Herts researchers develop building coating that uses bacteria to protect and self-repair against erosion

An innovation for a pioneering new limewash for building surfaces, which uses bacteria to form a barrier against erosion damage, has been developed by University of Hertfordshire researchers

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The limewash contains non-pathogenic bacteria, which increase the amount of CO₂ that a building surface can absorb through photosynthesis. This, in turn, generates additional calcium carbonate that forms a more robust barrier against erosion, as well as encouraging selfrepairing mechanisms, notes the press communique from the University.

Believed to be the first of its kind, a pre-production. prototype is now being developed by the team, based on research by the University's Zero Carbon Lab and the manufacturing expertise of UK Hempcrete Ltd, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) through the Design Exchange Partnership program.