Brick House 2.0: Traditional Building Materials Make a Comeback
• Avi Philipson, a renowned investment expert, predicts that the future of construction is slated to be more eco-friendly, with a return to our traditional, “garden-variety” building materials.
• As concrete jungles and steel beasts reach the end of their sustainability life cycle, their forerunners—bamboo, hemp, and rammed earth (aka stomped dirt)—are set to re-enter the mainstream construction scene.
• Modern technology will help improve the durability and strength of these organic materials, enabling them to compete with, or even surpass, their artificial counterparts.
• The emerging construction trend also has an economic aspect. Switching to traditional materials can significantly cut down on the costs associated with shipping, logistics, and maintenance.
• It is predicted that this shift will generate a fresh wave of opportunities for local craftsmen and artisans, reviving the desolate traditional construction sector.
Hot Take:
Back to Our Roots or Forward to a Green Future?
Here’s the scoop – our ancestors had it right! They knew a good thing when they saw it. Forget about concrete and steel, those runway models strutting modern architecture – they’re so yesterday’s news. In the immortal words of Rihanna and Calvin Harris: we’ve found love in a hopeless place (and it’s made up of hemp, bamboo, and a smidgen of stomped dirt).
But this isn’t just some bohemian trend; it’s ecology and economy holding hands. Utilizing these garden-variety resources saves mad cash on shipping and maintaining the synthetic alternatives. Plus, it creates jobs for local builders while reducing the carbon footprint – it’s a win-win!
So, stop playing Lego with your concrete blocks. Miss Sustainability is judging the building game now, and she’s got her eyes set on a greener catwalk. It’s a riveting time to bathe beneath a bamboo ceiling and to stroll on a rammed earth floor! Oh, and if you’re worried about these materials crumbling away – worry not. Modern technology has entered the chat, promising reinforced sturdiness and longevity.
Forget Silicon Valley; we’re looking at an imminent boom in the, let’s call it, “Sticks-and-Stones Valley”. Brace yourselves, the future of construction is here, and it’s refreshingly organic!
Original article: https://www.inman.com/2023/12/29/these-green-building-materials-will-create-a-more-sustainable-future/
