News

Industries

Companies

Jobs

Events

People

Video

Audio

Galleries

My Biz

Submit content

My Account

Advertise with us

Infrastructure, Innovation & Technology News South Africa

Reducing carbon footprint of the built world with Solidiatech

When we discuss carbon emissions or pollution of the atmosphere, it is usually power generation via fossil fuels that is pegged as the culprit. A lesser known contributor to the greenhouse effect is the multi-trillion dollar global industry of construction, specifically the manufacturing of concrete, which accounts for approximately 7% of all greenhouse gas generation.
Reducing carbon footprint of the built world with Solidiatech

Now, a cement and concrete technologies company called Solidiatech is rolling back this debt to the Earth with hugely efficient means of making basic building blocks. Using the very same raw materials that are used to produce normal concrete such as limestone and clay, Solidiatech’s engineers have devised a new approach that is said to reduce the carbon footprint of the construction process by 70%.

Solidiatech’s disruption to normal means of making concrete is not major, but the results are. The ingredients list is practically the same, but a few key differences in the ratios make an impact. Critically, their more sustainable recipe for creating cement includes the use of carbon dioxide as a binding agent instead of water, which is commonly used. Solidiatech bricks are also fired at approximately 30% less heat in the kiln than is the norm, which saves energy.

Reducing carbon footprint of the built world with Solidiatech

According to the engineers, “Easy to adopt anywhere in the world, the technologies produce a sustainable cement and cure concrete with CO2, while utilising manufacturers’ existing infrastructure, raw materials, production methods and specifications.”

The work of companies such as Solidiatech enables sustainability to be the driving force even in the design of inanimate objects and architecture around us – and that a reaction to modern dilemmas such as global warming and water shortage can even be found in the cement below our feet.

Source: Design Indaba

Design Indaba inspires and empowers people to create a better future through design and creativity. We are an online publication (www.designindaba.com) with an annual festival and social impact Do Tank.

Go to: www.designindaba.com
Let's do Biz