[Greenbuilding] Article: Would you live in a house made of sand andbacteria?

[sanjay jain]

I don't understand the biodegradability claim. Not sure how long it would last as foundations, maybe better suited for walls.

As I understand it, the bacteria bind the materials together then dies when their food source gets depleted, so again, not sure how it'll remain biodegradable. 

There some interesting links on the article and the image slider.

~sanjay



________________________________
 From: conservation architect <elitalking at rockbridge.net>
To: sanjay jain <sanjayjainuk at yahoo.co.uk>; Green Building <greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org> 
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2014 8:36 AM
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Article: Would you live in a house made of sand andbacteria?
 


My question is, “ Is it biodegradable?”  The packaging material using 
this process is.  That is a great feature for packaging.  However, I 
am not so sure about a structural material to replace concrete.  For 
foundations that are in contact with the ground and need to be tolerant to 
moisture, it would need to be inert to biological action.  This is one of 
the great qualities of concrete.  Like wood, however, if it is used in 
parts of the structure where the moisture is managed to keep dry.  
 
Eli 
 


From: sanjay jain 
Sent: Sunday, June 29, 2014 7:37 PM
To: Green Building 
Subject: [Greenbuilding] Article: Would you live in a house made of 
sand andbacteria?
 
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/21/tech/innovation/would-you-live-in-a-house-made-of-urine-and-bacteria/
 
(CNN) -- Peter Trimble found his formula through trial and 
error. A design student at theUniversity of Edinburgh, he was aiming to produce an artistic 
exhibition for a module on sustainability, when he stumbled on "Dupe," a living 
alternative to concrete.
 
A lab technician introduced Trimble to Sporosarcina pasteurii, a bacterium 
with binding qualities, sometimes used to solidify soil to hold road signs in 
place. The student tested it with one of the world's most abundant resources - 
sand. Pumping bacterial solution into a sand-filled mould, he added nutrients, 
urea derived from urine as fertilizer and calcium. After a year, and hundreds of 
failed experiments, this process manufactured a stool around 70% the compression 
strength of concrete.
 
The process requires less than one-sixth of the energy used in concrete 
production, and is completely biodegradable. Crucially, Trimble believes his 
mechanism has the added benefit that it could be employed by anyone, 
anywhere.
"Once you have the basic framework it should be transferable. Imagine a 
Tsunami-hit farm in Indonesia that is not getting supplies. You could use sand 
and bacteria on site, practically free, and have shelter housing that is far 
more permanent."
 
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