Vision

The Building with Blue Biomass global innovation network brings together research, industry and policymakers accelerate research and consolidate knowledge about how new low carbon, regenerative building materials can be made from blue biomass - organisms from the sea, lakes, streams and aquaculture facilities such as algae, kelp, shellfish and seagrass.

Partners

Royal Danish Academy, School of Architecture, Design and Conservation

Centre for Information Technology and Architecture

Technical University of Denmark

Queensland University of Technology

The University of Queensland, Australia

University College London

Arup

3XN Architects

Resources

The Building with Blue Biomass global innovation network brings together research, industry and policymakers accelerate research and consolidate knowledge about how new low carbon, regenerative building materials can be made from blue biomass - organisms from the sea, lakes, streams and aquaculture facilities such as algae, kelp, shellfish and seagrass.

'Shearing' illustration

Explore the materials

Macroalgae

Macroalgae are multicellular, photosynthetic organisms mostly found in seawater. They possess plant-like structural features and can grow from 50 cm to 60 m in length.

Macroalgae are large, fast-growing marine plants that absorb excess nutrients, produce oxygen, and form underwater forests that stabilize and regenerate coastal ecosystems.

Microalgae

Microalgae are microscopic, single-celled photosynthetic organisms capable of replicating very rapidly. They provide 75% of the global supply of oxygen.

Microalgae absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, offering one of the most efficient biological methods for carbon capture. Even small-scale cultivation systems can offset emissions while producing valuable biomass.

Shells

Molluscs and crabs cycle nutrient and improve water quality in aquatic ecosystems. Their cultivation and processing generates millions of tonnes of shell waste each year.

Mussel shells are the lasting trace of a natural filtration process, capturing minerals from the sea while helping to clean coastal waters and rebalance marine ecosystems.

Seagrass

Submerged seagrass meadows grow in shallow, salty, or brackish coastal waters, providing food, habitat and stabilizing sediments. It is naturally resistant to fire, rot, and pests.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent vestibulum, libero id luctus imperdiet, ex odio fringilla ex, nec varius elit neque et lectus.

EPS

Semi solid materials are generated as a byproduct of wastewater treatment and purification processes. This waste can be used to produce new materials.

Macroalgae are large, fast-growing marine plants that absorb excess nutrients, produce oxygen, and form underwater forests that stabilize and regenerate coastal ecosystems.

Macroalgae

Macroalgae are multicellular, photosynthetic organisms mostly found in seawater. They possess plant-like structural features and can grow from 50 cm to 60 m in length.

Microalgae

Microalgae are microscopic, single-celled photosynthetic organisms capable of replicating very rapidly. They provide 75% of the global supply of oxygen.

Shells

Molluscs and crabs cycle nutrient and improve water quality in aquatic ecosystems. Their cultivation and processing generates millions of tonnes of shell waste each year.

Seagrass

Submerged seagrass meadows grow in shallow, salty, or brackish coastal waters, providing food, habitat and stabilizing sediments. It is naturally resistant to fire, rot, and pests.

EPS

Semi solid materials are generated as a byproduct of wastewater treatment and purification processes. This waste can be used to produce new materials.

Explore the materials

Macroalgae

Macroalgae are multicellular, photosynthetic organisms mostly found in seawater. They possess plant-like structural features and can grow from 50 cm to 60 m in length.

Microalgae

Microalgae are microscopic, single-celled photosynthetic organisms capable of replicating very rapidly. They provide 75% of the global supply of oxygen.

Shells

Molluscs and crabs cycle nutrient and improve water quality in aquatic ecosystems. Their cultivation and processing generates millions of tonnes of shell waste each year.

Seagrass

Submerged seagrass meadows grow in shallow, salty, or brackish coastal waters, providing food, habitat and stabilizing sediments. It is naturally resistant to fire, rot, and pests.

EPS

Semi solid materials are generated as a byproduct of wastewater treatment and purification processes. This waste can be used to produce new materials.

Macroalgae

Microalgae

Shells

Seagrass

EPS

Macroalgae are large, fast-growing marine plants that absorb excess nutrients, produce oxygen, and form underwater forests that stabilize and regenerate coastal ecosystems.

Microalgae absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, offering one of the most efficient biological methods for carbon capture. Even small-scale cultivation systems can offset emissions while producing valuable biomass.

Mussel shells are the lasting trace of a natural filtration process, capturing minerals from the sea while helping to clean coastal waters and rebalance marine ecosystems.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent vestibulum, libero id luctus imperdiet, ex odio fringilla ex, nec varius elit neque et lectus.

⋅

Illustration

Microalgae

Microalgae are microscopic, single-celled photosynthetic organisms capable of replicating very rapidly. They provide 75% of the global supply of oxygen.

