“Mud is contagious—it is love at first touch,” says Dragana Kojičić, an architect who uses mud to design buildings. Mud has been used to construct buildings since ancient times, when it was one of the only materials available; but today, with modern science, people have figured out that mud has many benefits.

First of all, mud is a great insulator, keeping the temperature inside the building consistent throughout the day. This makes it so air conditioners, which are a cause of climate change, according to BBC, do not need to be used. Furthermore, there are microscopic holes in the mud, which let fresh air into the building.

Mud can also help combat climate change. 38% of global carbon dioxide emissions come from the construction industry, and 7% come from building with concrete, according to BBC. Mud is more sustainable, however, because it does not have a high impact on the climate and is fully recyclable. According to Anna Heringer, an architect that works with mud, “It is the only material we can recycle as often as we like, without using any energy. It actually gets better the more you use it.”