Hi, I’m Giovanni…

I’m an academic at Northumbria University, where I teach the next generation of professionals working in construction, both new-build and historic conservation.

My research asks a simple question: can the building materials our ancestors used for thousands of years help solve some of today’s biggest environmental problems?

Lime, gypsum, and clay mortars aren’t just historical curiosities. They sit at the intersection of some of the most pressing challenges in modern materials science:

1. Biomimicry — I collaborate in research using enzyme-based, biomimetic strategies to boost lime’s ability to capture CO₂ as it hardens, connecting centuries-old material knowledge to cutting-edge bio-inspired science.
2. Circular Economy — lime, gypsum, and clay mortars can be crushed, reheated if needed, and reused indefinitely with no loss of performance — a genuinely closed-loop material system.
3. Climate Adaptation — the chemistry of hardened lime mortar, down to its isotopic makeup, can trap traces of past pollutants like lead. That gives us a window into historic urban pollution and better data for climate models.

My motto is docendo discimus — “by teaching, we learn.” Teaching keeps me close to the questions that matter, and research keeps my teaching grounded in real problems.

If any of this interests you, have a look around, or get in touch.