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RE: Self-Healing Concrete, With a Little Help From our Friends
If they didn't make concrete from fly ash, which is highly toxic, it would be just as biodegradable as any other stone.
Unfortunately, we are running out of aggregate with which to make concrete. Whole islands have sunk as a result of dredging ocean sand, five IIRC, in the Seychelles. About 40% of aggregate is now controlled by the mafia, since criminals don't care if they destroy the environment to make a profit selling sand.
Also, I hope robots never control all building decisions. Homes are very personal, and one of the things I like most about the work I do is consulting with folks about what personal touches they'd like, because adding them increases their satisfaction immensely.
These days it's hard to know where the Mafia ends and legitimate business (or government) takes off.
I appreciate this too, but there are plenty of people who are happy to live in a generic condo or hi-rise apartment just as long as it's convenient. "Style" is important as it relates to the opinions of others, but as long as they can put their favorite picture over there, a nice throw rug here and a picture of their childhood dog next to their bed, they're happy.
Robots are now printing houses out of concrete. I envision entire honeycomb-like housing cells built to basic human needs with a sleeping platform, eating station, bathing and toilet facilities and perhaps a small area to gather. Built to last forever, a person or family could live in one their entire lives and when they die, simply steam clean the whole thing and let somebody else move in. Would solve a lot of problems.
That just really puts life in perspective.