Seeking Building Blocks to Combat Wildfires

With 8.8 million acres in the United States burning in 2017, and more than $2.2 billion dollars spent in fire suppression, the building industry is looking to sustainable building practices to help with the future of fire prevention. 

MSE professor Pierre Lucas and Aletheia Ida of the UA’s School of Architecture are using an NSF Early-Concept Grant for Exploratory Research to research hydrogels, whose self-cooling properties could increase fire resistance in buildings. In addition, hydrogels’ water recuperating properties could help reduce reliance on energy and water for air conditioning systems, making buildings more energy-efficient.