Video: Building houses with bacteria

Bacteria can become a building material in the future, with environmentally friendly and energy-saving characteristics.

>>>Build houses with 3D printers

The study begins with a soil bacterium that is regenerated in a mixture of urea and other nutrients at a constant temperature, about 30 degrees Celsius. In this mixture, bacteria begin to multiply and grow. After fermentation time, the mixture is mixed with sand, industrial cement waste and rice husk.

According to Piero Tiano, a researcher at the Italian Institute for Cultural Heritage, the cement industry produces about 5% of global carbon. With this project, the team hopes to prove this is a new, more environmentally friendly material.

Picture 1 of Video: Building houses with bacteria
Build a house from mortar mixed by bacteria.(Photo taken from video)

"Our raw materials are basically discarded. So it will not cost anything. We do not need to exploit and transport limestone, which is used to make cement. it will also save energy, ' said Euro News, a member of the project, Laura Sánchez Alonso.

Ordinary cement production requires high temperatures from 1,400-15,000 degrees Celsius, which means energy consumption. Meanwhile, producing cement from bacteria only requires much lower heat.

The expert team identified the initial test to prove promising results. They hope this new material can be applied in construction works in Europe within the next 10 years.