Henning Roedel1, Isamar Rosa Plata1, Michael Lepech1,*, David Loftus2
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.3, No.3, pp. 183-194, 2015, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2015.634107
Abstract This article presents the sustainability assessment of a novel biocomposite material that is under investigation by
NASA for use in construction in limited resource environments. The composite consists of soil particles
solidified by a protein binding agent. Preliminary compressive strength data suggests the biocomposite could be
used for numerous construction applications. To assess the biocomposite’s potential for use in sustainable
construction, a comparative process-based life cycle assessment between biocomposite and concrete pavers was
performed to analyze the life cycle primary energy and IMPACT 2002+ points of both types of pavers. Results
show that the concrete More >