Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment
We have been invited to sit on the Advisory Board for an exciting new initiative to establish a Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE). This joint initiative by Newcastle University and Northumbria University and funded by Research England, will undertake pioneering research into the application of biotechnologies in architecture, from the micro to macro level. Its founding vision is to foster built environments which are life-sustaining and sustained by life.
Expanding on this, the HBBE states: “Our vision is to develop biotechnologies to create a new generation of Living Buildings which are responsive to their natural environment; grown using living engineered materials to reduce inefficient industrial construction processes; metabolise their own waste, reducing pollution, generate energy and high-value products and modulate their microbiome to benefit human health and wellbeing.”
A key part of our advisory role is to help identify real-world applications which can bring significant and sustainable benefits. Our first-hand knowledge of pressing design challenges such as reducing carbon emissions, improving material performance and eliminating waste, will influence our guidance and insight.
We look forward to working with the HBBE team on this ground-breaking field of research.
For more information, visit the HBBE website.
