Architecture student develops eco-friendly bricks

In Spain, architecture student Shreyas More has developed eco-friendly bricks suitable for construction using charcoal and loofah.

Charcoal is particularly interesting in construction materials because of its adsorption, porosity, and strength.  The loofah imparts a fibrous network that helps the bricks remain lightweight, traps water that cools the structure, and allows for plants to root and insects to hatch within the bricks—an outcome that promotes a feeling of connection with nature, even in urban environments, according to DesignBoom.com. The concrete industry generates about 15% of global CO₂ emissions.