Flat House in Cambridgeshire, UK, looks like a typical barn conversion, but inside, the look and feel is something quite different. The walls remind me of hay bale dens we used to make as kids, says Flat Houses owner Gemma Barron. It has the most lovely acoustic quality. And last year we had the heating off for 24 hours in mid-winter and it stayed warm.

This comfortable home was built mostly with hemp. This fast-growing plant is a renewable resource, with carbon-capturing properties. When used in building, it typically takes the form of hempcrete, a sturdy material made by mixing hemp hurd the woody core of the plant with a binder made from water and lime. Hempcrete has both thermal mass and insulating qualities. It also continues to absorb carbon over its lifespan.

Today hempcrete is used mostly by eco-minded architects in Europe and Canada, mainly due to regulations controlling hemp production evolving in these regions. (Its not contain the psychoactive agents of regular cannabis.)

Hempcrete does not work like concrete; it cannot be used structu...

Transparent wood has the potential to replace glass and plastic and also promises to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of buildings.

Transparent wood is created through a process that involves the removal of lignin, which gives wood its color and rigidity, from the woods cellular structure. Then a transparent polymer fills the empty spaces left by the removal of lignin, resulting in a material that is both strong and transparent.

Traditional glass windows are known for their poor insulation properties, allowing heat to escape during the winter months and causing interiors to heat up during the summer. Transparent wood, on the other hand, has been found to have superior thermal insulation properties, which could lead to significant energy savings in buildings.

In addition to its energy-saving potential, transparent wood is a renewable resource, unlike glass and plastic. The production of transparent wood also generates less carbon dioxide emissions compared to the manufacturing of glass and plastic, making it a more environmentally friendly option. Furthermore, the materials inherent strength and durability mean that it is less prone to breakage and damage, which could result in lower maintenance and replacement costs over time.

The development of transparent wood is still in its early stages, with researchers continuing to explore ways to improve the materials properties and production process. The current method of producing transparent wood is time-consuming and wood allows a significant amount of light to pass through, it is not yet as clear as traditional glass. Scientists are working on refining the process to achieve a higher level of transparency. Despite these challenges, the potential of transparent wood as...