Concerns over carbon emissions caused by the construction process are fuelling a surge of interest in biobased materials according to Arup research and innovation leader Jan Wurm.
Demand for biomaterials such as mycelium, hemp, algae, bamboo and cork is growing, Wurm said, as architects search for materials that store atmospheric carbon rather than emitting it.
"It's a really exciting space," Wurm told Dezeen. There are a lot of startups and a lot of grants. There's a lot of things happening."
Demand is being fuelled by the realisation that around half of the total carbon emitted by a building is caused before it even opens.
"The big driver is the focus on whole-life carbon," Wurm said. "The focus has shifted from making buildings energy-efficient to looking at carbon." Top image: Jan Wurm. Above: Wurm worked with Italian brand Mogu on new mycelium acoustic panels
The built environment is responsible for an estimated 40 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions but construction's role has been overlooked until recently, Wurm said.
"For a long time, the construction industry was not a sector being addressed when we talked about climate change," he said, pointing out that November's COP26 climate conference will have a dedicated built-environment day for the first time.
In addition, the European Commission this week announced proposals that would limit emissions from buildings for the first time.
"So it's now part of the overal...