FOCUS 059 7. ORANGE PEEL


Te cleverly named APeel uses a patent-pending new process to transform waste citrus peel from the drinks industry into a versatile new material. Te new material, exhibited at Material Matters, has been developed by Alkesh


Parmar, a tutor at the Royal College of Art as well as a designer maker running Studio ARP. As well as orange peel, Parmar has also created exciting lighting designs by reusing Indian terracotta chai cups and champagne corks.


8. COPPER


Newly developed in the US, paint infused with copper offers an easy-to-apply surface treatment that kills viruses and bacteria on contact for five years. PPG’s new Copper Armor paint contains Corning Guardiant, a biocide made from copper glass ceramic particles that is mould-resistant as well as offering peace of mind against flu, Covid, MRSA and E-Coli, among other nasties. Te paint is ideal for schools, nursing homes and healthcare settings.


9. MICROBES


Sensicrete Self-healing is the UK’s first commercial bio-based self- healing concrete. Te concrete contains limestone-producing microbes, which can sense cracks and repair them. When moisture enters a crack, it activates the bacteria, which produce limestone, filling the crack and sealing the damaged area. Tests show that self- healing concrete can extend the lifespan of a concrete structure by up to 30% as well as reducing maintenance by 30-40%.


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10. OLIVINE


PhD students at Imperial College London, Sam Draper and Barney Shanks, have just won €100,000 in the OBEL Award for international architectural achievement to develop a zero-carbon version of concrete. Teir technology, called Seratech, captures industrial CO2 emissions directly from flues and produces a carbon negative cement replacement material, a silica called olivine. When used in combination with Portland cement, the carbon capture associated with producing the silica means the concrete products can be zero-carbon. Te raw materials for Seratech – waste CO2 and mineral olivine – are naturally abundant all over the globe and the technology could be easily implemented in any cement plant.


11. ROOTS


Recently seen at London’s Material Matters exhibition, Zena Holloway of Rootfull creates filigree textiles from simple grass roots, shaping an everyday and totally sustainable natural material into art and fashion. Winner of the Green Concept Fashion Award 2022, her root grown textiles also hold exciting possibilities for interior design, with a range of lamps and shades already in production and with more on the way.


12. FUNGUS


Fungus is not something you usually want to see in a building, but Biohm believes that mycelium can create a healthier and more sustainable built environment. Te material is grown on a substrate of waste from other industries, including timber, plastic, agricultural waste, cardboard and hemp, and the first major use will be as insulation panels. Mycelium sheet has an acoustic absorption of at least 75% at 1,000Hz compared with 40% for mineral wool. It’s as durable as conventional panels, but at the end of its lifespan it can be cold composted. Te material has negligible VOCs, is breathable and wicks moisture and Biohm’s manufacturing process is carbon- negative, sequestering at least 16 tonnes of carbon a month.


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MARK COCKSEDGE


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