According to German scientists, a species of bacteria with a history of several billion years on Earth could provide a blueprint for cleaner construction in the future as an alternative to concrete.
Cyanobacteria are algae-like cultures that can photosynthesize. They use light, moisture and temperature to form stromatolite structures out of limestone. According to the U.S. National Park Service, the bacteria have been building these formations for billions of years.
Fascinatingly, harmful, heat-trapping carbon dioxide is trapped in a stromatolite during its formation, safely preventing it from warming our planet. For this reason, experts at the German research organization Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft believe that this concrete could revolutionize the construction sector as a safe bio-concrete by following the natural process that already works so well, according to a press release.
First, the right ingredients are added to a nutrient-rich solution, where they meet cyanobacteria. The bacteria multiply using photosynthesis.
“By adding aggregates and fillers such as sand, basalt or renewable raw materials, stone-like solid structures are created. Unlike traditional concrete production, no climate-damaging carbon dioxide is produced, but the carbon dioxide is bound in the material itself,” write the experts.
Researchers widely agree that concrete production generates about 8% of the world’s planet-warming carbon dioxide. NASA has linked overheating to an increased risk of severe weather, floods, droughts, wildfires and other disasters that affect our lives in many ways.
The Fraunhofer team’s solution is called BioCarboBeton. In nature, stromatolites grow into unique formations, such as the ancient fossils documented by the Park Service in the Navajo Sandstone.
The experts from Germany use molds to get their homemade version into the right shape. Spraying, foaming and other techniques are also ways to shape the rock once mineralization – the process by which the environmentally harmful gases are trapped in the rock – is complete, according to the press release.
“The developing solid structure is still porous during the process, allowing light to penetrate inside and drive carbon dioxide fixation through limestone mineralization. We can stop the process by removing light and moisture or changing the temperature,” said project initiator Matthias Ahlhelm in the lab report. At this point, the bacteria simply die, the summary continues.
To gain groundbreaking insights, experts often imitate nature. In Cambridge, photosynthesis is the key process in the development of an artificial leaf that produces fresh water and hydrogen. Elsewhere in England, scientists at Newcastle University are using fungal networks to create a building material that they hope will reduce dependence on concrete.
It may be a while before these innovations are part of Home Depot’s products, but with a few simple tricks you can start saving energy now.
Weatherproofing your home with upgraded insulation and weather stripping can reduce your electric bill by as much as $300 per year. And best of all, there are valuable tax credits available to help cover the cost.
At Fraunhofer, the team is working on converting its nature-based process into bricks and other building materials, according to the report.
Experts are studying the strength of the material and considering how best to extract carbon for the process. The goal is to scale the material up to become a low-cost construction material that can be produced in large quantities.
“Our method shows the enormous potential that can be released by biologizing the technology. Overall, our BioCarboBeton project is an opportunity for a big step towards a circular economy in the construction industry and beyond,” Ahlhelm and research director Ulla König concluded in the laboratory report.
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