Whenever we talk about construction, we think of bricks, cement, or a load of material thrown on a construction site. Though the image has stayed almost the same for most of the time, it is now changing to something revolutionizing and it is both beneficial and long-lasting for our environment. Solving our problems from natural disasters and sheer costs to environmental concerns and inefficiency, the industry has struggled a lot to keep up with demand while maintaining its output. That’s why some innovative firms have developed a generation of new building material that is being engineered to be smarter, stronger, self-sustaining, sleeker, and easier on the environment. So we present you some construction materials that are going to revolutionize the construction industry.

  • Cigarette butt bricks – As smoking is still a big part in most countries, despite the negative effects on personal health. The amount of butt collected makeup for a significant percentage of waste. Researchers at RMIT University in Australia discovered that adding cigarette butts to bricks reduces the number of time and energy that a normal brick takes to bake. It is also proven that cigarette butts make better insulators and also it lessens the number of heavy metals that make their way into water and soil.
  • Translucent wood – Recently developed, translucent wood is a new material that could greatly impact the way we create architectures. Relying on the article published in the Biomacromolecules, this process is the chemically removed lignin from wood that causes it to become very white thus resulting in the porous substrate to be impregnated with a transparent polymer.
  • Cooling system in bricks – Created by students at the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, a combination of clay and hydrogel mixed together creates a new material that has a cooling effect on building interiors. The cooling effect comes from the presence of hydrogel in its structure which absorbs water up to 500 times its weight. During hot days, the absorbed water is released in order to reduce the temperature.
  • Cement generating light – Developed by Rubio Avalos and released in October 2015, this new smart material absorbs and irradiate light energy in order to provide greater functionality and versatility to concrete in regards to energy efficiency. Cement generating light stands out for the architectural market such as facades, swimming pools, bathrooms, kitchens, and parking lots. It can also be successful if used as safety and road signs. The durability of light is estimated to be greater than 100 years thanks to its inorganic nature.

It is no wonder that our construction is blooming day by day!