Folded cardboard paper protects objects during transit.
Meanwhile, in Singapore a research team has taken its inspiration from the folds in elephants’ skin, features which prevent the endangered mammals from overheating. The idea?
To use a similarly uneven surface to create sustainable, ‘cooling’ tiles. The team mixed mycelium with bamboo shavings, oats and water and shaped the mix into a creviced tile, a design optimised by a creative studio.
After four weeks, the tiles were dried to stop the fungus from growing. In lab tests, the tiles cooled 25% faster than a conventional flat tile. An effect that improved by 70% in simulated rain. Tests on buildings are pending.
Also sustainable: bricks from sugarcane and construction materials from food waste.
