The Living Building Series | Part 3 – Materials That Give Life

Read Time: 5 minutes | Materials That Give Life

Dear RegenBrief reader,

Every year, we pour enough concrete to cover the entire land mass of England. The cement industry alone produces 8% of global CO2 emissions. If concrete were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter after China and the United States.

But a revolution is growing in laboratories and forests around the world. New materials don't just reduce environmental impact—they reverse it. They sequester carbon, purify air, and even repair themselves. Some are grown rather than manufactured. Others are waste products transformed into resources.

The age of extractive materials is ending. The age of regenerative materials has begun.

The Mechanism | How Materials Become Carbon Sinks

Regenerative materials work through three primary mechanisms:

Carbon Sequestration – Bio-based materials like timber and hempcrete lock atmospheric CO2 into building structures for decades or centuries.

Active Processing – Living materials containing bacteria, algae, or mycelium actively process air and water while serving structural functions.

Waste Transformation – Agricultural and industrial waste becomes feedstock for new materials, turning disposal problems into building solutions.

The key insight: materials are not inert. They're active participants in planetary cycles.

The Consequence | Carbon Math That Changes Everything

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) revolutionizes what we can build with wood. The 18-story Mjøstårnet in Norway—currently the world's tallest timber building—stores 1,700 tons of CO2.

Material carbon comparison per cubic meter:

A single CLT building can sequester the equivalent of taking 500 cars off the road permanently. When that building is eventually deconstructed, the wood can be reused or composted, completing the carbon cycle.

The Shift | From Dead to Living Materials

Traditional materials are static. Regenerative materials are dynamic.

Self-Healing Concrete contains limestone-producing bacteria that activate when cracks form. The bacteria consume calcium lactate in the mix and produce limestone, automatically sealing cracks up to 0.8mm wide. This extends structure life by 200% and eliminates most maintenance.

Algae Bio-facades integrate photobioreactors into building skins. The algae consume CO2 and produce oxygen while generating biomass for energy. Hamburg's BIQ House has operated an algae facade since 2013, producing heat and shade dynamically.

Mycelium Composites grow from mushroom roots feeding on agricultural waste. They can be formed into any shape, provide excellent insulation, and are completely compostable. Companies like MycoWorks are growing leather alternatives, while others create structural panels.

The Frontier | Materials Designed by Nature

Biomimicry is advancing from inspiration to integration. We're not just copying nature's designs—we're employing nature's manufacturers.

Biocement uses bacteria to grow calcium carbonate, essentially farming limestone. Biomason grows bricks at ambient temperature, eliminating kiln firing.

Nanocellulose extracted from wood pulp is stronger than steel at one-fifth the weight. It's transparent, flexible, and completely biodegradable.

Pollution-Eating Surfaces use photocatalytic titanium dioxide to break down air pollutants. Milan's Palazzo Italia, clad in this material, cleans air equivalent to 730 cars' worth of emissions daily.

Programmable Materials respond to environmental conditions. Shape-memory alloys create self-ventilating facades. Hydrogels enable surfaces that sweat to cool buildings.

Your Move | Choosing Materials That Heal

Demand transparency. Require Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Health Product Declarations (HPDs) for all materials.

Think in cycles. Consider extraction, use, and end-of-life from the start. Design for disassembly.

Start with structure. Switching from concrete to CLT or steel to bamboo has the biggest carbon impact.

Eliminate toxins. The Living Building Challenge's Red List identifies materials that harm human and environmental health.

Value co-benefits. Regenerative materials often provide better insulation, humidity regulation, and indoor air quality.

Systems Note | The Material Bank Concept

Buildings contain billions in material value. Traditional demolition destroys 90% of it. But what if buildings were designed as material banks?

Material passports document every component's properties, location, and potential reuse. Blockchain ensures chain of custody. AI-powered platforms match available materials with new projects.

Steel beams get reused indefinitely. Timber becomes the next building's structure. Even gypsum gets recycled into new boards.

The building industry shifts from extraction to circulation.

Closing Thought

For 10,000 years, we've built by taking from the earth. Stone. Clay. Metal. Oil. Each extraction leaves a scar.

Now we're learning to build by working with life. Materials that grow, adapt, and heal. Buildings that give back more than they take.

When our materials come alive, our buildings become forests in disguise.

Let Us Help You Lead the Shift

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This is your moment to shape not just a better business, but a better future.

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This isn't about saving trees.
This is about saving the conditions that make business possible.
This is regeneration.

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