speak with AEC industry leaders from Brookfield Properties, NBBJ, and UL about healthy buildings certification and improving human performance through research-based design.

AEC Tech | Jan 28, 2021

The Weekly show, Jan 28, 2021: Generative design tools for feasibility studies, and landscape design trends in the built environment

This week on The Weekly show, BD+C editors speak with AEC industry leaders from Studio-MLA and TestFit about landscape design trends in the built environment, and how AEC teams and real estate developers can improve real estate feasibility studies with real-time generative design.

Multifamily Housing | Jan 27, 2021

2021 multifamily housing outlook: Dallas, Miami, D.C., will lead apartment completions

In its latest outlook report for the multifamily rental market, Yardi Matrix outlined several reasons for hope for a solid recovery for the multifamily housing sector in 2021, especially during the second half of the year.

Modular Building | Jan 26, 2021

Offsite manufacturing startup iBUILT positions itself to reduce commercial developers’ risks

iBUILT plans to double its production capacity this year, and usher in more technology and automation to the delivery process.

Data Centers | Jan 21, 2021

The Weekly show, Jan 21, 2021: Data centers in a pandemic world, and LGBT certification for AEC firms

This week on The Weekly show, BD+C editors speak with AEC industry leaders about LGBT certification for architecture, engineering, and construction firms, and the current state of data centers in a pandemic world.

Contractors | Jan 20, 2021

Webcor, a major California builder, celebrates its 50th anniversary

Webcor celebrates its 50th anniversary as a major California builder

Multifamily Housing | Jan 20, 2021

Abandoned Miami hospital gets third life as waterfront condo development

The 1920s King Cole Hotel becomes the Ritz-Carlton Residences Miami in the largest residential adaptive reuse project in South Florida.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021