--- title: "Bio-Concrete: An Auto-Healing Building Material" description: Bio-concrete is a form of biomimicry that uses bacteria to create a self-healing capacity—leading to cost savings in designing concrete. image: http://www.pirieassociates.com/hubfs/Bioconcrete.jpg --- [![Pirie Associates Architects in New Haven, CT](https://www.pirieassociates.com/hubfs/images/pirie-associates-architects-in-new-haven-ct-1.png)](https://www.pirieassociates.com) # Bio-Concrete: An Auto-Healing Building Material **Date:** Apr 26, 2016 9:30:00 AM [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pirieassociates.com%2Fblog%2Fbio-concrete-auto-healing-building-material%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on LinkedIn](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/linkedin-24x24.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pirieassociates.com%2Fblog%2Fbio-concrete-auto-healing-building-material%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pirieassociates.com%2Fblog%2Fbio-concrete-auto-healing-building-material%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pirieassociates.com%2Fblog%2Fbio-concrete-auto-healing-building-material%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Bio-Concrete%3A%20An%20Auto-Healing%20Building%20Material) [![Share on Pinterest](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/pinterest-24x24.png)](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pirieassociates.com%2Fblog%2Fbio-concrete-auto-healing-building-material%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dpinterest&media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn1.hubspot.com%2Fhub%2F158015%2F305390_10100548508246879_837195_59275782_6882128_n.jpg) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pirieassociates.com%2Fblog%2Fbio-concrete-auto-healing-building-material%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pirieassociates.com%2Fblog%2Fbio-concrete-auto-healing-building-material%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail)  I recently had lunch with my friend and scientist, [Valentina Greco](http://bbs.yale.edu/people/valentina_greco.profile), who studies how human skin develops and how cells multiply to regenerate tissue when needed. I found her research completely amazing. Coming back home I started to think about [biomimicry](https://biomimicry.org/what-is-biomimicry/#.VvmMBdFzPZ4), an innovative approach that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies. “Biomimicry lovers” (in which I include myself) imagine ways of emulating living organisms and the ways they function. As in my ARE PPP Kaplan exam book dictated: “*To learn from nature, therefore, one must understand the principles underlying natural form and their evolution, transposing those processes into our own. We should not imitate form, but rather emulate process”* (1). I decided to do some research on the subject to see how it may relate to design and architecture. **The Future of Concrete ** During my research, I found the work of [Dr. Henk Jonkers](http://www.tudelft.nl/en/current/latest-news/article/detail/zelfherstellend-biobeton-tu-delft-genomineerd-voor-european-inventor-award/), Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, who has been studying auto-healing concrete since 2006. Dr. Jonkers’ bio-concrete uses regular concrete and introduces a bacillus bacteria, which has the ability to survive for decades without food or oxygen. He placed the bacteria and calcium lactate (the bacteria food source) into capsules made from biodegradable plastic, and then added the capsules to the wet concrete mix. When concrete cracks and water enters into the mixture, it opens the capsules and the bacteria germinate. The bacteria multiply and feed on the lactate, which then closes the cracks (“as our human skin cells do in our bodies”). This creates a self-healing capacity that could lead to substantial savings and a more economical way to designing concrete structures. **Using Bio-Concrete for Sustainable Design ** Dr. Jonkers’ research on self-healing concrete could be the beginning of a new era for sustainable design and construction. Could we combine nature with our dated construction materials? Could our buildings, or any part of them, regenerate themselves to auto-repair their cracks, and with them water penetration, and all of the problems this may cause? Going even further, would it be possible to have more resilient buildings that adjust themselves and change their positions in case of exterior movement as do living organisms? Could they move to take advantage of the sun? Could we start creating the era of sustainable design bio-buildings? We would love to hear about your ideas!   You can find more information about the subject in the links below: - [The ‘living concrete’ that can heal itself](http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/14/tech/bioconcrete-delft-jonkers/) - [Self-healing of concrete by bacterial mineral precipitation](http://www.citg.tudelft.nl/en/research/projects/self-healing-concrete/)   (1) ARE Kaplan 2011 Study Guide, Programming, Planning and Practice, Paul Speiregen & Lester Werthneimer *Featured image credit: Photograph: the living concrete that can heal itself article by Andrew Stewart, for CNN*   ## Related Material ### Blog Post [![Streetscape Materials Blog](https://www.pirieassociates.com/hs-fs/hubfs/pa-blog/unique-design-vs-commercial-designed-products.png?width=614&height=460&name=unique-design-vs-commercial-designed-products.png)](https://www.pirieassociates.com/blog/can-streetscape-materials-be-unique-and-cost-effective-in-urban-landscape) [Can Streetscape Materials Be Unique & Cost Effective in Urban Landscape?](https://www.pirieassociates.com/blog/can-streetscape-materials-be-unique-and-cost-effective-in-urban-landscape) ### Blog Post [![Health of Place Blog](https://www.pirieassociates.com/hs-fs/hubfs/portfolio/clarke/Project-coastal-residence-I-09-pin.jpg?width=823&height=654&name=Project-coastal-residence-I-09-pin.jpg)](https://www.pirieassociates.com/blog/health-of-place) [Health of Place ](https://www.pirieassociates.com/blog/health-of-place) ### Blog Post [![Compost Blog](https://www.pirieassociates.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog-Images-800x450/compost-image-800x450.jpg?width=800&height=450&name=compost-image-800x450.jpg)](https://www.pirieassociates.com/blog/enriching-new-haven-connecticut-with-compost) [Enriching New Haven with Compost](https://www.pirieassociates.com/blog/enriching-new-haven-connecticut-with-compost) ### LEARN. INSPIRE. CREATE. ### Recent Posts ![author avatar](https://www.pirieassociates.com/hubfs/images/monica-2.jpg) ### This post was written by [Monica Perez Del Rio](https://www.pirieassociates.com/blog/author/monica-perez-del-rio) Monica Perez del Rio has practiced architecture, urban planning, exhibition design, and interpretive design for over 12 years in three different countries. She began her career as a competition designer with AD+ projects in Spain and, less than a year later, moved to France to work with Jean de Gastines and Shigeru Ban. Notable projects include the extensively published social housing project in Mulhouse and the French Ministry of Culture’s presidential platform at the Place de la Concorde in Paris. ## Learn. Inspire. Create. Subscribe to the Pirie Associates Architects blog. Copyright 2026 Pirie Associates Architects. All Rights Reserved. [[fa icon="facebook-square"]](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pirie-Associates-Architects/124354311086017?fref=ts) [[fa icon="linkedin-square"]](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pirie-associates) [[fa icon="instagram"]](https://www.instagram.com/pirieassociates/) [[fa icon="twitter-square"]](https://twitter.com/PirieAssociates) [[fa icon="vimeo-square"]](https://vimeo.com/pirieassociates)