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“Sugarcrete™: sugarcane bio-residue as a low-carbon structural binder for the construction industry”

  • Writer: Dakila News
    Dakila News
  • 17 hours ago
  • 3 min read

Understand the news at your own pace: To make the content more accessible while maintaining technical depth, this news story has been presented in two formats:

  • Simplified version: Ideal for those outside the field but curious about the subject.

  • Technical version: Aimed at readers with prior knowledge or professional interest in the topic. Choose the reading that best suits you—or enjoy both!


Imagine that the waste from sugar production—normally considered "leftovers"—began to be used to build houses, slabs, and buildings. That's precisely what researchers at the University of East London (UEL), in partnership with the architecture firm Grimshaw and the manufacturer Tate & Lyle Sugar, have created: a concrete made from sugarcane bagasse called Sugarcrete™.


This new material has a much smaller carbon footprint (only 15 to 20% of that of traditional concrete), is lighter, and can be produced more affordably in regions where sugarcane is grown.


Furthermore, it addresses two major problems: the excess of agricultural waste and the high CO₂ emissions from the construction industry—a sector that, globally, is responsible for a significant portion of emissions.


The promise? If this material is used on a large scale, it could save up to 1.08 billion tons of CO₂—equivalent to about 3% of annual global emissions—according to the researchers.

Accessible Language: (News produced with AI)


Research conducted by UEL in collaboration with Grimshaw and Tate & Lyle Sugar resulted in the development of Sugarcrete™, a material that uses sugarcane bagasse as its main component, partially replacing conventional aggregates and cement.


According to the authors, the material has a carbon footprint corresponding to 15-20% of that of traditional bricks or concrete, being "ultra-low carbon" compared to current construction standards.


In terms of structural performance, Sugarcrete™ underwent compression strength, thermal insulation, and fire resistance tests, demonstrating compatibility with applications such as floors, slabs, and load-bearing panels.


The manufacturing process is comparable to that of conventional blocks (mixing, molding, curing) but uses a digital chain and robotic manufacturing to create articulated modules, with the possibility of disassembly and reuse, in addition to lower weight—up to five times lighter, according to the source.


In the context of sustainability, researchers indicate that sugarcane cultivation is up to 50 times more efficient than forestry in converting CO₂ into biomass, giving the raw material high priority for low-carbon solutions.


The scalability of the project is estimated: if only 30% of global bagasse production were used, it could fully replace the conventional brick or lightweight concrete industry, resulting in savings of approximately 1.08 billion tons of CO₂.


Finally, although the patent was deliberately not registered to encourage community adoption, the technical challenge lies in variations in moisture, particle size, and purity of the raw material, requiring control and standardization for commercial-scale production.

Technical language: (News produced with AI)


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🚨 This is a news item for informational purposes only. 🚨

 
 
 

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