Industries
Construction
What changes this industry: bio-solutions with evidence, technologies, suppliers and open money.
Overview of the industry
Hazardous chemicals in building materials, and bio-based alternatives.
Products and processes need national authorization and site-specific engineering. The articles are overviews, not design or regulatory advice. Check current regulations.
Articles#
| ID | Alternative | Replaces | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| C01 | Formaldehyde-free wood-based panels (plywood, particleboard, MDF) with bio-based adhesives | Urea-formaldehyde and melamine-urea-formaldehyde resins (most interior panels), phenol-formaldehyde (partly) | Replace (interior plywood/panels) / Partial (particleboard/MDF at large scale) |
| C02 | Bio-based building insulation | EPS/XPS polystyrene with HBCDD (historic) and polymeric brominated flame retardants; polyurethane/PIR foams with TCPP (chlorinated phosphate flame retardant); spray… | Replace (most envelope applications) / Partial (below-grade and high-load applications) |
| C03 | Self-healing bio-concrete and microbial repair mortars (bacteria producing limestone, microbially induced calcite precipitation, MICP) | Epoxy and polyurethane (isocyanate) crack-injection resins and coatings for concrete repair (partly); repeated repair cycles | Partial / emerging |
Suppliers — real products and services (from the vendor index)#
Collection-level join (2026-09-28): active vendors matched by topic tags (
cellulose-fibres24,biomass-waste-to-value176 companies in the index — the fibre and residue chains behind bio-based panels and insulation); open each card for evidence, contacts and status.
| Company | Region · Country | What the index shows | Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suzano (B3: SUZB3) | LatAm · Brazil | cellulose/pulp (world-scale) | card |
| CMPC (BCS: CMPC) | LatAm · Chile | cellulose & wood products | card |
| MitiMeth | Africa/ME · Nigeria | fibre products from agricultural waste | card |
| Abu Dhabi National Paper Mill | Africa/ME · UAE | cellulose/paper products | card |
Reviewed but SKIPPED (no proven bio-alternative)#
| Substance / use | Hazard | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Asbestos (legacy and still mined in Russia/Kazakhstan) | Mesothelioma, lung cancer | Replacement fibres (cellulose, PVA, glass) exist; cellulose-fibre cement is a partial bio route; not covered separately |
| Biocides in facade paints and renders (terbutryn, diuron, isothiazolinones) | Leaching into urban waters | Design (roof overhangs), mineral paints; no bio substitute |
What it replaces 3
Technologies 17
| Bamboo bioeconomy The bamboo bioeconomy — engineered bamboo building materials (strand-woven timber, panels, framing and composite decking) from one of the fastest-growing plants … | Wood & construction |
| Bio-adhesives (industrial scale) Industrial binders from soy protein, kraft lignin and mussel-inspired catechol polymers that replace formaldehyde resins in wood panels, packaging and … | Polymers & materials |
| Bio-antiflammables (flame retardants) Bio-antiflammables replace halogenated flame retardants (brominated, chlorinated) — restricted under EU REACH and displaced by regulatory pressure in the US and … | Polymers & materials |
| Bio-bitumen & bio-asphalt (lignin binders) Bio-bitumen and bio-asphalt replace or extend petroleum bitumen with plant-oil and lignocellulosic-biomass binders and rejuvenators. SoyLei's SIP-1111 Rejuv … | Polymers & materials |
| Bio-cementation & MICP materials Microbes and mineral carbonation bind aggregate into cement at room temperature — replacing the 1,500-degree kiln that makes Portland cement responsible for … | CDR & carbon management |
| Bio-climatic building control (algae envelope systems) Microalgae photobioreactor panels and units built into a building's facade or air-handling system — living CO2/VOC scrubbers that also shade and pre-cool … | Wood & construction |
| Bio-flooring (bio-based carpets, cork) Finished bio-based flooring — linseed-oil linoleum, cork tile and plank, and bio-based carbon-negative carpet-tile backing — manufactured and sold by dedicated … | Polymers & materials |
| Bio-furniture (mycelium, grown wood, bacterial cellulose) Finished furniture and interior products grown or manufactured from mycelium, living trees trained into furniture shapes, and food-industry waste biopolymer — … | Polymers & materials |
| Bio-glues, bio-lacquers and biopolymer coatings Environmentally safe adhesives and coatings derived from lignin, soy proteins, starch, and plant oils, designed to replace formaldehyde resins and petrochemical … | Wood & construction |
| Bio-impregnation for wood Bio-impregnation for wood displaces chromated, solvent-based and petrochemical wood preservatives and finishes with renewable-feedstock chemistry: the … | Polymers & materials |
| Bio-isolation (hemp wool, mycelium, straw, cork) Bio-based building insulation materials including hemp wool, mycelium composites, straw panels, and expanded cork. | Polymers & materials |
| Biocomposites & nanomaterials Advanced bio-based structural and functional materials including mycelium composites, nanocellulose, and natural fiber reinforced polymers that replace … | Wood & construction |
| Biomimetic urban planning Design consultancies and research institutes that apply biomimicry methodology to city-scale planning — modeling urban water, energy and heat flows on ecosystem … | Ecosystem restoration |
| Biophilic real-estate design & green premium Engineered living-wall, green-roof and biofilter systems integrated into the building envelope to deliver measurable indoor-air quality, stormwater and … | Cross-sector intersections |
| Hempcrete & hemp construction materials Hempcrete and hemp construction materials turn the woody hurd and fiber of industrial hemp, bound with lime or processed into insulation batts, into … | Polymers & materials |
| Living concrete & natural resins Living concrete replaces or displaces conventional cement chemistry with biology or bio-based binder systems — the University of Colorado Boulder's Living … | Polymers & materials |
| Timber construction & bio-building Engineered wood for the load-bearing structure of buildings — cross-laminated timber, glue-laminated timber and laminated veneer lumber — replacing steel and … | Wood & construction |
Opportunities 1
| Grant | Enhancing ecodesign and circularity of construction products European Commission | Sep 22, 2027 350 days |