A Better Build

摘要

Made from lumber boards that are glued and layered on top of each other crosswise, CLT comes in giant panels that can replace concrete and steel as the backbone of a building. When produced with sustainable forestry practices, CLT is a green alternative. The material was used to construct what is currently the world's tallest timber building: Norway's 18-story Mjøstarnet tower. Combining the cannabis strain's woody interior pulp with lime and water produces "hempcrete," a drywall-like material that's light and robust and has a low carbon output. Hempcrete isn't load-bearing, so it won't replace concrete and steel, but it's already been used in residential projects for walls and insulation. When the threadlike fibers of mushroom root extensions are mixed with byproducts like corn husks, sawdust, and rice straw, it creates a foamlike material that can be cast into panels, bricks, and tiles. Often used to replace Styrofoam packaging, mycelium materials have also been used to make acoustic panels and insulation. One architecture firm in Cleveland is experimenting with combining mycelium with wood, insulation, and other construction waste to create biodegradable bricks.