Today’s Solutions: February 18, 2026

The wine industry produces more wasted corks than you could possibly imagine. Interestingly enough, cork can actually be an effective material to build with. Just look at this beautiful building in Berlin, which has a facade and roof clad with waste cork. The rectangular-shaped panels of cork provide a thermally efficient skin for the house, while also creating a bold aesthetic and great acoustics. What’s more, the process for turning waste cork into facade panels is a sustainable one that only requires heating and pressuring. Whether more homes will start being built with waste cork will have to be seen, but it shows what can be done with a material that’s commonly wasted. 

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