Emerging sustainable materials rewrite architecture
For centuries, architecture and construction were defined by an apparently stable relationship with materials. Stone, wood, steel, and concrete were the pillars on which we built cities, bridges, and homes. But in recent decades, this landscape has fundamentally shifted. Climate pressure, energy crises, and the responsibility owed to future generations have turned material choice into more than just a matter of cost or availability. In this context, innovations in sustainable materials are becoming real solutions, increasingly entering the mainstream of construction.
Today, hempcrete, mycelium-based composites, recycled plastic, and engineered timber no longer belong only to laboratories or Milan Design Week exhibitions. They are entering residential projects, university campuses, corporate headquarters, and even public infrastructure. Around them, a paradigm shift is taking shape: from a linear economy—extract, manufacture, discard—to a circular economy, where materials are conceived with reuse, low carbon footprint, and resilience in mind.
Hempcrete, for example, has become a symbol of this transition. Made from hemp, lime, and water, it has natural insulating properties, regulates humidity, and absorbs carbon dioxide throughout its lifetime. Classic concrete generates nearly 8% of global CO₂ emissions, and the emergence of a regenerative alternative changes the rules of the game. France, the UK, and the US have started experimenting on a large scale with hempcrete in residential and low-energy buildings. Although it does not have the same structural resistance as reinforced concrete, it is successfully combined with wood or metal structures, offering a practical and environmentally friendly alternative.
Mycelium-based composites bring another direction. Essentially, mycelium is the underground root structure of fungi, an organism capable of rapid growth that can be turned into a solid material through a controlled process. The result: panels, bricks, or organic shapes that can replace expanded plastic, insulating foams, and even some types of bricks. They are biodegradable, lightweight, and can be cultivated locally, reducing transport costs and ecological footprint. At international exhibitions in New York and Berlin, mycelium-based furniture and wall prototypes have demonstrated that aesthetics can go hand in hand with sustainability. The challenge remains at the level of industrial scaling, but their potential is enormous, especially in a world searching for alternatives to petroleum-derived materials.
Another pillar of innovation is plastic recycling. Ten years ago, this subject seemed more connected to ecological campaigns and small object design. Today, recycled plastic is used in ventilated façades, interior panels, and durable urban furniture. Processing technologies have advanced so far that recycled plastic is now perceived as a material with its own identity. In the Netherlands and Scandinavia, there are entire roads paved with recycled plastic, performing better in terms of drainage and maintenance than traditional ones. In interior architecture, recycled PET panels achieve sophisticated textures and become effective acoustic solutions. The long-term problem remains efficient collection and waste stream standardisation, but the trend is clear: plastic recycling is becoming an industry of the future.
In this landscape, CLT (cross-laminated timber), LVL (laminated veneer lumber), and other engineered wood products hold a special place. They may be the materials that have changed public and industry perception the most about what is possible. Engineered timber enables tall constructions there are already buildings over 20 stories made entirely of CLT and offers an excellent balance of strength, aesthetics, and ecological footprint. Studies show that using CLT instead of concrete can reduce a building’s carbon emissions by up to 70%. Moreover, wood restores a warm, human dimension to architecture, bringing technology and tradition together.
All these materials are part of a broader economic and cultural transformation. International markets increasingly demand certified sustainable solutions, and regulations push companies toward stricter standards. In 2023, the European Union introduced new ESG criteria for publicly funded projects, making low-carbon materials almost mandatory. In the US, major construction companies are committing to “net zero” by 2040, while Asia, especially China and Japan, is massively accelerating investments in alternative materials.
User psychology also plays a role. Environmental psychology studies show that people living in spaces built with natural and sustainable materials report higher levels of comfort and satisfaction. The idea that the walls of a home “breathe,” that furniture does not emit toxic compounds, and that materials have a circular story generates emotional attachment. In contemporary design, this dimension is becoming a competitive advantage.
Forecasts for the next ten years indicate an acceleration of this shift. If today innovative materials hold a relatively small market share, McKinsey and PwC estimates show that by 2035 more than 30% of major urban projects will include at least one emerging material. More and more cities are adopting regulations limiting classic concrete and encouraging low-emission solutions. Technological innovation will reduce costs, and user education will generate demand. At the same time, climate crises and resource pressures will make the continuation of current practices impossible.
This transition is not without obstacles. Research investment, lack of uniform standards, and reluctance from traditional actors slow the pace. Yet the direction is irreversible. Just as the shift from stone to concrete or from wood to steel rewrote the history of construction, these new materials will define a new era. They are cultural instruments through which we reimagine the home, the city, and shared space.
At a symbolic level, hempcrete and mycelium connect us to ideas of biology and regeneration, recycled plastic reminds us of responsibility toward our own waste, and engineered wood rebuilds the bridge between tradition and innovation. Together, they form the arsenal with which architecture and construction can answer climatic and social challenges.
The question is no longer whether we will use these materials, but how quickly we will integrate them into working norms and collective mindset. Every project becomes a testing ground and, gradually, a new standard. And for construction and design companies, the challenge is to remain open, bold, and connected to this future, which is no longer optional, but a necessity.
