Dr. Anna Sandak, research group leader at InnoRenew CoE and UP IAM, and representative of the University of Primorska, prepared the article Growing the future: Engineered living materials for the building sector, on engineered living materials for sustainable construction.

In the article, Dr. Sandak presents engineered living materials (ELMs) as bio-based materials inspired by natural systems that can grow, adapt and regenerate, offering new possibilities for sustainable, circualr and resilient construction.

The article presents research conducted at InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM, with a focus on two European projects: ARCHI-SKIN and REMEDY. ARCHI-SKIN investigates living fungal biofilm coatings for building materials, enabling self-healing and bioremediation without harmful chemicals. REMEDY explores living microbial inks for architecture, combining aesthetic expression with functional benefits such as carbon sequestration, pollutant filtration and the maintenance of beneficial microbial balances on building surfaces.

Read the full article “Growing the future: Engineered living materials for the building sector”, published in the magazine Panels and Furniture Asia.

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