Humanity’s impact on the Earth is becoming increasingly profound. Our energy consumption now exceeds that of any previous era, and this trend is only set to worsen. Meanwhile, the global population continues to grow, putting increasing pressure on some of society’s most fundamental resources—such as space, water, and food. As a result, the environment has undergone significant changes, leading to more frequent extreme weather events that are severely affecting many cities. To address these challenges, people have made numerous innovations in traditional building technologies, aiming to create environments that are clean, beautiful, and highly livable.

01 Robot Swarm Architecture

Researchers at Harvard University are drawing inspiration from nature—specifically, termites—to develop innovative approaches in the field of architecture. Even without central oversight, termites can build large-scale structures. First, termites carry a chunk of soil to the initial construction site. Once that site is completed, they simply move on to the next location.

The TERMES project employs the same swarm-building concept, but instead of using large-scale robots, it utilizes small, inexpensive drones. These simple, low-cost drones, following the original design, place a piece of material into the next available space until the structure is complete—thus enabling the construction of the structure with minimal human intervention after the initial design phase.

This type of swarm would be ideal for constructing structures in hazardous environments such as space or underwater. They can also handle rough, labor-intensive tasks that would otherwise waste a great deal of human time and effort. Since they are self-guided, they can operate far more efficiently than humans.

02 Smart Brick

As soon as you see the smart bricks developed by Kite Bricks, you’ll notice that their inspiration comes from LEGO. These bricks can rotate at the top and connect in a way that’s strikingly similar to LEGO’s system. The smart bricks can be securely anchored to reinforced concrete structures, and bricks of various shapes can be stacked according to the design.

These bricks are joined not with cement but with a high-performance double-sided adhesive. Inside buildings, these bricks can be used to connect patterned alternating panels, reducing the need for plaster and paint. They can also serve as flooring and ceiling materials, with a hollow space left in between for insulation, plumbing, and wiring.

This type of brick offers superior thermal energy control and can be used in a wider variety of construction applications, helping to reduce building costs by around 50%.

03 Smart Concrete

When floods occur, there won't be enough space for drainage. The city has very little soil capable of absorbing water, which only makes the situation worse. The British company Tarmac has developed a permeable asphalt called Topmix Permeable, which can help reduce the risk of flooding.

Most concrete allows some water to seep into the ground, but it can only absorb about 300 millimeters (1 foot) per hour. Topmix, however, can absorb 36,000 millimeters (118 feet) per hour—equivalent to 3,300 liters (880 gallons) per minute.

Unlike most concretes that use sand, Topmix employs granite chips. Water can seep through the granite, where it is absorbed by the ground, routed into the sewer system, or collected for later use. In addition to reducing the risk of flooding, Topmix also helps keep road surfaces dry, making them safer to drive on. Moreover, the water can be diverted to reservoirs for reuse.

The problem with permeable concrete is that it can only be used in regions where temperatures aren't too cold. In cold weather, this type of concrete tends to expand, eventually leading to its destruction. Additionally, its installation costs more than those of conventional concrete. However, if it can help reduce flooding, it could lead to significant long-term savings.

04 Vertical City

According to United Nations projections, the global population will exceed 9.6 billion by 2050—2.3 billion more than today’s population. Moreover, it is estimated that 75% of the world’s population will be living in urban areas, which raises a complex issue: the shortage of urban space.

One way to address this issue is to build vertical cities. There are already several proposals for constructing vertical cities in places such as the Sahara, the United Arab Emirates, and China.

These vertical cities will be massive structures offering residential spaces, workplaces, and shopping and leisure facilities. For example, the Italian architectural firm Luca Curci Architects plans to build an 189-story building in the United Arab Emirates. This building will accommodate 25,000 people, as well as shops and businesses. Since people won’t need to leave the building, this approach addresses space constraints and reduces residents’ carbon footprints.

The giant building will be self-sufficient and environmentally friendly. It will be large enough to accommodate solar panels across its entire surface, and it will also harness geothermal energy and collect rainwater.

05 Solar Coating

One of the biggest challenges facing solar panels is their large size, bulkiness, and lack of aesthetic appeal. To address this issue, some researchers are developing small, flexible solar cells that can be applied as a coating onto surfaces. In fact, a research team from the University of Alberta in Canada has already created a spray-on solar cell containing zinc and phosphorus nanoparticles.

