Ohio鈥檚 affordable housing problem is getting worse, according to from the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio.
But at Ohio University is working on a solution.
They鈥檙e developing renewable building materials from a resource that鈥檚 abundant in southeastern Ohio: coal waste.
鈥淲e have all of these mining impoundments throughout Appalachia and they're massive,鈥� said Jason Trembly, the director of OU's Institute of Sustainable Energy and Environment. 鈥淪ome of them are larger than the Hoover Dam.鈥�
Now, that waste is getting a second life.
Turning coal into housing
Trembly and his team study ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Since about , they focused their energy there.
鈥淲e started looking at how to meet [housing] demand in a way that is cost-effective and also environmentally friendly,鈥� Trembly said. 鈥淎nd one of the ways we envision that is building buildings out of carbon.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the potential methods that we can use to help address climate change and provide high quality, affordable housing for the population as well."Jason Trembly
Essentially, instead of cutting down trees for their lumber and releasing carbon back into the atmosphere, they created an alternative construction material out of coal waste, which naturally stores carbon.
鈥淭his is just a prototype,鈥� Trembly said, holding up a piece of black pipe. 鈥淭his was made from coal waste.鈥�
And that鈥檚 just one example of what coal waste can create. His team has developed decking and siding too.
Not only is this material safe and up to code, he said, it鈥檚 also cheaper to produce.
鈥淲e can provide the end consumer savings on the material itself,鈥� Trembly said, 鈥渁nd we reduce emissions and energy consumed in manufacturing these building materials as well.鈥�
It鈥檚 a win-win, Trembly said, but plans for the carbon-storing material don鈥檛 stop there.
3D printing affordable housing
Now, the team is working on new research to see if it can be used to 3D print houses.
鈥淲e've already demonstrated the ability to 3D print those materials and use them for making different products, potentially even windmill blades,鈥� Trembly said. 鈥淏ut what we're really interested in doing is looking at can we 3D print the walls of a home as well.鈥�
Trembly said 3D printing homes is a desirable way to increase access to affordable housing. Because it requires less labor, they鈥檙e cheaper and faster to build.
But, he said most 3D printed homes are currently made with concrete or other cement mixes 鈥� an emissions intense material. Their coal waste product is a more energy-efficient alternative.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the potential methods that we can use to help address climate change and provide high quality, affordable housing for the population as well,鈥� Trembly said.
