Israeli Scientists Turn Dead Sea Waste Into Building Bricks

Over the past decade, there has been a growing understanding that we need to rethink not just how we build the structures of the future, but from what materials we build them. The main reason is that the construction industry is one of the world’s leading sources of environmental pollution. Cement production—the most widely used building material—alone accounts for roughly 8% of global carbon emissions.

In response, science and technology are advancing to develop alternative, sustainable building materials with lower carbon footprints, often based on recycled resources while preserving strength and quality. As part of a joint initiative by researchers and students from the Hebrew University and the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, a new innovative building material has recently been developed with exceptional environmental potential—made entirely from recycled salt. Could we one day build entire structures from salt?

Today, construction is a major environmental burden. According to data from the UK Green Building Council, the industry uses more than 400 million tons of raw materials annually, many of which are tied to ecosystem damage, pollution and high energy consumption. A 2017 United Nations Environment Program study also found that construction accounts for 23% of global air pollution, uses about 36% of all energy produced, and contributes roughly 39% of carbon dioxide emissions.

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