Innovative materials
The long-awaited and anticipated revolution in architecture is gaining momentum. Now we have drones, BIM, virtual reality, augmented reality, automatic project management, and more. But it doesn’t end here! Researchers and various institutes are developing new innovative and novel materials with cutting-edge technology.
New techniques allow for new innovative construction materials, and, above all, with environmentally friendly components… Do you want to see the latest innovations in materials?
1.- An innovative concrete with moss for walls
Can you imagine being able to make facades and walls where moss grows naturally? Well, it’s here! This idea comes from the startup based in the Netherlands, the innovative Respyre.
They have developed a novel concrete material with special characteristics and nutrients for moss growth—a green concrete! The so-called Bio Receptive Concrete turns any surface into an opportunity to introduce vegetation into urban environments—crazy!
Although we already talked about the properties and types of insulating materials with excellent guide documents… What’s happening in ceramics?
2.- The latest in magnetic ceramics
Although there were already some patents on magnetic ceramics in the market, few were useful or of real application to the world of architecture. Now we have FAST FIX from the company Perona Group.
The most impressive thing is the speed with which we can place tiles. The technique is similar to typical fridge magnets, and if you don’t believe it, watch the following video!
By the way, we have an extensive article explaining this construction system with magnetic tiles better.
3.- Recycled tiles with fossil fuel waste
The company Carbon Craft is changing the traditional way modern pavements are made. Their product range is made from the waste produced by the combustion of fossil fuels, the so-called “black carbon”.
The company led by architect Tejas Sidnal is revolutionizing the sector with innovative, competitive products with good design that respect the environment—what more could we want!
4.- Improving thermal insulation with electricity-conducting cement
Throughout history, both cement and concrete have been constantly studied. Always trying to provide new properties that affect their sustainability, thermal insulation, impermeability, etc.
From MIT, the research from the CNRS department (Concrete Sustainability Center) is yielding surprising results.
This time, with the incorporation of black “nanocarbon” particles, they have managed to obtain a cement that conducts electricity.
What is it for? The conductivity of electrons will allow concrete to be used for a series of new applications, from self-heating to provide better thermal insulation in installations with SATE system or even possible energy storage to save on heating—crazy!
“Concrete is naturally an insulating material,” according to project director Soliman, “but when we add nanocarbon particles, it goes from being an insulator to also being a conductive material.”
5.- Plastic bags that decompose
The company HoldOn Bags has created a new material with plant-based and compostable plastic bags. These innovative bags begin to decompose in a matter of weeks and completely disintegrate in six months, leaving no microplastics.
Addressing the environmental problem of garbage bags and sacks is an ecological priority, and these new materials are the solution towards a more sustainable future.
6.- Transparent wood and super wood
Now we have a new way to understand and use the Earth’s most noble material, wood. Thanks to technology, it has reached a higher level of innovation; the translucent wood that can be used to develop windows and solar panels.
It is first created by removing the veneer coating from the wood and then working at the nanoscale. The resulting effect creates a new construction material that is completely transparent and has various applications in the construction industry and works. Imagination to power!.
Being a very cheap resource, it can benefit projects by reducing costs. The innovation took place at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. If you want to learn more properties of wood in construction, check our article.
But this is not over yet!… Researchers at the University of Maryland have created a “super wood” that is stronger than steel but six times lighter. First, they boil the wood in a mixture of sodium sulfite and sodium hydroxide to partially remove the lignin and hemicellulose fiber, and then hot press it to crush the cell walls, creating durable nanofibers.
This new construction material called “nano wood” when pressed in a certain direction, is 30 times stronger than typical thermal insulating materials and much more insulating.
7.- Bricks that absorb pollution
The new construction materials also want to respect the environment and be sustainable. Assistant professor Carmen Trudell from the Cal Poly College of Architecture and Environmental Design, the Breathe Brick … Bricks that suck in air pollutants and release filtered air!
This innovative construction material is designed to be part of a building’s standard ventilation system. It has a two-layer facade system, with special bricks on the outside and standard insulation on the inside.
In the center, there is a cyclonic filtration system that separates heavy particles from the air and collects them in a removable hopper. Its design is very similar to a vacuum. In short, a technology that can be easily applied to current construction processes.
When tested in the wind tunnel, it was shown that the system can filter 30% of fine pollutant particles and 100% of coarse particles like dust. A new component for works that can add a lot of value.
8.- Nanotechnology for windows
Researchers at Princeton University predict that the smart windows of the future could save up to 40 percent in energy costs.
The researchers developed a new type of smart window that controls the amount of light and heat entering the building and is also self-powered by transparent solar cells in the window itself.
The technology is deposited on glass as a thin film, and researchers are working to develop a flexible version that could be easily applied to existing windows. So, soon aluminum and PVC windows will be history!
Building owners and managers could use an app on their phone to adjust the amount of sunlight passing through a window during the day to help save on heating and air conditioning costs.
9.- The cooling bricks
Of the new modern construction materials that are emerging, the combination of clay and hydrogel can be a breakthrough in efficiency. Students at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia have created a new material that has a cooling effect on building interiors.
The hydroceramics have the ability to reduce the interior temperature by up to 6 degrees Celsius.
Their cooling effect is due to the presence of hydrogel in their structure, which absorbs water up to 500 times its weight. The absorbed water is released to reduce the temperature during hot days.
The incorporation of an innovative cooling system in the current building structure has made the Hydroceramics project one of the coolest construction materials to revolutionize construction. Further progress in this direction could make domestic air conditioners obsolete.
10.- Using cigarette butts to make bricks
Annually, 6 million cigarettes are manufactured, and 1.2 million tons of cigarette butt waste are produced. The impact on the environment is tremendous. Elements like arsenic, chromium, nickel, and cadmium enter the soil and harm nature.
