Sugarcrete

The University of East London’s (UEL) Master of Architecture and Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) with the support of Tate & Lyle Sugars has developed an innovative construction material - Sugarcrete™ - which, using arable by-products, provides a sustainable, ultra-low carbon construction alternative to existing high carbon materials. In creative partnership with Grimshaw the first technical application of Sugarcrete™ – Sugarcrete™ Slab has been prototyped.

Created by mixing the sugarcane fibres left over after sugar sap extraction, known as bagasse, with bespoke sand-mineral binders, Sugarcrete™ is a material which has the potential to be used and re-used in new or existing structures, replacing both brick and concrete.

Developed over two years, testing of the material by UEL’s SRI showed that using Sugarcrete™, when compared to concrete production, reduces curing time to one week (a process that takes up to 28-days), is four to five times lighter than concrete block, only uses 15 – 20 per cent of its carbon footprint and provides substantially reduced costs.

Website: https://grimshaw.global/news/articles/sugarcrete-revealed/