How can buildings help combat climate change? As well as making buildings more energy efficient, our choice of materials has a profound impact.

Natural bio-based materials, which require low or no energy during their production, can reduce emissions significantly. Using plant based materials – which absorb carbon dioxide when growing – we can start to construct ‘zero carbon’ buildings, where the materials have absorbed more CO2 than is consumed during construction.

Building with natural materials like hemp-lime, clay and straw has traditionally been a small scale activity. But today, a new generation of companies are revolutionising natural building by developing products ready made for the mass market. They combine natural materials with innovative technologies to make products that feel like, and perform like, market leading materials. Widescale deployment of natural bio-based materials could turn our built environment into a carbon store, and bring other benefits in terms of occupant health and comfort, and reusability/biodegradability. For now however, their market share remains modest.

To debate policies and initiatives to promote the use of these innovative materials to decarbonise construction the ISOBIO project partners invite policy makers, industry, civil society groups and all interested stakeholders to an event on 29 January in Brussels.

The event is free of charge, but registration is mandatory via this link. A networking drinks reception will follow the event.