Shoreditch Design Week featured a number of different sustainability solutions. One of the most impressive was Mimmik Tile, billed as the first-ever tile gown using bacteria. Now being produced on an industrial scale in Denmark, it is said to drastically reduce a building’s carbon footprint. The two partners who are taking this innovation to the European market – manufacturer, Biomason, and sustainable building material distributor, Front Materials – came together to demo Mimmik Tilel at Shoreditch.
The story began when Biomason investigated the natural growth of one of nature’s most robust and enduring structures: coral. Taking inspiration from these marine ecosystems, Biomason started on a path to minimise carbon emissions in the production of building materials.
The process used by Biomason is called MICP, or Microbial Induced Carbonate Precipitation. In short, naturally occurring bacteria take carbon and calcium, and then crystallise them into calcium carbonate: the same mineral that makes a coral reef hard, dense, and enduring. Because the crystals form clear rather than grey, the binder is effectively translucent. This means that the colour of the finished tile comes from the aggregate and sand. The factory in Denmark currently produces 20,000 sq. metres a year, with the capacity to grow to 500,000 sq. metres a year.
“Traditional cement production accounts for 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Concrete, with cement as its key ingredient, is the second-most-consumed material in the world after water. Without radical change, the way we build our infrastructure will continue to undermine a healthy and safe future,” explains Front Materials. “Mimmik Tile is developed using Zymecrete technology, a planet-friendly alternative to traditional cement that reduces CO2 emissions by at least 60%. Inspired by coral, one of nature’s most durable structures, this technology uses bacteria to bind carbon and calcium into a biologically formed marble material. Now in its third generation, the technology has matured into a stable and scalable production process.
Over two days, Mimmik Tiles grow into strong, durable floor tiles, offering a compelling alternative to other materials. Mimmik Tile is available in two colours, Ginger and Pepper, and two finishes, honed and polished. The tiles measure 400 by 200mm, and are 19mm thick.
Biomason is a member of the Decarbonised Cement & Concrete Alliance – DC2 – a coalition of innovative companies at the forefront of the global effort to reduce carbon emissions from cement and concrete. https://www.decarbonizedconcrete.org/
More at: https://www.front-materials.com/mimmik-tile/
More at: https://biomason.com/