Improving energy efficiency is one of the main objectives of the European Union. In this perspective, the building sector is strongly involved. The construction sector is indeed one of the most polluting in the world. This is why initiatives are multiplying in order to imagine always more new materials as efficient as ecological.
While some have existed for decades but are still little used, others are created every year.
Cork, a good insulator
Whether under construction or under renovation, cork is an ecological, thermal and acoustic insulator. It retains heat, absorbs moisture and vibrations, while resisting fire, insects and fungi. If it is more expensive than other materials (between 25 and 40 euros per m2), it has a very long lifespan and, above all, it is recyclable and biodegradable.
In the house, it is found in insulating panels but also in the form of parquet. And because it is waterproof, it can also be used in water rooms.
Mushrooms to make biodegradable bricks
Recycle waste into building materials? This is the idea of the New York company Ecovative, which has developed an original and innovative process: an insulating mushroom. The mushroom insulation is a 100% natural material developed based microchampignons, mixed with residues and agricultural by-products, particularly corn. We can make them biodegradable bricks, sold for ten dollars.
The company maintains that the mushroom roots are fire resistant, that they have good thermal insulating qualities and that they are a real alternative to polystyrene, which is too often used for insulation.
Tiles made from natural fibers
Direction Germany now, where the Fraunhofer Institute has developed an organic tile based on linseed oil, natural fibers and celite, a residue from a siliceous sedimentary rock, the kieselguhr. The tiles obtained are lighter than average and can take many forms depending on the molding chosen. It is also very flexible and withstands high temperatures.
Finally, we can customize it 100% by choosing, before manufacturing, the colors and patterns of our choice. Fluorescent pigments can be incorporated into the tiles to make them bright.
Bamboo, solid like concrete
Already widely used in Asia for its resistance, bamboo is increasingly being installed in Europe and in private homes. Capable of weathering, it is 30% more resistant than oak, to the point that it is nicknamed "green steel". Today it is widely used as a building material alone but also in the manufacture of composite materials, in particular for solid panels or veneer sheets. On the ground, it transforms into a pretty parquet.
Only downside: if the cultivation of bamboo is ecological today, the high demand and the need for greater production could lead to deforestation and poor quality products.
Seaweed, design and decoration
Seaweed is also making its way into our homes. An alternative to petroleum, needing neither fertilizers nor pesticides, it is used to make floor plates to assemble, but also ecological paints. It is also found in design and decorative objects, more particularly in small furniture and light fixtures.
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