Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISs) have developed an energy-efficient Low carbon brick that is made from construction and demolition waste using alkali-activated binders.

These bricks would not only solve the disposal problems associated with the construction but would also save energy by low-temperature firing. It would further avoid the use of high-energy material, mainly Portland cement said a senior officer of the Department of Science and Technology here on Thursday.

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Conventionally, building envelopes consist of masonry walls built with burnt clay bricks, concrete blocks, hollow clay blocks, fly ash bricks, and lightweight blocks. Most of these technologies spend energy during their production incurring carbon emissions.

Similarly, the masonry units are manufactured either through the process of firing or using high-energy carbon binders, mainly Portland cement. As a result, the annual consumption of bricks and blocks in India is about 900 million tonnes.

Scientists from IIS eyed the construction industry waste, which is to the tune of 100 million tonnes per annum. Targeting to use these 100 Million tonnes of construction waste, the team of researchers developed low embodied carbon bricks from CDW waste through an alkali activation process.

They used fly ash and ground slag characterizing the thermal, structural, and durability characteristics of Low-C bricks and their masonry. After ascertaining the Physico-chemical and compaction characteristics of the CDW, the optimum mix ratios of the materials were obtained to produce low-C bricks.

Based on the optimum binder proportions, the compressed bricks were manufactured and were found perfect after examining their engineering characteristics.

“A start-up has been registered, which will be functional within 6-9 months to manufacture low-C bricks and blocks with IISc technical help. The start-up unit will act as a technology dissemination unit through training, capacity building, and providing technical know-how for establishing such commercial units across India,” said Prof B V Venkatarama Reddy from IISc who led the team to develop the Loc- Carbon bricks.