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.

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. 

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.

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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.

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.

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