If this solar coating could be sprayed onto rooftops, the energy it generates would be sufficient to power entire households, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Moreover, no structural modifications would be required, minimizing construction work to the greatest extent possible. At the same time, solar coatings are significantly cheaper than conventional solar panels. Although the efficiency of these solar coatings is still not high enough, researchers are actively working to address this issue.

06 Cable-Free Multi-Directional Elevator

A major challenge facing large-scale facilities is how to make efficient use of them. We all know that an elevator typically has just one cab—and if you’ve ever taken an elevator in a large building, you’re probably familiar with the frustratingly long waits you sometimes have to endure. The German elevator company ThyssenKrupp is now working on a solution to this problem: they’re planning to replace traditional cable systems with magnetic levitation technology. This new approach will allow elevator cabs to move not only vertically but also horizontally. At the same time, it will enable multiple cabs to operate simultaneously, significantly reducing wait times. Ultimately, these maglev elevators will consume less energy, making them far more environmentally friendly. ThyssenKrupp plans to begin testing this innovative elevator system in 2016.

07 Road Printer

Laying roads is a lengthy process. On average, a skilled worker can pave 100 square meters of road per day. What holds promise for shortening the paving cycle are road printers—such as the “Tiger Stone Paver”—which can pave 300 square meters of road each day. Another type is the RPS road printer, which can pave 500 square meters of road daily. Each machine requires between one and three operators. These printers are powered by electricity and have relatively few moving parts, making them easy to operate and maintain. Moreover, compared with traditional paving methods, they produce significantly less noise. The key difference between conventional pavement and pavement laid by road printers is that the machines lay bricks rather than asphalt. However, brick pavements also offer certain advantages over asphalt pavements: they allow water to drain more effectively and can expand slightly without losing structural integrity, thus lasting much longer.

08 Aerogel Insulation Material

Aerogels are not a new material. In fact, research into this material began as early as the 1920s, and it was successfully synthesized in 1932. This material is created by removing the liquid from a gel and replacing it with air. It’s incredibly lightweight—comprising 90% air by volume. Moreover, aerogels boast exceptional insulating properties. They can be used to make insulated pipes for industrial applications and even to build Mars rovers. Aspen Aerogels aims to leverage this aerogel technology to develop home insulation solutions. They’ve created a product called “Space Attic Blanket,” which is remarkably light and ultra-thin. Additionally, this blanket outperforms conventional insulation materials by a factor of two to four. The “Space Attic Blanket” also allows water vapor to pass through while remaining fire-resistant. As a result, this insulation material can help reduce the risk of residential fires. However, aerogels are significantly more expensive than traditional insulation materials; yet, over the long term, they can lead to cost savings and energy efficiency. At the same time, not all homes are suitable for retrofitting with this material.

9 Diamond Nanowires

As we all know, diamond is the hardest material found in nature. If it takes on the right form, diamond can serve as an excellent building material. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have created diamond nanowires that are only one twenty-thousandth the diameter of a human hair. Even so, these diamond nanowires are considered to be the world’s toughest materials. Moreover, they are incredibly lightweight. While these diamond nanowires may not be suitable for constructing ordinary buildings, they could be used to build specialized structures—such as space elevators, for example.

10 Bamboo City

Most Westerners view bamboo as merely a decorative material. But in reality, it’s an exceptionally excellent building material. Bamboo grows incredibly fast and boasts strength that surpasses even steel, while being far more durable than concrete. That’s precisely why Penda, a studio based in Beijing, China, aims to use bamboo as the primary construction material for an entire city. Such a city would be sustainably developed, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective. By arranging bamboo pieces together in an X-shaped interlocking pattern and then binding them securely, one can construct entire buildings. With this technology, Penda believes they’ll be able to build housing capable of accommodating 200,000 people by 2023. Once this basic structural framework is complete, adding on additional sections—whether horizontally or vertically—becomes remarkably straightforward. Moreover, the entire structure can be easily disassembled, and the removed components can even be recycled.

China Sand and Gravel Association

May 15, 2017