Seminars Archive

From Renewable to Living Materials: Advancing Beyond Conventional Material Design

Anna Sandak
InnoRenew CoE, Slovenia

Abstract
Materials have shaped civilizations and driven their development. Today, a material's relevance is determined by its purpose, properties, availability, cost, manufacturability, safety, and environmental impact. Advances in materials science and the shift toward resilient and active systems necessitate responsible research and innovation to guide technological progress.
Materials derived from natural sources that can be replenished over short periods, provide several advantages over traditional, non-renewable materials. Transitioning from renewable to bioinspired materials involves blending the sustainable sourcing of renewable materials with advanced, functional designs inspired by nature. This integrated approach can lead to the development of innovative, high-performance materials that address both environmental and functional challenges. By continuing to look to nature for inspiration, scientists and engineers are paving the way for a future where materials are smarter, more efficient, and better aligned with the principles of sustainability. This collaborative approach leads to holistic and innovative solutions that might not emerge from a single-discipline perspective. Engineered living materials (ELMs), being a combination of artificial and biological components, are considered the most relevant contemporary revolution in materials science and engineering. ELMs use an alternative (living) set of building blocks compared to conventional man-made materials. The convergence of engineering, biology, and materials science allows the integration of unicellular and multicellular organisms into next-generation engineered systems.
This talk will present an overview of the prospects of ELMs in the building sector and provide the first results of the ERC CoG project ARCHI-SKIN which develops a living coating system for building facades. It will also introduce newly funded projects MSCA MICRO-INSERT and BIOLUMICOAT, which approach innovative bioinspired material advancements with the integration of living components.