Living in a house made of fungi and bacteria may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but researchers are now one step closer to eventually making it a reality, according to a new study.
The ability to create durable, load-bearing structures with living material is still many years away. However, this discovery is an important step toward creating a sustainable alternative to cement, the binding agent in concrete, said Chelsea Heveran, senior author of the study published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science.
More than 4 billion metric tons (4.4 billion tons) of cement is manufactured annually, contributing about 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions, according to London-based think tank Chatham House. This means if cement production were a country, it would rank third after China and the United States based on 2023 emissions.
"We asked 'what if we could do it a different way using biology?' That's the vision," said Heveran.
Read more at the link in our bio.
📸: Maren Stubenvoll
The global construction industry is closely monitoring outcomes from COP30 in Belém as debates over adaptation finance and emissions targets intensify. The summit’s negotiation gridlock between developed and developing nations exposes an ongoing failure to bridge the funding gap required for climate-resilient and sustainable construction across vulnerable regions such as Bangladesh. The absence of robust financial frameworks is delaying progress in carbon neutral construction and the implementation of Whole Life Carbon Assessment methodologies critical to achieving net zero Whole Life Carbon performance in buildings facing extreme weather risks.
Brazil’s role as both host nation and custodian of the Amazon shapes new tensions between deforestation, low carbon design policy ambitions, and land-use reforms that threaten global carbon footprint reduction progress. Any weakening of environmental safeguards could undermine decarbonising the built environment strategies and erode the circular economy in construction principles that underpin resource efficiency in construction initiatives.
In the UK, the Environmental Audit Committee has reaffirmed that nature-positive planning regulations are not impeding housing supply, strengthening the argument for sustainable building design and eco-design for buildings within urban policy frameworks. The Committee’s position supports the expansion of green infrastructure and sustainable urban development through data-led lifecycle assessment and Life Cycle Cost analysis tools linked to environmental product declarations (EPDs).
Industry leaders continue to push for measurable progress beyond declarations. Adoption of BREEAM v7 and low embodied carbon materials specifications signals growing attention to the embodied carbon challenge and the environmental impact of construction. Better integration of circular construction strategies and end-of-life reuse in construction practices would enhance building lifecycle performance while advancing the Circular Economy transition.
As the built environment sector moves toward net zero carbon buildings, practitioners recognise that tangible decarbonisation relies on aligning public policy, private finance, and innovation in sustainable building practices. The momentum from COP30 underscores that environmental sustainability in construction is not merely policy rhetoric but a technical and economic imperative demanding global coordination.
Whole Life Carbon is a platform for the entire construction industry—both in the UK and internationally. We track the latest publications, debates, and events related to whole life guidance and sustainability. If you have any enquiries or opinions to share, please do
get in touch.
