biomaterials
This article is available also in Spanish here

Biomaterials: do they have a place in smart cities?

My list

Author | M. Martínez Euklidiadas

Biomaterials were always present in the construction of homes and cities, until the rupture after the industrial revolutions, when non-recyclable processed elements began to be used. Can we return to the use of biomaterials in a circular economy? How can the cities of the future reduce their environmental impact through sustainable biomaterials?

What are biomaterials?

Biomaterials are "materials that can interact with living systems" according to David Franklyn Williams’ 1986 publication ‘Definitions in biomaterials’, although biomaterial also refers to materials derived from natural resources without complex processes.

Wood or bamboo are two classic examples of biomaterials used for centuries and, in recent years, others such as compressed straw to make bricks or lambswool for thermal insulation. These are bio because they are literally derived from life.

Traditionally, biomaterials are those that are not harmful to people, which is why the same term is used in medicine and implants. Biomaterials are those that are harmless and in which long-term living is safe. Asphalt, for example, is not a biomaterial, given the volatile compounds it emits and its toxicity.

Synthetic biomaterials for the construction of the future

It is difficult to accurately draw the line between what is natural and what is artificial, human categories to which reality does not give in. That is why new synthetic materials for construction also fall within the category of biomaterials. Some of these are mere physical mixtures, while others use innovative technology for their production.

The most commonly cited example is autogenic healing concrete, a type of concrete that contains capsules with Bacillus subtilis bacteria. When this concrete cracks, the bacteria are released and fill the fissure with a layer of limestone. Although it obviously does not think, it is also known as smart concrete because of its autonomous properties.

biomaterial hormigon pulido

Sustainable biomaterials for cities

Bearing in mind that the anthropogenic mass exceeded the biomass for the first time in 2020, and that urban environments have a high environmental impact (more so if they are sprawling environments), it is worth using sustainable biomaterials that prevent environmental impacts or help to contain them.

The Breathe Brick is an example of a biomaterial in two aspects: it is synthetic and innovative, but also biocompatible. This brick can function as a passive air filtering system inside buildings. The Bee Brick is another brick, this time designed for bee colonies.

Sustainable biomaterials for cities include projects such as facade systems with microalgae, like the BIQ bio skin, in Hamburg; bricks made with fungi (formally, mycelia); or potato peel as an insulating material.

Circularity of construction biomaterials

The urban metabolism is one of the major pillars of sustainability in and of cities, with a focus on circulating materials to reduce waste as much as possible. In this circularity, materials made up of organic waste are ideal, since they can be reintegrated into the flows of the city, avoiding not only the impact of the waste, but also that of the manufacturing process.

Today, most urban materials used in building infrastructures —concrete, asphalt, steel, clay, etc.— have low recyclability indexes. Although an increasing number of projects are now choosing to reuse this waste, the truth is, it would be much easier if the original materials contained components that allowed this recycling.

Images | M. Martínez Eukidiadas

Related content

Recommended profiles for you

DC
Diego Castañeda
BUAP
AB
Abebe Dress Beza
University of the Basque Country
I am an Erasmus Student in the Smart Cities and Communities (SMACCs) program
AA
Abdulrahman Abdulhak
SABSRE
Projects manager
ON
ouqwf nasv
js
AN
ABASSI Narjess
Head Unit of Next Generation Network Engineering and Approval of Telecommunications Access Networks studies
Head Unit of NGN Engineering and Approval of \\nTelecommunications Access Networks studies
AH
Aaron Huang
SHANGHAI LONG-JOIN INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY INC.
LONGJOIN® Photocell Manufacturer engineer /photocell /zhaga book 18
AA
Aamer Azeemi
Petrus Consulting LLC
Managing Consultant
AF
Abdurrahman faiz Faiz
Uin alauddin
Collage student
AD
Aashna Dodhia
KPMG
AS
Aarti Shah
Co-REGEN
AP
Abbie Pokorny
Dentons LLP
Senior Associate
佳陶
佳 陶
同济大学
AK
Aashit Khant
Shashvat Corporation
Director of the Shashvat Corporation. One of the leading companies in Real Estate.
AA
Abdulaziz Almogren
SILZ
文邓
文浩 邓
amanzaon
AS
Abhas Sagar
Student in GGSIPU
I\'m in the last year of my 5 year B.Arch programme. I aspire to be an urban planner and designer.
NN
Neo Natt
aitortilla books
MB
max burks
university
Karolína Čuntalová
VUT
XB
Xiao Bian
Renmin University of China & University of Groningen