Suzanne Lee: Why "biofabrication" is the next industrial revolution

The video explores biofabrication, a process of creating materials using living organisms, as a sustainable alternative to traditional manufacturing. It highlights projects like Bio Couture and Bio Mason, showcasing innovations in fashion and construction. The speaker emphasizes the potential of designing with life, encouraging a shift from non-renewable resources to biological processes, and calls for a material revolution led by startups and diverse innovators.

What is the primary focus of biofabrication?

• Enhancing chemical processing techniques

• Using traditional materials for manufacturing

• Growing materials with living organisms

• Increasing the use of fossil fuels

How does biofabrication differ from traditional fabric production?

• It relies on animal products

• It involves growing materials in a lab

• It uses more water and energy

• It requires longer production times

What is mycelium used for in biofabrication?

• To bind agricultural by-products

• To create synthetic chemicals

• To increase fossil fuel usage

• To enhance metal production

What is a significant advantage of biofabricated bricks over traditional bricks?

• They are more expensive to produce

• They are weaker than concrete blocks

• They store more carbon than they emit

• They require higher temperatures to form

What is the potential impact of biofabrication on CO2 emissions in construction?

• It could increase emissions by 800 million tons

• It could reduce emissions by 800 million tons

• It has no impact on emissions

• It doubles the emissions from traditional methods

How are architects using biofabrication in building design?

• By designing buildings that mimic tree bark

• By creating buildings that repel all forms of life

• By using only synthetic materials

• By eliminating all natural elements

What is a key goal of the biofabrication movement?

• To eliminate all forms of biotechnology

• To focus solely on chemical companies

• To design with and for life

• To increase reliance on non-renewable resources

Which industries are being transformed by biofabrication?

• Various industries including fashion, furniture, and construction

• Only the construction industry

• Only the automotive industry

• Only the fashion industry

What is the role of startups in the biofabrication revolution?

• They are leading the revolution with limited capital

• They are hindering progress with outdated methods

• They are focusing only on large-scale production

• They are avoiding collaboration with scientists

What should be the criteria for accepting new materials according to the biofabrication movement?

• They should be chemically intensive

• They should be non-recyclable

• They should be naturally compostable

• They should be made from fossil fuels