Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Synbio4Arch (Synthetic Biology for Architecture)
Période du rapport: 2020-09-01 au 2021-08-31
Synbio4Arch intends to exploit the foreground generated in the FET project Living Architecture (Grant nr. 686585) terminated in July 2019 to develop a synthetic biology toolkit for architecture. The envisaged technology will allow engineers and architects to leverage microbes to embed distributed biomanufacturing, on-site domestic wastewater treatment, and CO2 capturing into buildings through integrated bioreactors. More specifically, the offer is built around 2 products:
I) the living brick is a concrete construction brick hosting a microbial fuel cell colonized with one or more genetically engineered microbial strains capable of recycling household wastes. The living brick falls under the definition of GMO-containing product, and ii) a cloud-based application that allows architects and engineers to select microbial strains engineered with pre-made and validated synthetic metabolic pathways relevant for household wastewater management such as organic compound oxidation and inorganic phosphate recycling.
The innovation will allow practitioners in the construction field such as engineers and architects with little expertise in molecular biology to access the power of synthetic biology. Biological sciences have gone through a radical paradigm shift over the last decade with the rise of synthetic biology (synbio), a new discipline at the interface between biology and engineering, which aims to “(a) design and construct new biological parts, devices and systems and (b) re-design existing, natural biological systems for useful purposes (www.syntheticbiology.org)” in a rational and systematic way. The synbio’s approach has already revolutionized technology and production paradigms fostering the development of innovative medicines, redesigning environmentally-friendly chemical processes. Remarkable examples of these applications are the production of the anti-Malaria drug Artemisinin, the production of jet- fuel from renewable resources and advanced cell therapy based on patients' T- cells to treat cancers. Although synbio’s initial applications were naturally addressing health and industrial issues, synbio’s impact may radically change the very idea of our cities by empowering distributed biomanufacturing, on-site domestic wastewater treatment and CO2 capturing. A pioneering example of the integration of biology into a human dwelling is the Arup’s BIQ House built in Hamburg (watch video). The building grows and harvests algae biomass that offsets energy requirements and CO2 emissions.
The objective of Syn4Arch launchpad project is to assess regulatory barriers and develop a commercialization plan to exploit the living brick innovation.
I) the living brick is a concrete construction brick hosting a microbial fuel cell colonized with one or more genetically engineered microbial strains capable of recycling household wastes. The living brick falls under the definition of GMO-containing product, and ii) a cloud-based application that allows architects and engineers to select microbial strains engineered with pre-made and validated synthetic metabolic pathways relevant for household wastewater management such as organic compound oxidation and inorganic phosphate recycling.
The innovation will allow practitioners in the construction field such as engineers and architects with little expertise in molecular biology to access the power of synthetic biology. Biological sciences have gone through a radical paradigm shift over the last decade with the rise of synthetic biology (synbio), a new discipline at the interface between biology and engineering, which aims to “(a) design and construct new biological parts, devices and systems and (b) re-design existing, natural biological systems for useful purposes (www.syntheticbiology.org)” in a rational and systematic way. The synbio’s approach has already revolutionized technology and production paradigms fostering the development of innovative medicines, redesigning environmentally-friendly chemical processes. Remarkable examples of these applications are the production of the anti-Malaria drug Artemisinin, the production of jet- fuel from renewable resources and advanced cell therapy based on patients' T- cells to treat cancers. Although synbio’s initial applications were naturally addressing health and industrial issues, synbio’s impact may radically change the very idea of our cities by empowering distributed biomanufacturing, on-site domestic wastewater treatment and CO2 capturing. A pioneering example of the integration of biology into a human dwelling is the Arup’s BIQ House built in Hamburg (watch video). The building grows and harvests algae biomass that offsets energy requirements and CO2 emissions.
The objective of Syn4Arch launchpad project is to assess regulatory barriers and develop a commercialization plan to exploit the living brick innovation.
The work performed aimed at gaining valuable insight in non-technical requirements to turn Explora’s know-how acquired during the FET project LIAR into a viable commercial product. In particular, we generated actionable results such as:
• Product specifications that meet architects/engineers (practitioners) and construction firms (customers) requirements,
• Reliable regulatory provisions to prevent rejection by relevant authorities,
• Insight into public perception of synbio-enabled products deployed in a domestic setting.
As far as practitioners are concerned, interviews and surveys showed that professionals enthusiastically welcome the idea of embedding metabolic capability into buildings and endowing buildings with energy-producing and bioremediation capability generally fit well with practitioners’ values and aspirations. However, most of the professionals have a limited understanding of biology and biological engineering and don't feel comfortable to design a biotech-enabled device even with the assistance of dedicated software. In addition, most of the interviewees were deeply concerned by the liability ramifications in case of an accident (leaking of biological material) and were not inclined to review or expand their professional insurance terms. As far as construction firms and subcontractors are concerned, we found out that most interviewees perceived a synbio-enabled construction material as a potential liability and are not ready to quickly adopt it. Conversely, the public perception of the envisaged technology was generally positive with younger interviewees enthusiastically supporting the adoption of the innovation described. The main barrier to commercialization turned out to be related to the regulatory framework. Indeed, the lack of a clear lack of regulatory framework for the use of synbio-enable material in residential buildings constitutes a major barrier to the commercialization of the product.
• Product specifications that meet architects/engineers (practitioners) and construction firms (customers) requirements,
• Reliable regulatory provisions to prevent rejection by relevant authorities,
• Insight into public perception of synbio-enabled products deployed in a domestic setting.
As far as practitioners are concerned, interviews and surveys showed that professionals enthusiastically welcome the idea of embedding metabolic capability into buildings and endowing buildings with energy-producing and bioremediation capability generally fit well with practitioners’ values and aspirations. However, most of the professionals have a limited understanding of biology and biological engineering and don't feel comfortable to design a biotech-enabled device even with the assistance of dedicated software. In addition, most of the interviewees were deeply concerned by the liability ramifications in case of an accident (leaking of biological material) and were not inclined to review or expand their professional insurance terms. As far as construction firms and subcontractors are concerned, we found out that most interviewees perceived a synbio-enabled construction material as a potential liability and are not ready to quickly adopt it. Conversely, the public perception of the envisaged technology was generally positive with younger interviewees enthusiastically supporting the adoption of the innovation described. The main barrier to commercialization turned out to be related to the regulatory framework. Indeed, the lack of a clear lack of regulatory framework for the use of synbio-enable material in residential buildings constitutes a major barrier to the commercialization of the product.
Results clearly show a commercial opportunity for synbio-enabled construction materials. However the market is not ready yet to broadly adopt this technology and will likely be confined to niche applications in the next 5-7 years. While reviewing and updating our initial assumptions, we identified a clear opportunity in an adjacent market represented by synbio-enabled inert construction materials such as mycelium-based flame-retardant tiles and mycelium-based flooring tiles for the high-end hospitality market.