In order to reduce the impact of cigarette butts on the environment, MIT researchers developed lighter and more energy-efficient bricks made from cigarette butts. In short, using waste innovatively and in a much more environmentally friendly way.
11.- The phosphorescent cement
A cement has been created that has the ability to absorb and radiate light by a researcher from the Michoacan University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH). With this new light-generating cement, the potential uses and applications can be enormous.
The construction industry is evolving, and one of the main trends is the move towards a more efficient way of creating structures from a resource and energy perspective. Therefore, the implications of cement acting as a “light bulb” are very broad. We can use them in pools, parking lots, road safety signs, and much more.
See the article of interest on types of foundations and foundation with excellent guides on common injuries and problems, there are 9 very useful documents for the professional.
Through the polycondensation process of raw materials such as river sand, industrial waste, silica, water, and alkalis. The process is carried out at room temperature, so energy consumption is low.
It is worth mentioning that this cement was recognized by the Royal Academy of Engineering in London, UK, with the Newton Fund. This award is given to successful cases of technology transfer and entrepreneurship worldwide.
12.- CABKOMA rods for earthquakes
The Komatsu Seiten Fabric Laboratory, based in Japan, has created a new construction material called CABKOMA Strand Rod. It is a carbon fiber thermoplastic composite that works perfectly against earthquakes.
The cord is the lightest seismic reinforcement and is very aesthetic. To see more about this material from the Komatsu Seiten headquarters. The threads have reinforced the entire structure.
Remember that we have an article with abundant information and documents of interest on how to review damage to houses and structures in the event of earthquakes in a visual format.
13.- Bioplastic furniture
Another innovation in the construction industry is the invention of bioplastic furniture intended for urban furniture. This innovation is due to the joint effort of two companies, Terreform One and Genspace.
So far, there are two pieces of furniture created with this material, a chaise lounge and a small chair for children, but as we saw in the article on architecture with plastic, the future is surely very promising!
The furniture is made of a material called Mycoform, which is manufactured by combining wood chips, gypsum, an oat component, and a fungus called Ganoderma lucidum. This fungus is added because it has the ability to disintegrate waste products and leave a strong structural material. It comprises interlocking segments that can be used to twist the chair into different shapes.
Not only has a durable plastic suitable for use in furniture been achieved, but also potentially in architecture.
This combined effect creates a low-tech, low-energy, and pollution-free piece of furniture, as once the furniture has reached the end of its life, it can be disposed of in any biological environment—like a garden—and it decomposes.
It is impossible to list all the new and innovative construction materials that come to market day after day, so in the article on innovative materials we see some portals where to find the latest in technology.
14.- Innovative super white paint
Engineers at Purdue University have created a super white paint that reflects 95.5% of light and is also cheap to produce.
It can keep all surfaces cool, specifically, up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit (-7.778°C) cooler than their surroundings—crazy! but without consuming energy. It efficiently radiates infrared heat (Remember, Reflect = relative to radiation and Insulate = relative to conduction).
With building envelopes at lower temperatures during summer periods, cooling of homes could be reduced, meaning less air conditioning, and therefore, less energy consumption.
Not to mention, the multiple applications that could be practiced in cities to significantly reduce the famous “heat island”. You can read more in our extensive article on the subject.
15.- Cement to turn buildings into huge batteries
Among the new construction materials that can revolutionize the sector, of course, cement is one of the most researched by scientists.
In this case, the first rechargeable cement-based battery is being developed. The goal is to have buildings that can store energy in the structure through cement.
The cement has small amounts of carbon fibers to increase conductivity and flexural strength. Then, a metal-coated carbon fiber mesh is embedded within the mix: iron for the anode and nickel for the cathode.
Result, a rechargeable battery with an average energy density of 7 watt-hours per square meter, which, although not much, if we look at the amount of cement introduced in a building, we have a huge battery!
16.- Alternative and ecological material to polyethylene
Polyurethane is a petroleum-derived polymer that we can find in almost all sectors: in construction and construction as insulation (very common) and sealant, paints, textile fibers, furniture, automotive components, etc.
New ecological alternatives are appearing on the market that will soon be mass-produced. One of them is called RICEWAVE. A biomass plastic made from crushed and recycled rice. Inedible rice that has to be discarded.
The novel material is developed by the Japanese furniture manufacturer Meuble, which already uses this component in its furniture, in collaboration with Mitsui Plastics. According to the company, it will soon be marketed worldwide with tangible benefits for the environment.
17.- Self-healing materials in concrete and paint
They represent a category of materials capable of “healing” themselves from damage, with applications ranging from self-healing concrete that increases the longevity of structures to paints and coatings that eliminate scratches on cars and technological devices.
These recent materials, just like corten steel for anti-corrosion, are initially not welcomed but, in the long run, will be widely used.
It is a project supported by the Delft University of Technology. Certainly, it could change the landscape of the construction and works sector, saving billions of euros in infrastructure and building maintenance.
18.- Transparent bamboo
Transparent bamboo breaks into the construction, decoration, or furniture sector as a sustainable and avant-garde alternative.
This new material has been created by scientists from the Central South University of Forestry and Technology (CSUFT) in China, obtained from the treatment of natural bamboo.
Apart from being economical, it has unique properties that make it an attractive option for architects, designers, and engineers.
- Translucency: Allows the passage of natural light, creating bright and warm spaces.
- Strength: It has high structural strength, comparable to steel.
- Flexibility: It is a flexible material that adapts to various shapes and designs.
- Sustainability: Bamboo is a renewable and fast-growing resource, making it an ecological option.
- Versatility: It can be used in a wide variety of applications, from facades and roofs to furniture and decorative elements.
We can learn more in our article about transparent bamboo.
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