August 19, 2024: An innovative construction material that captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere has been developed by Prantar Tamuli, an Indian master’s student at University College London (UCL). This groundbreaking biomaterial, known as cyanobacterial engineered living material (C-ELM), was recently showcased as part of an art installation at St Andrews Botanic Garden in Scotland.
Tamuli, who is studying in UCL’s Biochemical Engineering Department under the Bio-Integrated Design MSc program, created the C-ELM by incorporating living cyanobacteria into translucent panels. These panels can be mounted on the interiors of buildings, where the bacteria, through photosynthesis, absorb CO2 from the air and convert it through biomineralization into calcium carbonate, thus sequestering carbon effectively.
A single kilogram of C-ELM can capture up to 350 grams of carbon dioxide, offering a stark contrast to the same amount of traditional concrete, which emits approximately 500 grams of CO2. Covering a wall with 150 square meters of these panels could potentially sequester about one tonne of carbon dioxide, making it a viable solution for reducing the building industry’s carbon footprint.
“The potential of this biomaterial is immense. If scaled up and widely implemented, it could significantly reduce the construction industry’s carbon footprint,” said Professor Marcos Cruz of UCL’s Bartlett School of Architecture and co-director of the Bio-Integrated Design Programme.
Tamuli developed C-ELM during the COVID-19 lockdown, even innovating new methods to culture cyanobacteria at home in London. The biomaterial not only captures carbon but also strengthens the structure of the panels, making them lightweight, sound-absorbing, translucent, and thermally insulating, thereby improving the energy efficiency of buildings.
The project, which is part of a collaboration with Studio Biocene, highlights nature-inspired construction methods and has led to a patent filing by UCL’s commercialization company, UCL Business. This innovation represents a significant step forward in biotechnology’s integration into sustainable design and construction.
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- Yangchula Bhutia is a budding journalist currently pursuing her Master's degree in Journalism at Jadavpur University. Her passion lies in environmental issues, and she aspires to make a difference through impactful storytelling focused on environmental challenges and solutions.
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