An important part of Material Works’ strategy is to shine a light on new materials which could become the new norm within the industry and work with suppliers and innovators to find new ways of applying or using waste or material for applications which are appropriate.

In previous projects we have worked with mycelium as an example of a new innovation which could reduce the construction industry’s reliance on synthetic materials. Mycelium, the root structure of fungus, has high insulatory properties which can be used to achieve high thermal performance in new external walls and reduce the likelihood of damp or mould as it allows vapour to permeate and escape when needed. Breathable construction has been relied upon in traditional construction methods for centuries. Modern synthetic insulation products prevent this process from occurring and as a result mould and damp are more likely to occur. These products also tend to perform poorly in acoustic situations, whereas mycelium has high acoustic insulation properties - this was harnessed at County Hall through the use of mycelium acoustic baffles. 

Read more about mycelium here.

Similarly, other material innovators use waste to create new materials, such as Kenoteq who have created a non-fired 100% waste brick and Deakin Bio who are using waste from a ceramics factory in Stoke to make a new non-fired ceramic tile alternative. More on this here.