A Living Building Material That Captures Carbon

Living material with cyanobacteria developed at ETH Zurich

Published by Quantum Server Networks – June 2025

Imagine a future where buildings are not just carbon-neutral but actively absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. That future may be closer than we think, thanks to pioneering work at ETH Zurich. Researchers there have developed a 3D-printable, photosynthetic “living material” that integrates cyanobacteria capable of capturing and storing carbon dioxide.

How It Works: The Science Behind Living Materials

The new material consists of a hydrogel matrix populated with cyanobacteria. These photosynthetic microorganisms not only convert atmospheric CO2 into biomass, but also facilitate the formation of stable carbonate minerals—effectively locking away carbon in a dual sequestration process. Over a 400-day period, the material demonstrated continuous carbon capture, storing approximately 26 milligrams of CO2 per gram—comparable to some industrial sequestration methods.

The researchers used 3D printing to shape the hydrogel into optimized structures that maximize surface area and light penetration, ensuring the bacteria can thrive. The structures start soft but gradually harden as carbonate minerals accumulate within, enhancing mechanical strength while binding more carbon.

Applications in Architecture and Urban Design

Led by Professor Mark Tibbitt and doctoral students Yifan Cui and Dalia Dranseike, the ETH Zurich team envisions wide applications in sustainable construction. Facade coatings, building elements, and modular infrastructure using this living material could significantly reduce the carbon footprint of new developments.

Initial architectural experiments are already underway. At the Venice Architecture Biennale, the "Picoplanktonics" installation features large 3D-printed columns of the material, each capable of capturing up to 18 kg of CO2 per year—rivaling the carbon uptake of a young pine tree. Another installation, “Dafne's Skin,” at the Triennale di Milano, uses microbial growth to alter building surfaces into living, evolving carbon sinks.

Why It Matters: Climate, Materials, and Biology Merge

This innovation is part of ETH’s ALIVE initiative, which promotes the convergence of biological and engineering disciplines to create materials with active environmental functions. It marks a paradigm shift in both materials science and sustainable design by transforming buildings into functional ecosystems that support life and fight climate change.

“We see our living material as a low-energy, environmentally friendly solution that complements existing chemical carbon sequestration methods,” said Tibbitt. The success of this interdisciplinary project offers a model for how molecular engineering, microbiology, architecture, and digital fabrication can converge to create meaningful climate solutions.

Conclusion

While still in the experimental phase, ETH Zurich’s living material represents a bold step forward in the development of regenerative and climate-positive infrastructure. Its ability to store carbon in both biological and mineral form makes it a standout candidate for future green building technologies.

Read the full ETH Zurich article here: https://ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2025/06/a-building-material-that-lives-and-stores-carbon.html

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#LivingMaterials #CarbonSequestration #SustainableArchitecture #Cyanobacteria #3DPrinting #Biodesign #GreenBuildings #ClimateInnovation #ETHZurich #QuantumServerNetworks

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