After sugarcane is harvested, a large amount of fibrous stem waste, known as bagasse, remains. The substance is made into an environmentally friendly building material called "Sugarcrete", which recently won the International Climate Positive Award. Sugarcrete was developed in partnership with the University of East London and the British sugar company Tate & Lyle. The material consists of sugarcane bagasse and a proprietary mineral-based binder. The mixture is compressed and left to solidify, creating high-strength blocks that can be used to replace traditional clay or concrete bricks.
But why would anyone want to make such a replacement? Researchers claim that Sugarcrete fully cures much faster than concrete (one week instead of four), weighs one-quarter to one-fifth as much per same-sized piece of concrete, and is much cheaper to produce.
The latter is a particularly important consideration in areas where sugar cane is grown. Instead of dumping the bagasse in landfills, farmers can sell it to local companies that produce Sugarcrete concrete. This material, in turn, can be used in local construction projects that may not be affordable if only imported concrete is the option.
Additionally, Sugarcrete is said to have a carbon footprint of only 15% to 20% that of concrete. It is estimated that the heat generated by the production of traditional Portland cement (the cement used in concrete) accounts for 5%-8% of the total carbon dioxide emitted by humans.
Sugarcrete has been demonstrated in modular floor slab prototypes, distributing loads throughout the structure through connections between interlocking blocks. Although some steel is used, Sugarcrete floors use 90% less steel than concrete floors, which are more prone to cracking under pressure.
At the end of last year, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, environmental organization Green Cross UK selected Suga Concrete as the winner of the circular economy section of its Climate Positive Award. The award recognizes initiatives to combat climate change, with a circular economy component dedicated to projects that reduce waste by reusing existing materials.
The Sugarcrete team is currently looking for agricultural partners in countries across the Global South as the next step in commercializing the technology.