Reporter Marcella Baietto describes in her article and video report how researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design are developing biodegradable building materials from food scraps and agricultural waste, including pineapple peels, melon rinds, celery stalks, eggshells, and plant fibers. Led by DumoLab director Laia Mogas-Soldevila and researcher Yasaman Amirzehni, the project aims to replace carbon-intensive materials such as concrete, epoxies, and formaldehyde-based products with bio-based composites made from natural fibers and binders. Collected hyper locally from Penn Dining and Penn Farm, these waste streams are transformed into shingles, pavers, furniture components, and environmental sensing materials. The team is testing their durability and long-term weathering performance, demonstrating that biodegradable materials can achieve architectural functionality while reducing landfill waste, embodied carbon, and toxic emissions associated with conventional construction.
View Slideshow
