New Age Building Material: Bioplastics
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New age building material can be more or less quoted as similar to innovative building materials too which also intend to reduce carbon emission and causing less environmental harm. These might include new coatings, composites, polymers, and carbon fibers, all bio-based and are capable of substituting existing fossil-based materials, equalizing or even improving the existing quality of the substance.
Concrete, wood, steel, timber, glass, brick, etc are some of the most commonly used materials for construction works and thereby termed conventional construction materials. Apart from these, scientists and manufacturers are experimenting with creating and producing materials that are sustainable, durable, cost-effective, efficient, and eco-friendly to build structures and execute architectural projects which otherwise was considered almost impossible.
Bioplastics are cleverly used in architecture these days.
They are plastic materials produced from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, straw, woodchips, sawdust, recycled food waste, etc. Bioplastic can be made from agricultural by-products and also from used plastics by using microorganisms.
They are environment friendly to an extend because bioplastics do produce significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions than traditional plastics over their lifetime. There is no net increase in carbon dioxide when they break down because the plants that bioplastics are made from absorbed that same amount of carbon dioxide as they grew. The percentage of bioplastic usage is relatively lesser in the architecture and construction industry when compared to its consumerism in other industries. Research and discussions prove that the usage of bioplastics in the construction industry will be rising in the years ahead.
Source: dezeen.com
Studies say that bioplastic can be used as building materials in the form of three-dimensional elements under the available conditions, but again extensive consumption can cause problems. The intensity of damage caused by plastic can be altered by using bioplastic which also puts a clause to complete switching. Incorporating the need of the material by analyzing and understanding the ultimatum counts to an ideal sustainable architecture.
Mentioned below are a couple of industries using bioplastics:
1. Cosmetic packaging
2. Transportation
3. Agro-food packaging
4. Sports
5. Agriculture and horticulture
6. Stationery
7. Medical industry
8. Textile and woven industry
9. Pet supplies
10. Childcare
The list can go on. Its invention 1990s was celebrated worldwide. The different applications of bioplastics are segmented in a significant manner, biodegradable and compostable polymers are predominantly used in sectors where this property may be a technical advantage during their use or production.
Sustainability is here to stay or we may not be.
- Nial Fitzgerald