Biowalls use earth, plant fibers, and bio-based solutions to create healthier, regenerative, and territory-connected surfaces.
Submitted at Feb 23, 2026, 5:13 PM
Julia Gasparini - Bangalô Duna. Projeto da CASACOR Ceará 2025. (Felipe Petrovsky/Divulgação)
More than a trend, biowalls integrate a systemic thinking that considers life cycle, environmental health, and thermal performance of a project. By revisiting ancestral techniques and combining them with current research, these systems offer consistent alternatives for urban projects seeking efficiency and ecological responsibility.
Biowalls are characterized by the predominant use of natural or biological-based materials, with low industrial processing and reduced carbon footprint. Raw earth, clay, plant fibers, and mineral binders partially or entirely replace conventional inputs. Furthermore, they prioritize solutions that favor the breathability of surfaces, allowing moisture exchanges and contributing to the internal comfort.
Rammed earth uses compacted earth between forms, forming dense and monolithic walls. Its high thermal inertia helps stabilize internal temperatures throughout the day. Besides environmental performance, it features stratified texture and natural tones that vary according to the soil used, giving identity to the design.
Currently, the most popular adobes are produced with earth, water, and plant fibers molded into blocks and dried in the sun. This is a low-energy solution and easily executed. When associated with well-protected foundations and proper roofing, they present significant durability and good thermal performance.
Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing renewable materials. In walls, it can act as a lightweight structure, woven closure, or modular panel. Its mechanical strength and flexibility favor solutions in various climates, while also creating permeable and visually striking surfaces.
Hemp enters biowalls in the form of hempcrete or hemplime: a biocomposite made from the woody part of the plant mixed with lime and water, used as sealing and insulation material, non-structural. Although it cannot support structural loads on its own—requiring a supporting frame—its ability to sequester carbon and provide a healthier indoor project environment has attracted attention from sustainable projects.
Mycelium is the root structure of fungi, cultivated in organic substrates to form blocks or panels. After growing, the material is dehydrated, becoming lightweight and durable. Still in the consolidation phase in the market, it represents a promising frontier of biowalls by integrating biotechnology and construction.
Biowalls contribute to the reduction of emissions associated with cement and steel production, sectors historically intensive in carbon. Materials like earth, straw, and hemp require less processing energy and, in many cases, capture carbon during their growth cycle. Furthermore, they promote indoor projects with better air quality by avoiding volatile organic compounds common in synthetic coatings.
In the urban context, these solutions collaborate for more energy-efficient buildings. The thermal inertia of earth, the insulation of straw, and the lightweight nature of hemp reduce the demand for artificial cooling. Integrated with passive ventilation and shading strategies, biowalls can help mitigate heat islands and build more resilient cities.
The application of biowalls requires attentive technical design, especially regarding humidity control. Earth and straw systems should have elevated foundations, adequate waterproofing, and protection against infiltrations. The choice of finishing—such as mineral plasters based on lime—also influences durability.
Maintenance tends to be simple and localized. Small cracks can be repaired with the original material, maintaining aesthetic and functional coherence. More than a spot solution, biowalls establish a logic of continuous care with architecture, valuing natural processes and a more conscious relationship with the built project.
