Hi, welcome to Cool Gadgets and Stuff. In this video we are going to take a look at some alternative, eco-friendly building materials and construction methods that might change the way houses are built in the future. Let's begin. Hempcrete is a biocomposite construction and insulation material. Mixing hemp's woody fibers with lime produces a natural light concrete that retains thermal mass and is highly insulating.
The hemp has a high silica content, a unique property among natural fibers, which allows it to bind well with the lime. Hempcrete is a non-structural material, meaning it doesn't have the compressive strength of a residential grade concrete and has to be cast around a timber, steel, or concrete frame. Hempcrete walls are fireproof, regulate moisture, resist mold and pests, and have excellent acoustic performance.
It is very suited to areas at risk of seismic activity since it is a low-density material that is resistant to cracking under movement. The material is eco-friendly and carbon negative. This is due to the amount of carbon dioxide stored during the growing and harvesting of the hemp.
Hempcrete can be mixed on-site and poured into wooden framework. An exterior plaster finish provides the necessary protection from rain. Alternatively, several companies are making hempcrete bricks.
Isohemp, a Belgian company specializing in natural building, is offering a number of hempcrete products and related services like technical design and training courses. Hempcrete as we know it today was first developed in France and used as a building material across Europe for decades now. Unlike the US, Europe has never prohibited the cultivation of hempcrete. plants so they have been able to take advantage of this remarkable and environmentally friendly building material industrial hemp was finally legalized in the u.s in the 2018 farm bill and farmers are showing a keen interest in growing hemp for industrial and construction use hempcrete is one of those bio-based materials that can be used to build renovate and restore all types of buildings eco cocon a company from europe have developed a unique straw building technology.
Their compressed straw panel elements provide an economic, healthy, and ecological solution for the construction industry. Straw is a natural and easy to obtain material. Using their technology, straws become a long-lasting and very energy efficient building material. Straw is flexible, yet can take high loads so the panels are perfect in earthquake prone areas.
Assembling their straw panels on site is quick and precise. Only simple tools and standard screws are needed. A team of three people can assemble around 100 square meters or 1,000 square feet of wall per day.
The eCococon straw panels provide a load-bearing construction element and at the same time, the main insulation of the building. Clay plaster can be applied directly on the inner straw surface and lime to the outer. Panels have a dense and strong structure, allowing for all furniture, electronic devices, pictures, etc. to be mounted on the walls using ordinary wood screws.
Eco-Cocon panels can be used for building homes with one or more stories. These panels meet all building regulation requirements for resistance, compression, durability, and fire protection. The traditional way of bricklaying is slow, tedious, and costly. Interlocking bricks are designed to lock itself to other bricks, without the use of mortar to form a structurally stable home. Just dry stack the bricks, pour in an inexpensive mortar, and add steel vertically to reinforce the walls.
It's a simplified brick and mortar concept, similar to stacking Legos. This system requires no plaster work. less cement, fewer workers, and is a lot faster to build which equates to lower costs. It is also very intuitive and simple to learn for everyone. Interlocking bricks can be made from different materials, but most common is soil and cement mixture.
A pressing machine is used to compress the bricks, which are then cured for a while, so the cement sets and bonds with the sand, stabilizing the brick. This compacted brick also has better thermal insulation. Using the interlocking brick building system, you may save cost by eliminating form works for reinforced concrete columns and beams, plastering and painting costs, and reducing many workers, materials, and time.
This wall can also be plastered and painted just like any other wall. Bamboo has a long tradition of being used as a building material throughout the world's tropical and subtropic regions. Bamboo, a type of giant grass with a woody stem, is a natural composite material with high strength-to-weight ratio and provides ample sturdiness to structures. It can grow exceptionally fast and is extremely flexible. Bamboo is considered to be a sustainable and renewable alternative to hardwoods.
foremost because it regenerates at exceptionally fast rates. For bamboo to be used as a building material, it must be worked on to create the desired shape, bend, and length to be used for structural or other purposes. A thorough treatment of bamboo is required to protect it against insects or rot before it is put into use. It can be used to build entire homes and other structures that are earthquake resistant and can survive strong winds and storms.
Bamboo Living Homes have been designing custom prefab bamboo homes that can be shipped all over the world. Prefabrication or prefab homes are manufactured inside a controlled environment in sections that are easy to ship and capable of being reassembled on site. Their bamboo construction will meet the requirements of the world's most stringent building codes. One company is converting plastic waste into construction material. BiFusion has created a solution to the plastic waste crisis.
BiBlock is the first construction-grade building material made entirely from recycled plastic waste. A machine dubbed the Blocker turns plastic debris into construction material. It shreds the plastic, then uses superheated water and compression to make the BiBlocks. The BiFusion Blocker can convert any type of plastic waste into building materials, diverting it from landfills and the environment. BiBlocks don't crack or crumble like concrete blocks, and only produce a fraction of the greenhouse gases in the manufacturing process.
BiBlocks are ideal for retaining walls, landscapes, and non-load-bearing structures. The company is currently not focused on building houses. Thanks for watching and tell us your opinion in the comments.
Also, stay tuned for part 2 on alternative building materials, coming soon.