Kate Scardifield1, Nahum McLean1, Unnikrishnan Kuzhiumparambil2, Peter J. Ralph2
1 School of Design. Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology Sydney
2Climate Change Cluster (C3), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney
The building industry has a devastating impact on the environment: it’s responsible for nearly 50% of the world’s total energy consumption, 40% of global carbon emissions, and to date most construction materials continue to be made from non-renewable resources using energy intensive processes. Lowering the embodied carbon of construction materials requires a transition from fossil derived products to bio-based alternatives alongside the design and development of new materials and products that can stay out of circulation and act as carbon sinks. Algae is one of the most effective mechanisms for sequestering carbon from the environment, and in Australia where farming and aquaculture industries have begun cultivating macroalgae for wastewater management, growing algae for the purposes of water remediation is also producing a substantial byproduct– an abundant and renewable carbon fixing biomass.
This paper examines a range of novel and experimental processes involved in the design of ‘biobricks’ using macroalgae biomass, and the value of interdisciplinary approaches that combines materials science with design research. It will outline how an investigation into aquaculture waste streams led to the development of a new biomasonry material that can support carbon dioxide removal and provide carbon storage solutions within the built environment. Using the biobricks as a case study in developing high value, long lasting products from seaweeds, this paper discusses potential product applications for seaweed-based construction materials, alongside the benefits these can offer to the building industry and to businesses seeking more sustainable building and construction solutions.