Biogenic construction: The new era of civil engineering

Abstract

With the increasing demand for buildings and infrastructures and the mounting challenges associated with the current construction technologies such as high emission, high pollution, and high energy consumption, the civil engineering profession is at the crossroad for a transformation or upgrading before it can be put into tasks for these challenges. Inspired by the concept of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, a new concept, biogenic construction, for civil engineering is proposed in this paper. The definition of biogenic construction is given. The framework and four components of biogenic construction are established. These include microbial construction, plant construction, animal construction, and bioinspired construction. Examples of each component are given. A new construction system for creating a more eco-friendly, healthier, and more sustainable environment for future civil engineering developments is also proposed.