A team of researchers at Norway's SINTEF organization recently developed an eco-friendly cement that can serve as an alternative to limestone. One of the problems with using cement as a building material is that a significant amount of fuel is required to heat the limestone. In order to cut down on the carbon footprint associated with the production of cement, SINTEF has come up with a clever alternative.
The eco-friendly cement developed by the SINTEF researchers is made from bunt clay instead of limestone. The team specifically selected Norwegian blue clay because it is comprised of materials such as crystalline quartz, kaolin, smectite and illite -- all of which are less reactive than other types of clay. As a result, the material produced far less CO2 without compromising the material's strength in the process.
Eco-Friendly Building Materials
This Company is Making Eco-Friendly Cement Out of Burnt Clay
Trend Themes
1. Eco-friendly Building Materials - Using burnt clay as a building material is a disruptive innovation opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint associated with cement production and meet growing demand for sustainable building practices.
2. Alternative Cement Production - Replacing limestone with bunt clay to produce cement presents a disruptive innovation opportunity to address the environmental impact of traditional cement production methods.
3. Innovative Material Selection - Identifying and selecting less reactive clay materials like Norwegian blue clay presents a disruptive innovation opportunity to revolutionize the use of natural resources in construction materials.
Industry Implications
1. Construction - The construction industry can benefit from eco-friendly building materials like burnt clay cement as a disruptive innovation opportunity to address sustainability concerns and meet customer demand for green building practices.
2. Building Materials Manufacturing - Innovative material selection and alternative cement production are disruptive innovation opportunities for the building materials manufacturing industry to meet the growing demand for sustainable construction materials while reducing the carbon footprint of their production processes.
3. Environmental Technology - Developing eco-friendly building materials presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for the environmental technology industry to provide sustainable solutions for the construction industry and reduce environmental impact.