How fungi may transform the future of construction
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a quiet lab in the Netherlands, Professor Han Wösten holds up what looks like a spongy brick. It may not seem like much at first glance, but this block, made from the rooting networks of fungi, could be a window into the future of sustainable Read More...
This high-tech paint 'sweats' to cool your home naturally
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM What if your home could beat the heat by sweating, just like your skin? A team of scientists in Singapore may have just made that possible. In a promising new development, researchers at Nanyang Technological University have created a cement-based paint Read More...
Namibia's sustainable solution to its housing crisis? Mushroom waste and weeds
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Namibia is experiencing a serious housing crisis, with roughly 90 percent of households unable to purchase a home. However, an innovative project, MycoHab, is offering a sustainable and promising solution by converting invasive bush and mushroom waste into Read More...
How switching out timber for hemp can revamp sustainable low-carbon construction
In the search for sustainable building materials, hemp appears as a strong candidate, providing numerous environmental benefits. Similar to timber, hemp is a biogenic material, cultivated from plants. What distinguishes hemp is its amazing growth rate, which can reach up to four meters in four Read More...
These designers in Thailand are turning elephant dung into bricks
Here at The Optimist Daily, we’re always keen on celebrating the advent of circularity into different sectors of the economy. With that said, we would like to share with you a recent innovative circular solution that uses animal waste to help make the construction industry more Read More...