Cambridge Lecturer, Darshil Shah Talks About Biomaterials in the Built Environment Sectors

Henry McDonald interviews Cambridge lecturer, Darshil Shah, about biomaterials in the built environment sectors.

Welcome to Constructive Voices published in the week leading up to a major event for the future of the planet. The United Nations cop 26 climate change conference will bring together world leaders with the recent IPCC report fresh in their minds. The report warned that urgent action is required to avoid the worst impacts of rising global temperatures. And with the construction industry playing such an important role in reducing carbon emissions and driving sustainability, we’re joined by Darshil Shah, a specialist in natural materials, who says change is essential.

Who is Dr Darshil Shah

Darshil Shah is a material scientist and lecturer in materials at the Department for Architecture at the University of Cambridge. He also works in the Centre for Natural Material Innovation, where the team looks at a range of different natural materials, particularly timber, bamboo and their engineered composites as well as linen, hemp and their engineered composites as alternatives to materials like concrete, steel, glass and carbon fibre composites for the built environment sector, but also a range of other application sectors.

"So nature has always been a source of grandeur and inspiration for me. And after graduating as an engineer, I had the opportunity to undertake PhD research on sustainable materials and manufacturing methods for the wind energy sector. And that was the first time when, as an engineer, I was challenged to foresee problems of material sustainability in a sector that was already green, because we always associate with wind turbines with sustainable energy production methods. And that made me understand think of and design solutions that could actually make it greener. And to do that I had to look at plants for solutions…"

Pete Ireland’s Favourite TV Builder discusses the same topic in his own unique way

Don’t miss our man-on-the-ground’s take on this subject. He makes a really accessible comparison that you will enjoy, we hope!

But most importantly, Pete has to deal with these changes just like many of our listeners. As always, he is honest and down to earth about this! 

Constructive Voices: Inspiring change within the construction industry and related sectors

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