Built by Nature, a non-profit organization, has announced the winners of its inaugural global Prize for biobased construction materials. The prize, which attracted over 300 submissions from around the world, has awarded €250,000 to Widuz, a Singapore-based company, for its patented bamboo product solutions.
Widuz’s BVL™ is a range of structural biocomposite products made from bamboo fibers and biobased adhesives. The company’s patented processing technology ensures that the product retains and enhances the natural strength of bamboo, making it up to three times stronger than traditional engineered timber and 20% lighter. With a carbon footprint up to 40% smaller than conventional materials, Widuz’s solution addresses the pressing need for sustainable materials while capturing and storing carbon as it grows.
In addition to Widuz, three runners-up will receive €50,000 each in funding. KuNa, a bamboo-adobe program developed by Casa Congo in Nicaragua, provides affordable and sustainable housing solutions for communities in emerging economies. Elementerre, based in Senegal, uses clay and typha to manufacture load-bearing bricks and insulating boards. Sugarcrete®, developed by University College London, is a material made from upcycled sugarcane waste, offering exceptional thermal, acoustic, and fire-resistant properties.
The submissions featured a range of biobased materials, including seaweed, mycelium, sheep’s wool, hemp, sugarcane and coconut waste, secondary timber, seashells, and invasive water weeds.
The Built by Nature Prize aims to accelerate the development and adoption of biobased construction materials that can help reduce the environmental impact of the built environment.
“This Prize demonstrates that we have more to learn and share, to turn brilliant ideas and innovations into mainstream low-carbon construction solutions – another step towards a built environment that works in unison with nature,” said Paul King, Built by Nature CEO.
