Bio-Based Materials and Biotechnologies for Eco-efficient Construction

Over the past few years there has been a marked increase of interest in the bio-based economy. Biotechnology is one of the world's fastest growing industries, with it being one of the 'six' Key Enabling Technologies funded by the EU Framework Programme Horizon 2020. As such, it is likely to become, a hot topic area of research, in the future, allowing for radical changes in the eco-efficiency of construction materials and technologies.

The last few years have witnessed a tremendous increase in the number of citations given for papers published on bio-based polymers (around 1000% in the last 10 years). One area that has received increased attention is Biotech admixtures that are made in fermentation processes by employing bacteria or fungi. Their biosynthesis rate is about 2-4 times higher than that of plant-based biopolymers. The advancements that have occurred in the last decade in nanotechnology will also allow for the development of new and improved biotech-based materials. Investigations on cellulose nanocrystals (cellulose elements having at least one dimension in the 1-100nm range) constitute an important and recent research field that will enable the development of more eco-efficient high-performance materials. The future potential of nanocellulose materials can also be witnessed from the exponential increase in the number of papers published in this important scientific field.

Bio-based Materials and Biotechnologies for Eco-efficient Construction fills a gap in the published literature discussing bio-based materials and biotechnologies that are crucial for a more sustainable construction industry. With comprehensive coverage and contributions from leading experts in the field of eco-efficient and bio-based materials the contents are divided over three parts. Part One discusses Bio-based materials and biotechnologies for infrastructure applications; Part Two focuses on bio-based materials and biotechnologies for building energy efficiency and Part Three looks at other applications such as using biotechnology to reduce indoor air pollution, for water treatment and soil decontamination.

The book will be an essential reference resource for academic researchers, civil engineers, contractors working in construction works, postgraduate students and other professionals interested in eco-efficient construction.

• Focuses on sustainability and green concepts in construction
• Discusses recent trends on bio-based materials and biotechnologies for eco-efficient construction
• Covers many important aspects including infrastructure applications, energy efficiency for building construction, and air, water and soil related problems