Recent insights from the Cambridge University Press reveal a groundbreaking achievement: bacterial cells have been cultivated within sand-based construction materials. This breakthrough significantly advances Biodesign, which seeks to merge living organisms with building materials to bolster architectural sustainability. This fusion of biological and architectural expertise pursues a shared goal of superior construction.
Cyanobacteria, known for their diverse biological functions impacting their surroundings, exhibit the potential to solidify inorganic substances like CO2. This potential highlights the prospective benefits of integrating living organisms into design methodologies, particularly within sectors like construction.
Insights reveal a pioneering manufacturing method involving additive co-fabrication. This approach melds robotic deposition, such as a sand-based biomixture, with biological deposition using bacteria like cyanobacterial calcium carbonate precipitation. This integrated architectural biofabrication process stands at the forefront of innovative sand-based material research.
Microbiological techniques, including optical density and fluorescence measurements, were employed to monitor bacterial growth and activity following the cultivation of two bacterial strains within potential sand-based construction materials. The overarching objective was to exploit photosynthesis to capture light, utilize it for CO2 deposition, and employ calcium carbonate sedimentation to enhance sand-based construction substances.
In addition, a robotic deposition system for sand-based mixtures was meticulously devised. Researchers hailing from Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel, collaborated across disciplines—specifically architecture, town planning, biotechnology, and food engineering.
The experiments introduced an innovative design approach for crafting bio-based architectural components with the potential to sequester carbon dioxide within an additive co-fabrication workflow. The findings would foster increased synergy between architects and biologists, facilitating the advancement of building materials and subsequently nurturing a more sustainable construction sector.