Learning from an earthquake: Bio Building Block

A quest for more reliable construction solutions after surviving the Irpinia earthquake in Italy

As part of the Trash to Treasure project, we talked to Marco Citro, founder of Bio Building Block. His project aims to revolutionize the construction sector: it offers a block made of wood and metal bars, enabling a building process that is efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. This system enhances building safety while also helping to capture CO₂ from the atmosphere.

The story of BBB is rooted in the personal experience of its founder. In 1980, Marco survived the Irpinia earthquake in Italy. Deeply affected by this tragedy, he dedicated his life to developing more reliable construction solutions capable of preventing or mitigating the devastating effects of natural disasters.

This is how the idea of the steel-reinforced wooden block was born—enhanced with natural components such as wood chips, sheep’s wool, volcanic rock, cork, and other recycled materials—following a circular economy approach.