The traditional Amazon architecture reveals precise knowledge and techniques for the construction of buildings in great harmony with the natural landscape. An in-depth study of local architecture can provide relevant lessons about sustainable construction, enabling the design of buildings with greater energy efficiency, lower environmental impact and that are better integrated in the territory.

Invasive species are a major threat to the environment and the economy. In search of solutions to this issue, researchers have developed studies on how invasive species can be used in the civil construction sector, helping in the recovery of local biodiversity and minimizing the impacts arising from the production of construction materials.

Açaí fruit is a biologically renewable resource from the Amazon, whose tonnes of seeds are being discarded everyday in the region. However, the promising studies show the great potential of  the seeds in the construction market, responding to the waste problem and strong demand for affordable and local building materials.

​

​

Rice House Company is a pioneering startup that aims to reduce the environmental footprint of the construction industry by using rice waste to produce sustainable and innovative isolation materials. In this interview, we talk to Alessio Colombo, co- founder of Rice House, about their rice husk insulation and its potential positive impact on Italy´s construction sector.

Dr. Philip Crowther, Associate Professor at the School of Architecture and Built Environment of Queensland University of Technology, explains which are the key principles of design for disassembly and how to integrate them into an architectural context.

Made from agricultural by-products or recycled materials, bio-based insulation emerges as a promising alternative for civil construction, as it provides a variety of benefits for people's health and also for the environment. 

Matthew Barnett Howland is an Associate Professor at The Bartlett School of Architecture UCL and Director of Research & Development at CSK Architects. Together with Dido Milne and Oliver Wilton (UCL), he designed the Cork House in Berkshire, UK. The house, which was shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize and has won The Stephen Lawrence Prize, a RIBA National Award and the RIBA South Sustainability Award, is a brand new and radically simple form of plant-based construction. In this interview, Matthew explains the fundamental principles of this project and also some of the benefits of using cork in architecture.

Biohm is a bio-manufacturing startup firm, based in the United Kingdom, that draws on nature for inspiration and innovation. Its Engagement Lead, Evie Faure, tells us how they use mycelium (the vegetative filament root structure of mushrooms) and organic substrates that are the by-products or wastes of other industries to make clean and effective insulation panels.

​