Many centuries ago, ancient civilizations would produce homes using cob—a mixture of clay-based subsoil with sand, straw, and water. Cob is absolutely a sustainable option for building, but one that doesn’t meet the contemporary standards of architecture. To bring cob up to date, British and French researchers created a new version of cob with an increased ability to trap heat by fusing two different grades of cob. The question is: why would we start building homes with cob if we already have a plethora of modern materials? The beauty of cob is that it can be produced from soil on site, presenting an opportunity to build more sustainably, with reduced carbon emissions and construction waste. On top of that, this new type of cob requires less heating than a traditional building. Considering that half of the EU’s energy consumption comes from heating and cooling homes, cob could be very useful in slashing energy usage. Now the scientists are planning to build homes using cob to see if the material is feasible on a larger scale.
How an ancient building material could help slash energy costs in Europe
More of Today's Solutions
Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation regains ancestral lands near Yosemite in major c...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Nearly 900 acres of ancestral territory have been officially returned to the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, marking a ...
Read More8 fermented foods that your gut will love (and that taste great, too!)
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Fermented foods have been a dietary staple in many cultures for centuries, but in the U.S., they’re only ...
Read MoreBreaking the silence: empowering menopausal women in the workplace
Addressing menopause in the workplace is long overdue in today's fast-changing work scene, where many are extending their careers into their 60s. According to ...
Read MoreInsect migration: the hidden superhighway of the Pyrenees
Insects, while frequently disregarded, are critical to the planet's ecosystems. They make up about 90 percent of all animal species and play important functions ...
Read More
