From Guest Blogger Brooke Chaplan: Constructing the Future–Green Building Techniques for Tomorrow

The beginning of civilization occurred after man moved from the caves inhabited by its ancestors to the first human constructed shelters. Building techniques of course have evolved significantly over the hundreds of thousands of years of man’s existence. They also continue to evolve today. With that in mind, below is an overview of some of the exciting building techniques that will shape tomorrow.

Transparent Aluminum

If you’re a science fiction fan, you may remember some scenes from a Star Trek movie regarding transparent aluminum. Research has in fact been ongoing since the 1980’s to create a form of the metal that is transparent like glass. The product that has been produced to fit this bill is actually a kind of ceramic that is created from a combination of aluminum, nitrogen and oxygen. These elements are heated and then cooled until an extremely hard crystal-like substance is produced. In the future, there may be entire buildings composed of glass like transparent aluminum that look like they came directly out of a storybook.

Creating Greener Buildings

As of late, the work of a lot of graduates with an MS in civil engineering degrees has been to develop new ways to construct more eco-friendly buildings. For example, recently, insulation for buildings has begun being made from more sustainable materials like kelp. Bamboo and hemp, which are easy to re-grow, have also become more often utilized building materials. Another new development has been the creation of transparent solar panels that may soon replace traditional windows and help power entire skyscrapers.

3D Printing for Construction

3D printing is an exciting technology that has an almost limitless number of possible applications. This certainly includes construction. Tests have already been performed in which robots were able to create mock buildings from foam using 3D printing techniques completely on their own. In the future, most construction will probably be performed by robots implementing advanced 3D printing technology. Humans will play a more important role in the engineering and design phases.

Concrete that Heals

Concrete is the most often utilized building material in the world. Recently, a new kind of concrete was invented that can heal its own cracks. It can accomplish this through the use of a kind of bacteria that produces limestone to fill in the cracks. According to scientists, this kind of bacteria can mostly be found near volcanoes and can survive for 200 years without food or air.

As technology and engineering techniques advance, so will the buildings and structures humans are able to create. With the new construction techniques currently on the horizon, it’s an exciting time to be alive.