Biological Building

Good News Good Planet

For more delicious news, go to www.GoodNewsGoodPlanet.com, and scroll to bottom for more ways to find the feel good stuff!* BIOLOGICAL BUILDING Historically, ‘sustainability’ is not a word often associated with the construction industry, and the impact of traditional building methods on our planet are huge considering their sheer scale. The addition of vertical gardens on building facades is one beautiful and eco-friendly way to green-up architecture. But this type of added feature can be difficult to maintain and require complicated supporting structures. Researchers in Barcelona, Spain have invented a simple and elegant solution in the form of living concrete. This biological material has multiple layers that allow for the growth of plants on the outside of a building, without sacrificing strength and durability of its structure. The concrete's top layer is acidic, which allows certain mosses and fungi to grow on it. It's also permeable and absorbs moisture that can feed the organisms. The base layer is waterproof and protects the building from wind, water, and other elements. The results are an aesthetically pleasing layer of vegetation that serves both form and function. It insulates the building, captures rain water, and regulates the building's temperature, saving energy on heating and cooling costs. Structural supports aren't required as the vegetation grows in the concrete itself, without damaging the building. The moss and lichen that grow clean the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and omitting oxygen, providing the purifying effect of several acres of forests. This living concrete requires very few changes to existing construction methods, and no special tools or training. What it does require is a temperate, Mediterranean-like climate for the mosses and fungi to thrive in. Too far north, and the vegetation will freeze. Too far south, and it will burn. Though not a universal solution, living concrete is a significant step toward designing better building materials that result in beautiful and literal ‘green’ buildings, bringing nature back to the urban world, and doing a world of good. #### *Hungry for more of the Good Stuff? Search "Good News Good Planet" on YouTube, Instagram, Patreon, Alexa and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.