CLIMAVORE BUILDS is a strand of our activity that looks at circular economies. Coastal environments have provided materials such as seashells, shell-lime and seaweeds for millennia, which have been used for the construction of roads, foundations, floors, walls, and roof technologies. The development of these novel techniques is of growing importance, as they use materials with a minimal carbon footprint; and reduce the amount of cement used in the construction industry, a main contributor to CO2 pollution. CLIMAVORE is recuperating and repurposing local food waste to develop a new composite material that reduces pressure on the landfill, with the aim of developing building and interior materials using products from the coast of Skye. The current focus is seashell terrazzo tiles, made from crushed oyster and mussel shells, and shell-based lime.

Building - The Station

The CLIMAVORE Station is seeking a permanent home for its activities on the Isle of Skye. Multiple options are being considered, including the renovation of historical landmarks at risk and the restoration of a coastal site.

The process will include ecosocial material innovations developed in partnership with local craftsmen and fabricators. Reinterpreting the use of waste shells and seaweed as new materials for the construction sector, their use in the CLIMAVORE Station will contribute to the development of circular economies between food and building businesses on Skye, and the wider Highlands and Islands, exploring new avenues for alternative forms of caring for the coast.