Material 1
Microalgae

Material 2
Macroalgae

Material 3
Shells

Material 4
EPS

Material 2
Macroalgae

The Building with Blue Biomass global innovation network brings together research, industry and policymakers accelerate research and consolidate knowledge about how new low carbon, regenerative building materials can be made from blue biomass - organisms from the sea, lakes, streams and aquaculture facilities such as algae, kelp, shellfish and seagrass.

Explorer the materials

Vision

The Building with Blue Biomass global innovation network brings together research, industry and policymakers accelerate research and consolidate knowledge about how new low carbon, regenerative building materials can be made from blue biomass - organisms from the sea, lakes, streams and aquaculture facilities such as algae, kelp, shellfish and seagrass.

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Projects

Local Resource / Collective Knowledge

Biogenic Building

BioLocal Additive Manufacture

Augmented Polycultures

BioLocal: Blue Biomass for the Construction Industry

Indus

Chromatic Biologies: Pigment Ecologies for Architecture

Biohybrid Fibre Composite

BioBlocks: Robotic Additive Algae Manufacturing

STROMATE C-ELMs

Architectural History of Blue Biomass Resources

Tabby Concrete
Shell-Based Construction with Coastal Roots

Tabby concrete is a traditional building material made from burnt lime, water, sand, and crushed oyster or mussel shells as aggregate. Used historically along the southeastern U.S. coast for walls and foundations, it drew strength and durability from locally sourced shells. Today, tabby is being revisited as a low-carbon precedent for shell-based biocement and regionally grounded construction.

Seaweed Roofs
Living Heritage from Læsø

On Læsø Island in Denmark, seaweed roofs made from thick layers of eelgrass were traditionally used to insulate and protect timber-framed houses. The dried seaweed is naturally fire-resistant, breathable, and durable, lasting over a century with minimal maintenance. This vernacular technique reflects a deep understanding of local resources and is now inspiring renewed interest in sea-based, regenerative building materials.

Sargablock
Turning Seaweed into Building Blocks

Sargablock is a construction material made from compressed sargassum seaweed, a species that frequently washes up on Caribbean coastlines. By combining the dried biomass with natural binders, it forms durable blocks suitable for non-structural walls and insulation. The project addresses both environmental cleanup and material scarcity, offering a locally sourced alternative to conventional construction products.

Living Mussels
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Tabby Concrete
Shell-Based Construction with Coastal Roots

Microalgae absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, offering one of the most efficient biological methods for carbon capture. Even small-scale cultivation systems can offset emissions while producing valuable biomass.

Architectural History of Blue Biomass Resources

Activities & Exhibitions

Danish Architecture Center

6/10 > 17/05 2026

CITA's installation Biogenic Building explores how biopolymer composites can be more using local wastes from the land and sea, and asks what architecture could be if it followed nature’s rhythms of growth and return to natural cycles.

London Delegation Visit

Copenhagen Delegation Visit

Networking and exhibition at ARUP

26/09 > 16/10 2025

The Blue Biomass network showcases the latest developments at Arup's Charlotte Street gallery. The exhibition is opened with a symposium sharing key outcomes through a series of short talks exploring how environmental, technical and social aspects are holistically embedded into materials development and design.

Brisbane Delegation Visit

Venice Bienalle

10/05 > 28/09 2025

Local Resource / Collective Knowledge is a collaboration between CITA, GXN & 3XN investigating how the materials, traditions, and approaches of local communities can inform a more climate conscious global architecture

Building Green Exhibition

30/10 > 31/10 2024

Exhibition of prototypes developed by masters students at the Computation in Architecture, Royal Danish Academy. The exhibition is paired with a public debate in which researchers, practitioners, marine environment experts and politicians discuss about whether we can contribute to cleaner waters and a new paradigm in construction.

Microalgae absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, offering one of the most efficient biological methods for carbon capture. Even small-scale cultivation systems can offset emissions while producing valuable biomass.

Read more

Macroalgae

Microalgae

Shells

Seagrass

EPS

Illustration

Material 1Microalgae

Material 2Macroalgae

Material 3Shells

Material 4EPS

Material 2Macroalgae

Explorer the materials

Explorer the materials

Tabby ConcreteShell-Based Construction with Coastal Roots

Seaweed RoofsLiving Heritage from Læsø

SargablockTurning Seaweed into Building Blocks

Living MusselsLorem ipsum

Tabby ConcreteShell-Based Construction with Coastal Roots

Microalgae absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, offering one of the most efficient biological methods for carbon capture. Even small-scale cultivation systems can offset emissions while producing valuable biomass.

6/10 > 17/05 2026

26/09 > 16/10 2025

30/10 > 31/10 2024

Material 1
Microalgae

Material 2
Macroalgae

Material 3
Shells

Material 4
EPS

Material 2
Macroalgae

Tabby Concrete
Shell-Based Construction with Coastal Roots

Seaweed Roofs
Living Heritage from Læsø

Sargablock
Turning Seaweed into Building Blocks

Living Mussels
Lorem ipsum

Tabby Concrete
Shell-Based Construction with Coastal Roots