In The building sector

Two  of Genesis BioChar’s properties are its extremely low thermal  conductivity and its ability to absorb water. These properties mean that  it is a good material for insulating buildings and regulating humidity.  In combination with clay, but also with lime and cement mortar, biochar  can be added to clay at a ratio of up to 50% and replace sand in lime  and cement mortars. This creates indoor plasters with excellent  insulation and breathing properties, able to maintain humidity levels in  a room at 45–70% in both summer and winter. This in turn prevents not  just dry air, which can lead to respiratory disorders and allergies, but  also dampness and air condensing on the walls, which can lead to mold  developing. You can read about the Ithaka Institute’s biochar-plaster  wine cellar and seminar rooms in the Ithaka Journal. Such biochar-mud  plaster adsorbs smells and toxins, a property not just benefiting  smokers. Biochar-mud plasters can improve working conditions in  libraries, schools, warehouses, factories and agricultural buildings.

Biochar  is an efficient absorber of electromagnetic radiation, meaning that  biochar-mud plaster can prevent “electro-smog”. 

Biochar can also be  applied to the outside walls of a building by jet-spray technique mixing  it with lime. Applied at thicknesses of up to 8” it is a substitute for  Styrofoam insulation. Houses insulated this way become carbon sinks,  while at the same time having a more healthy indoor climate. Should such  a house be demolished at a later date, the biochar-mud or biochar-lime  plaster can be recycled as a valuable compost additive.

A wide variety of purchasing options are available in our store including one cubic yard  sacks, two cubic yard sacks, and 10 to 80 cubic yard bulk truck loads.