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We've developed a cement mix to deliver the same health benefits as traditional cement with lower carbon emissions.
We've developed a cement mix to deliver the same health benefits as traditional cement with lower carbon emissions.
The problem with cement
The problem with cement
Cement production ranks among the world's most carbon-intensive industries, generating an estimated 5-10% of global carbon dioxide emissions. In Bangladesh—where air pollution levels can be high and climate vulnerability is particularly acute—reducing the carbon footprint of our housing intervention was essential for long-term sustainability and community health.
Lower-carbon cement mix
Lower-carbon cement mix
We developed a cement mix with 20% fly ash (a by-product from coal burning) to reduce our dependence on cement raw materials that are carbon-intensive to produce. We are conducting a life cycle analysis to estimate the potential reduction in carbon emissions if low-carbon concrete floors were installed at scale compared to traditional concrete floors.
Pathogen survival on low-carbon cement mix
To verify that our lower-carbon cement mix maintained the same pathogen-reducing benefits as traditional cement, we conducted controlled laboratory experiments comparing pathogen survival rates on tiles made from both formulations. We replicated real-world cleaning practices in our laboratory testing, simulating mopping, sweeping, and foot traffic to rigorously assess pathogen survival and removal on both traditional cement and our lower-carbon formulation.
E. coli survival and removal was similar for traditional and lower-carbon cement mixes. These findings suggest that the lower-carbon cement mix has the potential to deliver the same level of health impacts as a traditional cement mix.
To read more about the impact of concrete floors and animal management on pathogen survival, see our paper on E. coli survival and our preprint about soil-transmitted helminth survival.
Read our brief for exact mixing amounts, construction protocol, and user feedback on the sustainable cement.
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