6 New Materials That Are Changing Commercial Construction

---

Discover These 6 New Materials That Are Changing Commercial Construction

The construction industry is always looking for innovative methods that will enable them to build faster, safer and more sustainable buildings. And in addition to advancements in building technology these six new materials are sure to make future commercial projects a lot easier.

Self-healing Concrete

Concrete is a strong and durable material, but as it ages the surface can crack. To fix this issue you might have to make repairs time consuming or expensive for yourself- which we all know isn’t ideal! But what if there was concrete that would heal itself instead of needing human assistance? The same way our bodies do with cuts on them (and trust me when I say they’re no easy task).

Researchers at the Ghent University in Belgium discovered that by injecting certain organic material into concrete mix like super-absorbent polymers and encapsulated fungi, microorganisms could “heal” themselves when it came into contact with water. Also, researchers found out from the University of Binghamton study what happens is calcium carbonate released by these special types of spores fill cracks automatically.

Translucent Wood

Developed by the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, this innovative new material could change how commercial and residential structures are built. Researchers discovered that it’s possible to remove color through a relatively quick chemical process which leaves buildings made from translucent wood appearing transparent or see-through. Translucent wood is as thin a piece of paper, yet stronger than glass and it doesn’t shatter. This means buildings in the future may contain windows made entirely out of this material.

Tall Mass Timber

The time has come for a materials revolution in building construction, and tall mass timber is the answer. This emerging replacement to concrete and steel will allow architects to design buildings that not only have strong fire resistance but also reduce delivery times by up 25%. A prominent architectural firm recently proposed Chicago’s newest addition; an 80-story residential tower made entirely from wood.

Hydroceramics

An emerging line of “smart” building materials using hydrogels to create hydroceramic materials may keep buildings cooler in the future. A layer of these squidgy, jelly-like substances containing a solution between insoluble polymers are sandwiched between two layers: one made out of clay ceramic and another fabric (think about it like a sandwich). When humidity reaches certain levels or too much moisture occurs naturally due to human activity; such as sweating then an activation process takes place where evaporation creates passive cooling effects by reducing temperatures inside your home up 10°F.

CABKOMA Strand Rod

The Japanese company Komatsu has developed a new type of material that can provide safety in buildings during earthquakes. The CABKOMA strand rod, created by the Labo Tekinaishingio engineering team at their Seiten Fabric Laboratory in Kobe Japan and available now for use all over the world as it withstands high pressure waves with minimal damage to structures around them – this could be one step closer preventing devastating effects like those seen after last year’s jolt (or more recently).

Synthetic Spider Silk

Who would have thought that a new material that is 98% water can be stronger than steel? Well, researchers at the University of Cambridge have discovered this about spider silk. And in St Louis School Engineering & Applied Science Washington University’s been able to engineer bacteria which creates synthetic spidearthemilk (synthetic) made from proteins found within milkweed plants and crickets called “graboids” – while not yet ready for mass production but could provide building construction applications down future; such as creating artificial muscles like those used by our favorite robot heroes.

At JeBailey & Co., we manage commercial and industrial projects in a wide range of markets. We specialize in construction management services, so you can trust us to deliver the best results possible for your project.

Contact us today at  (407) 559-6412, or DM me to learn more about our other services or request a quote!